So Long Kwan...

Atlanta Journal Constitution reporter, Jeff Shultz, is in Turin, Italy to report on the Olympics for his paper. Unfortunately he's a columnist and has decided to write opinionated editorials rather than report on the outcome of the games and the athletes as they compete.

Michelle Kwan aggravated an already aggravated groin injury (too much sex a'la CP?) and knew she could not compete at top performance. She backed out, losing her chance at finally winning gold. The back story to this is that Michelle Kwan didn't qualify for the Olympics because she didn't compete at Nationals (original groin injury). She petitioned the US Olympic Committee (USOC) to let her compete and she had a private try-out in front of them.

Emily Hughes was the 3rd place winner at Nationals, thereby earning a trip to the Olympics, but she stepped aside for Kwan to have her chance in what would be her last Olympics. Kwan did the same for Nancy Kerrigan after her knee wacking incident just before the Olympics in Lilihammer. Now Emily Hughes will be heading to Turin to take her rightful spot. She is young and will have more Olympics in her future beyond this one.

This Shultz guy was so rude in his article. Yes, Michelle Kwan probably handled her whole admittance to the Olympics in a way that may be construed as "under the radar" and selfish, but she has been training and training for this her entire life and this is most likely her last chance at gold. This was Emily's first opportunity to go to the Olympics. Michelle, realizing that her injury wouldn't heal fast enough, stepped aside in time for Emily to step up and do well. Shultz mentioned that Michelle's ego, which, I'm sure, is sizeable as a 3 time Olympic athlete, played a role in her getting to the Olympics. That her Q-rating is what got her there. I'm sure it did play a role, but as an althlete you have to have ego, self confidence, hutzpah, intestinal fortitude, balls of steele and real talent to get where you want...the Olympics.

In my opinion Michelle Kwan probably should not have gone to the Olympics. If you cannot compete in Nationals for a spot then you shouldn't be allowed to go. You have to be healthy, that's playing fair and square. My problem is that this guy Shultz is no figure skater, obviously, and he's probably one of those guys who never played sports because he wasn't very good and never got picked for any team. I think journalists need to take a step back and really read their articles and what other journalists are writing to see that they've been abusing their position as truth tellers. They aren't telling the truth as it should be told, objectively. They're telling their own truth's as they see them, putting their own slant on it to sway public opinion. Why bad mouth someone, who probably worked harder than he has any day of his life, when she is down on her luck? Her Olympic career is over, she stepped aside and is dealing with injury. This man slaps her while she's down.

Poor sport if you ask me.

Sphincter Boy thy name is Dave Shultz.