Stars on Ice

Evan (my Evan) Lysacek - Olympic Gold champion, world champion, two time US champion

To Evan (my Evan ) I wanted to say, "I LOVED watching you in the Olympics! You definitely deserved to beat that Russian guy. He was full of himself anyway. So what if he could do a quad. You worked harder than anyone to get to where you are and you are beautiful to watch." Instead I said, "Oh I am so sorry Evan, I would love to go out for drinks with you, but I am a married woman." Ha! Ha! I did gush to Evan a little (ok a lot!), but I don't remember what I said. ( Matt would have been mortified! ) He was so nice and I couldn't breathe afterwards. Brooke's eight year old friend, Meghan, said to me, "What is wrong with you?! You need to calm down!! Just chill out!" And to top it off he skated to "Roxanne Tango" from the movie, "Moulin Rouge" which is one of my favorite parts in that awesome movie!!

Todd Eldredge - World champion, six time US champion

Joannie Rochette - Olympic bronze medalist, world silver medalist, six time Canadian champion

To Todd I wanted to say, "I always rooted for you in the Olympics! It is too bad that you always fell and it cost you the gold because you should have gotten it!" But instead I said, "I loved the show."

To Joannie I wanted to say, "I cried with you when your mom died the day before you were to perform at the Olympics. I am still amazed at the grace you showed and how beautifully you skated as you were dealing with such grief. You are a true champion." Instead I just said, "You skate beautifully."

Jamie Sale and David Pelletier - Olympic Gold medalists, world champions, and three time Canadian champions

To them I wanted to say, "I am soooo glad that those dumb judges decided to give you the gold medal, too, along with those Russians because they fell and you didn't!" But instead I said, "I loved the show."

Kurt Browning - Four time world champion, four time Canadian champion

He is still a great skater at age 44 and so much fun to watch. After this picture was taken he asked me to help him up off the floor! Why, of course, Kurt!

Scott Hamilton - Olympic gold medalist

To Scott I did say, "I watched you win the gold in 1984 and thought you were amazing." To which he replied, "Wow, you must have been a baby!" I was 12, but thanks for the compliment - sincere, or not! I really wanted to add that I remember that he was wearing blue and I loved how his hair would flare out to the side as he spun around so fast.

Sasha Cohen- Olympic silver medalist, two time world silver medalist, US champion

To Sasha I wanted to say, "I love that move you do when you pull your leg up to your head and spin around and around. That is truly amazing! And you really look like a china doll. And when you were in your first Olympics I skipped out on a girls night out so I could stay home and watch you." Instead I just said, "I loved your Cabaret number."

Ekaterina Gordeeva - two time olympic medalist, four time world pair champion

To Ekaterina I wanted to say, "I watched you and Sergei Grinkov in the Olympics and thought you two were the most beautiful skating pair I had ever seen. I cried when Sergei died and I read the book you wrote, My Sergei, on an airplane and was crying so hard that the person next to me thought I was totally insane." Instead I just told her I loved the show.

Michael Weiss - Two-time world bronze medalist, three time US Champion. He is so fun to watch!!

Ben Agosto - Olympic silver medalist, two time world silver medalist, five time US champion - Tanith's ice dancing partner

The beautiful Tanith Belbin. Olympic silver medalist

Brooke and I had the privilege of going to the Smuckers Stars on Ice show again this year. Our old neighbor works for Smuckers and lucky for us they invited us yet again. Not only do we get to watch a great show, but then we get to meet the skaters after the show which is so exciting for me!! When I heard that Evan Lysacek and Ekaterina Gordeeva were going to be there I got chills! Then I got nervous! I have this unfortunate problem of becoming completely starstruck when I meet Olympic athletes. It really only happens when I meet gymnasts, and in this case ice skaters. I remember meeting Bart Connor and Nadia Comeneci in 1994 at a mall in St. Louis. I brought my huge gymnastics picture book that I had had since I was 13. I met them, had them sign the glossy pages, and then floated on air for the rest of the night. I couldn't even feel my feet as I walked out of the mall. I worshipped Nadia growing up. I could find Romania on a globe at age 4. I used to write her letters and put all my pennies in the letters. I wanted to give her something! I don't remember what I said to her that night, but I am sure I sounded like a fool. Matt loves to tell the story of how in 2002 we met (I met) Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller at a movie theater in Houston. Matt spotted her across the room. Then he reluctantly pointed her out to me because he knew what would come next. His wife would make a complete fool of herself gushing to Shannon about how incredible I thought she was. As Matt walked across the theater pretending he had no idea who I was, I marched right up to her and asked for her autograph, and of course, blubbered on about how amazing I thought she was, blah, blah, blah. I just can't help it. I love the Olympics and am enamored with the athletes who compete. I can never get enough of the gymnastics and ice skating. Which is why it was so special for me to meet all of these Olympians. It is a dream come true!!! There was so much I wanted to say to all of them, but lucky for them there were so many people that I didn't get to really say what I wanted to. If we go back next year I am sure they are going to wonder, "Who is this crazy mom that is stalking us!" Since I am the only mom that has to get in the pictures with her kid.