From the Olympic News Feed

When I was growing up and cross-country skiing in upstate New York, Bill Koch was a legendary figure as the only US male (and at the time only US skier ever) to win an Olympic medal in Nordic Skiing.  It's been 50 years since his 1976 silver, so it was great to see Ben Ogden win a medal in the Classic Spring and then for the US to win silver again in the Team Sprint.  On the same day, Mikaela Shiffrin, who really has nothing to prove, exorcised her Olympic demons too, resulting in an extremely satisfying page of headlines in this morning's Salt Lake Tribune.

Having sworn off social media, I've actually watched the replays of many races without knowing the winner.  Last night I had no idea of the US silver in the Team spring when I watched it at 7 PM, making it even more exciting.  

And of course there are the other great Olympic stories.  Breezy Johnson's gold.  I guess she is the new Julia Mancuso, coming up big in Olympics and World Championships (she's never won a World Cup race).  It reminded me of what I once heard Steve Nyman say (I'm paraphrasing here).  In the World Cup you race for points.  In the Olympics you race to win.  

Then there's the incredible comeback of Federica Brignone.  Two golds after a horrific leg fracture in March.  I'm pretty certain she is the oldest woman to win Olympic Alpine skiing gold too.  As an aside, I asked AI who the oldest woman alpine skier to win Olympic gold and it told me it was Mikaela Shiffrin.  

A good reminder that AI is authoritative BS, providing confident responses, often with the wrong answer.  

Jesse Diggins got her individual medal (bronze in the 10 km free).  I suspect this Olympics has not gone as well for her as she hoped, with a crash in the skiathlon apparently having some effects.  That said, Frida Karlsson would have been tough to beat in these games as her top end when she's in great form is remarkable.  Jesse still has a shot at the 50 km Mass Start Classic.  Classic isn't her best style, but I'm not going to put anything past her and if she were to pull it out, it would make a very long race much more exciting to watch.  

And congratulations to Johannes Klaebo on five golds, matching Eric Heiden's record (and he has a shot at a sixth on Saturday).  Dude can fly on skis, and he seems like a good guy, showboating as he crosses the line aside.  I'm actually old enough to remember Heiden's 1980 Olympic conquest.  In fact, my mom is currently flying a flag from the 1980 Olympics at her home in Florida.  This one actually flew at my school during the 1980 Olympics.