Best of Milan Cortina

Another Olympics is in the books and LA28 is officially on deck.  Milan Cortina was an ambitious plan.  The first Olympics with two official host cities and venues spread across Northern Italy.  But you know what?  It worked!  Despite the competition being so spread out, it looked and felt like an Olympics.  And, like any Olympics, the Milan Cortina Games had plenty of memorable moments.

Norway made history with the most medals (41) and most gold medals (18) ever at a Winter Games.  Italy used the host country boost for its best-ever Winter Games, and the United States won its most-ever Winter Olympic gold medals with 12 (including both hockey tournaments).  Lucas Pinero Braathen's gold medal in the men's slalom wasn't just the first for Brazil--it was the first Winter Olympic medal ever for a South American nation.  Georgia won its first Winter Olympic medal, too, in pairs figure skating.

There were so many top moments to choose from that any top 10 list will seem like it's missing something.  So, I'm not going to call these the 10 most memorable moments of the Milan Cortina Games.  I won't even call them my 10 favorite moments.  They're simply the ones that will immediately come to mind when I think about the 2026 Olympics.

King Klaebo: Is there any other possible place to start?  It's Johannes Klaebo's world.  We're all just living in it.  He became the winningest Winter Olympian in history and now has more Olympic gold medals than anybody other than Michael Phelps.  Klaebo went a perfect 6-for-6 in Milan Cortina, winning both the longest and shortest events on the cross country program in the process.  Only Phelps has won more at a single Games.

Free Bird: For the first time since the 1980 Miracle on Ice, the United States won the gold medal in men's hockey.  In the final event of the Games, Jack Hughes scored the Golden Goal in overtime to beat archrival Canada, 2-1.  That was also the final score of the women's gold medal game, which was also against Canada.  Which also went to overtime.  The American men and women went a combined 13-0 in Milan Cortina and, for the first time, both brought home the gold.

Alysa Liu: Retired from the sport at 16, Olympic champion at 20.  Alysa Liu simply doesn't care anymore...and I mean that in the best possible way.  The smile never left her face in Milan Cortina!  And that free skate that won her the gold was simply spectacular.  That's how you win an Olympic title!  She, of course, left Milan with two gold medals, having also contributed to the Americans' victory in the team event.

Corypalooza: Prior to 2026, the United States had never won a medal in mixed doubles curling.  Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse changed that with a silver medal that captured the country's attention over the first few days of the Games.  The women's team then ended up making the semifinals for the first time in 24 years.  Cory Thiesse was a very busy lady in Italy.  Between the mixed doubles and women's tournaments, she played 22 curling games over two and a half weeks from two days before the Opening Ceremony to the day before the Closing.

Golden Dog: Every Olympics has its light-hearted moments, too.  Milan Cortina's came in the women's cross country team sprint, when a dog named Nazgul got loose on the course and ran across the finish line alongside some of the skiers.  Nazgul became as big a star as any of the human Olympians who took part in the race!

Bobsledding Mama: Milan Cortina was 41-year-old Elana Meyers Taylor's fifth Olympics.  She won five medals at the previous four, but never a gold.  That finally changed in Milan Cortina, when she won the women's monobob competition for her first career Olympic title.

Ilia's Implosion: Unfortunately, there are bad moments that we'll remember, too.  There was no bigger favorite in any event coming into the Games than Ilia Malinin in men's figure skating.  Instead, we were all stunned when he had one of the worst performances of his career in the free skate.  Malinin didn't only not win, he didn't even medal!  That's the thing about sports, though.  Nothing is preordained.  The Olympic pressure got to him, and now he has to wait four long years until French Alps 2030.

Bellissima: On the opening day of the Games, Italian Francesca Lollobrigida set an Olympic record to win gold in the women's 3000 meters in speed skating.  That was just the start of the host country's best Winter Olympics ever.  Lollobrigida added another gold five days later in the 5000.  Alpine skier Federica Brignone, meanwhile, only returned to competition in January after suffering a serious injury in an April 2025 crash.  All she did was win gold medals in the giant slalom and Super G.  The first two Olympic titles of her career.  At age 35.

Big Ben: Fifty years ago in Innsbruck, Bill Koch won the silver medal in the 30 kilometers.  Until 2018, that was the only cross country skiing medal ever won by an American.  It was still the only men's cross country medal until Milan Cortina, when Ben Ogden finished second behind Klaebo in the sprint.  Ogden then tripled the United States' all-time medal total in men's cross country skiing when he grabbed another silver with Gus Schumacher in the team sprint...then did a bad-ass backflip off the podium during the medals ceremony!

Jordan Stolz Arrives: Watching the 2010 Olympics on TV inspired Jordan Stolz to become a speed skater.  In his Olympic debut, the expectations were high.  He was entered in four events.  Could he win them all?  Stoltz started with victories in the 1000 and 500, then he settled for silver in the 1500.  He ended up off the podium in the mass start, finishing fourth.  Still, three medals were the most by any American speed skater at a single Olympics since Eric Heiden's legendary 5-for-5 performance in 1980.

