Lindsey Vonn

WOW!

In 104.19 treacherous seconds, Lindsey Vonn lived up to the hype that had been placed on her by the media and advertisers. Vonn hurled herself down an icy course that was 32 football fields long and won the gold medal in the Women’s Downhill, the first gold medal by an American in that event. On a treacherous course that derailed some Olympic hopefuls, she was nothing short of amazing.

As was snowboarder Shaun White, who defended his Olympic title in the Men's Halfpipe last night, and came out a winner. The Flying Tomato secured the win on his first run without trying his signature Double McTwist 1260. He saved that for his victory lap, ending his performance with a winning score of 48.4.

 Sports Illustrated is getting some heat for this month’s cover of Lindsey Vonn shown on the left. Some people are saying it’s too suggestive, but I’m willing to give the magazine a pass and save my condemnation for its next sexist swimsuit issue. Fewer than 4% of SI covers showcase female athletes, so I’m celebrating that Vonn is being featured. I am also old enough to remember its 1992 cover featuring A.J. Kitt shown to the right, which pictured him in a similar pose.

When all is said and done, this time Sports Illustrated got one thing exactly right. Just as its cover proclaims, Lindsey Vonn is America’s best woman skier ever, and she makes it look so effortless that it is a joy to just watch her. She has the grace, skill, and poise of a natural athlete who has taken years to perfect her style.

Jim Tracy, a United States ski-team coach, described the first time he saw her ski this way: “She’s hauling down the mountain, her skis probably going 60, but the rest of her was hardly moving. It was like watching water flow down a hill.”