Split Decision on Ken Burns' Film "Muhammad Ali"

When PBS premiered the three-part documentary "Hemingway" from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick in April, the network also teased "Muhammad Ali" set to debut Sept. 19. 

The trailer brought to mind another network's slogan: "Must See TV." 

Reminders also arrived printed on monthly statements from Bank of America, the lead corporate funder of the boxing legend project reportedly in the works for more than five years. Here's a trailer for those who haven't seen it: 

Pretty much anything Ali -- among the most admired Olympians and individuals of all time by this blogger and billions of others -- captivates my attention, and I marked my calendar to request media access to a preview screener. 

The series was worth the wait and well worth the eight hours of advance viewing time this past week, and I encourage anyone interested in history, sports, race relations, faith and understanding, inspirational narratives, the Olympics and professional boxing and/or Ali to make time for the broadcast or streaming of "Muhammad Ali."

As with other documentary deep dives for which Burns is known, this film co-directed with his daughter Sarah Burns and her husband David McMahon takes viewers on a thoroughly detailed journey of the legendary boxer's life. It's organized into four two-hour episodes titled:

• "Round One: The Greatest" (1942 to 1964) on the boxer's upbringing and initial ascent to stardom
• "Round Two: What's My Name?" (1964 to 1970) framing the fighter's professional feats and struggles to defend his beliefs including his faith-based name change
• "Round Three: The Rivalry" (1970 to 1974) showcasing legendary bouts with Joe Frazier, and 
• "Round Four: The Spell Remains" (1974 to 2016) detailing the peaks, valleys, challenges and opportunities experienced by the champ in his later years.

Many narratives about Ali rely on his Olympic successes of 1960 and 1996 as "bookends" and the new documentary also employs this format. Therefore, it was not surprising that most of the boxer's Rome 1960 feats were already packaged and revealed only 35 minutes into Episode One. 

The film delivers surprises including new-to-my-eyes images from the 1960 Olympic trials at San Francisco's Cow Palace, footage of ABC's Jim McKay in his first Olympic broadcast gig (foreshadowing The Champ's later "Wide World of Sports" clips), and celebrities or fellow Olympians with whom Ali connected as he became the unofficial Olympic Village "mayor." 

Also pleasing through all four episodes was an original score by Jahlil Beats and soundtrack selections from Beyonce, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Ray Charles and The Rolling Stones, among others. Narration by Keith David -- whose voice some may recognize for the question "Is it the frank or the beans?" in "There's Something About Mary" -- also caught my attention. 

In addition to Games-related moments or players, I was looking for more details about Atlanta's role in Ali's return to fighting after his ban for conscientious objection (a timeline detail first learned through the city's Civil Rights Tour a few years ago).

The film delivered the city's first major cameo about an hour and 40 minutes into Episode Two, with grainy Channel 2 footage of interviews with local yokels, Ali's weigh-in and fight with Jerry Quarry at Atlanta Municipal Auditorium, and Coretta Scott King's post-bout presentation of a Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Award (spoiler alert: she appears again in footage from July 19, 1996). 

In a five-ringed sense, "Muhammad Ali" ultimately includes Olympians Ali, his final Rome opponent (1956 and 1964 Olympic bronze medalist Zbigniew Pietrzykowki of Poland), Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson, boxers Frazier (1964 Tokyo), George Foreman (Mexico City 1968) and Leon Spinks (Montreal 1976). Nods are also given for Dr. Tommie Smith and John Carlos as well as Michael Johnson. 

Later, in the footage of Ali lighting the Olympic Cauldron in Atlanta, Evander Holyfield (Los Angeles 1984) and Olympic swimming champion Janet Evans also appear without commentary, as did brief reference to Jesse Owens. Off-camera contributions also are credited to Bob Costas, Dick Ebersol, the USOPC and IOC. International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) was not engaged, according to Burns' spokesperson. A full list of historian and other expert contributors appears in the "Muhammad Ali" press release and IMDB page.