While that rounds out the list, I want to wrap up by acknowledging some teams that dominated.  The Swiss men's alpine ski team won four of the five events, with Franjo von Allmen taking home three gold medals.  The French in biathlon and Sweden in women's cross country.  Japan in snowboarding and the ski jumping Prevc siblings, who contributed to all four of Slovenia's medals.  Finally, there's the Dutch short track team.  We already knew what they can do on the long track.  In Milan Cortina, they also painted the short track oranj.

Oh, and how about the American women?  Of the 12 gold medals won by the United States, eight were in either women's or mixed events.  The only exceptions were Stolz's two, the men's hockey team and Alex Ferreira.  If they were their own country, the American women would've had more gold medals than all but five other nations.  (For the record, Klaebo would've finished tied for eighth in the gold medal count all on his own.)

Milan Cortina 2026 was an unforgettable Olympics.  For so many reasons.  From the NHL's return to Klaebo's brilliance and everything in between, it was one for the history books, as well.  They tried something new in Northern Italy and they pulled it off in spectacular fashion.  Congratulazioni Italia per delle Olimpiadi meravgliose.

People Did Watch

Remember back four years ago when NBC's Olympic ratings weren't good and critics were quick to say that "nobody" watches the Olympics anymore?  Well, as the Paris Games proved, that analysis couldn't be further from the truth.  And that point was reiterated in Milan Cortina, which set a Winter Olympics ratings record!  They were the most-watched Winter Games since 2014 and had an average of 23.5 million viewers a night, an astounding 96 percent increase from Beijing. 

It's not a coincidence that the last two Winter Olympics were lower rated.  They were both in Asia.  Because of the time difference, Olympics in Asia aren't as highly-watched in the U.S.  Even with live primetime events (which are held the following morning local time), Games in Asia draw lower viewership numbers than Games in Europe (where live primetime events are impossible).  Then you throw in the fact that three Olympics in a row were held in Asia, and there was definitely some Asia fatigue there.

There were some other very obvious circumstances that came into play for both the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics that contributed to the low viewership.  It wasn't just because of Asia fatigue, which absolutely played a part.  It's because those were both COVID Olympics.  The Tokyo Games were delayed a year and held without spectators.  They looked and felt stale. 

Then Beijing 2.0 was only six months later.  In addition to Asia fatigue, having two Games so close together likely led to some Olympic fatigue, as well.  And there were still COVID restrictions that led to Beijing having limited crowds.  Plus, the American diplomatic boycott led to NBC doing all of its coverage from Connecticut instead of on-site.  And some people likely didn't watch as their own personal protest to China's policies.

Asian Olympics are difficult, too, because of the time difference.  Yes, it allows for live events in primetime, but a vast majority of them take place overnight and in the early morning.  That's not optimal viewing time.  And it makes for daytime shows that consist entirely of pre-taped competition.  That can be a tough sell, especially since those (A) aren't marquee events that NBC got scheduled for the morning so they can show them live and (B) Americans typically aren't strong in them.

American success obviously helps, too.  This was the United States' most successful Winter Olympics outside of North America ever.  And the 12 gold medals won by American athletes were a record for any Winter Olympics.  Don't think that didn't contributed to NBC's ratings success.  Whether they'd already watched it or not, people wanted to see Americans win on the primetime show.

For Paris, NBC changed its Olympic broadcast strategy with great success.  The time difference with Europe, while it didn't allow for live coverage in primetime, was advantageous in many other ways.  Most significantly, it allows for live coverage all afternoon.  And the marquee events take place in the late afternoon, which makes it much more likely that people will be able to watch them live if they want to.  And, if they missed it or wanted to see it again, they could watch in primetime only a few hours later (not half a day later).

And, yes, there were still early-morning events.  That's always going happen at any Olympics that isn't in North America (in LA, it'll be the opposite...the time difference goes the other way, so there won't be anything in the morning on the East Coast).  Most events didn't start until later in the morning or the afternoon in the United States, though.  That makes viewing live much easier.  And people were certainly willing to make an exception regarding the early-morning starts.

The men's hockey gold medal game began at 8:10 am Eastern.  People, of course, still complained about the start time, but what did they expect?  The game was in Italy and had to start in the afternoon local time because of the Closing Ceremony!  And, you know what?  Getting up at 8, even on a Sunday, isn't that crazy.  And plenty of people were willing to get up at 8 so that they could watch USA vs. Canada live!

