NOTE TO READERS: U.S. Figure Skating says race wasn't a factor in its decision to nominate Ashley Wagner over Mirai Nagasu to the 2014 U.S. Olympic team. The group's complete statement may be found here. Speakeasy should have sought comment from the organization to include in the commentary below before it was published.

Over the next 25 days, as the drumbeats for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics grow louder and nearer, we'll all be sucked into a polar vortex of hype, hoo-hah and hullabaloo, and all of it will essentially...