By the time the teenage Cassius Clay enjoyed a congratulatory Olympic champion parade through downtown Louisville, he already had 100 other boxing wins under his belt. This stat sets up an easy segue for Burns & Co. to next unfurl about seven hours of non-Olympic history before the Games' return in Episode Four. 

This documentary taught me a lot about Ali while reminding me of -- or filling in a few blanks during -- the arcs of his career that earned the respect and adulation of millions (and later billions) juxtaposed with loathing condemnation of others. I knew of Ali's biggest fights and had seen footage from some of them but did not know the detailed back-stories for each bout, and some of them are fascinating. 

The film delves into Ali's evolving faith and its impact both personally and on the public through the Civil Rights Movement and antiwar sentiments as his star rose. Burns' eight-hour compendium also succeeds when it reveals Ali's very human choices in respect to sins of vanity and adultery, and the filmmakers are generous when reporting on Ali's generosity to charities large and small. His outrageous youthful taunts are balanced later with humble reckonings informed by age and experience. 

In an email exchange with the publicist for Mr. Burns, I asked about what, if any, biggest surprises about Ali's Olympic endeavors were revelations for the filmmakers. 

"The[re] weren't revelations but just appreciating how young [Ali] was in 1960 was extraordinary," wrote the spokesperson. "And of course the grace with which he handled the Olympics in 1996."

Indeed the scenes of Ali on July 19 a quarter-century ago are moving. In an informative promotional webinar conversation for the film held on that anniversary two months ago, Burns spoke about the film while Evans, the penultimate 1996 Olympic torchbearer, shared insights from the experience of meeting Ali in front of 3 billion people. 

"If this is a film about freedom, it is also a film about courage," said Burns. "From the start we wanted to humanize him."

Though Evans was not interviewed for "Muhammad Ali" she shared perspective on the "Conversations" episode. 

"When he was holding the torch it was for everyone," Evans said. "He was saying show up, be present, find your voice, tell your story, make a difference."

For all its greatness, Burns' documentary painted some broad strokes that left me wanting more detail. For instance, there's way more to the story of Ali's super-secret final torchbearer designation, and more time and interviews -- with Evans or Ambassador Andrew Young, who loves telling his story of time spent with Ali on July 19, 1996 -- could have easily filled in viewers with more perspective on that glorious reveal on the big night. 

I also found it hokey that only seconds into his stadium entrance footage, the soundtrack for "Muhammad Ali" swells with an ill-timed cue for "I'll Take The Long Road" by Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens (love this song, mind you, but viewers could do without the guitar distracting from the drama of the real life moment that launched billions of gasps). 

Also, how could a filmmaking team that did such a deep dive on Country music resist mentioning how Ali's semi-autobiographical 1977 feature film "The Greatest" later inspired Whitney Houston to record one of her biggest hits "The Greatest Love of All" despite objections from producer Clive Davis? Was this an oversight (I doubt it)? A recording rights or royalties issue (maybe)?

I was also hopeful the film would include Ali's later Olympic moments, like lighting the first torch of the 2002 Winter Olympic torch relay at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta.
Mitt Romney was there and could have spoken with Burns about Ali's selection for this honor, which built on a tradition established with Rafer Johnson in 1984/1996. Mention of Ali's final Olympic appearance at the London Olympic Opening Ceremony in 2012 also made my wish list but did not survive editing (if ever it was considered). 

Burns & Co. seemed more interested in rushing to other conclusions, even cutting short footage from the star-studded memorial service with speeches by President Bill Clinton, Bryant Gumble, Billy Crystal and several faith leaders watched by 1 billion worldwide. Will I be the only Sept. 2021 "Muhammad Ali" viewer who thought Burns' team could or should have included more than one minute of funeral procession footage? Only time will tell. 

Zero inclusion of the IOC's presentation of a replacement Olympic medal in Atlanta was a head-scratcher, too. Was this "boring" to the production and writing team? Or filmmaker indifference? 

Perhaps a clue to the answer arrived in their spokesperson's response to a question about other documentary filmmakers (Leni Riefenstahl, Bud Greenspan) with Olympic-inspired connections. 

