SO, I just watched Shani Davis win the gold medal in the men's 1000m speed skate... and I am more convinced than ever that 'Team U.S.A.' is a misnomer that should never again be used to descibe this collection of American athletes. Yes, there are great team athletes out there (i.e., Ted Ligety), but there is also Shani Davis. What a jerk! He refused to skate the team pursuit, then he refused all media interviews (which normally isn't such a bad thing, but here only magnified the fact that he's an idiot), then he pretty much blew off the post-race interview. He did say in one of his last interviews before he cost us a chance to medal in the pursuit, "I could care less what other people say about me. I didn't come here to skate the team pursuit." Apparently he didn't come to represent his country either, although he might be said to resent it. His disdain is just too much. Could we maybe pull his citizenship or something? Seriously, I'm 35, and I've never seen such atrocious behavior in an athlete at the olympics. (Tanya Harding was close, but her biggest gaff- having her rival whacked in the knee- happened before the Olypics.) Even the NBC commentators said that to call the speed skaters a team would be a mistake. Did I mention the backbiting going on in among the ski jumpers? Yeah, they got into it to. Or was it the cross-country guys. Either way, pathetic. Maybe I'll immigrate to Norway or something. They have better sweaters anyway.
