Kudos to both — U.S. ski team and Miller

The U.S. Ski Team wrapped up its "most successful season" over the weekend. And, Bode Miller wrapped up the "most successful finish by an American" in more than two decades.

Kudos to both — team and Miller.

The U.S. team finished second in the Nations Cup standings, which is its highest finish. Its previous best was third in 2004 and 2003.

I think, however, that few people really grasp the significance of Miller's finish, winning the Super G title and the overall World Cup crown. He was second in the giant slalom and downhill.

No one with U.S. ties has won the prestigious overall title since Phil Mahre in 1983. Mahre did it without skiing in the downhill. Miller competed in all four events — slalom, giant slalom, super G and downhill.

Winning the overall, now, comes against the very best skiers in the world, and in particular the elite Austrians. Skiing in Austria is bigger than life, not simply sports. Only the best of the best of the best make the Austrian team, and Miller bettered them all.

Interestingly enough, Mahre and Miller have a common bond. Neither skier is or was easily coached.

The story on the Mahre brothers, twins Phil and Steve, was that they had their own way of skiing. There would be the team training in one location on the mountain, and off to the side would be the Mahres doing their own thing.

Miller has been called by some "uncoachable." He has his own style and own way of training, and is not shy at all about telling coaches "the way it is."

In his early years on the team, coaches said Miller's line was too straight, his upper body too wild and his skiing too reckless. He crashed a lot in the early going.

Some call his skiing style not particularly stylish. It's more bullish and, at times, reckless. Some call it "disastrous."

Said Miller: "It's not important what people think . . . I love the way I ski and I ski fast."

Miller actually broke into the spotlight during the 1998 America's Opening in Park City. He came from the very back of the pack and posted the best American finish — 11th. But then he fell in to a pattern of one good run and one bad fall.

His breakthrough seemed to come only months before the 2002 Olympics. Skiing in a World Cup in Aspen in November of 2001, he left his starting position of 54th and jumped all the way up to 2nd.