Q: "What aspects of your [Ali] research may inspire you to revisit the Olympic Movement through your filmmaking in the future?"

A: "There is no plan to do a film on the Olympic Movement."

Bummer -- that's a hard "no" on any potential "Ken Burns effect" treatment for Baron Pierre de Coubertin. 

But almost everyone has an Ali story or moment to share, and to their credit the Florentine Films team covers all the right bases without getting distracted by some populist options. 

This preview/review thus results with a split decision in favor of and highly recommending "Muhammad Ali" by Burns, Burns and McMahon -- definitely must-see TV even for those who may still hunger for more of The Greatest. 

Promo image via PBS; Ali image in Rome via uncredited Pinterest post; Ali with Howard Bingham and Janet Evans by "PA" via Irish News; Ali fighting Quarry in Atlanta via Joe Holloway, Jr. of AP and this WABE link; Coretta Scott King with Ali via The King Center's Twitter feed; Ali with Mitt Romney via Chris Stanford/Getty Images in Harvard Law Bulletin; Neil Liefer/Getty Images via About Photography Blog. Photos of Ken Burns by Evan Barlow, Sarah Burns by Michael Lionstar and David McMahon by Sarah Burns courtesy of PBS Pressroom. 

Getting My Games On In Paris (And You Can, Too)

With just one more day of Olympic competition at Tokyo 2020, some already are looking ahead to Paris 2024. 

Here in the French capital -- where I landed today after securing accréditation médias during the first week of the action in Japan -- organizers presented the penultimate session of Le Live Des Jeux or Live Games. 

Held daily since the start to Tokyo 2020, French citizens and a handful of tourists enjoyed live broadcasts via France 2, which I understand is the nation's equivalent to NBC in terms of broadcast rights. Today's telecast included a rerun of the men's basketball final during which France played Team USA. 

Built across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, the live site fills the Fountains of Chaillot with a large stage, billboard-sized monitor, VIP seating, children's sports activities for families, and an Olympian meet and greet area most returning Team France athletes took time to visit. 

At today's event, three French Olympic Team medalists and two other returning Olympians spoke to a growing crowd of fans who also lined up for athlete autographs. 

The medalists also signed a large keepsake board celebrating their gold, silver or bronze accomplishments, with about 25 French media and one blogueur Américain snapped photos. Children took turns launching lawn dart-style javelins or watching karate demonstrations presented by a local dojo. 

In a media briefing held Friday, the Paris 2024 team revealed their portion of the Tokyo 2020 Closing Ceremony, also known as the handover ceremony, will include both the formal presentation of the original Olympic Flag from one city's mayor to the other. 

Simultaneously, an estimated 500 million television viewers will see "the largest ever" banner to be unfurled on the Eiffel Tower as French air force buzzes Paris with a fleet of jets and helicopters. While I did not see the evening test run of these aircraft I certainly heard and felt the vibration from their low flyover The Trocadero while dozing at the Best Western. Racing was mon cœur!    

For souvenir-minded Olympic fans, a word about Paris pins. They don't have any! 

Well, at least there are none to be seen anywhere in the live site. 

I spoke with a Paris 2024 media representative about their retail plans, and with some intention, they also do not yet have an Olympic Store as in some other host cities by the three-year-out milestone (or much earlier). Hoping to trade a few pins or Euros for one of the stylish volunteer hats which match T-shirts of green, maroon or dark blue and red for other staff roles like sanitation, officials and security. 

The rose-colored media badge was hand-written, tempting me to request they write Steve Buscemi in place of my name. 

As stated on the event press kit, Paris 2024 invite le monde rendez-vous le 8 août. 

Paris invites the world: Rendezvous on Aug. 8

So, if you are as exhausted from NBC's Olympic coverage as I was before heading to the Atlanta airport on Friday, there's an alternative option to watch the Paris 2024 handover ceremony and events in France via this Facebook event link (for access, be sure to "Like" Paris 2024's official Facebook page). 

I'll be the guy smiling and waving while donning that pink badge. 

Photos by Nicholas Wolaver

 

Alibaba Introduces Cloud Olympic Pin Technology

Olympic pin collecting is enjoying closer proximity to the digital age thanks to Alibaba.

