THREE IS A MAGIC NUMBER

So I went 3-4 in my official Olympic predictions. Unofficially, after seeing some of the practices, I changed my mind a bit and said the women's podium would end up being Slutskaya, a Japanese girl, and Sasha, though I wasn't sure in what order. Cohen melting down wasn't a surprise. Slutskaya, I must admit, was.

Congratulations to Japan's Shizuka Arakawa!

In retrospect, I suppose I should have known she'd be the one to prevail. After all, at the Japanese Nationals this year, Arakawa was third. Just like the 2002 Olympic Champion, Sarah Hughes, was at the US Nationals in 2002.

In 1998, it was the #2 American, Tara Lipinski, who bested the #1, Michelle Kwan, in Nagano.

In 1994, America's top finisher, Olympic Silver Medalist Nancy Kerrigan was not even on the US podium, having gotten a bye.

And in 1992, though Kristi Yamaguchi ended up as both #1 in the US and the World, on the Men's side, it was US Silver Medalist Paul Wylie who managed to stand on the Olympic podium, not the National Champion, Christopher Bowman. (The previous year, at the World Championship, US #1 Tonya Harding ended up second to US #2 Kristi; obviously a catalyst for her eventual complete meltdown).

In 1987, Jill Trenary won the US Championship, but Silver Medalist Debi Thomas and Bronze Medalist Caryn Kadavy repeated their spots on the World podium.

I can go on and on, but suffice it to say that ice is slippery and, in the end, anything can happen. Which is what makes figure skating so exciting. And, despite the many naysayers who come out of the woodwork every four years to heckle -- a genuine sport.