Turin, Italy 2006 Winter Olympic Games

Olympic Speedskating Analysis

TURIN, Italy – The Winter Olympics' best soap opera returned to the ice here Saturday, where Shani Davis made history by taking gold in the 1,000 meters, Chad Hedrick made things more contentious by taking shots at Davis, and Joey Cheek continued to make nice with everybody, especially the refugee children of Sub-Sahara Africa.

Other than that, it was just your typical day for the delightfully dysfunctional U.S. speedskating team, which is why we can't wait for Tuesday's 1,500-meter race so we can do it all again.

These Olympics have been defined by an X-Games generational philosophy where it is good enough just to compete. Win gold, win silver, win nothing – who cares? It's been all Bode Miller and Lindsey Jacobellis. Everyone is above average. Screw the pressure, dude.

Not in speedskating. These guys are Machiavellian. These guys would shank each other if they could. There is little team pride, lots of back biting and no smiles for second (except from Cheek, who won silver Saturday and is cheerful every day).

Consider Davis and Hedrick live in the same house here but don't train together and never speak.

"He's up on the top floor," said Davis, "I'm on the first floor. I mind my business, he minds his business."

Consider Hedrick is still fuming because Team USA lost in team pursuit last week (ending his possible dream of winning five gold medals, although he now says he never dreamed it), in part because Davis wouldn't participate because he was concentrating on individual races.

"I respect the talent that (Shani) has," said Hedrick. "Whether he and I have the same outlook on things," he paused, "who knows what's right and wrong? I am here as part of Team USA, whether it be in team pursuit or practicing with everybody, I try to create a positive vibe so we can come out here and represent our country the best we can."

Davis, meanwhile, trains on his own, away from the team and his career is run by his mother, Cherie, who many inside the USOC consider unorthodox and heavy-handed, to say the least.

"She did what she had to do," Davis said. "And I would say it worked."

As for team pursuit, Davis is unapologetic about not competing. He couldn't care less about Hedrick or Hedrick's dreams, only his own.

"It's just his opinion [that I am] unpatriotic or I'm not a team player," said Davis. "Ever since I was a kid, I would joke around with friends that I want to win that 1,000 meters. [I] had an opportunity to chase that dream."

Davis points out that the 1,000 is his best race and it came just two days after team pursuit, which is why he wanted to save his legs. He isn't buying the idea that Hedrick would have risked his stamina if it his best event (the 5,000 meters) was looming.

"Would Chad have skated team pursuit if team pursuit was a day before the 5,000?" Davis asked. "We'll never know."

Besides, Davis said that by skipping team pursuit, he allowed one of Team USA's alternates the chance to experience Olympic competition, which is what he said a real teammate would do.

"I told myself I would never, ever take someone else's opportunity to skate at the Olympics, and I stuck to my word," Davis said.

None of these explanations work with Team USA coaches Eric Heiden and Dan Jansen, two of the greatest American skaters ever, who don't seem to care much for their gold medalist.

"He is going his own way," said Heiden. "He is not a team player."

"I would rather not speak about Davis," said Jansen. "I don't want to have problems with him. He doesn't say a lot to us. He goes his own way."

Hedrick isn't buying it either. Like all good catfights, he neither congratulated Davis for beating him in the race (Hedrick finished sixth) nor had much praise for him. Are you happy for Shani, he was asked.

"I'm happy for Joey," he said. "Joey has been skating real well."

What about Shani?

"Shani skated fast today, that is about all I have to say."

Davis laughed at it.

"At least he said I skated fast. That was nice."

Davis isn't even surprised. He said he has "a lot of respect for Chad" and said it was natural for them to butt heads.

"Sure, he is going to be a little sore about it," said Davis. "He wants to win like I want to win."

Meanwhile, there was Joey Cheek, who gets along with both of them and has to be the peacemaker.. "Joey gave me a hug almost as big as my momma," Davis said.

"No, no, no, no peacemaker for me," laughed Cheek, before announcing he was donating $15,000 more dollars to the Right To Play charity to aid poor kids in Sudan.

And we haven't even mentioned that Davis became the first black male to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics, just days after Bryant Gumbel said the Games had too few black athletes and Davis had received racially charged threats for skipping team pursuit.

Like we said, other than that, not much happened.

No matter which character you side with in this battle – and all of them have compelling cases – the beauty of it is how brutally cutthroat and unforgiving each of them are. Everyone just wants to win gold and they aren't going to apologize for it.

"You don't get anything for second place," said Hedrick.

Bode and Lindsey would break down in tears if they hung with the speedskaters.

If you are keeping score at home, it's one gold for Hedrick, one gold for Davis, one gold, one silver and a possible human rights award (but no Harvard admission) for Cheek.

Tuesday they race again, 1,500 meters, and plenty of drama on the way.

Updated on Saturday, Feb 18, 2006 6:24 pm, EST

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