My Own Olympic Adventure!

I talked about a trip to Lake Placid, home of the 1980 Winter Olympics, in a previous post.  Located in the Adirondack Mountains in Northern New York, Lake Placid is home to many world-class ski resorts.  And though the residents of Lake Placid have every right to brag about the town's Olympic history, my brother, dad and I were welcomed with open arms.  The people of Lake Placid and tourists alike were united by one common theme: our love for winter sports and the Winter Olympic Games.

View a slideshow of my pictures from our trip!

Ken Morrow to Attend BG Hockey Game

The Winter Olympic Games are winding down, but the spirit of the games still rages for Falcon hockey fans.  Bowling Green State University will host its last home hockey game tonight and welcome a special guest: Olympian and BGSU alum, Ken Morrow.  Morrow was a defenseman on the Falcon hockey team from 1976 to 1979.  Morrow went on to play for Team U.S.A in the world-famous 1980 Olympic hockey game, when the United States beat the Soviet Union.

Though Morrow's visit is ultimately part of a fundraising campaign, his presence at our last home game as an alum and United States Olympian is purely exciting.  I have been aware of our prestigious alumni network for some time now, but every once in a while I cross paths with yet another famous graduate.  What is it that makes me so excited to be in Morrow's presence tonight?  This question is rhetorical, of course, because I know exactly why I am excited: it's because I share the same alma mater with an Olympian.  

The fame is cool, but it's not what makes me swell with pride.  I've never been one to piggy-back off another's success.  The reason Morrow's visit and story is so exciting to me is because after he left our alma mater, he went on to accomplish great things.  He used BGSU as a foundation on which to build his successes.  He walked the same halls and sidewalks, sat in the same classrooms and probably had a similar experience during his college years as I have (minus the fact that he was on the hockey team).  

His story is one of encouragement for me.  At a time when my life seems selfishly stressful and completeing intimidating, success stories are always welcome; stories of graduates playing such a significant part in such a significant historical event.  I will graduate this year, May 8.  I have no idea what I'll be doing on or after May 9.  I know I won't go on to compete in an Olympic event (I am already past my physical prime, I'm sure).  But with each success story I hear, I become more confident that I'll be able to achieve something equally as impressive in my life, even if it's not accompanied by a medal.

I'm counting down the hours until the game tonight: the last home game of the season and my last BGSU hockey game during my time here as a student.  If I come back in the future, it will be as an alum.  I may not have won a gold medal or had a street named after me (Scott Hamilton), but I will have some sort of accomplishment under my belt.  

I can't wait to hear what Ken Morrow has to say about his time at this university and his experiences on the ice. 

A Few of My Favorite Things

It's no secret I love the Olympics.  And for those that know me, it's no secret I love "The Office."  NBC has recruited the cast of "The Office" to produce a series of short commercials to promote the Winter Olympic Games.  If Dwight Schrute were in charge of the Olympics, it surely would be a crazy experience!  Watch him propose an alternative to one of my favorite events, the halfpipe:

My Olympic Bobsledding Experience

This past January, my dad, my brother and I took a trip to Lake Placid, NY.  It's the site of the 1932 Winter Olympics and 1980 Winter Olympics and home to dozens of world-class ski resorts.  The town of Lake Placid is cozy and inviting, the trees are beautiful and the mountain are stunning.  Winter in the Adirondacks is truly enchanting.

I'd known some of the history of the town before we went, specifically the legendary 1980 Olympic hockey game where a young United States team beat the seasoned Soviet Union.  For those of you who have seen "Miracle on Ice" or witnessed the event, you understand the historical and political significance of the upset.  At a time when tensions between the two countries were high during the Cold War, the game is not one that will be forgotten.

I was able to board the same course the Olympic downhill skiers rode.  I was able to stand at the top of the ski jump towers (90m and 120m) and then sit right at the end of the track - that part where the skier leaves solid ground before flying hundreds of feet into the air - for a practice session.  For the few days we were in Lake Placid, we felt like Olympians.  You can't help but let the atmosphere seep into you.

One of the most memorable experiences of the trip, however, was my flight down the Olympic bobsled course.  My brother and I received the tickets as a Christmas gift.  I joked about showing up in a spandex jumpsuit, my own helmet and a know-it-all attitude.  I was giddy from the moment we opened those gifts.