The official cloud technology and e-commerce services partner introduced the Alibaba Cloud Pin -- a cloud-based digital Olympic pin -- to working media at the Tokyo 2020 Main Press Center and International Broadcast Center last week. 

About the size and shape of a Reese's peanut butter cup replacing grooved edges with a smooth and sturdy plastic casing, each cloud Olympic pin includes a liquid crystal display and is app-enabled so its owner may create a pin-specific profile. 

Wearable on fabrics like traditional Olympic pins, the cloud pins glow and double as a name badge for the bearer. For social distancing and convenience, two cloud pin holders can simply tap their pins at arm's length, and the collectibles electronically exchange user info. 

The pin also functions as a step counter to log one's journeys on foot between pin exchanges. It's not clear how the pins maintain a charge, but one of the launch videos hints at a storage or charging case for this purpose. The other launch video shows more about the tapping and step counting tools. 

I suspect these modest media gifts are only a test run for introducing Cloud Pins to athletes at Beijing 2022's Olympic Village, but only time and user feedback from Tokyo 2020 will tell. No matter when cloud pins make it to consumers, I'll be ready with my designated pseudonym for trading: Pinhead. 

A Little Theory About Simone Biles' Mental Health

As a wannabe Olympic reporter accredited for but not in Tokyo, I've been percolating on an Olympic gymnastics theory -- specific to Simone Biles -- since the Olympic champion's decision to exit the team all-around competition. 

After running this notion by friends for a pre-post sniff test, I'm now interested in additional perspectives. Please read then share yours with a comment.  

It's not as "out there" as The Onion's hilarious initial take.

Biles obviously captivated the media along her road to Tokyo. I lost count of the cover stories predicting her competitive dominance. 

Some articles mentioned she also captivated the attention of her boyfriend, NFL player Jonathan Owens, just before and since the start to the pandemic. The couple earned a Good Housekeeping "Seal of Approval" of sorts in this fresh story since Biles' Tuesday announcement.

So, think about it. Biles and Owens, obviously in love, but facing a few weeks apart as she travelled solo to Tokyo. How would many couples spend their last private hours together after a nice meal or some Netflix and chill?

See where this is going?

My theory: Simon Biles could be pregnant. 

Team USA celebration in 2016. Photo: N. Wolaver

The theory explained further: She got the news only hours before competing but after qualifying for the team all-around final. What other life-changing news might send anyone into an array of strong emotions or mental considerations?

Further still: Biles does not want to share this private news with the world. She may not even be ready to share it with Owens. 

And Team USA doctors are working -- one day and training session at a time -- to be sure its safe both mentally and physically for Biles (with baby on board?) to leap, tumble, jump and do all those other things Biles does to further affirm her GOAT status in her sport. 

Biles would not be the first pregnant Olympian. According to Olympedia, 22 women competed with child, some knowingly with others oblivious to the bundles of joy witnessing their mother's five-ringed feats with an insider perspective. 

My theory is rooted in a prior interaction with a pregnant Team USA Olympian. A few days before the London 2012 Opening Ceremonies, I helped some colleagues at a 24 Hour Fitness press event in East London to open a private training center for Team USA, and Kerri Walsh Jennings was a paid spokesperson at the event. A broadcast outlet asked her to "show us your abs" and I was standing beside the reporter and Walsh Jennings for the flash of her belly, inspiring a premonition and question in my mind, "Has anyone competed in Olympic beach volleyball while pregnant?" 

Pregnant? Yes. Five weeks.

No one questioned Walsh Jennings on this topic in the moment, but weeks after she won gold in London she disclosed her five-weeks pregnant status from the previous ab flash photo opp.

Four years later, anyone listening closely to the 2016 ESPN documentary can clearly hear me asking Walsh Jennings about her London 2012 pregnancy during her Q&A session at the Team USA Media Summit. These combined experiences for me as an Olympic writer are the foundation of my Biles pregnancy theory. 

How say you, Olympic, gymnastics and Biles fans? 