After the success of their broadcast strategy in Paris a year and a half ago, it was no surprise that NBC used the same approach in Milan Cortina.  Primetime in Paris and Primetime in Milan were succinct, well-produced shows that had coverage of some of the same events that had aired only a few hours earlier, yet was also different.  Not just because it was edited, but because it had those prepackaged features.  And, in Milan Cortina, they also held some events for primetime.  Most alpine skiing was shown live on USA early in the morning, but wasn't featured on NBC until the primetime show.  So, they still managed to have something "new" on primetime every night.

Let's not forget the setting of the last two Olympics, either.  Paris is Paris.  It sells itself.  Milan does, too, in many ways.  Highlighting Milan and highlighting Italy is a winning strategy.  And it's one that really only works with those classic European locations framed with so much culture and so much history.  (I'm not a fan of the Snoop Dogg filler segments, but Mike Tirico and NBC seem to be, so it's doubtful they're going anywhere.)

When they first started making every event available live on streaming, some people thought NBC was cannibalizing itself and that it would eat into their linear television audience.  If anything, it's had the opposite effect.  People will stream it live and watch it on TV later.  Or they'll watch it live on USA in the morning before NBC shows it later in the day during their coverage.  Giving people a streaming option has only enhanced NBC's reach.  Because it wasn't just the Peacock-exclusive stuff available online.  All of NBC's broadcast and cable coverage was streamed, as well.  So, they could "watch" NBC even without watching NBC.

Up next, of course, is Los Angeles, where coverage will be completely different than the two most recent European Olympics.  Nothing will happen in the East Coast's morning.  Everything will be live, including the late night show.  It'll be NBC's first mostly-live Olympics since Rio 2016, and there won't be nearly as much room for the ridiculous filler.  But they'll also take some of the things they did well during their coverage in Paris and Milan Cortina and do them again in LA.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway here, though, is that those reports that "no one" watches the Olympics anymore were greatly exaggerated.  Paris was the perfect storm.  But it wasn't a fluke.  That momentum carried over to February 2026 and the Milan Cortina Olympics.  That enthusiasm for the Olympics is back.  NBC has 17 days' worth of viewership numbers that prove it.

An Outstanding Tournament, An Outstanding Finish

After 12 years, NHL players returned to the Olympics this year in Milan.  And the tournament was everything fans could've hoped for and then some.  It ended with the gold medal game that many expected/wanted--Canada vs. the United States.  The game itself lived up to the hype, as well, going into overtime before Jack Hughes gave the U.S. its first men's hockey gold since the Miracle On Ice, and its first ever on foreign soil.  For American fans, it was the perfect ending to a perfect tournament.

There were various reasons for the league's 12-year gap between Olympic appearances.  The NHL owners have never been the biggest fans of shutting down the season so that the players can participate while getting nothing out of it themselves, and they really weren't keen on back-to-back trips to Asia.  In 2018, the owners unilaterally decided that they weren't going and the players had no recourse.  That left a bad taste in a lot of mouths (especially among the players), so much so that Olympic participation was worked into the CBA.

In 2022, the NHL had every intent on shutting down the season and going to Beijing for the Olympics.  Then COVID happened.  Too many games involving too many teams ended up getting postponed and they needed what would've been the Olympic break to schedule the make-ups.  So, as a result, another Olympics in Asia came and went without NHL players suiting up for their nations.

If it were up to the players, they would've gone to both PyeongChang and Beijing.  They want to do it.  Playing in the Olympics and representing their country is that important to them.  For once, you have to actually credit the NHL for listening to what their players and fans both want and laid the groundwork for a return to the Olympics this year.

With the Olympic return in the works, the NHL and NHLPA set up the Four Nations Face-Off last year in place of the All*Star Game as an appetizer.  The tournament between the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland was so successful that it caused the league to reconsider whether to ever have a traditional All*Star Game again.  And that was just four countries.  In Milan, there were 12 teams, all of which had NHL representation.

The Four Nations Face-Off was an exhibition tournament.  It was played with the intensity of a Stanley Cup Final.  Who cares if they were exhibition games?  Once you put on that National Team sweater, you're giving your all.  Players wanted to represent their countries so badly that simply being picked for the team was an honor.  And, for those who didn't, you can bet that not making the Four Nations roster served as motivation to make the Olympic team.

That tournament also provided plenty of motivation for those who did play in it.  Canada and the United States were the clear two best teams at the Four Nations, and the Americans didn't forget that final.  They wanted another shot at the Canadians and to avenge that loss, knowing they could go toe-to-toe with them.  They were also the clear two best teams both heading into and at the Olympics, putting them on a collision course for a gold medal game that seemed inevitable, yet also lived up to the hype.

What the Four Nations served to successfully remind people of was how great a best-on-best tournament featuring NHL players can be.  Not only are the games competitive, it's the highest-quality hockey imaginable.  And that was just the teaser.  Adding eight teams and five Olympic rings to the equation was only going to crank the intensity up to 11.