The day of the bobsled, I had butterflies.  Not out of nervousness.  Just pure, unfiltered excitement.  Patrick and I waited in line for what seemed like forever.  Then we were taken to a little cabin at the top of the track.  We watched oodles of tourists get their gear on, hop in the sled, and get pushed away - some groups screamed the entire way down.  Finally, it was our turn.  We got into the bobsled and before we were shoved off I pulled out my camera (hey, I'm a tourist) I asked our driver to take our picture:

 

I put the camera away, we were asked if we were ready, and before I knew it the loud scratching sound of sled on ice drowned everything out.  We were a few seconds into the run and already we were rocketing.  I heard nothing but the sled.  I felt nothing but wind.  And eventually, I could see nothing but blurry shapes.  I estimate that my eyes started hardcore watering about halfway down.  I think the corners of my eyes even froze a little.  After all, it was only a couple of degrees and we were racing down an ice chute.  I'd been warned about G-forces but had secretly rolled my eyes.  I mean, it was cool on TV, but it didn't look that intense...little did I know.  There were curves in the track that I thought were going to yank me out of the sled.  There were straight-aways where I had to force my eyes to stay open.  It was bumpy, which I should have expected.  It felt like we were on a roller coaster.  But colder.  And way more awesome.

And then like that, it was over.  The run only lasted 50 seconds and I remember every one of them.  The purchase of the ticket included a pin, a shirt, a picture with our driver and brakeman and inclusion in the Bobsled Federation of America.  I felt like a total badass.  When I think about the experience, I think about how amazing it would be to have that job.  To grow up and be able to ride in sleds for a living.  I also think about what incredible athletes those bobsledders are.  We didn't break any speed records, but my body felt otherwise going through those curves in the track.  I came away from the experience with a new-found respect for the athletes and intensified excitement for the sport.  As we walked out of the complex, I saw an advertisement for the skeleton.  They were letting tourists take a ride down the track on a small, flimsy, unprotected sled.  Before I could even suggest it, my dad told me we didn't have time.  I suppose the skeleton experience will have to go on my bucket list - after I cross off "bobsled down an Olympic track."

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Medals Update

Current medal standings:

United States   24   (7 gold, 7 silver, 10 bronze)
Germany         16
Norway            12
Canada            9
Korea               9
Austria             8
France              8
Switzerland       7
Russian Federation   7
Sweden   6

Morgan Freeman: Voice of the Olympics?

VISA really has struck gold in partnering with Morgan Freeman for their Olympic Games advertisements.  Besides the actual sports, it's Morgan Freeman's voice I look forward to most when the Olympic Games are upon us.  Clips of inspiring athletics coupled with a story narrated by one of the best actors of our time - it's heaven, really.

These ads are only 30 seconds long but leave a lasting impression.  Especially when they're personalized.  After watching Seth Wescott take gold in the men's snowboard cross event, I thought things couldn't get better for him.  But they did.  NBC switched to a commercial break and I knew a VISA ad was coming up.  I just got that feeling, you know?  The ad opened with images and video of athletes in the snowboard cross event.  Morgan Freeman started narrating: "When it comes to the sport of snowboard cross, you deserve a certain amount of recognition for just surviving.  Let alone winning two gold medals.  Congratulations, Seth."  I thought about this ad for days.  I kept replaying it in my mind - how awesome it was that Morgan Freeman was personally congratulating an athlete.  In that perfect voice of his.

Granted, Morgan Freeman and VISA have a contract.  Morgan Freeman gets paid to read words that VISA has written.  But honestly, I don't care about the business behind that production.  Because for 30 seconds all I could think about was how great the ad was.  It doesn't make me want to get a credit card and it doesn't solidify VISA in my mind as the premier credit company.  It doesn't even tie a positive image to VISA via the Olympics and Morgan Freeman in my mind.  I'm sure the marketers would be dissappointed.  But for 30 seconds, I swelled with pride for Seth Wescott.  I swelled with pride for our country and I swelled with pride for the Olympics.

Morgan Freeman's voice has some sort of magical quality about it.  It makes me want to jump of the couch and scream "GO USA!"  It makes me want to put on a snowboard and rocket down a mountain.  It makes me want to be an Olympian, silly as it seems.

