WEDNESDAY AND SOME VERY STRONG OPINIONS

Today was a normal training day for Rachael and I. One more day before we head back to Vancouver. All is well in Colorado Springs.

To those who wrote comments critcizing me about my blog yesterday, you obviously do not know me. I was not trash talking Jeremy or Evan. In fact, if you read my blog from the previous day I was and am rooting for Jeremy, Evan and Patrick (none of who do the quad in the short program) in that order to win the Olympic gold medal. I also do not think figure skating is all about the quad. However, I think I speak for a lot of coaches in the sport who can admire the risk Plushenko took (the results show what happened to Brian Joubert and Tomas Verner who took the same risk and failed) and recognize his achievement (he also skated with the flu) regardless of whether or not I am rooting for him to win the gold medal. What I have learned in my 21 years of coaching is that an issue is never black and white so I feel it is best to be honest and express all of my opinions and not be limited to having just one opinion about our very complex sport and its judging system.

I also was acknowledging the risk that Ryan Bradley and Brandon Mroz, two of the men I coach, took throughout the season.

And the last time I checked Jeremy landed the quad toe in both his short program and long program at his first World Championship and a total of 4 times in major competitions while I was coaching him and at least 6 more times during non-qualifying competitions. He also has landed his first quad salchow at a non-qualifying competition while I was coaching him. If you are going to post comments about the content of my blog, please get the facts straight.

Best of luck to all of the competitors but especially the three US men in the long program and may the best man win!