Bryan wrote:
Bode Miller apologized for his comments regarding drinking and skiing. I
have to say, I'm surprised. Not as a reflection on Bode Miller, pro or con,
I'm just surprised that he apologized. I guess I wasn't expecting it; maybe
because it hadn't crossed my mind that it was necessary.

I think it hadn't crossed most people's minds that it was necessary,
outside of certain uptight members of the American public and certain
mucketymucks at USSA. I can't imagine a European thinking the whole
business was anything but a stupid joke. On skiracing.com they had a
couple of comments from Raich and Strobl to the effect of, "So what's
the big deal?"

Now the cynic in me wonders if his apology was personal, sincere, and
heartfelt (I still don't recognize the need for him to apologize) or was he
responding to pressure from sponsors.

I doubt it was sponsors, really. I suspect it was in some measure
pressure from Marolt, and maybe a more personal plea from his coaches:
come on, guy, we know you could chuck it all tomorrow and be fine with
it, but it would make things a lot better for _us_ if we had a good
showing at this Olympics...

Anyway, no one will ever know but the flies on the wall, and they're not
talking. But it's interesting to note just what he apologized _for_,
which was not what the stick-up-the-butt crowd were ready to tar and
feather him for. It didn't seem like the apology came hard for Bode,
and Marolt seemed fine with it too. So, yeah, I'd say they found some
kind of middle ground that everyone could be okay with, and like you,
I'm surprised that they were able to do that.