Construction delays resulted in the Olympic arena not being ready until January.  Then it was revealed that the ice surface was three feet short on either end (which was noticeable), which led to some concerns that the NHL would end up pulling out of participating again.  I'm not sure if there was ever a legitimate reason to be concerned.  Those were minor issues (although it did lead to getting a written guarantee that the 2030 rink in France will be the right size).  The players hadn't represented their countries at the Olympics in 12 years.  If they had any say in the matter (which they did), they were going.  There was little to no chance they weren't.

And once they got there, boy was it worth it!  You had guys playing with rivals and against teammates.  You had players talking about how much they hate and want to beat the country where their NHL team plays its home games.  That national pride is always there (more so in hockey & soccer than any other team sport), and it supersedes everything else in international play.  They'll be friends and teammates again on Wednesday when the NHL season resumes.  (When Auston Matthews will be returning to Toronto, Connor Hellebuyck will be returning to Winnipeg and Brady Tkachuk will be returning to Ottawa after all having a hand in Canada losing the gold medal game to its archrival.)

This Olympic tournament gave us everything we could've hoped.  There was Slovakia upsetting Finland in the first game, then celebrating a goal late in their loss to Sweden because they knew it clinched the three-way tiebreaker that made them the group winners and gave them a bye into the quarterfinals.  Italy was overmatched, as we knew they would be.  But their goalie put forth a Herculean effort and held his own against the NHL stars.

All of that was nothing compared to what we saw in the medal round.  The quarterfinals might've been the single greatest day of men's hockey in Olympic history.  Slovakia blew out Germany, but the other three games went to overtime.  Czechia and Sweden both tied it late to force OT (on the eventual finalists).  Then in the semis, Finland blew a 2-0 lead before losing to Canada in overtime.  And, of course, that epic gold medal game!

Ever since the first Olympics with NHL players, there's been something special about Olympic hockey.  For all he's done in his career, a career that includes three Stanley Cups and will end with a first-ballot selection to the Hall of Fame, the most important goal Sidney Crosby has ever scored wasn't for the Penguins.  It was the Golden Goal in overtime to give Canada the gold medal on home ice in Vancouver in 2010.  And, no matter how much success he has in his NHL career, Jack Hughes will always be remembered for his Golden Goal in Milan.  Just as his brother, Quinn, will be remembered for his OT winner against Sweden in the quarterfinals.

Nothing will ever change the significance of the Miracle On Ice and what it meant for hockey in the United States.  On the 46th anniversary of a miracle, the U.S. won another gold medal, which was just as significant.  It was their first in a best-on-best tournament featuring NHL players.  Just as the 1980 gold medal team inspired a generation, so will the 2026 gold medal team.  The best hockey team in the world is the United States.

Which begs the question: how could the NHL owners possibly not want to do this every four years?  Unfortunately, it isn't that simple.  But, frankly, it should be.  This Olympic tournament was the best advertisement for the NHL they possibly could've asked for.  Their product and their players were on display for the entire world to see, and they captured the world's attention and then some.

Despite the gold medal game starting at 8:10 AM Eastern time, bars were open and allowed to serve alcohol.  People who aren't even hockey fans were invested in the outcome.  Only the Olympics can do that.  It's a free showcase for the NHL.  One that they took advantage of every four years from 1998-2014, but voluntarily didn't utilize in 2018 or 2022.  Hopefully they've learned the error of their ways and those will be the last Olympic tournaments that didn't feature the best hockey players on the planet.  Who put on a show in Milan.

She's Not the Only One

The amount of vitriol I've seen directed towards Eileen Gu, the San Francisco-born freestyle skier who competes for China, over the past two weeks has been over-the-top ridiculous.  I don't remember it being this bad four years ago, when the Winter Olympics were actually in China!  Gu has been attacked from all angles, and she's even been called a "traitor" because she chose to compete for China instead of the United States (since, apparently, anyone who's eligible to compete for the United States is required to).

Meanwhile, do any of these people know why she opted to represent China?  Or that her mother is a first-generation Chinese immigrant?  Or that she speaks fluent Mandarin and conducts interviews in the language?  Or that she goes to China every year?  More importantly, would they even care which country she represents if she wasn't good and high-profile?  Frankly, it's such an entitled mindset to think that she "should" be winning medals for the U.S. simply because she's American.

Well, I've got news for you. Eileen Gu isn't the first American-born athlete to represent another country at the Olympics...and she won't be the last.  She isn't even the only American-born Olympian representing another country in Milan Cortina!  And each of those athletes has their individual reasons for their decision.  Who are we to criticize them for it?

Sarah Schleper skied for the U.S. at four Winter Olympics from 1998-2010.  Her husband is Mexican.  This is her third Olympics representing Mexico.  (Her son was also on the Mexican alpine ski team this year, making them the first mother & son ever to compete at the same Winter Olympics.) 

