Friday, January 23, 2009
Winter X Games 13 Nate Holland Fourpeat
Nate Holland Seeks a Fourpeat
All Hail Its Gravitational Pull
January 21, 2009, 4:56 PM
By: Brian Kamenetzky
Allen Kee/Shazamm/ESPN Images
Nate Holland
There may be plenty of smaller stories surrounding this year's Snowboarder X Men's competition, but like planets around the sun, they'll all orbit Nate Holland and his quest for a fourth straight gold medal. He's the first SBX'er to pull the feat since Shaun Palmer did it way back in '97-'99. That's two presidents ago, back when cell phones were the size of small hams.
He's expected by most- at least most media types- to pull the fourpeat. Like last year, the course is long, meaning he won't be killed by a random bad start. Clearly Holland and Buttermilk are simpatico. Still, he's not counting any chickens.
"The way I think about it, every year it doesn't matter what my history is. It's basically about the task at hand. The media can write about the threepeat or fourpeat or whatever it is, and I'll always try to remember that it's still a race I have to win, and it's never on the same course. The competition is stiff and I have to get out there and do what I do. I definitely know how to win here. I have that card in my pocket, which I think is a good one."
No question. Competitively speaking, that can cut both ways. Everyone else on the course knows his track record, meaning they'll be either a little psyched out or more psyched up. Plus, there's the media glare. Holland told me he didn't get much attention until last year, when he went for three straight. The spotlight is brighter in '09.
"It's a little nerve racking going in, with all these expectations placed on you when you've won it three years in a row. People say, "You're the favorite, you're the guy to beat." But you have to wash all that away. It's gonna make you nervous unless you harness that in a good, positive manner that you can race with."
All Hail Its Gravitational Pull
January 21, 2009, 4:56 PM
By: Brian Kamenetzky
Allen Kee/Shazamm/ESPN Images
Nate Holland
There may be plenty of smaller stories surrounding this year's Snowboarder X Men's competition, but like planets around the sun, they'll all orbit Nate Holland and his quest for a fourth straight gold medal. He's the first SBX'er to pull the feat since Shaun Palmer did it way back in '97-'99. That's two presidents ago, back when cell phones were the size of small hams.
He's expected by most- at least most media types- to pull the fourpeat. Like last year, the course is long, meaning he won't be killed by a random bad start. Clearly Holland and Buttermilk are simpatico. Still, he's not counting any chickens.
"The way I think about it, every year it doesn't matter what my history is. It's basically about the task at hand. The media can write about the threepeat or fourpeat or whatever it is, and I'll always try to remember that it's still a race I have to win, and it's never on the same course. The competition is stiff and I have to get out there and do what I do. I definitely know how to win here. I have that card in my pocket, which I think is a good one."
No question. Competitively speaking, that can cut both ways. Everyone else on the course knows his track record, meaning they'll be either a little psyched out or more psyched up. Plus, there's the media glare. Holland told me he didn't get much attention until last year, when he went for three straight. The spotlight is brighter in '09.
"It's a little nerve racking going in, with all these expectations placed on you when you've won it three years in a row. People say, "You're the favorite, you're the guy to beat." But you have to wash all that away. It's gonna make you nervous unless you harness that in a good, positive manner that you can race with."
Labels: Gold Medal, Nate Holland, Snowboarder X, Winter X Games 13
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