Whether right or wrong about this theory, wishing Biles and her teammates all the best for continued success in Tokyo! And there's no theorizing to concur: Biles is GOAT in her sport. 

Image credits: Leaping photo by Danielle Parhizkaran-USA Today Network; Sports Illustrated cover photo by Kate Powers; photo of 2016 gymnasts at Team USA celebration in Washington, D.C., by Nicholas Wolaver; cheering Biles photo via The Onion; Walsh Jennings photo via this page.  

Citius Altius Fortius ... Simultaneous

The Olympic Motto Citius Altius Fortius always had a nice ring to it.  I like Friday night's addition: Simultaneous.

Faster Higher Stronger Together was just one of several takeaways inspiring reflection since Tokyo's moving if muted Olympic opening ceremony. 

Like most of the world sidelined by the pandemic-enforced spectator ban, my "attendance" this time was via home viewing both through NBC's live morning broadcast and the heavily-editing evening rerun. 

There are many elements of the ceremony this five-ring-inspired writer loved (in no particular order):

• Olympic rings constructed of wood harvested from trees planted when athletes of the Tokyo 1964 Olympics brought seeds to the Games 57 years ago. The portable "Olympic Village" structures also provided a great surface for tap dancing

• 
  An original and marvelously elaborate dress by fashion designer Tomo Koizumi worn during the Japan national anthem performance by Misia, a nod to LGBQT inclusion (see photo below)

• Olympic drones -- more than 1,800 of them -- provided by Intel as announced in their June 2017 Worldwide Partnership press event. Loved what they achieved over Tokyo Olympic Stadium (a giant leap from the weather-sidelined debut in PyeongChang)

• Minimally-intrusive narration and commentary by NBC hosts Savannah Guthrie and Mike Tirico (this was my first time watching a live opening on TV since 1992, and they did a great job sharing facts while knowing when to let moments unfurl on their own)

• Kinetic pictograms from Tokyo 1964 to the brilliant live performance of their 2020 edition

• Another innovative and original Olympic cauldron design (see video at base of this post)

• 
  Jazz-scored comedic video of a control room operator illuminating Tokyo Olympic venues before casting a spotlight on live performers including a knockout piano solo by Hiromi Uehara

• Parade of nations camera work that generally placed athletes much closer to viewers (close enough to count Olympic pins on their lanyards and lapels or see the smiles in their eyes on their mask-covered faces)

• Release of digital projection and paper doves set to a new-to-my-ears version of "Wings To Fly" in a recorded performance by Susan Boyle, who affirmed via Twitter "it was a true honour to be asked by the #TokyoOlympics to use by song ... during the dove release."

There were also a few head-scratchers:

• Final torchbearers entered the stadium accompanied by Maurice Ravel's "Bolero," perhaps foreshadowing the matching hairstyles of Naomi Osaka and Bo Derek as seen in the comedy "10" (which famously relied on the same music for a memorable effect)

• Yet another Olympic ceremony (the third or fourth) featuring John Lennon's "Imagine" -- I like the song, and it was certainly appropriate (maybe more now than in past ceremonies), but it's getting overplayed (would have welcomed/preferred an original song to inspire togetherness)

• While NBC aptly cut much of IOC President Thomas Bach's long-winded speech for their evening broadcast, WTF was that weird and unnecessary promo reel featuring "The Rock" Johnson (other than another delay to Team USA entering the stadium)? The promo added more time and had no messages worthy of viewer attention. Ridiculous!

A couple of hours after the live broadcast, the IOC press office distributed the full text of Bach's remarks. While the speech would have benefited from many edits for brevity, his positive messages resonated with me. 

As armchair quarterback, I'd have substituted "solidarity" with "togetherness" to strengthen the point. We still needed Bach not The Rock!

And while no breaths were held waiting for Bach to do so, I was secretly hoping he might drop in a stern message to anyone in the world with vaccine access not choosing to get vaccinated. 

"Get vaccinated, dummies!" would have had a nice ring to it. 

Photos via Reuters, Getty Images, AFP/Getty Images and China News. Video via Reuters.

