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Friday, February 22, 2002

By Lori Shontz, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

PARK CITY, Utah -- Nearly a second behind? That was nothing. For Bode Miller, that's almost as good as being in first place.

He was seventh after the first run of the men's giant slalom yesterday at Park City Mountain Resort, 0.92 second behind the leader. For some skiers, that's cause for alarm. For Miller, that's cause to get ready for the medals ceremony.

Miller posted the fastest time in the second run, and he won the silver medal, his second of these Games. He won silver in the combined event, too, despite nearly falling on the downhill portion and then being 2.44 seconds behind entering the second slalom run.

"It's not my plan, although it might look that way," Miller said, laughing.

His teammate, Thomas Vonn, disagreed.

"If you know Bode personally, you know he's all about that," Vonn said. "That's the best way to demoralize your competitors, and he likes to do that. Sometimes he needs that, to get really fired up. When he is in that hole, he's such a competitor that he doesn't want to lose. That brings out the best in him, I think."

It also makes him one of the best skiers in U.S. Olympic history.

Only five other Americans have won two skiing medals in one Olympics: Tommy Moe, Phil Mahre, Diane Rolff, Penelope Pitou and Jean Saubert. No American skier has won three Olympic medals in a career, let alone one Olympics -- and that's what Miller has a chance to accomplish tomorrow in the slalom, his best event.

"It means the Americans have had bad luck in the Olympics because we've had people who are capable of doing that before," Miller said. "It's never been done is a roll of the dice. I feel like my chances are good going into the slalom but it still remains slalom. Anything can happen."

While this would be a watershed moment for the U.S. Ski Team, it's not the sort of accomplishment that would be cause for rejoicing in other parts of the world. Both of the skiers who joined Miller on the podium have more career Olympic medals, and while they are respected, neither is considered a national hero.

The only racer Miller couldn't catch on his second run was Austria's Stephan Eberharter, whose blazing fast first run gave him his first Olympic gold medal in his final Olympic race. He has four Olympic medals in his career, including a bronze and a silver in these Games, and he was quite relieved to end his career with the biggest prize.

"After the finishing line there was no more pressure," said Eberharter, who has dominated the World Cup circuit this season. "Finally I had gotten the gold. I think that the real feeling will really come out in a couple of days when I get home, when I realize how many people were feeling for me, rooting for me. Right now, I can say, 'OK. It's done.' "

Norway's Lasse Kjus won the bronze, his fifth Olympic medal.

"I'm satisfied that I am so close to these guys who have been performing so well this season," he said. "Today it was Eberharter who did something special."

Miller drew the first starting position for the first run, so he had no idea what to expect. In giant slalom, skiers do not practice on the course. They are allowed 45 minutes to inspect it, but going too early in the order is considered a disadvantage because it's impossible to see how other skiers handle the course.

"I had no idea what to expect on the course," he said. "And I was plowing fresh snow on the top flat. I lost 0.4 on the top flat in the first run, and I didn't ski nearly as well on the second run up there and lost just 0.2 to Eberharter. That's one of the pitfalls of running one, but there were so many benefits I wouldn't trade it back in. I skied a great race."

His time for the first run was 1 minute, 12.89 seconds -- well behind Eberharter's time of 1:11:98.

For the second run, the top 15 skiers from the first run compete in inverse order. Six racers were faster than Miller the first time, and one by one they followed him down the hill again, trying to beat his cumulative time. The tension built with each skier.

The fans were clearly aware of Miller's tendencies, so each time it became clear that one of the other skiers was not going to beat Miller, the pro-American crowd cheered.

Some skiers found this offensive. "Please, American nation," said Croatia's Ivica Kostelic, who finished ninth, "Don't get mad at me."

Others understood. "It's really bad to come down when the spectators are cheering loud," said Kjus, who has exhibited a dry sense of humor throughout the skiing competition. "Coming into the finish, you know you are behind at least one American. You check to see if you are second or third or fourth."

Every skier that followed Miller was faster on the top part of the course, but by the second split time, each one except Eberharter was behind. Eberharter completed the second run -- which is different from the first; the gates are moved -- in 1:11:30, 0.03 second behind Miller.

"I think Eberharter was virtually unbeatable," Miller said. "He has so many strengths. He's so fast on the flats, then he goes and shows he's the fastest on the pitch, too. There's not much you can do about that."