Thoughts from a busy Wednesday in Vancouver:
2002 Olympic Pairs Champion Jamie Sale took a few shots at Russian Skater, Evgeni Plushenko. Sale, while speaking to the media, said, “I don’t buy his skating, his artistry, and I don’t the marks he receives. His skating is not believable.” Hmmmm, so iIm assuming Sale is not a fan of Plushenko, who leads heading into Thursday night’s men’s long program. …
I waited all day long to hear about Johnny Weir response to his sixth-place finish in the short program. I thought for sure he’d have something to say, and thank God he didn’t. Let’s hope he’s resting and focusing on the long program. …
The men’s long program will probably be talked about for decades, and have a place in Olympic history. You have three former world champions and the reigning Olympic champion. Any sort of miscue or misstep, not textbook perfect, would be heavily reflected in marks. …
There are other sports besides skating, believe it or not. American Lindsay Vonn proved that she is the “Goddess of Downhill.” The two-time World Cup champion, and this year World Cup points leader, finally struck Olympic gold, despite an injury. Prior to the start of the Olympics, Vonn said she was unsure she could compete due to a shin injury sustained two weeks prior. Vonn was extremely emotional about her downhill win, crying as she was talking to reporters. Vonn who has been touted as the best U.S. female skiier, has proved why she’s deserving of that title. It’s nice to good things happening to good people. …
Shaun White showed why he is “Chairman” of the men’s halfpipe. White, 23, defended his Olympic title, and will probably end up with another dozen endorsement deals, not that the kid already isn’t a multimillionaire. I’m no snowboarder, but i’d have to say his performances today were “totally awesome dude!”…
Americans win the gold and bronze in the men’s 1,000-meter speedskating. Shani Davis defended his Olympic title, and Chad Hendrick, who wasn’t expected to medal in this event, took third. These two are not the best of friends, but were nice to enough to shake hands.
All in all, I would have to say that today Team USA dominated the Olympics. If the Canadians can’t medal, I’m glad my neighbors can.
Correction: This original post had a paragraph that referred to a text received about a women’s skating practice and is referenced by readers in the comments below. This paragraph has now been removed. There was no practice and the writer and Outsports regret the error.
Update from Chad Conley:
Today I woke up to see my latest blog had been posted. Let me tell you, this has been quite experience, both good and bad.
I’ve never ventured into the world of writing. Hell, I see more corrections on my essays at school, more then I usually hope to. But the instructor usually says he likes my paper, but to watch my punctuation and remember to use spell check. English Literature is such a nightmare.
I think all of us to an extent expect a ton of perfection, and very few mistakes. This is where we all fall short. I have made mistakes in some of my blog posts, some caught by the editors and some not. Sometimes it can be overwhelming.
Yesterday I made a big error. While I was busy sleeping off an illness, I relied on some a text message I had received regarding a women’s skating practice. Now, you would think I would know when, where, who and what time these practices are going on. Sadly I should have checked into the validity of these texts.
I feel bad that I posted on an activity that never took place. I am not all about making up some story like you would find in some gossip rag. I’m sorry. I’m pissed that I relied on a text message without taking the extra step to verify it. But just because I received the text, doesn’t mean I needed to blog about it.
This blog thing was supposed to be about having fun and I screwed up. I really do hope we can focus on the positive aspects of the Olympics going forward.
- By Chad Conley
15 responses so far ↓
1
TSU
// Feb 18, 2010 at 4:48 am
Wrong Person!!
Mao is still in Japan,She won’t be there until 21st of Feb.
2
seongbae
// Feb 18, 2010 at 6:13 am
Regarding the purported bitch tactics going on between Asada and Kim- hate to break it to ya, but both skaters aren’t even in Vancouver yet and the women’s figure skating practice sessions take place on the 21st. It also might be helpful to note, they’re not even in the same practice group.
Seriously Chadwick, are you that dumb and lazy not to check out your sources? Talk about presumptuous. You know, you and John Mayer would make a cute couple.
3
Sana
// Feb 18, 2010 at 6:23 am
Are you still talking about rumors from ages ago? Anyways, Mao is not even in Vancouver now and they are not in the same group so I guess the chance of her doing that is like 0? You really need to get your facts straight and not write stuff base on false facts created by Yuna fanatics.
