Bode Miller blames skier's bad results on marriage, then apologizes

Former Olympian and current NBC analyst Bode Miller didn't take long to run off course with his analysis during coverage of the women's giant slalom Thursday.

While talking about a run from Anna Veith, an Austrian World Cup skiier and 2014 Olympic gold medalist, Miller suggested her recent marriage was one of the reasons she wasn't getting better results.

Veith, who has battled a knee injury, had a slow first run.

"The knee is certainly an issue. I want to point out she also got married," Miller said. "And it's historically very challenging to race on World Cup with a family or after being married. Not to blame the spouses, but I just want to toss that out there, that it could be her husband's fault."

Soon, he was backtracking on air.

"Yea, I apologize. That was an ill-advised attempt at a joke," Miller said. "I was an athlete that competed after marriage and I know how beneficial it is. I know the support team you need. I relied on my friends and family. And if you have the luxury of relying on a spouse I know they are inevitably your biggest supporter. And on Valentine's Day I didn't mean to throw spouses under the bus. Certainly, I'm going to be hearing it from my wife, I know."

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Miller also was quick to apologize on Twitter, saying: "To be clear I was not seriously blaming Anna Veith's lack of results on her husband. It's a changing of priorities that is historically hard, male or female.

"I had the love and support of my wife while I was racing and I know it can be a huge asset. #happyvalentinesday"

It's not the first time during these Winter Games that a reporter or analyst for NBC has gotten in hot water.

During the Opening Ceremony, Joshua Cooper Ramo's on-air remark that "every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural and technical and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation" drew widespread criticism and led to Ramos' firing.

Japan occupied Korea for four decades. 

Also during the ceremony, Katie Couric was trying to explain why Dutch skaters have been so strong over the years in competition as the Olympic team from the Netherlands entered the stadium.

"As you all know, it has lots of canals that can freeze in the winter," Couric said, "so for as long as those canals have existed, the Dutch have skated on them to get from place to place, to race each other and also to have fun."

That led to another apology, this time from Couric.