Two Moments on Ice

2/20/88
What would Brian Boitano do? Just win baby...
It was the Battle of the Brians, Orser and Boitano, and Boitano bodyslammed his Canadian doppleganger. BB had won the Worlds in '86, and then Orser barnstormed them in '87, making for their legendary showdown at the Calgary Games. With Boitano holding a miniscule lead going into his long program, he put on the skate of his life, nailing eight triple jumps that included two true triple axels. It won him the gold medal and earned him an SI cover, the only time a male figure skater has ever graced the cover of that magazine. If you don't dig skating, watch the below video to hear Jim McKay in his last year as Olympics anchor - just the sound of his voice takes me back to a time when the Games seemed like such a more... substantial event than they have become in the NBC era.



2/20/98
The Wrath of Kwan
One year after shocking the world and Michelle Kwan by becoming the youngest world champion in history, Tara Lipinski pulled off that same difecta at the Nagano Games, stealing what seemed a certain gold medal for the Kwan-anator with the exuberant long program below. Just fifteen years old, Lipinski became the youngest ever winner of an individual event at the Winter Olympics. The version below is from Australian TV, and we all know what that means - no Scott Hamilton. You're welcome.