Four months 'til Beijing
The U.S. Olympic Committee’s top leadership, appearing before hundreds of reporters in Chicago at a traditional pre-Games meeting, vowed to send a doping-free team to the Beijing Olympics and, again seeking to downplay American expectations, predicted the Chinese team would be a strong contender to win the medals count.
Senior USOC leaders also expressed support for American athletes to say what they want while in Beijing, within the confines of International Olympic Committee rules that say “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” is permitted at Olympic sites.
In addition, USOC Chairman Peter Ueberroth suggested that, in the developing race for the 2016 Summer Games, Chicago is “certainly not first.” The International Olympic Committee will pick the 2016 site in 2009; Chicago is competing against Rio de Janeiro; Madrid; Tokyo; Prague; Baku, Azerbaijan; and Doha, capital of the Persian Gulf emirate of Qatar.
A high-level political campaign could take notes: all of it on message.
The USOC made no headlines. All of it had been said many times before, in many ways. Remarkable, given everything that’s going on in the run-up to the Beijing Games.
The meeting, called the "media summit," traditionally draws more than 100 Olympic-bound athletes and hundreds of reporters. This 2008 edition underscores the keen interest in the Beijing Games, which begin Aug. 8, with a record 425 credentialed media on hand.
The prior record: about 300.
--
Of the 37 swimming world records set in recent weeks, 35 have been set in a Speedo LZR Racer suit.
Ryan Lochte, who set four marks last week at the short-course world championships in England, said the suit made him feel like an “action hero.”
Superman, he later said. Not Aquaman.
--
The U.S. men’s basketball team, third at the 2004 Games in Athens, is of course aiming for gold in Beijing.
But, Jerry Colangelo, the former Phoenix Suns’ owner in charge of the U.S. men’s Olympic program, said the Americans want to win “the right way.”
He explained: “We want people to respect us and we want to show respect. It’s called mutual respect.”
Mike Krzyzewski, the Duke coach who is also the 2008 men's Olympic team coach, said pairing the roster to 12 later this year will likely prove difficult. The U.S. simply has too many good players, he made plain: "We’re like teenagers at a dance. We fall in love with everybody."
One guy who's clearly got an inside track -- Michael Redd, the Milwaukee Bucks' prolific outside shooter. The international game puts a high premium on a reliable jump shot, and Coach K said about Redd: "Michael is an energizer. His shots mean more than the points that they score. To have a guy like that is valuable, really valuable."
Colangelo on the initial interview he conducted long ago in Chicago with Redd to explore the player's interest in the Olympic team: "He said he would drive down from Milwaukee. He showed up at my hotel, called my room, knocked on the door. He was in sweats. He had a hanging bag over the shoulder and asked to be excused and went into the john and put on a suit and tie to have an interview with me.
"That was pretty darn impressive."
--
Pia Sundhage, the Swede who took over the U.S. women’s soccer coach after the Americans finished third in last year’s World Cup, said she introduced herself to her new charges by singing, “The times, they are a-changing.”
Abby Wambach grew reflective when asked about the evolution of the U.S. women’s team. She said, “… What has allowed this team to be successful in the past has not necessarily been talent – but teamwork and teamsmanship.”
--
Former major league skipper Davey Johnson, who will manage the U.S. baseball team at the Beijing Games, on what it would mean to come in first place at the Beijing Games:
“I’ve got three World Series rings. I want a gold medal worse than anything.”
--
Swim star Michael Phelps was asked if – after his career in the pool is over – he might consider open-water swimming. The 10-kilometer swim makes its Olympic debut in Beijing.
"Not a chance,” he said. “No way.”
--
Phelps was also asked how a regular Joe might get off the couch and develop a “swimmer’s body.” There's sometime no telling what sort of inane questions might pop up at the "media summit."
“I guess,” Phelps said, “start swimming laps, maybe.”
--
A new poll shows that local support for Chicago’s 2016 bid has climbed to 84%, up from 76% a year ago, when Chicago defeated Los Angeles to gain the U.S. nomination for 2016.
The poll was taken April 7-9, at the height of controversy over the path of the Olympic torch relay into and through San Francisco. To go up eight points in those circumstances: noteworthy.
As for the matter of Chicago not being first – who knows? As bid chairman Pat Ryan pointed out, it’s “early, early, early” in the race.
USOC chief executive Jim Scherr also noted, “There’s only one day, Oct. 4 2009, that leading the pack counts. Whether a city’s first, second, third, fourth today doesn’t matter.”
