Peak moments of the first day of Milan vs. Cortina
USAT’s Sam Cardona Norberg breaks down all the biggest things that happened on the first day of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
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CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — I actually work for USA TODAY and am not a doctor, but I can say with great confidence that Greg Graeber’s opinions on Lindsey Vonn are ill-informed, condescending, and misogynistic.
How do I know this? Because, unlike Graeber, I’ve been covering skiing for over 10 years, so I have real-world, applicable knowledge on this topic. I’ve watched Vonn dominate the World Cup circuit this season, but how many “past their prime” players are smoking cigarettes every race? — and I’ve heard her explain why she decided to make a comeback.
It’s not because she can’t see herself as anything other than a skier or because she’s trying to fill something missing in her life. Her foundation, commercial ventures, family, and friends amply filled her retirement years. (Pro Travel, Greg: Maybe use the Google machine before making assumptions about people.)
Bon came back because he could. Because she was given a second chance to finish her career the way she wanted, and very few athletes get to do that. Because she loves skiing.
And because even at 41, she’s still really great.
It is both ignorant and insulting to equate her with Mike Tyson, who is nearly 20 years older than Vonn and who was beaten up by YouTubers. Contrary to what Graeber wrote (again, Greg, Google can be your friend), Vonn is no match for the Willie Mays of skiing.
She has finished on the podium in every downhill race so far this season and won two of them. She also finished on the podium in two of the first three Super-G races and finished fourth in the third.
Despite a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Vonn had the third-fastest time on a training run on Saturday, February 7, until it was canceled due to fog and snow. I would also like to add about the training run at the Olympics.
But even if Vuong was struggling to keep up the pace, so be it! Did Gleyber run to his keyboard to psychoanalyze and slam Philip Rivers when he returned to the NFL this season? Is he encouraging LeBron James to retire?
i doubt it.
Which is the bigger problem with Ms. Graeber’s opinion piece, and one that sadly any woman can identify with. Too many men feel free to police women’s actions, motives, and bodies without any expertise, experience, or knowledge. They think they know best and demand that women respect their opinion, which is neither earned nor deserved.
By the way, I asked Mr. Graber for comment.
Graeber claims to be a mental performance coach for elite athletes. Also a regional sales manager for a food company. But does he work with Olympians regularly? Or maybe an elite alpine skier? no? Then maybe he should have kept this quiet. Because while athletes have some things in common, there are too many differences to make broad, sweeping generalizations.
But Graeber thought about Vonn in his head and decided he needed to ask it from one of the greatest skiers of all time. Graeber is well aware that she has a team of medical professionals and coaches around her, whose literal job is to provide her with honest, fact-based advice. His opinion is based on pure speculation and prediction, but he believes it should outweigh Vonn’s lived experience and access to the best resources in sports medicine.
This is the embodiment of the “No, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night” commercial.
Not every thought needs to be shared with the world. Graeber wrote a book in part titled “Slow Your Roll.” Next time you should do everyone a favor and follow your own advice instead of giving unsolicited advice.
Follow USA TODAY sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