4
behave yourself
// Feb 18, 2010 at 8:03 am
don’t tell a lie. who knows that you’ve got such information form a third person. you are the one who are fabricating and spreading stupid rumors.
do you think yuna will feel happy when she hears this rumor again? don’t humiliate her!!
5
Hannah33
// Feb 18, 2010 at 8:44 am
uhm, at least get your facts right before writing such wrong, shitty informtion.
Mao’s not even in Vancouver, she won’t practice in the same group as Yu-Na and furthermore, Mao NEVER obstructed anyone during a warm-up.
That’s just false rumors, spread by diehard fans who know nothing of the sport. Almost-crashs tend to happen during a warmup with 6 skaters on the ice.
Those ‘fans’ think it’s deliberate obstruction and produce bad-quality videos and upload them on youtube.
It’s a shame people like you fall for that!
6
Albert
// Feb 18, 2010 at 8:48 am
Uh, it’s Hedrick, not Hendrick.
7
Rob W.
// Feb 18, 2010 at 9:20 am
Jamie Sale hit the nail on the head. Plushenko is the best jumper the world has seen, there is no disputing that. As for everything else, it is just nauseating (as Dick Button would say, his arms flail around like he’s a rag doll). He is totally being propped up by someone/some people.
8
Jamie
// Feb 18, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Wow, what a major douche. That Mao commentary was horribly wrong and uncalled for. Do you have any integrity as a writer? If you keep writing on a whim, you’re gonna be hit with a libel suit sooner or later.
9
Chad
// Feb 18, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Good morning guys,
I need to apologize for information that i used 5th/6th hand….and well i was pretty stupid to not check into it. as for whos where, and when, does not matter, when i checked with a coach in vancouver, and all i needed to hear was “impossible…no ladies practice”
i am not a huge fanatic of either of them…they’re good but whatever. sorry to mislead you, as i had been misled. i have decided that no texts will be used for anymore of my future blogs.
i wish you guys a beautiful day!
10
sora
// Feb 18, 2010 at 1:34 pm
It was reported, so you can appeal not to apologize!
MAO is in Japan until the 20th!
11
moka
// Feb 18, 2010 at 1:58 pm
If neither the apology nor the article for correction to Mao will be written by tomorrow, the company to which you belong will be appealed!
12
Jim Buzinski
// Feb 18, 2010 at 2:14 pm
This original post had a paragraph that referred to a text received about a women’s skating practice and is referenced in the comments below.
This paragraph has now been removed. There was no practice and the writer and Outsports regret the error.
13
moka
// Feb 18, 2010 at 3:18 pm
The article to which you referred is an article that the Mao anti fabricated.
The article is written by using the one thrown to damage Mao’s mental, and it is not permitted at all.
Isn’t if it is a professional, it one to confirm a fact?
Neither Mao nor the Mao fan permit through life. And, this thing is widely appealed and determine it, please.
14
Joe Guckin
// Feb 18, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Johnny Weir did talk about his short program. I read two articles on philly.com that had quotes from him.
15
2323hage
// Feb 19, 2010 at 10:58 am
It’s the case that Mao said that it should be blamed that it was hurt at your article most actually. It’s her doing nothing! Your article for correction calls Mao by name once, for the bad guy, it’s done, and, only a convenient correction sentence was just written while coming. You should put the correction sentence after you also carried an original article. When it isn’t so, what was wrong or isn’t transmitted to other people at all?
Next I think the one Philip Hersh of personal reporter LA Times of Kim camp probably wrote has been transmitted through the text you quoted. The one by which this reporter is YOU already this time is the repeater writing a fabrication article about interference report. Please don’t confirm the fact like you.
This reporter writes such article in 2 weeks before from 1 week of a big meet when Mao and Kim always go out and prepares psychological war. It’s the fabricated article by which Mao always becomes the bad fellow. Last month’s 4 continent championship was being prepared. It’s understood so that psychological war before Olympics is being also prepared this time.
I think hard! The one you should be able to blame is the person and you who wrote a fabrication article of 2 people, not Mao! After Olympics has ended safely, 2 people of you’d have a nightmare by a fabrication article!
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