Snowboarder Vic Wild competed for the United States at the 2010 Olympics.  Then the U.S. shut down its alpine snowboarding program, so he married his Russian girlfriend (a fellow snowboarder) and gained Russian citizenship.  He won two gold medals for the home team in Sochi, something that wouldn't have been possible had he not switched nationalities.

Wild's circumstance is not an unusual one.  There are so many American athletes who've chosen to represent other nations.  For various reasons.  And nobody can begrudge them for taking advantage of those opportunities when they're presented.  In fact, many of those athletes take advantage of those opportunities because they're presented.  It's what they feel is in the best interest of their career and, not to mention, their pathway to the Olympics.

Making the U.S. National Team is extremely difficult.  If athletes have dual citizenship or another pathway to represent another country, can you blame them for taking it?  Representing another nation doesn't just make it easier to qualify for the Olympics (which is the ultimate goal), it can lead to things like increased funding, national team support, etc.  Or, like Vic Wild, it might give them an opportunity that they otherwise might not have at all.

One of the perks of hosting the Olympics is that you automatically qualify a team in every team sport...even if your National Team is low-ranked or borderline non-existent.  The South Korean hockey team is such an example.  So, when South Korea hosted in 2018, the team was comprised mainly of Canadians who played in Korea.  Ditto with the Chinese hockey team (that featured the son of Hall of Famer Chris Chelios) in 2022.  Were they "traitors" because they played for the two Asian hosts instead of their native land?

And, like I said, it isn't just Americans who compete for other nations.  Kenyan distance runners represent so many different countries on the world stage that I can't even keep track anymore!  At the World Baseball Classic next month, we'll see all kinds of loose representations for players on nearly all 20 teams.  There are plenty of other examples in Milan Cortina, too.  Where's the uproar about them?

Lucas Pinheiro Braaten, who was born in Oslo to a Norwegian father and Brazilian mother, represented Norway on the World Cup circuit until 2023.  In 2024, he began competing for Brazil instead.  Last week, he made history when he won the giant slalom.  It wasn't just Brazil's first-ever Winter Olympic gold medal.  It was the first Winter Olympic medal for any South American country!  Or, using the Eileen Gu critics' logic, should that medal have been Norway's since that's where he was born?

Another alpine skier, Lara Colturi, is the daughter of Italian Olympic champion Daniela Ceccarelli.  Her father is also Italian.  Except she doesn't compete for Italy.  She competes for Albania.  Why?  Because her mother has worked for the Albanian Ski Federation since 2020.  Sounds like a pretty reasonable explanation why she chose to ski for Albania rather than Italy.

There are plenty of other examples.  Laurence Fournier Beaudry (who, sidebar, looks exactly like Rachel Zegler) was part of the French team that won the gold medal in ice dancing.  She's from Montreal and finished eighth at the 2022 Olympics representing Canada.  And she's just one of the figure skaters who competed in Milan for a country other than where they were born and/or changed allegiances.  As long as it's allowed and all of the rules are followed, there's nothing wrong with it.

Athletes changing nations is nothing new.  Nor is it going to change anytime soon.  It happens in pretty much every sport, for a variety of reasons.  And, whatever the reason, that's the athlete's choice.  If that's what they feel is in their best interest or gives them the best opportunity, who are we to begrudge them?  Besides, who's to say that these critics wouldn't make the exact same decision if they were in that situation?

So, long story short, I have absolutely no issue with Eileen Gu representing her mother's homeland of China.  Nor do I have an issue with any other athlete deciding to represent whichever country they choose.  Because it's their decision to make.  Not mine.  It certainly doesn't make them a "traitor."  It makes them an Olympian.  For a country that's proud to have them.

Olympic Pressure

There was no bigger favorite coming into the Milan Cortina Games than Ilia Malinin.  His gold medal was preordained.  Everybody else was just skating for silver.  Here's the thing about sports, though.  Nothing is preordained.  You need to go out there and perform.  If you want something, you're gonna have to go out and earn it.

As we saw, Malinin's gold medal in the men's event was very much NOT preordained.  He completely unraveled and didn't just miss out on the goal, he ended up off the podium completely!  Everyone was shocked by his eighth-place finish, including Malinin.  After he stepped off the ice and was waiting for the scores to confirm what he already knew, Malinin flat out said they should've sent him to Beijing four years ago and that wouldn't have happened if they had.  Then, in his interviews afterwards, he admitted that the Olympic pressure got to him.

Malinin's point about going to Beijing was a valid one.  Four years ago, all the pressure was on Nathan Chen.  He was THE man.  Malinin, who was just 17 at the time, would've been going just for the experience.  Experience that would've been valuable.  Because, come 2026, he was experiencing the Olympics for the first time while bearing the weight of massive expectations.  It's not the easiest position to be in, especially when you factor in everything else.

He will, of course, still be leaving Milan with a gold medal from the team event.  But even in the team event, he was shaky.  Malinin finished second in the short program, which was his first time ever stepping on Olympic ice.  He rebounded to win the free skate and clinch the gold medal for the American team, then won the short program in the men's event.  But it all unraveled in the free skate.  The moment got to him and he succumbed to the pressure.  In devastating fashion.

