Yeah, Apolo Ohno’s the Seattle homeboy and God knows he’s got some visual appeal to the gay viewership, but this media lovefest has gotten out of hand.

Everyone knows about the dubious circumstances surrounding his gold medal win at the 2001 Olympics, when Ohno threw a tantrum on the ice over an alleged foul, resulting in a sympathetic judge disqualifying the race’s winner, a South Korean.

Today’s Seattle Times prints a column celebrating the “zen-like focus of the soul-patched one” and congratulates Ohno for being not just a world-class individual athlete but also a fabulous teammate.

Quite true, but only to certain members of his team. Few remember the other Ohno controversy, which happened just a few weeks before his gold medal, at those U.S. Olympic Trials. Ohno had already made the team, but his close friend Shani Davis, needed to win the event’s last race to qualify for the team. Davis was an underdog. Here is an article that tells the story of that race from the perspective of one member of the team, Adam Riedy.

Riedy knew something was wrong. He had been standing on the sidelines when he heard Ohno and [speedskater Rusty] Smith talking before the race. "Let [Davis] go if he has the lead with three laps to go," he heard Ohno say. At the end of the race, he saw Davis skate over to Smith and Ohno and thank them three times.

On its face, it was suspicious enough. It got worse when Riedy learned that two other skaters had also overheard disturbing conversations. One heard Ohno tell Smith that Davis "had worked harder than anyone out there" and deserved a spot on the team.

[Another speedskater Chris] Needham would later swear to hearing Ohno lay out the plan in the locker room: "If [Davis] is in first with a couple laps to go, I am not going to pass him." Needham would also testify that he saw Ohno literally block Biondo at key points during the race.

Skating veteran Jim Chapin, the race's chief referee, believes that's exactly what happened. "I'll never change my opinion," he says. "A number of people saw the race and knew the sport, and they know what happened." But Chapin didn't think he had the power to do anything. He assumed U.S. Speedskating would examine the incident. "There was nothing in the rules I could call anyone on." Chapin certified the results, and Shani Davis, not Tommy O'Hare, was named to the Olympic team.

You can read the whole story here. I used to work for the publication, Cleveland Scene, which is the reason I'm familiar with the article. But here's another one on the same topic. Basically, Davis made the team, but not without a little help from his friend Apolo. And Tommy O'Hare, the guy who earned his own place on the team, went home. I wonder what he would say about Ohno's team spirit?