The Morning According to Us

Becoming a little revealing could be a remedy.

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With flashers about, she covered her eyes.

Some may dub it, "Nipplegate up North"; others perhaps prefer "Poise On Ice". We'll let you draw your own conclusion. While competing at the European Figure Skating Championships in Helsinki, Ekaterina Rubleva and her partner, Ivan Shefer, endured a major mishap during the middle of their routine. A tight twirl, a raised hand, and a backless dress all conspired to unveil Rubleva's right breast to a shocked audience. (Note: we'd love to link this, but as a Disney-owned company, we'll just tell you to search "Rubleva" and "Daily Mail", lest we get a tap on our shoulders from the standards police.)

"Just smile and wave, girl, smile and wave…"

Apparently, Rubleva is Russian for, "Whoops!" But then, pride and professionalism took center stage; the pair skated and danced undaunted for the remainder of their set. Mettle trumped medal.

More and more, athletes and their respective teams are being "exposed" to an increasingly unforgiving fan base. The Dallas Cowboys revealed themselves as undisciplined, unprofessional and unbefitting of the moniker, "America's Team". Big Mac, you might not want to talk about the past, but your little bro sure does. Stephon Marbury rarely disrobes to don a Knicks uni these days, but never has he appeared more naked to the public and the media. Sure, Danica shows some skin, but this ultimately provides IndyCar with much needed exposure. Oh, we could go on and on…

We, as a nation, have been (perhaps) unfairly exhibited to the world as wounded, weakened and wart-filled. But times change, and a little revealing can help as much as it can hurt. And maybe a flash of the flesh can bolster non-mainstream sports ratings just as even the darker revealings of more popular sports, at worst, keep us intrigued with the storyline.

Let's just hope the PGA doesn't pick up on this—John Daly sans shirt in a sand trap is a troublesome sight, indeed.

Elsewhere…

Japanese teen phenom Ishikawa will play in the Master's.

Norwegians always win in a race to the South Pole.

Girls prep hoops team feels bad about winning 100-0. Oh, so now you want to forfeit. game.

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