No bad blood between Miller, Armstrong

STATELINE - In a Rolling Stone article last winter, Bode Miller was quoted as saying Lance Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs. When the article was published, Miller said the female reporter provided a filtered version of their conversation.

It's a stance he hasn't backed away from even as he prepares for today's first round of the 17th annual American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.

"We had a long talk about it and she really condensed a lot of stuff," Miller said of his interview with the Rolling Stone reporter. "She claims she wasn't misleading, but she was for sure not talking about the same stuff I was talking about. And in the context of how she used my quotes, she made it seem like I said something different than I was.

"It's not uncommon. It's what you guys (the media) do a lot of the time. Unfortunately, he (Armstrong) had to take some heat for that. For that, I would apologize to him. But for what I was actually saying, I wouldn't apologize."

After the article was published, the seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor learned of Miller's comments during an interview with Tom Brokaw, but he doesn't hold a grudge against one of the most decorated Alpine skiers in U.S. history. Although the full transcript between Miller and the Rolling Stone reporter was never revealed, the relationship between the two athletes appears to be on good terms.

"I think he's sorry for stepping out and saying some of those things," Armstrong said. "Obviously he misspoke because he had no knowledge of me or what goes on."

Numerous reports by French newspapers have linked Armstrong with performance-enhancing drugs, though the 34-year-old cyclist has never failed a drug test. Armstrong hosted the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, then flew Thursday morning to Lake Tahoe to compete in the American Century Celeb-Am Tournament.

Since the Rolling Stone article, Miller and Armstrong hadn't been in close contact until Wednesday's ESPY Awards, where Armstrong delivered a joke about Miller.

"Bode Miller is here, totally sober. He only drinks when he races," Armstrong was quoted as saying in an Associated Press story.

"I didn't write it," Armstrong admitted on Thursday. "I'm not the writer, but, yeah, he got a little zing. But that was one of the biggest laughs, the Bode crack."

Miller, who won the World Cup overall title in 2005, didn't mind the joke, the genesis of which eluded to his remarks in a 60 Minutes interview that mentioned he had skied drunk before.

"I don't mind if he has jabs for me," said Miller, a New Hampshire native who won two silver medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. "I was kind of expecting it, and I think he did a great job. He was actually one of the better hosts I've seen."

Even before Wednesday's awards show, their relationship seemed to be improving. Proceeds from a minor league baseball game scheduled for later this month in New Hampshire will go toward Miller's charity foundation, which will then donate money to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

"I think he (Armstrong) hesitates to me because of some of the things I said that weren't intended that way," Miller said. "I don't talk to him about it, but I definitely support his concept and his foundation. I think that's awesome. I think what he's doing is great and I support that 100 percent."

The 2006 ESPY Awards will air on Sunday night on ESPN.