Out - Not Down - About Dashed Tokyo Olympiad

July 15 turned out better than anticipated, but not as hoped. 

Woke up to find one client in the news in Atlanta, and another on live TV in Orlando. Great news!

Before breakfast, also learned a third client's July 6 appearance in The New York Times got picked up by a statewide Texas outlet for a nice bonus hit. And a longtime friend met at the Atlanta Olympics of 1996 sent word of his safe arrival in Japan, where he's assisting Team Australia as a driver. More great news!

Even lunch provided surprises at Midtown Atlanta's reimagined Colony Square, where it was fun to discover the re-installed mural by Alexander Calder (a neighborhood personal favorite) and explore the new food court, where sake but not sushi was spotted. 

But throughout the day I was prepped to manage moodiness. For Thursday was supposed to be the date of departure for my twelfth Olympics. 

Cue a favorite Kevin Kline line from "A Fish Called Wanda" -- DISAPPOINTED!

Sadly, I didn't fly to Japan as envisioned for nearly three months. Given the tragedy of the global pandemic, getting to Tokyo was always a long shot still worth a shot. 

The first rising sun ray of hope arrived from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee press office team in April when, after organizers in Japan announced no international spectators could attend, a show-stopping email revealed that a friend at another Olympic-centric news outlet returned a coveted accreditation spot, creating a last minute/last day option for my renewed application. 

And just like that, I was credentialed as media for Tokyo! When the accreditation arrived by mail ... that was an exceptionally good day. 

A couple weeks later, on my birthday, another email arrived with detailed instructions, checklists and the latest Tokyo 2020 "Playbook" for media. Everything seemed to be shaping up better than hoped. Optimism was in abundance -- just needed to closely study that Playbook!

This is where things got messy because, in the last two weeks of May, an extraordinary volume of client work arrived, daily filling my schedule and depleting mental bandwidth for Olympic tasks. 

Though my corrected hotel reservation and airfare purchases got checked off the list after work hours, I naively told myself there'd be time to tackle detailed Tokyo 2020 planning -- specifically, the minutiae on the extensive checklist required to board a plane booked for July 15 -- during Memorial Day. 

It was only on that designated three-day weekend that a fatal mistake came to light in that I missed a critical May deadline to register for a specific Tokyo 2020 COVID-related website. The needed link provided tools for DIY management of all required approvals needed later in the month. I was effectively locked out of the Tokyo 2020 travel approval process, with only myself to blame. 

For the first two weeks of June, optimism returned with each deployed email seeking assistance. And some messages earned timely and helpful or encouraging responses. I thought a key contact with "the magic link" might share it. For reasons still unknown, that didn't happen. 

By June 20: Panic. June 30: Sleeplessness. And when Independence Day rolled around, my girlfriend, family members, longtime confidants and Olympic circle friends were equally exhausted hearing my worries. 

Around July 10 -- having attempted every option I could conceive, or acting on well-intentioned suggestions or referrals of others -- denial was converting to disappointed (and drained, albeit reluctant) acceptance of the inevitable. On July 15, the plug was pulled.

And as Murphy's Law would dictate, on what date did some of the previously "ghosting" approval players emerge like the cicada's of 2021 (Olympic cicadas?). 

Hint: July 16-17!

DISAPPOINTED!

Perhaps it's time to change the adage to Nick Wolaver's Law. Very disappointed. 

In spite of the rip saw of mixed emotions, I do look forward to a few things about to take place. 

First, it is delightful that perseverance and persistence kept Tokyo 2020 on track. Olympians are in the athlete village. Performers are rehearsing for amazing Opening Ceremony reveals. The successful and inspiring Torch Relay is winding down. It's going to be a remarkable Olympiad. 

Second, both of the Olympic media pins designed for this blog should arrive at my doorstep tomorrow, and I can hardly wait to start trading them. One badge features Tokyo's Olympic mascot, while the other reveals my pop culture icon pick for the final Olympic torchbearer to light the cauldron next week.

Third, CoSport informed me of Olympic ticket refunds issued to my address. First time "the check is in the mail" had a five-ringed resonance. 

