Perry Perspective: Feb 10
Miller leads U.S. parade into Turin
?If you ever tried to ski when you?re wasted, it?s not easy.?
Like many, I took exception to what Bode Miller said during his recent interview with 60 Minutes. As a long-time skier, I have always felt that skiing is actually easier when wasted.
You?re more relaxed mentally, your muscles are a lot looser, and your body is not nearly as stiff when you take a nasty wipeout. Hence, you?re a lot less likely to break bones.
And with your judgment clouded, you?re much more willing to take risks, such as speed down the side of a mountain as fast as you possibly can.
In fact, for an Olympic alpine skier, booze might actually qualify as a performance-enhancing drug, especially for those truly insane skiers who compete in the downhill.
Of course, Nike?s henchmen will now be watching Miller closely to make sure he doesn?t sip any brown pops in the chalet before hitting the slopes, lest he tarnish their image.
Way to go Bode!
Regardless, Miller is still one the U.S.?s best medal hopes at the XX Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, which begin Friday.
Nicknamed the ?Cowboy of the Snow? by the Italian media, the 28-year-old New Hampshire native won two Olympic silver medals at the Salt Lake games in 2002 ? one in the Giant Slalom and one in the Combined event.
Last year, he captured both the World Cup Overall Title and World Cup Super G Title. He also won a gold medal at the 2005 World Championships in the Downhill and the Super G.
This season, Miller hasn?t been as dominant on the World Cup circuit and sits in third in the overall standings behind Austria?s Benjamin Raich and Michael Walchhofer. He is also second in the Combined. In its Olympic preview edition, Sports Illustrated has predicted Miller will win just one medal, a silver in the Combined, the same medal he won in 2002.
In total, there are three medals up for grabs in five different alpine events at the Turin Olympics: Downhill, Super G, Combined, Giant Slalom and Slalom.
In terms of Olympic hockey, it?s not looking good for Americans. With an aging squad, Team USA would need a miracle to capture a gold medal this year. At the Salt Lake Games, the U.S. took home the silver medal after losing to Canada 5-2 in the gold medal final. It was Canada?s first Olympic gold medal in men?s hockey in 50 years.
Russia, the bronze medal winner in Salt Lake, has a storied history in the Olympics and a lineup stacked with NHLers. Among the 19 NHL players on Russia?s roster are: Washington Capitals rookie phenom Alexander Ovechkin (8th overall in scoring, third in goals), Atlanta Thrashers left winger Ilya Kovalchuk (4th overall in scoring, 1st in goals) and New York Islanders star center Alexei Yashin.
Sports Illustrated has picked the Czech Republic to win gold, with Canada winning silver and Russia taking bronze.
At the Salt Lake Games, Team USA won 34 medals in total: 10 gold, 13 silver and 11 bronze. Only Germany has more medals at 35. Sports Illustrated has predicted the U.S. will win 33 medals in total, only five of which will be gold.
Perry---
BetWWTS.com
Miller leads U.S. parade into Turin
?If you ever tried to ski when you?re wasted, it?s not easy.?
Like many, I took exception to what Bode Miller said during his recent interview with 60 Minutes. As a long-time skier, I have always felt that skiing is actually easier when wasted.
You?re more relaxed mentally, your muscles are a lot looser, and your body is not nearly as stiff when you take a nasty wipeout. Hence, you?re a lot less likely to break bones.
And with your judgment clouded, you?re much more willing to take risks, such as speed down the side of a mountain as fast as you possibly can.
In fact, for an Olympic alpine skier, booze might actually qualify as a performance-enhancing drug, especially for those truly insane skiers who compete in the downhill.
Of course, Nike?s henchmen will now be watching Miller closely to make sure he doesn?t sip any brown pops in the chalet before hitting the slopes, lest he tarnish their image.
Way to go Bode!
Regardless, Miller is still one the U.S.?s best medal hopes at the XX Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, which begin Friday.
Nicknamed the ?Cowboy of the Snow? by the Italian media, the 28-year-old New Hampshire native won two Olympic silver medals at the Salt Lake games in 2002 ? one in the Giant Slalom and one in the Combined event.
Last year, he captured both the World Cup Overall Title and World Cup Super G Title. He also won a gold medal at the 2005 World Championships in the Downhill and the Super G.
This season, Miller hasn?t been as dominant on the World Cup circuit and sits in third in the overall standings behind Austria?s Benjamin Raich and Michael Walchhofer. He is also second in the Combined. In its Olympic preview edition, Sports Illustrated has predicted Miller will win just one medal, a silver in the Combined, the same medal he won in 2002.
In total, there are three medals up for grabs in five different alpine events at the Turin Olympics: Downhill, Super G, Combined, Giant Slalom and Slalom.
In terms of Olympic hockey, it?s not looking good for Americans. With an aging squad, Team USA would need a miracle to capture a gold medal this year. At the Salt Lake Games, the U.S. took home the silver medal after losing to Canada 5-2 in the gold medal final. It was Canada?s first Olympic gold medal in men?s hockey in 50 years.
Russia, the bronze medal winner in Salt Lake, has a storied history in the Olympics and a lineup stacked with NHLers. Among the 19 NHL players on Russia?s roster are: Washington Capitals rookie phenom Alexander Ovechkin (8th overall in scoring, third in goals), Atlanta Thrashers left winger Ilya Kovalchuk (4th overall in scoring, 1st in goals) and New York Islanders star center Alexei Yashin.
Sports Illustrated has picked the Czech Republic to win gold, with Canada winning silver and Russia taking bronze.
At the Salt Lake Games, Team USA won 34 medals in total: 10 gold, 13 silver and 11 bronze. Only Germany has more medals at 35. Sports Illustrated has predicted the U.S. will win 33 medals in total, only five of which will be gold.
Perry---
BetWWTS.com