Olympic pressure is a very real thing.  Some athletes aren't fazed by it and even thrive on it.  For others, it's a heavy burden that's tough to overcome.  Especially when you consider the fact that if it doesn't happen, you don't get another chance until four years later, if you get one at all.  There's nothing like that anywhere else in sports.  It's part of what makes the Olympics so great and special.  It's also part of what can make them so cruel.

Ilia Malinin has won everything in sight.  He's revolutionized his sport with his quadruple jumps and the ease with which he performs them.  No one would argue that he isn't the best male figure skater in the world and one of the best of all-time.  And, yes, he's an Olympic gold medalist.  But it's not the Olympic gold medal he wanted and the world expected.

So, what happened in the free skate?  It sure seemed like it wasn't anything physical.  It was entirely mental.  He was in the lead, which he was supposed to be.  He knew he was four minutes away from his dream.  But he also had two days to think about it between the short program and free skate.  Clearly that got to his head.  Then, after he bailed out of his quad axel (which would've been insane), it was like he felt it slipping away and was scrambling.

Contrast that to the gold medalist, Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov.  He came into the Olympics with an outside shot at maybe making the podium and was in fifth place after the short program.  The pressure was completely off.  Shaidorov could go out there and just skate.  He didn't have to think about anything.  The result was the performance of his life, and it won him Olympic gold.

The Olympics are unlike anything else in sports.  And not just because they only happen once every four years.  It's everything that surrounds them.  It's not just your sport and the competitors you go against all the time.  You're staying in an Olympic Village with athletes from all different sports.  You've suddenly got the entire world's attention.  During the two weeks your sport is in the Olympic spotlight, you go from a relative unknown to all those who don't regularly follow your sport to a household name.  And suddenly there's media everywhere. 

Not to mention all the other distractions!  As much as you may want to just focus on your sport, it's practically impossible.  The "Olympic Experience" doesn't just refer to the competition.  It refers to all that other stuff, as well.  It's difficult to balance enjoying the experience and simply being at the Olympics with doing the job you're there to do.  Especially if it's your first time there (adding more fuel to the argument that Ilia Malinin should've been on the team in 2022).  Especially since you're not sure you'll ever go again.

Some athletes thrive in the Olympic spotlight.  There are plenty of examples of those who were built for the biggest stage.  For others, it's too much.  Unfortunately, you don't find out until you get there.  And, whatever happens, you have to wait four years until you get another shot at it.  When the pressure may be even greater.

Ilia Malinin isn't the only athlete who's succumbed to Olympic pressure.  Four years ago, the controversy surrounding Kamila Valiyeva dominated the first week of the Games.  In the women's free skate, it all came crashing down and she fell apart.  The circumstances are obviously completely different, but I couldn't help thinking about what happened to her while Malinin was having his Olympic meltdown.  It happens.  Sports aren't scripted.

We've seen the reverse, too.  Mikaela Shiffrin won gold in Sochi when she was an 18-year-old unknown with absolutely no pressure on her.  Then she won two medals in PyeongChang.  In Beijing, she was expected to be one of the stars of the Games and entered all six events.  She went home 0-for-6 with two DNFs in her two best events.  Shiffrin is also 0-for-Cortina so far.  Being the household name brought pressure and increased expectations that she so far hasn't lived up to.  And the more she doesn't get it done, the bigger the focus on those failures becomes.

In many ways, Olympians are superhuman.  They do things athletically the average person can't even fathom doing themselves.  So, when they have moments that remind us that they are, in fact, also human, it can be shocking.  But that's the Olympics and the pressure that comes with them.  You don't know how someone will handle it until the situation arises.  And then it might be too late.

Helmet of Controversy

Other than a Norwegian biathlete deciding that the postrace press conference would be the best time to admit he cheated on his girlfriend, figure skaters scrambling to secure music rights and the inevitable questions about figure skating judging, the first week of the Milan Cortina Olympics was relatively controversy-free.  With one notable exception.  Ukrainian skeleton rider Vladyslav Heraskevych made headlines for the unapproved helmet he wanted to wear and his subsequent disqualification and appeal.

It's been four years since Russia invaded Ukraine days after the 2022 Olympics ended.  The difficulties Ukrainian athletes have faced because of the war are well-documented, as have the number of lives lost during the conflict.  Heraskevych wanted to pay tribute to the more than 20 athletes and coaches who've been killed during the war by wearing the "memory helmet" with their faces on it.  The helmet, however, violated IOC rules, which is why he was told he couldn't wear it.

While it's impossible to keep politics out of the Olympics entirely, the Olympic Charter prohibits athletes and coaches from making any sort of political message on the field of play.  They have other opportunities to express themselves (such as in the mixed zone and during press conferences...just as some American athletes about that).  Just not on the field of play.  The helmet was deemed to be a political message.  Thus, its use wasn't approved.

