Day Fourteen — Ladies’ Night

I didn’t have an opinion of Mancuso one way or another until seeing her on the podium wearing that tiara. Ok, so there’s a semi-cute backstory, but, for fuck’s sake, it’s the Olympics, not a beauty pageant.

I read the Mancuso tweets and the Women’s Alpine skiing blogs in real time as I have been since Day One and they were not that bad. The whole Julia v. Lindsay thing is being way overplayed. The media picked Vonn as this Games’ golden girl because there is not a really outstanding women’s figure skater. Also, Vonn is having a phenomenal run as Best US American Women Skier Ever.

Gone unnoticed in the girlfight! girlfight! coverage today is Mancuso’s hubris in tweeting that she was going to go get her GS gold again yesterday. Until the crash yesterday, I was actually getting tired of Mancusco, who I thought was somewhat egotistical and chest pounding in her attempt over the past several days to draw attention to herself in these Vonn-centric games, until I saw her reaction at the end of her redo of her first GS run that put her in 18th, and pretty much out of medal contention. Although I was shocked when I saw the DNFs on both their names in the real time race results, the impact of seeing it on the TV was heart-rending.

Here, a Canadian ski racing blogger gives his insights into The Race and the Alpine events in general, as follows:

“Andrea Fischbacher of Austria won the womens SG today. Heretofore, the Austrians have been getting their asses kicked in this Olympics, which, back in Austria, has approximately the same societal impact as losing the Vietnam War had on Americans.

“I’m not exaggerating.

“Much.”

http://themightyskunk.blogspot.com/

@redmanlaw:
He does have a point. They’re probably singing “Blame Canada” in German as I type.

Everyone has their national pride shaken. For example for Canadians it would be same as losing to the Swiss (!!!!!) in hockey (see Torino 2006.)

Julia on FB:

I just want to share with everyone a little insight on the story about mine and Lindsey’s relationship. Here is a profile where Lindsey says “We’re friendly, but not friends” and you know what?? I don’t really care, Lindsey doesn’t really care.. I know I can speak for us both when I say we are both stoked when there… is an American on the podium, no matter who that is. Of course we both want to win.. but the truth is, everyone else seems to be more concerned about how we get along than we even think about it. We are all out there to ski fast and have fun. So save the drama for your mama!

ADD: She’s not mad at Vonn, just the fucked up sitch per today’s tweets. She’s more bummed about the death of a champion snowboarder bud of hers who smashed his head on a rock yesterday at Squaw Valley.

Women’s GS starts at 12:30 Coast Closest to Azores Time, 9:30 x .6 Canadian metric

Breaking – Vonn WILL race in Friday’s slalom with her broken finger. BTW, she already has the Women’s Giant Slalom World Cup sewn up for the year with two months to go in the season.

Hard. Fucking. Core.

ADD: Women’s GS in progress.

Liveblog:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/alpine-skiing/resultsandschedules/event=ASw030000/BLOG.html

The ticker showed an exciting and dramatic second run today.

Quiet whohoo.

FYI, this is my 2nd last message before tomorrow’s surgery. Staying at my parent’s house tonight and using my sis’s wifi.

Will post on the other side… hopefully.

@ManchuCandidate: Be strong, bud. Vaya con dios.

@ManchuCandidate:

Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid, darling. You will be fine. If it helps to know, I’m praying for you. And if that is somewhat foolish to you, just take it as my best hopes during a difficult time.

@ManchuCandidate: We will be thinking of you. All the best.

@Mistress Cynica:

Cyn! Were you lurking today?

@all:

Thanks. I’m anxious, but somewhat at peace with myself. It seems kind of overly dramatic (not really trying to be a drama queen about it), but I’ve been calling friends and letting ’em know. Will see how things go and how intact I’ll be when I wake up.

Tommmcatt, Everyone deals in their own way so I’m not going to judge. Even as an atheist, I recognize that sometimes a little faith goes a long way.

@ManchuCandidate: Here is
something to amuse you when the drugs wear off.

@Tommmcatt Say Relax: I was working, unfortunately. I hate when that gets in the way of my valuable blog time.

@Dodgerblue: Where/how do you boys find that stuff??