Sasha Cohen

[heyang]

It might also help Sasha to start working on her jumps. Kristy never lost her jumps and I think that was part of her appeal. Even though Kristy was a pro skater and could've taken it easy she chose not to. She stayed in shape and delivered the goods. For as much as people are paying for the tickets, they expect the performances to live up to what they're paying for. Sasha has a lot of work to do if she expects to return to competitve skating. I think she knows that and I doubt she'll be back.

I agree - for the cost of tickets, people expect quality skating. However, overall, while Sasha doesn't jump as well as the other skaters on SOI, she does amaze with her flexibility. Personally, I've always found Sasha's on ice persona to be remote.

I totally agree with that. I was kind of put off by the whole "Sasha is our Star" thing. There were other skaters/teams in the cast whose resumes equal or better that of Sasha's. And in terms of personality and star quality, she was far from the "star" of the show. I thought Jen Robinson really has that "it" quality in shows. No, she doesn't have the big titles to her name, but she can sell a program for all its worth. I definitely hope SOI is done with its "Headliner" promotions and realizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

You think they would have realized this when they heavily promoted Tara for 2 years and then Sarah Hughes for one year. While I enjoy SOI, the cast of Kristi, Kurt, Scott, Paul, etc were probably the highpoint of the tour IMO.

 

[Dee4707]

Sasha is a big name, and the an American Olympic Silver Medalist at the most recent games. SOI knows that she will bring audiences that normally would not see the show.

About her talent and personality... there really could be nobody better. She loved the limelight and loved performing. She does things nobody else can do on that show and is one of a kind. I do not think that Sasha has at all embraced this chance to skate for fun and perform as I would have expected her too, I feel that losing the Olympic Gold crushed her, and is reminded of that moment whenever she skates. Of course, there is much we don't know. she could be going through some things personally...

Tinmavy, I couldn't agree with you more regarding Sasha. I always thought SOI had a lady star?? I could be wrong....if I am not then I couldn't agree more about Sasha having the star quality for SOI. Americans knew her!! When Yuka Sato, who I just adore was the star no one knew who she was execpt skating fans.

The closest thing SOI ever had to a "headliner" was Hamilton and he had a personality that was three times his size.

I have to disagree with the above....headliner???...he owned the show. When Scott was in the Omaha SOI...he actually stood on the ice until he got a standing ovation........ He stood there for about 90 seconds until people figured out why he was just standing there. I was totally embarrased for him.

I guess this thread just turned into another Sasha bash. It just amazes me that people still do that.

Dee

 

[museksk8r]

I guess this thread just turned into another Sasha bash. It just amazes me that people still do that.

It certainly has not turned into a Sasha bashing thread, I don't think. I don't see where anyone has called her a bad skater or a bad person. Some people simply don't see amazing personality or star quality bursting from her skating. That certainly isn't a bash; that's a personal opinion and those who feel that way should be entitled to feel that. As for the Olympics, the Olympic gold wasn't one skater's to lose; the skater who had the cleanest 2 performances deservedly won it.

 

[Dee4707]

It certainly has not turned into a Sasha bashing thread, I don't think. I don't see where anyone has called her a bad skater or a bad person.

Really???

Dee

 

[demarinis5]

I attended quite a few COI shows because Michelle was the headliner and secondly because of Sasha. I enjoyed the other skaters quite a bit but Michelle and Sasha is what kept me coming back. I have never attended an SOI show but you bet I will next season since Sasha will be headlining again. I also think that Sasha's deserves to be the headliner right now, if not her who. SOI needs to showcase a skater for ticket sales and apparently they feel Sasha's the one and I agree with them.

 

[R.D.]

...you bet I will next season since Sasha will be headlining again.

How do you know that? I have not read such an announcement.

SOI needs to showcase a skater for ticket sales and apparently they feel Sasha's the one

I agree. They have to choose SOMEONE to promote the show and they went with the one freshest in folks' minds. The right choice IMO.

It certainly has not turned into a Sasha bashing thread, I don't think. I don't see where anyone has called her a bad skater or a bad person. Some people simply don't see amazing personality or star quality bursting from her skating. That certainly isn't a bash; that's a personal opinion and those who feel that way should be entitled to feel that.

Well said. Agree with every word.

 

[demarinis5]

How do you know that? I have not read such an announcement.
.

It was mentioned on another Board. I have not read an official announcement. Heck for all I know Sasha might take a break from skating and relax.

 

[nubka]

It certainly has not turned into a Sasha bashing thread, I don't think. I don't see where anyone has called her a bad skater or a bad person.

Hmmm, let's see...

She's basically lost her jumps
No personality on the ice
Not really interested in skating
She doesn't project to the audience
Her programs aren't interesting
No "star" quality
Not special enough to be the headliner

Have a great day...

 

[R.D.]

Still, there has been no bashing in this thread, really. Let me tell you that when Sarah was a part of the tour two years ago SHE got bashed (and I mean bashed, she was called fat, greedy, out-of-shape, etc. and of course no one cried foul). It comes with the territory, the Cohen fans better toughen up or prepare themselves.

When people pay good money to see these skaters, they want to see a great if not top-notch product. If they get any less than that, of course folks will get mad. And guess who is open to take most of the heat- the star of the show.

 

[moviechick]

Hmmm, let's see...

She's basically lost her jumps
No personality on the ice
Not really interested in skating
She doesn't project to the audience
Her programs aren't interesting
No "star" quality
Not special enough to be the headliner

Have a great day...

