Left Red-Faced By the Flying Tomato

Bode Miller, left, had the star power but he has been eclipsed by Shaun White and Ted Ligety. (By Michael Leckel -- Reuters)

Another day, another Bode Miller loss. This time a disqualification. How's that Nike ad campaign going now? "Join Bode.com." Join him for what, the buffet at the Also-Ran Diner?

This is the biggest capsize of advertising since last summer's extravaganza for Andy Roddick. Remember just before the U.S. Open when American Express asked people to "Help Andy find his mojo?" Oops, Andy lost in the first round! Find his mojo? American Express might as well have asked people to help find Andy before he jumped off the 59th Street Bridge.

Bode Miller's loss in the combined was Ted Ligety's gain. Obviously, Ligety can go ligety-split down the mountain. But Ligety can't save the Olympics for the United States, because nobody knows Ted Ligety from Piggly Wiggly.

So since Bode is flaming out, and Michelle Kwan is a scratch, that pretty much means America is down to drawing its Olympic star power from a Flying Tomato and a downhill racer who was last seen getting carted off the mountain on a toboggan. You know it can't be good when the rescue party is led by Saint Bernards.

The way Lindsey Kildow flew through the air and skidded to a crumpled halt on Monday, she seemed destined for a full-body cast. If she comes back today in the downhill and miraculously wins a medal, she'll be a skiing legend. She'll be the Herminatrix.

The Flying Tomato is what snowboarder Shaun White calls himself. He resembles the mystifyingly unfunny Carrot Top, but without the big arms. (Carrot Top has guns like Smith & Wesson.) Don't get me wrong, the kid is cute, and I'm sure if anybody in the world over the age of 25 had any clue what the halfpipe is, or what these people are trying to prove, he could break through. But if you tell me America's biggest star so far is the Flying Tomato, I'll tell you that's great -- if this is a Burger King commercial. If not, we're in a pickle.