Message from discussion ??? on the Backstory of Tonya Harding: 1986-90

From: mor...@aol.com (MorryS)
Subject: Re: ??? on the Backstory of Tonya Harding: 1986-90
Date: 1998/12/28
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snaken writes:

>Anyway, that's who Tonya Harding was(IS) .. a good kid, looking across that
gap, with no support system. .. would make me mad as hell, too!

This is the first time I have ever weighed in on the Tonya issue and I intended
never to do so.  However, a "Poor Tonya the victim" is just too much in the
light of reality.  

There was a long history of acts and actions that indicate support was not the
main problem. First, Tonya was recieving more financial support than any other
skater during that period.  Some rather famous sporting people paid for all her
skating expenses.  Money did not  fix the problem with Tonya's head.  The final
"blow" only ended a long series of actions that should have been delt with much
earlier.  I take some responsibility in that.  I was an Official at some of the
events at which Tonya displayed her lack of ethics.  At a Pacific Coast
Sectional she particpated in a bogus death threat to get out of competing and
to get a bye to Nationals.  This was confirmed by the FBI.  At the Albertville
Olympics she was more interested in talking to Portland reporterz than 
practicing.  She did not practice well and she bombed.  She should have been
sent home at that time.

Since I was one that had to spend hours talking to the FBI after the final blow
I will never accept the poor Tonya theme.  

There are great skaters in the system today who do not have nearly the
financial support that Tonya had.  They manage to keep their ethics and are
working to overcome all the problems.

Flame me if you wish, but I was there and have a right to my opinions just as
much as does a blind fan.