I think it's because she is the headliner of the show that she should be held to a higher standard. If they hadn't promoted her as their "big star", I don't think people would be critical. Being the headliner does come with greater responsibility and some just feel that she hasn't really lived up to it. And it's not like people are saying "so-and-so should be the headliner instead of Sasha"; it's the idea of having one person promoted so heavily over all others..

 

[R.D.]

I think it's because she is the headliner of the show that she should be held to a higher standard. If they hadn't promoted her as their "big star", I don't think people would be critical. Being the headliner does come with greater responsibility and some just feel that she hasn't really lived up to it. And it's not like people are saying "so-and-so should be the headliner instead of Sasha"; it's the idea of having one person promoted so heavily over all others..

Ek - freakin' - xactly!!!

I didn't see the 2005 show but people were saying the same thing about Sarah H.- that she wasn't performing at quite the same level her co-stars were, and she got a lot of criticism- and a lot of vitriol directed her way as well. I see Cohen getting only the criticism and not the vitriol in this thread. Lucky for her.

 

[demarinis5]

And it's not like people are saying "so-and-so should be the headliner instead of Sasha"; it's the idea of having one person promoted so heavily over all others..

Well we are not privy to SOI ticket sales since Sasha was promoted as a headliner. If they are up you bet they will be upping her contract if she decides to stay on, it is all about business and us fans don't really have any control of how they run their show other than to not attend if you are not satisfied with Sasha.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I don't mean to fuel any arguments here, but anybody must agree that Sasha has more star quality than Sarah, OGM or not. Sarah can jump (but wasn't too great at that either by 2004-2005) but has no artistic or wow qualities AT ALL.

just my opinion.

 

[demarinis5]

I don't mean to fuel any arguments here, but anybody must agree that Sasha has more star quality than Sarah, OGM or not. Sarah can jump (but wasn't too great at that either by 2004-2005) but has no artistic or wow qualities AT ALL.

just my opinion.

You won't get any arguments from me.

 

[NansXOXOX]

Dee,

You and I agree on a lot of things, I guess Sasha is just one of those things we don't agree on. I didn't mean to bash, sorry if it came off that way.

Toward the end of his active skating career, Scott did do a lot of "begging" for standing O's, but at his prime he always had the audience in the palm of his hand.

 

[R.D.]

I don't mean to fuel any arguments here, but anybody must agree that Sasha has more star quality than Sarah, OGM or not. Sarah can jump (but wasn't too great at that either by 2004-2005) but has no artistic or wow qualities AT ALL.

just my opinion.

I liked Sarah but I must agree with this. There was really nothing THAT special about her other than the OGM. Take that away and you didn't have much left, really. The bashing of her during her run was really uncalled for, though- so unnecessary.

That said, this was Cohen's time to really stand out and become a STAR. But that didn't happen/isn't happening. I just think she gets worn out a bit too easily to carry a show like SOI and deliver night after night, thrilling audience after audience. Granted, all skaters will get tired after a while, but at least they try.

As the designated star of the show, she needs to take a leadership role and set the tone (and the bar) for everyone else. And it may simply be a matter of choosing a more upbeat piece. She has the moves, she just needs to show them off with the ideal program (and IMO the status quo does not do that).

 

[Dee4707]

I guess I really don't understand what is wanted/needed from the star that Scott picks for the SOI show. It's a show, no jumps are needed. It's who can put hineys in the seats....it's money. If I felt as strongly as some of you about the star and how she's not star quality enough I would let SOI know. That's what I would do...but then that's me. I guess I could go to every skating board and say how the star sucks and why does SOI have such a poor skater in the lead role and say this over and over and over and over. Actually you're saying Scott made a bad choice.

I saw Sarah in SOI and I have several pictures of her. I thought she was great. It's a show, not a competition. It just makes me laugh when I read how certain people are picked on over and over and over and over. Did you see Katarina Witt in SOI???? Now that was star quality.

Dee

 

[R.D.]

I saw Sarah in SOI and I have several pictures of her.

Oh really? By any chance do you have them in an online album?

 

[AwesomeIce]

I guess this thread just turned into another Sasha bash. It just amazes me that people still do that.

Dee

I don't see any bashing here. Sasha has many fine qualities to her skating. She has the potential to be very entertaining in her exhibition programs. However, she did not live up to her billing as the star of the show this year. There is no bashing in saying that. She was not terrible, but she could have been better. A lot better. When you look at previous EX programs like Don't Rain on My Parade, and Hernando's Hideaway, and even SPs like Dark Eyes and Malaguena, you can see her ability to come to life and draw a crowd in and really SELL a program. She did not do that this year. Part of the problem, I think, was her choice in music. Anytime, Anywhere and Imagine are nice songs. They aren't attention grabbing. They aren't really entertaining. To me, they're more like background noise, and Sasha more or less treated them as such. The other problem, for me at least, was that she relied too heavily on the same few tricks over and over and over. Same spins and spirals in both programs, no interesting footwork, and unreliable jumps. The jumps wouldn't have bothered me so much if the programs were otherwise very interesting, but they weren't. And I don't feel bad in saying so, nor do I think it it anywhere near what you call "bashing."

 

[Dee4707]

She was not terrible, but she could have been better. A lot better. When you look at previous EX programs like Don't Rain on My Parade, and Hernando's Hideaway, and even SPs like Dark Eyes and Malaguena, you can see her ability to come to life and draw a crowd in and really SELL a program. She did not do that this year. Part of the problem, I think, was her choice in music.

Did she pick her music or was it picked for her??

The other problem, for me at least, was that she relied too heavily on the same few tricks over and over and over. Same spins and spirals in both programs, no interesting footwork, and unreliable jumps. The jumps wouldn't have bothered me so much if the programs were otherwise very interesting, but they weren't.

Did she do her own choreography??

Dee