VGThuy
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I can definitely see that. I think what may have led to some perception on Pat Lipinski's part was that there was a lot of data points leading up to the idea that Kwan was not only favored by the USFS but by the international judges as well.
First, Tara's win seemed to be perceived by many fans due to Kwan messing up rather than Tara beating Kwan out-right when clean prior to Nagano. This was supported at 1997 Worlds where Kwan's 6-triple routine with a 3/3 beat a 7-triple LP from Tara with a 3Loop/3Loop and a 2A/1/3Sal by a 6-3 decision. Then Irina came, somehow skated that Phantom LP the best she had all season and made that program work to where and she took three first place votes as well.
Then at Skate America, Kwan seemed to get "welcome back" scores from an international panel whereas Tara's SP was seemed to be hit with lower-than-expected tech scores. She then messed up the LP. Then Lipinski lost to Hubert at Lalique. So it seemed like maybe she was having a Kwan-like 1996-97 season while Kwan was on the upswing.
The tide seemed to shift back in Lipinski's favor after she decidedly won the GPF, but Kwan withdrew due to injury so there was this idea that had Kwan been there, she most likely could have won. It may not have been true, but I can see that perception being strong and affecting Tara. In fact, Tara herself said she went into Nagano thinking nothing she could have done would have mattered.
At Nationals, it seemed Kwan's health and readiness was "up in the air" and it seemed her practices were "so-so" while Tara and Bobek seemed to be nearing their competitive prime. I think pure adrenaline and being pressure-free made Kwan skate as well as she did at Nationals with Tara falling in the SP and placing fourth, and skating the LP like she was just holding on to her Olympic spot (the media acting like she wouldn't be named to the team had she sustained her fourth place finish behind Bobek and Kwiatkowski, but we knew the truth).
I think that's what made Nagano so surprising because Tara skated the best she ever had (even better than her exuberant skates in the 1996-97 season) and taking a first place ordinal in the SP from the French judge. Then the LP happened and it was a reverse of 1997 Worlds LP. There's another data point that could have backed up Lipinski's assertion of USFS favoritism as the US judge (with the Polish and German judge - the "famous" Jan Hoffman) placed Kwan first in the Nagano LP.
I think by the time Pat Lipinski had her tantrum on the White House lawn where Kwan was chosen to replace Picabo Street as the person to hand then-President Clinton the Team USA jacket, it was due to their heightened expectations of Tara finally receiving the no. 1 American star treatment sort of being dashed when it seemed Kwan became the bigger star to come out of Nagano despite Tara getting a lot of fanfare and attention... when Kwan wasn't around.
I understand where all of this came from, but I still think Pat Lipinski acted really immaturely. However, since she perceived Tara not receiving her due from the federation, judges, IOC, and even the media and skating fans despite everything she accomplished coupled with with all the pressures and sacrifices she made for Tara's career, I can see it all affecting her all at once.
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