We skated with Brian Boitano, and learned exactly what he'd do

Follow Us

"Don't face plant in front of Brian Boitano."

A lifelong figure skating fan raised in the golden era of American skating, this interviewer couldn't reject a chance to talk to the Brian Boitano ... while on ice. Tumbling nose first into the frozen rink, while smashing both my teeth and sequin dreams, seemed worth the risk. So during New York City's first punch of winter weather, on a Wednesday morning before parka-wrapped tourists descended on Central Park's Trump Rink, I met Boitano to talk food, South Park and, of course, skating.

See also: The Evolution of Winter Olympics in GIFs

In 1988, the Olympic rivalry between Canada and the United States would play out on the ice between two talented and affable dudes named Brian. Boitano and his Canadian rival Brian Orser made the men's figure skating competition the event for North America to watch at the Calgary Games. The media focused its scope on the rivalry, hyping it as "The Battle of the Brians," a title Boitano himself didn't know about until days before leaving for Calgary. Read more...

More about Watercooler, Conversations, Sports, Figure Skating, and Brian Boitano