No one disagrees with the message, either.  That's not what this was about.  Nor is this what anyone wanted to happen.  The IOC tried to compromise with Heraskevych.  They let him wear the helmet during practice (which otherwise wouldn't have been allowed, either) and offered to let him wear a black armband during the competition instead (which would've been making an exception to their rule).  Heraskevych wouldn't budge, so they, unfortunately, weren't left with any other choice.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry personally met with Heraskevych hoping to find common ground.  Unfortunately, they couldn't.  Coventry left the meeting in tears, clearly disappointed that the situation came to this.  However, since Heraskevych refused to yield, he was disqualified and the competition began without him.  Heraskevych appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but he knew that his chance to race was already over.

He, of course, doesn't see things the same way as the IOC.  Heraskevych feels he wasn't violating any rules and was unfairly being singled out.  He pointed out how he and other Ukrainian athletes have seen Russian flags in the stands, even though Russian flags are supposed to be banned.  And how there are Russian athletes competing under the "AIN" designation.  Heraskevych even cited some examples of other athletes who he felt were making political statements that the IOC chose to ignore--all of which were false equivalencies.

One of Heraskevych's examples really bothered me...because it's not even close to the same thing!  American figure skater Maxim Naumov's parents were both figure skating coaches who died in that plane crash involving an Army helicopter in Washington last January.  After both his short program and free skate, Naumov took out a picture of himself with his parents at a skating rink when he was a little boy.  There's nothing political about that, and the kiss & cry area is not the field of play.  So, no, that's not the same.  (Even if you wanted to argue that the helmet isn't political, the Naumov example still wouldn't apply since his tribute to his parents took place in an approved area and way.)

This isn't something that was suddenly sprung on him, either.  Hersakevych was given ample warning that he wouldn't be allowed to wear the helmet in competition.  He didn't care and insisted he was going to wear it anyway.  Heraskevych was basically taunting the IOC, telling them "Go ahead, DQ me," doubting that they would call his bluff.  They did.  Heraskevych was told that would only be allowed to compete if he wore a different helmet.  When he refused to yield, the IOC made good on their threat.

Whether you agree with Heraskevych's position and message or not isn't even the point.  Kirsty Coventry herself has said she sympathizes with him and wanted to come up with a solution that both sides were comfortable with.  Heraskevych believed he was right and stood by that stance, aware of what the potential consequences were.  So, right or wrong, he brought this upon himself.  And nobody takes any joy with this situation.

Despite knowing it would have no bearing on his ability to actually compete, Heraskevych appealed the decision to CAS in what really seemed like a matter of principle more than anything else.  He left the hearing confident that he'd been successful.  The arbitrator announced their decision a few hours later and, while sympathetic to Heraskevych, ruled against him.  The arbitrator agreed that the helmet violated IOC policy and found the limitations to be "reasonable and proportionate."  Heraskevych was also aware of this policy, which applies to all Olympians from all countries.

After his last run in Beijing, Heraskevych held up a Ukrainian flag with the phrase "No War Ukraine" on it.  The IOC deemed that to be an anti-war message, not a political one, so it didn't run afoul of IOC rules.  Whether the helmet makes a political statement is definitely subjective, but both the IOC and the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation feel it does.  Which makes it a violation...a point that was emphasized in a letter to the Ukrainian Olympic Committee informing them of their decision (and sparking the controversy).

Specifically, the helmet violates Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which states that "no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."  Part of the reason Rule 50 exists is precisely because not everyone necessarily shares the same political viewpoints, so it's best to keep them out of the competition area entirely.  It's also a protection for athletes so that they're not pressured into pushing a certain point of view on the Olympic stage.  Whether the helmet actually violates Rule 50 is a matter of debate, but that doesn't change the purpose of Rule 50.  Or the fact that allowing it would've opened Pandora's box.

Was banning the helmet the easy way out for the IOC and the IBSF?  Maybe.  But did they have their reasons for doing it?  Absolutely.  And it wasn't because they're sympathetic to Russia or discriminating against Ukraine.  It's much simpler than that.  Some people would consider the helmet a political statement.  And if it was allowed, you'd inevitably get the questions of "how come that was allowed but my thing isn't?"  Questions that would much rather be avoided.

Heraskevych claims that he never expected it to be such a big scandal.  Really?  Because it sounds to me like he knew exactly what he was doing.  Making his point was more important to him than competing.  Which was clearly a sacrifice he was willing to make.  But he's not a victim.  The 20 people on his helmet are.

Lindsey's Last Olympics

When Lindsey Vonn came back to ski racing then, once she started competing again, made it seem like she had never left, I don't think this is what she had in mind.  She envisioned her comeback having a storybook ending with an Olympic medal on one of her favorite hills.  Instead, it ended with her being airlifted off the mountain after breaking her leg.  Instead of heartwarming, it was heartbreaking.