Fourth, the aforementioned five-ringed friend who landed in Japan yesterday will be visiting the Main Press Center at Tokyo Big Sight on Saturday to seek assistance for my final (and ever-hopeful) ace up my sleeve to get to the Games of the XXXIInd Olympiad during the second week of competition. Turns out those infuriatingly overdue July 16-17 emails DID give me what was needed to renew paperwork to attain travel approval. Fingers crossed.

Finally, if this one-last-shot for Tokyo still fails to materialize, with the ticket refund cash, I have some tours de magie conceived to deliver an experience magnifique des Jeux Olympique by August 8. 

Stay tuned!

For those who've supported the Tokyo journey described above, thank you. And thanks also for reading and sharing this site in the days ahead. It's going to be an inspiring Games. 

Photo of Tokyo Big Sight via Xinhua News of China; Haneda Airport photo via Indian Express; Olympic accreditation photo by Nicholas Wolaver; airline photo via JAL; Team Australia softball players' arrival image by Issei Kato POOL/AFP via Getty Images; torch relay photo via InsideTheGames.biz. Maraitowa image via Olympics.org. 

Olympic Media Score With Tokyo BINGO!

For athletes, officials and journalists who are Tokyo-bound next month, June included a whirlwind of pre-Olympic prep from final qualifications for Olympians to navigating the reams of pages in the "playbooks" to affirm approved access to Japan. 

For this blogger, who secured a media accreditation but still has more paperwork to complete, it's an anxious time! Will the Games happen at all, and will I remember to cross all "t's" and dot all the "i's" in time? Optimism reigns but we'll see. 

Meanwhile, in step with the buzz of checklists, the Olympic media cycle remains reliably predictable, though tailored to the unique challenges and angles specific to COVID-19. 

As a follow up to our popular Rio 2016 Olympic News BINGO post in which Zika reigned (remember Zika?), fellow International Society of Olympic Historians member Brian Carberry and his wife April helped compile this year's pre-Games media cycle BINGO card. 

Please play along, post suggested additions in the comments and enjoy!

Happy Anniversary: Modern Olympics Celebrate 125 Years Since Athens Opening of April 6, 1896

Anyone who loves the Olympics has cause for celebration.

Today -- April 6, 2021 -- marks the 125th anniversary of the first Modern Olympiad.

Happy Birthday, Olympic Games! 

Or as coined by a Funk & Wagnalls editor, we've reached the five-ringed quasquicentennial.

A quick check of Olympedia reveals the premiere opening ceremony took place at Athens Panathenaic Stadium on Easter Monday of 1896, as did the sports competition yielding the first medalist of the new era, track and field competitor James Connolly of the USA. 

According to additional sources, in the months before the Games commenced 125 years ago, the limestone stadium circa 330 B.C. received an extensive refurbishment for the occasion, increasing seating capacity to over 80,000, visible in some historic footage from the celebration:

As reported by select news outlets last week, the latest stadium upgrades -- in the form of new LED lights -- were illuminated with the push of a button by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. 

I liked reading excerpts of Bach's remarks at the Hellenic Olympic Committee-hosted ceremony. In addition to thanking Greece for giving the Olympics to the world, he quoted Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the IOC, stating,

"Olympism calls for air and light for all."

It was also fun to discover that, perhaps as test run or a slight nod to Connelly -- whose parents were from Ireland -- on March 17 the stadium was bathed in emerald hues in honor of St. Patrick's Day. 

With a bit of luck, Tokyo 2020 may just turn out great!

I'm very thankful for the positive impact of the Olympics, stitched into the fabric of my upbringing and countless personal and professional milestones since my teenage years. 

Now 47, I obviously won't make it to the Games' bicentennial, but in spite of ever-evolving challenges for the IOC, the sesquicentennial in 2046 is bound to be a cause for a bigger, pandemic-free anniversary celebration than was possible in 2021. 

For those who've not yet been to Athens, standing in front of or inside the ancient stadium inspires awe. In the daylight -- as during my second visit their during a Greek holiday of 2007 -- the stone seating glows almost white. 

