No Gold for Kwan

This is pretty much old news by now, but I still find it hard to believe. Michelle Kwan pulled out of the Olympics due to a groin injury, ending her bid for the holy grail of figure skating: an Olympic Gold Medal. Since falling short 8 years ago in Nagano, and then again at Salt Lake in 2002, this was certainly her last shot at the prize. She never got the chance. Now, she will go down in history as probably the best female figure skater to never win the ultimate prize. Five world titles, and nine national championships, but no gold.

I bring this up, because I can remember cheering Kwan on at Nagano, Salt Lake, and at various competitions in between. She is likeable. She shined a new light on American figure skating after the Kerrigan-Harding fiasco of 1992. And now she is done- with the Olympics. Her talent will be missed, remembered, and cherished. Her person will probably end up as a mediocre broadcaster for the next twenty years. Either way, Michelle Kwan kicks ass.