Winter Olympics: Torino 2006

[honeychile]

We'll have to agree to disagree, then. If I remember properly, Michelle would have been the first female figure skater to win the gold, silver, and bronze, should she had pulled an upset. I would imagine that the USOC was looking at that. That would have made incredible international press.

I'm not saying that she would have gotten the gold; the groin injury alone (not forgetting that she had two of them) would have made it almost impossible. But if you know skating, you know that at least 75% (some say 90%) is politics - not necessarily national, but not unlike office politics - and that would have served her well. Had she skated cleanly, she would have medaled.

Emily Hughes hasn't had a chance to build up that political backing. Being Sarah's sister will work as much against her as for her. That's why I felt that a little graciousness would have served her well. After all, what's one of the things said about Michelle Kwan almost every time her name is mentioned with Olympics? That she voluntarily and gracefully stepped down for Nancy Kerrigan. If you don't believe how political it is, read On Thin Ice, I think by Christine Brennan. The top five are already selected, unless someone chokes. It's just a matter of skating the events now.