Bode Miller became the oldest alpine skier ever to win a medal in the Olympics, and somehow that was only the second most memorable thing he did Sunday.
USA TODAY Sports' For the Win reported on Miller's postrace interview with NBC following his bronze-medal performance in the Super G during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, in which the 36-year-old Miller broke down in talking about the memory of his dead brother.
Chelone Miller died in April of 2013 at the age of 29 because of an apparent seizure thought to be connected to the traumatic brain injury he sustained in a motorcycle accident in 2005, according to another USA TODAY Sports article.
For the Win referred to Miller's brother as "Chilly" and posted the conversation he had with NBC's Christin Cooper, who also used the name, "Chilly" in referring to Miller's brother.
For the Win posted a transcript of Miller's exchange with Cooper, in which Miller starts to cry after Cooper first mentioned his brother.
The transcript, via For the Win:
Miller: This was a little different. With my brother passing away, I really wanted to come back here and race the way he sends it. So this was a little different.
Cooper: Bode, you're showing so much emotion down here. What's going through your mind?
Miller: (Long pause) A lot, obviously. A long struggle coming in here. And, uh, just a tough year.
Cooper: I know you wanted to be here with Chilly experiencing these games, how much does it mean to you to come up with a great performance for him? And was it for him?
Miller: I mean, I don't know it's really for him. But I wanted to come here and uh - I don't know, I guess make myself proud. (Pauses, then wipes away tears.)
At this point, the interview is really powerful. Then Cooper asks the question that set Twitter afire with criticism about her integrity, according to Yahoo! Sports:
Cooper: When you're looking up in the sky at the start, we see you there and it just looks like you're talking to somebody. What's going on there?
That broke down Miller, who bent over and rested on a fence as Cooper appeared to tell him she was sorry.
He then waked a few feet and bent down, continuing his outpour of emotion.
As did the Twitter world:
From @thegypsytruck: "NBC has NO shame. How many times do they need to make Bode Miller cry for his dead brother to promote their ratings."
From @nprmonkeysee: "Wow, the thing that interviewer just did to Bode Miller was SUPER disgusting. #Olympics2014"
From what Yahoo! Sports presented as 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team captain Mike Eruzione: "Some announcers just don't know when to stop asking questions-why can't they leave Bodie Miller alone and let him deal with his emotions."
Miller, howerer, came to Cooper's defense in back-to-back tweets later:
"I appreciate everyone sticking up for me. Please be gentle w christin cooper, it was crazy emotional and not all her fault. #heatofthemoment"
Then, " My emotions were very raw, she asked the questions that every interviewer would have, pushing is part of it, she wasnt trying to cause pain."
Watch Miller's interview here.
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