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Four months 'til Beijing.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://blogs.nbcsports.com/system/mt-tb.cgi/9863
1 Comments
Leave a comment
About this blog
NBC Sports contributor Alan Abrahamson brings a wealth of knowledge to his coverage of the Olympics and the sports world.
Mr. Abrahamson,
Would you be interested in interviewing TVA Architects' design principal about the firm's renovation of Hayward Field in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Track & Field Trials? (details below)
TVA ARCHITECTS READIES HAYWARD FIELD FOR STAR PERFORMANCE
AT 2008 OLYMPIC TRACK & FIELD TRIALS
(June 30, 2008 – Portland, Oregon) The 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials-Track and Field has begun.
At center stage is Hayward Field, the University of Oregon’s hallowed track and field venue, newly renovated by TVA Architects Inc. The Portland-based firm was selected by the University to lead a major upgrade of the historic venue in preparation for its return to the world stage during the U.S. Track and Field Trials. A well-known landmark on the UO campus, Hayward Field is widely recognized as a sports mecca, a historic icon with deep emotional ties to the University and running community.
TVA Architects’ work on Hayward Field was designed to preserve elements of the revered venue’s celebrated past, while upgrading the facility for the 21st century and enhancing the event experience for athletes and spectators alike. Renovations include a completely resurfaced track, resulting in a Class I Track Certificate awarded by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Almost as a pre-Trials affirmation of the facility’s performance, numerous meet records fell at the recent Prefontaine Classic – notably, world record holder and Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele ran the fastest 10,000 meters ever run in the United States, while defending world champion Brad Walker established an American record in the pole vault.
The field events layout has also been altered. The previous infield consisted of a crowned field which obstructed views as the athletes moved around the track. The new infield is a level, sand-based surface that allows view of full movement of the athletes by spectators, coaches and competitors. In addition, to preserve Hayward Field’s grassy infield – a unique feature atypical for venues of this type – and to accommodate simultaneous events within the infield, grass has been used to align and define each event area. With this delineation, the infield will host concurrent activities, such as pole vault, high, long and triple jumps, as well as discus and javelin.
Infrastructure upgrades include new “green” energy-efficient stadium lighting and a state-of-the-art video scoreboard, powered by a new electrical transformer. Light poles have been strategically placed to avoid obstructing spectator views, while a new distributed sound system replaces the old cluster system, providing improved quality and uniform sound distribution throughout the stadium. In addition, improved surface drainage will quickly wick rainwater from the track and field. Finally, as the high-profile Olympic Track and Field Trials is expected to swell attendance significantly, temporary seating will expand the facility’s capacity from 9,000 to close to 15,500 spectators.
The TVA design team includes design principal Robert L. Thompson, FAIA, project manager Robert Curry, AIA, LEED AP, and design assistants Staci Beck and Michael Hahn. Subconsultants included renowned track and field expert Don Paige. McKenzie Commercial Contractors is the general contractor, Balzhiser & Hubbard Engineers is responsible for civil engineering and electrical, and Larry Gilbert of CMGS is the landscape architect.
TVA ARCHITECTS INC. is a nationally recognized architectural, planning and interiors firm based in Portland, Oregon. Established in 1984, the company has a rich history of providing innovative architecture and comprehensive planning services to a wide variety of commissions throughout the United States and in China. Current projects include design architect of the new 12,500-seat University of Oregon Arena, slated to replace McArthur Court, the oldest on-campus basketball arena in use in the United States. In addition, The Park Avenue West Tower, a mixed-use high rise in downtown Portland slated to be the third tallest building in Oregon, recently broke ground. Recent projects include the newly-completed 31-story John Ross Condominium Tower in Portland's South Waterfront, and design of the state-of-the-art Laika Animation Campus to be located in Tualatin, Oregon. The firm has received over 50 design awards, including International Campus of the Year for the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, and a national GSA Design Honor Award for Sustainability/Adaptive Reuse for the Social Security Administration Teleservice Center in Auburn, Washington. TVA Architects is led by founder and design principal Robert L. Thompson, FAIA, and principals Marc A. Labadie, LEED AP, John Heili, AIA, LEED AP, Monty Hill, AIA, RJ Johnson AIA, LEED AP, and Roderick Ashley, AIA.
For more information visit www.tvaarchitects.com
Contact:
Melissa Mitchell
Marketing Director
Direct: 503.517.8173
Email: melissam@tvaarchitects.com
-30-