Sochi 2014: Bode Miller May Not Blame His Emotional Breakdown On The Interviewer, BUT I DO!

Bode Miller has made a statement to the press that he does not blame interviewer, Christin Cooper for his emotional breakdown during an interview immediately following his Bronze Medal Win in super-G, What a truly sweet guy, but he is SO wrong.

Bode Miller, who is an Olympian for Team USA, has earned more medals in Alpine Skiing than any other in U.S. History. He lost his brother, Chelone Miller, a snowboarder, less than one year ago and the two were extremely close. Miller, made it clear days ago via Twitter that his brother was in the forefront of his mind. The night before his run, he tweeted, “…I miss my brother.”

That said, on the day, Bode Miller skied his a$$ off! It was truly amazing to watch. If you missed it, you’ve GOT check it out on-line. It was an impressive run with obvious sheer determination that took Bode to a Bronze Medal.

Both Bode, and the media, are trying to give Christin Cooper a pass. Comments are swirling around the web, including from Bode himself. “She did not do it on purpose”, “she used to ski and now she’s a journalist”, blah blah, excuses, excuses, give me a damn break!  Common sense 101 tells us, if we bring up a subject to someone and they are clearly adversely affected by it, we move on to the next subject in order to not cause further pain and stress. I’m not a journalist, and even I know that.

It equates to walking up to a child who just fell off his bike and he’s fighting back tears. Parents learn pretty quickly if they continually ask they child if they are ok, it’s like poking a bear. Eventually, he’s going to lose it. That is exactly what happened in the interview.

Cooper was well aware that even mentioning Bode’s brother was grounds for him to get upset. She did it anyway. Bode Miller tried to hold it together but this chick just would not let up. She kept “poking the bear” until he finally lost it, leaving Bode in an emotional breakdown so strong, he was no longer able to speak. He was a wreck. It was ridiculous.

If those of us, “non-journalists” could clearly see Cooper needed to change the subject, perhaps to his undisputed record, or having just won a Bronze medal for Team USA, then there is no doubt in my mind Cooper knew exactly what she was doing. Either that, or she has absolutely no business with a microphone in her hand.

While it is a journalist’s job to ask the difficult questions, Cooper’s persisting in talking about Bode’s brother was, at it’s best, inappropriate, and at it’s worse, negative journalism on a global scale. Cooper needs to be given her pinks and sent on her merry way. I feel certain she could get a job on one of those daytime talk shows where they throw chairs at each other.

Congratulations Bode Miller, on a well deserved Bronze Medal. Thank you for so positively representing our country. And may your grief, in time, become more manageable. Your country loves and respects you. xoxo