The fact that she even made it to the starting line in Cortina was a pretty remarkable feat in itself.  She tore her ACL in the final race a week before the Olympics.  If it wasn't the Olympics, which was the entire point of her comeback to begin with, she probably would've called it a season and not even tried to race on it.  But it was the Olympics and this is Lindsey Vonn, so it was no surprise that she was gonna do everything she could to compete.

It's ridiculous that people are criticizing her for racing with a busted knee and assuming it had anything to do with her crash.  Lindsey Vonn herself, when providing an update to her followers on social media, make it clear exactly what happened.  She got too close to the gate, her arm got caught, and it sent her flying.  It's just something that can happen if you make a mistake while going 70 mph down a mountain!  If she was perfectly healthy, she could've had the same crash and still broken her leg.

And it's just as irresponsible to blame the doctors and coaches for allowing her to compete (as if she didn't have the final say).  If they didn't think she should compete or that it would do further damage if she tried, they would've told her that.  The fact that they cleared her was a pretty clear indication that it was fine.  (Once your ACL's off, it's off.)

She was also required to complete at least one training run in order to even enter the Olympic Downhill.  She completed two, looking like her old self in the process.  So, clearly the knee wasn't an issue.  If it was, she wouldn't have even been able to finish the training runs (or she wouldn't have been cleared to continue).  That narrative is simply incorrect.

In fact, I'd argue that the fact she was even in the starting gate is just another example of her incredible resilience.  Whether it was a wise thing to do or not isn't even relevant.  The fact remains she suffered a torn ACL a week before the Olympics, yet was there on race day as a medal contender.  When she crashed on Jan. 30, nobody expected to see her in Cortina.  Nobody except Lindsey Vonn.  So maybe we should've.  Because when Lindsey Vonn sets her mind to something, she'll likely do everything she can to do it.

Just think about the story it would've been if this actually did have a storybook ending, too.  She retired because of injuries.  At the 2022 Olympics, she was working for NBC!  Then, eight years after her "last race," at age 41, Lindsey Vonn was back and making a run at another Olympics...where she was a legitimate medal contender!  That alone was a great story.  Now imagine if she had medaled?!

If it were up to NBC, that's exactly what would've happened.  She would've won the gold medal.  Not been screaming in pain and taken from the course in a helicopter.  Then she would've teamed with Mikaela Shiffrin in the team combined and they would've won the gold together.  America's two alpine skiing darlings.  It would've been ratings gold!

Sports don't always work that way, though.  The script was already written.  NBC would show the Super Bowl, then everyone would stick around to watch Lindsey Vonn win an Olympic gold.  Fate had other plans, though.  And an American woman did win a gold medal in the Downhill after the Super Bowl.  It just wasn't the American woman everyone thought or expected.  (It was also funny how they changed all of their Olympic promos that aired during the Super Bowl from being about Lindsey Vonn to being about Breezy Johnson.)

Injuries happen.  Especially in sports as volatile and dangerous as alpine skiing.  Lindsey Vonn knows and understands the risks better than anybody.  (She missed the 2014 Olympics due to injury.)  For her, it was worth it to come back and make another Olympic run.  The fact that it ended the way it didn't change the journey or make it any less valuable.  For her part, Vonn has even said she has no regrets.

Whether this is how her Olympic career ends only she knows, but it seems unlikely she'll compete again.  I can understand not wanting it to end this way, but recovering from and rehabbing the broken leg won't exactly be a quick process, and she's already 41.  In 2030, she'll be 45!  Besides, one of the reasons she came back for this Olympics is because she loves that hill in Cortina and has had success there.  Can the same be said about the Courchevel and Val d'Isere courses in France, where the next Olympics will be held?

We know what her dad's vote is if he has any say.  Alan Kildow was in the stands for Lindsey's accident and spent the night with her in the hospital.  He very publicly hopes that this is it.  He doesn't want her to attempt another comeback.  He's obviously a concerned father, so that's definitely influencing his feelings.  But his opinion is shared by many others.

I'm one of those who agrees with her dad.  I, frankly, never thought we'd see her at an Olympics again and was shocked when she announced her comeback.  But then she came back and was Lindsey Vonn again, as if any of us should've been surprised.  She came back for one more Olympics.  In Cortina.  I think she was planning on retiring again (permanently this time) after the Olympics anyway.  So, I'm not sure this injury will change that.  (Although, another comeback for 2030 would only add to her remarkable legacy some more.)

So, yes, this is probably the last we've seen of Lindsey Vonn the Ski Racer.  It didn't end the way anybody would've wanted, but that's what happens sometimes.  The fact that she was there at all, though, is an incredible story of resilience and perseverance.  Let's not focus on the end.  Let's focus on the journey.  And what a journey it's been!