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Actually, at the K&C I was surprised about the "flippin bird" too. However, a few of those who were there said that she was kidding around. She is known among her peers to be a kidder. I wasn't there so who knows if she was or was not joking around. I know she is not Ms. Perfect and whatever the reason she did that, I'll cut her some slack.

I don't believe that caused her the gold. She made mistakes and that is what caused her the gold. As for the US judge, I think his name is Jan Hoffman or something like that. He actually loves her skating style and he is always fair. Had Kwan performed at SLC the way she did at '98 Nationals, he would have given her 6.0s like he did that time. He said he rarely gives them out but that time Kwan deserved it. He is a classical musician too by the way. There was a write up about him I think in the USA website or MSNBC. If I find it I'll post it here. He said something to the effect that he gives out the scores accordingly (not whether he likes the skater or not) because if he doesn't he will not be able to live with himself.

I don't see how a thumbs down by Michelle has been translated on this thread as her flipping the bird to the judges. (comment not directed at you, but to the others.)

That is good 'spin' in the Carville sense about the bird flipping incident.

Somehow if you are comparing yourself to Michael Jordan and you haven't even won your biggest event in your own sport-one can see how we might not take it at face value.