Where's the Olympic spirit, Plushenko?

As I mentioned last week, I'm really enjoying the Winter Olympics. It's a shame the Games wrap up this weekend.
But it seems like some of the athletes who are there don't share that sentiment - namely, Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko.
Let's rewind to Feb. 18, the night of the men's figure skating final, when America racked up an unexpected gold medal after a great performance by Evan Lysacek.
Lysacek put on a heckuva performance, flawlessly executing his jumps and artistry throughout the program.
Plushenko, who had been leading up until Lysacek's routine, had been priming himself as the only skater who could land a quadruple jump - four spins in the air and perhaps the most difficult
He attempted said jump in the routine, and while he landed it, it sure wasn't clean.
Adding to Plushenko's troubles was a weaker routine than the one Lysacek put together. And what was the result?
Silver for Russia, gold for the U.S.
And it's been ridiculously comical ever since.
Plushenko has been on a rampage, claiming he was robbed of gold and that he was the true winner of the event.
He claimed anyone who couldn't land the quad was essential competing in "women's figure skating."
At the medal ceremony, he made a point to step up to the winner's spot at the podium - the GOLD MEDAL winner's spot, I might add - before taking his place at the silver medal position.
He walked out of a post-event conference after smugly saying that Lysacek "needed" the medal more than Plushenko did, considering Plushenko's 2002 gold in Salt Lake.
Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin chimed in as well, claiming Plushenko's performance had been worthy of gold.
There were even reports that Plushenko had listed himself as the recipient of a "platinum" medal on his Web site, complete with screenshots, though a trip to his site now has been updated and no longer says such.
And yet, that last one doesn't sound too far out of the realm of possibility for this guy, does it?
I'm not naïve enough to believe that sportsmanship is anything more than the first part of the word.
People talk about it, rave about how seldom it's employed and criticize others for not using it only seconds before contradicting themselves in a less-than-friendly manner to their athletic opponents.
But this is the Olympics. The Games with a capital "g."
It's one of the few times that countries around the world have an opportunity to compete against one another in the true spirit of sport.
For Plushenko, that spirit has gone sour.
There's nothing wrong with being disappointed with anything less than the best. There's nothing wrong with thinking that what you put together should have been enough for a top finish.
It's all wrong when you can't be a gracious loser.