January 9, 2005
LIVE SKI OR DIE:
King of the Mountain: Making his mark with boldness and composure, American skier Bode Miller rises to the top of his game (Alan Abrahamson, January 9, 2005, LA Times)
In this corner of France, as in much of Europe, the Alps do not so much caress the sky as stab at it, reaching up with points and spires that invite challenge from those who know that the richness of life's journey is in the daring.But those who would dare to be truly great on the mountain must also attain a measure of temperance, learn to balance audacity with control, instinct with experience.
This winter, Bode Miller's time has come.
This season, the 27-year-old Miller, born and raised in rural New Hampshire, has emerged as the best ski racer in the world, an American on top in a sport long dominated by Europeans.
"Harmony and balance," said Jean-Claude Killy, the 1968 Olympic skiing legend, adding, "He has got it all together."
Miller calls it a "pure" thing, "pure" being one of his favorite words.
Silly sport, but fun to have a Hampshireman dominate it in Europe. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 9, 2005 9:04 AM
OJ, is there any sport other than baseball that you like?
Posted by: Brandon at January 9, 2005 9:12 AMSilly sport? After antibiotics and water purification, it's the most beneficient thing progress has given us.
Posted by: Peter B at January 9, 2005 10:30 AMYou go up the hill. you go down. It's the same every time. You're Sisyphus without a rock or a purpose.
Posted by: oj at January 9, 2005 12:24 PMOrrin:
Surely there has to be something in the DSM-IV to describe someone who lives in northern New Hampshire, imposes time-zone and state-line prohibitions on himself and hates Canada and skiing.
Posted by: Peter B at January 9, 2005 6:27 PMSensible Syndrome?
Posted by: oj at January 9, 2005 7:19 PMOhh, hitting a little ball w/a bat and run around bases, now there's a purpose.
Posted by: Sandy P at January 9, 2005 10:38 PMPeter:
It's called Sensory Integration Dysfunction.