At dusk -- as I found one breezy summer evening during the Athens 2004 Games -- one can sit almost anywhere in the stone stands and hear the rustle of wind in the surrounding trees almost drowning out nearby traffic. A wonderful place to meditate on Olympic feats of all ages. 

Day or night the Acropolis and Parthenon loom nearby -- no wonder de Coubertin worked so hard to revive things.

Thank goodness he and countless millions kept the Olympic Movement on a mostly progressive path since. 

April 6, 2046, will mark the approach to my 73rd birthday, and I'm betting they light up the 150th celebration like a cauldron. Where will you be? I hope to see you then and there!

Image credits: 125th anniversary emblem via Shutterstock, stadium ceremony images via Xinhua and Greek City Times (also here). Olympic stamp via The Philatelic Database. 

We'll Always Have Paris

Like other five-ringed sports fans in the USA, today I woke up to the International Olympic Committee's news making it official: Tokyo 2020 will exclude overseas fans. 

After hitting snooze and a shower, two quotes came to mind. 

On the more desperate or depressed end of the spectrum, there's the classic lyrics by U2. 

Cue the iconic drum intro:

I can't believe the news today. Oh, I can't close my eyes and make it go away!

More optimistically, Rick Blaine's words on the Moroccan airport tarmac in "Casablanca" also came to mind. 

As of this post, there are just 1,223 days remaining until Paris 2024. 

For this blogger, of course it's a huge bummer that Tokyo 2020 won't be happening for most outside Japan. This Olympiad was to be one that made up for many mishaps -- some real, others perceived -- via Rio 2016. 

At the moment, London 2012 still has my vote for "best Games ever" though my first and hometown Olympics of Atlanta remain a close second and sentimental favorite of nearly 25 years, as detailed in the centerfold spread of the 2017 WHERE Guestbook. 

Amid the pandemic, it will be a remarkable feat for the Tokyo organizing committee to just get the athletes, coaches, officials and other Olympic family members assembled safely. For those who care to read it, the complete IOC statement is online, as are the words of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, with each link noting how additional updates for the Games will be shared in the weeks ahead. 

During a member event hosted by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum on Thursday, at least one former Team USA employee stated her Olympic media travel is secured though there will be a "bubble" for reporters akin to the one for athletes -- the thought of corralling journalists in this manner brings to mind notions of herding cats. 

In spite of today's news, I'm optimistic at least a handful of fans will find a backdoor entry to the Games of the XXXIInd Olympiad. For some, maybe they'll score a credential as part of a sponsor delegation or national Olympic committee gig. For others, maybe there's a family connection to Japan to be leveraged.  

For this writer, there's still a potential Olympic berth -- albeit a very long shot plus a vaccine shot -- via the Games media credential front. 

No stone will be left unturned, and I'm not yet ready to cancel my Tokyo accommodations, though it is reassuring they'll be fully refunded via Hotels.com should I eventually surrender to the inevitable. 

The Morohashi Museum of Modern Art -- a.k.a. the Salvador Dali Museum of Japan -- near Fukushima, as well as Nagoya, Mount Fuji and other destinations also remain on my travel wish list for Japan, even if an eventual visit takes place beyond 2021.

Speaking of refunds, designated Olympic ticket broker CoSport was quick to address today's official announcement, which provided some level of reassurance my ticket investment will be returned. As to when is anyone's guess -- paraphrasing another fan quoted by media, it had better be before the Opening Ceremony on July 23. 

I applaud the IOC, Tokyo 2020 and others for persevering over COVID-19 and keeping the Games on track for the athletes. It won't be the same, but then, what else is in this pandemic? Glad also to see the Olympic Torch Relay will resume in five days, which everyone may enjoy virtually.

Heavy doses of determination kept things on track for the athletes, and it will still be inspiring to witness Olympian feats this summer, no matter the room in which we are viewing. 

And don't forget: We'll always have Paris. 

Tokyo photos via Associated Press Kuchiro Sato and Clive Rose; Paris image via Olympic.org