Seth Wescott is not the only athlete to have a personalized commercial.  Julia Mancuso, Johnny Spillane, Apollo Ohno, the Jamaican bobsled team and countless others all have personal commercials through VISA.  And every time I see these, I am reminded all over again why I look forward to these games and why I enjoy them so much.  Somehow Morgan Freeman captures the spirit of the sport in his voice.  The thrill of it, the excitement, the pressure and the fun.

Well done, VISA, in your marketing decision to partner with Morgan Freeman for your Olympic ads.  In the very least you've bolstered national support for Team U.S.A.  And Morgan - when you're done with the winter games, give me a call so we can work on my own commercial.  I'd like a Morgan Freeman congratulations when I accomplish something awesome.

Check out all of VISA's ads at their youtube page here.

Snowboard Cross: The Best Olympic Event!

There, I said it.  Snowboard Cross is the best Winter Olympic event, closely followed by the Halfpipe events.  For those of you that disagree, you should know that I have an inherent bias in favor of snowboarding.  Afterall, snowboarding was my first winter sport.  I picked it up nearly eight years ago!

Last night Seth Wescott beat out his competition and went home with a gold medal in snowboard cross.  It wasn't until the very end of the run that his spot on the top podium was secure, though.  In fact, he spent most of the race behind his competitors, including teammate Nate Holland, France's Tony Ramoin and Canada's Mike Robertson.  Wescott is a veteran snowboarder, however, and used his experience to tactically overcome Robertson in the final turns of the course.  Perhaps patience is a virtue.

Tonight the women will compete for gold.  American favorite Lindsey Jacobellis has a strong chance to win, but don't rule out Switzerland's Mellie Francon and Canada's Maelle Ricker.

Although popular now, snowboarding only recently took its place among the Winter Olympics.  Its first appearance at the Olympics was in 1998 in Nagano.  Team U.S.A. only won two of 12 medals, both bronze for halfpipe events.  And, at the time of the competition, snowboarding was not even allowed on the slopes of Mt. Yakebitai.  The 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics was a great year for snowboarding: Team U.S.A. won five of 12 medals.  Torino's 2006 Olympic games were even more grand: Team U.S.A. won seven out of 18 medals, including three of the six gold.

Hopefully Vancouver's Olympics will be even more rewarding for Team U.S.A!

Medals Update

Missed some of the Olympics?  Here are the medal standings for the American athletes as of yesterday, Monday Feb. 15:

Bode Miller             Men's Downhill                   Bronze
Bryon Wilson          Men's Moguls                     Bronze
Shannon Bahrke     Women's Moguls                 Bronze
Hannah Kearney     Women's Moguls                Gold
Johnny Spillane      Nordic Combined                Silver
Seth Wescott         Men's Snowboard Cross      Gold
J.R. Celski            Short Track Men's 1500m    Bronze
Apolo Ohno           Short Track Men's 1500m    Silver

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Olympic Officials Continue with Luge

After investigations into the fatal crash of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, Olympic officials have decided the crash was human error, and luge events will continue.  The section of the track where Kumaritashvili crashed has been built up and padding has been added to the steel support beams.

Watch this video to hear the Olympic committee's response to the crash and forthcoming games.

Get Your Game Schedule Here!

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Click here for a complete schedule of the Olympic Games!

A Brief History of the Winter Olympic Games

Countries have been competing amongst each other in winter games shortly after the birth of the modern Olympics in 1896. It wasn't until the early 1920s, however, when these games were officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee and included in one of the most high-profile sporting events in the world.

The first "International Winter Sports Week" was held on January 25, 1924 in Chamonix, a town in the French Alps. Seven sports were represented: bobsleigh, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, military patrol, nordic skiing (cross-country, nordic combined and ski jumping) and speed skating. Military patrol is comparable to today's biathlon event, where athletes cross-country ski to a designated area and shoot targets with rifles. Over 200 athletes participated, yet less than 15 were women.  What's more, these women were only allowed to participate in figure skating events.

This week of winter sports was a huge success and the International Olympic Committee designated it as the first Winter Olympic Games. Four years later in 1928, the second Winter Games were held in Switzerland. Interesting fact: the opening ceremonies this year were held in a blizzard!  And though the early games were nominated by northern Europeans (Norwegians and Finns), contemporary Winter Olympics host strong athletes from all over the world.  The Winter Olympics have been steadily gaining recognition and popularity.

Participating nations: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, United States and Yugoslavia.

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