BOWLES' BLOG:

Norwegian gentleman vs. American brat ― who will prevail in WC ’11?

Nov. 14, 2010     ►♦

By Gordie Bowles, S-Media

For every hero, there’s a villain. Especially in sports.

Tiger vs. Phil. Crosby vs. Ovechkin. Armstrong vs. Contador. Bilodeau vs. Begg-Smith.

Svindal vs. Bode.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine who gets the hero designation for this last pairing. The Norwegian gentleman and the American brat.

PREVIOUS BLOG: 'Gore-tex is dead'

The soft-spoken, incredibly talented, tough-as-nails Roger Federer of alpine ski racing, Aksel Lund Svindal is still in the early stages of an impressive career. Thirteen WC wins, 29 medals and two overall titles, the 28-year-old who often trains with the Canadians will be tough to beat this season and is a sure bet to be in contention again for multiple discipline titles and his third overall title.

Bode Miller, with his I-did-it-my-way career in its twilight, is equally as talented ― if not more ― as Svindal, and has had to suffer endless media rips over his 13-year career. He will likely lead the chase group this year, along with Austrian horse Benni Raich, Swiss frontman Carlo Janka and his teammate Didier Cuche.

The best and baddest American male alpine skier ever, some fans say, Miller has been called many things over his career, the majority of them negative: Reckless ― his no-fear and chance-taking approach is legendary. Rebellious ― bar hopping at the 2006 Torino Games and admissions of drunken skiing to 60 Minutes in 2006. Bad Boy ― allegedly, he hit on lingerie-clad beauties at the Playboy Mansion last spring and has recently been connected to bikini model Amanda French.

Svindal, on the other hand, has built a reputation as: Marketable ― he just joined the Red Bull machine. Approachable ― read any of his quotes, he’s the guy next door. Resilient ― his improbable and victorious return to the Birds of Prey downhill in Beaver Creek, Colo., only one year after mangling his leg on the same track, was the stuff of legends.

There is no challenge that Svindal hasn’t defeated, and convincingly. My guess is he’ll crush the alpine field in 2011 for the overall title.

BTW – Go, Bode, Go. It's hard not to cheer on the most exciting ski racer of all time.  S-Magazine
 

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