The Drunk Ski Idiot

In my last post, I profiled a guy who's decidedly not the sharpest tool in the shed: self-professed "idiot" Johnny Damon. Well, compared to U.S. skier Bode Miller, our erstwhile center fielder could pass for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. If you saw the 60 Minutes feature on Miller last night you'll know where I'm going with this. If you missed it, Miller plowed into a snowbank of controversy when he revealed to 60 Minutes that in the past he has competed in international ski competitions while drunk. And what's even more shocking about Miller's interview is that, even though he knows he puts his life at risk in doing this, he can't rule out doing it again.



"Talk about a hard challenge right there. ... If you ever tried to ski when you're wasted, it's not easy," Miller told 60 Minutes, "Try and ski a slalom when ... you hit a gate less than every one second, so it's risky. You're putting your life at risk. ... It's like driving drunk, only there are no rules about it in ski racing."

Asked if the risk meant he would never ski drunk again, Miller replied "No, I'm not saying that."

Nice role model for young aspiring ski racers, huh?

Miller acknowledged that his partying has affected his performance in the past. "There have been times when I've been in really tough shape at the top of the course," he said.

Renowned for his similarly reckless skiing style, the defending World Cup overall champion and two-time silver medalist at the Salt Lake City Olympics, didn't seem particularly enthusiastic about the possibility of winning gold in Turin.

"Whether somebody wants me to get five gold medals or whatever it is, I sort of feel like they are all other people's concerns and issues, not really mine. ... I don't really care what everybody else says," he said.

So much for the spirit of patriotism. In the interview, the New Hampshire native seemed more like a petulant teen-ager trying to piss off his parents and act "cool" than the 28-year-old world-class athlete that he is. Miller has drawn attention - and criticism - for his outspoken attitude before. He has called the drug rules in skiing "a joke" and was fined last month for refusing to take a boot test after a World Cup slalom race.

Hey, a guy is entitled to his opinions and acting like a brat is certainly not uncharted territory in the sports world, but bragging about skiing drunk ain't cool, Bode. Just ask the family of the late Michael Kennedy. I guess Miller gives us conclusive proof that the four major professional team sports leagues don't own a monopoly on immature and obnoxious stars.