The Olympic ‘Me’ Awards

It’s that time again, Olympics time , time for the U.S. to pump up its psyche and measure its national virility in medal counts plastered on the front pages of lesser newspapers across the country.

The Indignant Citizen did not see the Chicago Sun-Times this morning, but the Tribune thankfully relegated the first day’s medal count to the front page of the four-page Olympic wrap around the regular sports section. The paper couldn’t resist throwing a three-column wide, 12-inch tall photo of a jubilant Chad Hedrick, a 28-year-old speed skater, in the middle of the front page, under the headline “First Gold.”

Let the celebratory dick swinging begin.

Actually, the Indignant Citizen has nothing against the national pride in Olympic achievement. The IC finds a lot to appreciate in the performances of most of the Olympians, with a couple of exceptions he has identified in the early going.

For starters, who the fuck is Shani Davis ? The Indignant Citizen opened his Olympic wrap this morning and read about this punk-ass bitch Chicago native who sold out his speed skating teammates by refusing to participate in the inaugural “team pursuit,” which according to the Tribune story is a two-day event. Davis, who has had some well-publicized differences with U.S. speed skating officials, has chosen the “me” over the “we,” severely limiting teammate Hedrick’s chances to win five gold medals this Olympics and more disturbingly effectively ruining teammate K.C. Boutiette’s chances of winning his first ever medal in what will be his final Olympic games.

Clearly, Davis is talented, but just as clearly he’s a self-centered asshole in this for himself. Being a self-centered asshole is not in the Olympic spirit. He’s just looking to get his gold and get paid, so fuck him. The best medicine for this prick would be to bite it on a corner (without injuring himself, of course) and leave the Olympics with no medal. Then maybe he can spend the next four years reflecting on his abandonment of his teammates.

Originally The Indignant Citizen planned to carp about how figure skater Michelle Kwan took a spot on the figure skating team even though she was injured and did not compete in the U.S. championships. Kwan’s injury carried over to Torino and she failed to land four of her first five triple jump attempts in practice on Saturday.

In sharp contrast to Davis, though, Kwan did what was best for the team: She withdrew from competition and left Torino on Sunday. Taking her place will be 17-year-old Emily Hughes, the younger sister of 2002 gold medal figure skater Sarah Hughes. Kwan bowed out even though it means she will probably never win the gold medal she sought for so long. A move like that takes class and guts. The Indignant Citizen tips his White Sox World Series Champions cap to Michelle Kwan.