I saw the race in question; it was pretty obvious she was going for a showboat moment and fucked it up. That said, I don't really see the point in writing that column. She screwed the pooch, she knows it (despite the attempt at spin control), and I doubt she'll do it again. If somebody had gotten injured because of it, that'd be something else. Since that's not the case, why belabor it? Surely there must be something more pressing to bitch about.

Yeah, man! Besides, the girl had the right idea; she said snowboarding's about fun.

That piece is right on really. What kind of a dumbass blows a huge lead in a gold medal race because they wanted to show off? At least she's not as big a screw-up as Bode Miller.

I didn't think that was vicious, really.

Not vicious so much as pointless. Snowboarders aren't approaching the Olympics in tha same way most other atheletes do - they haven't been traing for it from age six. It's just another competition for them. I'm guessing that the stern lecture is wasted on Jacobellis. It happened, it was stupid, let's move on. Me, I'm saving my outrage for blood doping and the use of professional atheletes in what used to be an "amateur" arena.

I'm sure she wished she hadn't done it, but, like they say, it's the Olympics, where sport fuses with nationalism to plunder commercial bounty and suck the life out of fun. Bully for her.

By the way, who is Eff?

I thought the piece was pretty right (although a bit harsh), and that it should have been written. Not for her, but for other people who might let their egos get in the way of doing their best in big competions. That's what it was, a race, and her choice to favor style over substance cost her the win. That deserves some harsh words.