Great to see Ted Ligety win the Gold Medal in the GS today. I follow World Cup skiing year round and first noticed Ligety when he won the Combined Gold in 2006. I remember my son, as a three-year-old, yelling "LIG-EEE-TEEE!" when we watched World Cup events in the years following his Olympic debut. Since then, Shred has become the best GS skier in the world...by far. He's won nine of the last 14 World Cup GS races and now has his second Gold. He's the first American to win two Golds in Olympic Alpine Skiing. Ligety's still young and if he stays healthy may have more Olympics in him.
It is bittersweet to see the great Bode Miller's Olympic career come to an end today. He hurt his surgically repaired knee today and won't compete in the final Alpine event, the slalom, on Saturday. What a run. Bode, who won Bronze a few days ago in the Super G, is the most decorated American Alpine skier in Olympic history. He's got Olympic medals of all colors, six overall. He's also the oldest person to ever win an Olympic alpine medal. Not to mention he's by far the most decorated American World Cup skier by a long shot, winning the overall title twice.
I've been following his career for twelve years, ever since the 2002 Salt Lake games. He's been one of my skiing heroes. One year, my wife had my birthday cake made with a screen shot of him skiing on it. I have a Bode Miller ski hat. I've read his biography. His approach to skiing was fearless. He says his injury isn't too serious and he plans on finishing the World Cup season. But, knowing he won't be at the next Olympics is a bit sad. He had a super run. Unforgettable.
