U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS NOTEBOOK

updated 12:12 p.m. ET Jan. 16, 2006

ST. LOUIS - No one is putting a muzzle on Johnny Weir.

Weir was in a generous mood after winning his third title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Saturday, saying he wouldn’t make any drug references. But he was hardly contrite, and he said he would continue to speak his mind no matter who he annoyed.

“I’m me. I don’t put on a face, I don’t make statements just to make them,” Weir said. “I mean every single word I say, regardless if it’s offensive or mean-spirited. I’m going to say it, I’m not going to sugarcoat anything ... just because I’m a figure skater and I have to appeal to these people.”

Weir irritated U.S. Figure Skating officials earlier this week when he described the tempo of one of his competitor’s short programs as “a vodka shot, let’s snort coke kind of thing.” In previous years, he’s likened his costumes to “an icicle on coke” and “a Care Bear on acid.”

David Raith, executive director of U.S. Figure Skating, said Friday that the federation has talked to Weir in the past about the appropriateness of some of his comments, and would do so again.

Asked what those discussions are like, Weir smirked.

“They’re always fun,” he said. “I love hearing bad things about myself and having people reprimand me for saying what I want to. I love that.”

Turning serious, he said he understands the federation’s point but he’s not about to change who he is.

JOHNNY WEIR (Figure skating) AP Country: United States Hometown: Newark, Del. Age: 21 Best Olympic finish: N/A MORE ON JOHNNY WEIR

“I can understand because there are young people that watch the sport and I don’t want to offend anyone that might give some money to the federation or the sport or something like that. So pardon me for saying crazy things,” he said. “They reprimand me and that’s the end of it.

“I’m still going to do it my way,” he added, “but maybe think a little bit about what they need.”

Tara returns
Tara Lipinski, the 1998 Olympic figure skating champion, has nothing but good memories of her short, productive career.

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Lipinski, who entered the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame this weekend, was forced to retire from the sport before she was old enough to vote. Now an actress — she just landed a role in the TV series “Malcolm in the Middle” — she has no regrets that, at 23, skating is completely in her past.

“I look back and I wouldn’t want to change anything,” Lipinski said Saturday at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. “I had won my national championship, world championship and Olympics and that’s what I wanted. That was my goal and I’d done that.

“I love every moment of my life. How can I not be happy?”

Lipinski underwent hip surgery to repair a torn labrum that plagued her late in her competitive career, which ended at the Olympics, and when she turned pro. She soon turned to acting, and this is her first nationals since finishing second to Michelle Kwan at the ’98 championships.

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