Olympic Filmmaker Bud Greenspan

Saddened to learn that Bud Greenspan died Dec. 25 in New York, according to published reports over the weekend.

Greenspan's series "16 Days of Glory" from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics solidified my interest in the Olympic Movement during my early teens, and it was an honor to meet Greenspan more than once, starting in 1997 at the premiere of his documentary film for the Centennial Olympic Games of Atlanta.

I was also lucky to be in the room when the International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) presented Greenspan with an award on the eve of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic opening ceremony. Greenspan's health was clearly deteriorating but he was in good spirits.

The Olympic Family lost a major contributor. Fortunately, Greenspan's work will remain accessible for future generations.

Photo via AP.

Return To Robson Square

Two weeks ago, Robson Square in downtown Vancouver was the site of the first special event I attended for the lead up to Olympic Games.

Though I've returned to Robson Square a few times the last few days and nights, tonight marked my first evening visit during which a lot of finishing touches were gelling.

Down in the square, which is steps below street level, a skating rehearsal was underway at the new GE Ice Center (disclosure: GE is a client).

A pair of workers were using a torch (eerily similar to an Olympic Torch) to apply some special decals to the concrete staircase, while all around, a mix of locals, tourists and media were watching, not only the skaters, but also the sky as above us there were two new features that will dazzle Olympic attendees: A new "zip line" attraction that crosses the square a few dozen feet overhead, and a new searchlight system that created a pyramid of light beams above the cityscape.

Less than eight days to go -- can hardly wait to see what awesome surprises pop up tomorrow!

More Whistler Photos

Monday was a bear day at work, so less time for Olympic blogging! But here are some additional photos from the trek to Whistler on Sunday, including shots of the ski lift areas, the streets of Whistler, Look of the Games decoration, the Boutique Olympique, fans and Olympic Torch Relay banners.

The Korean guys in one photo told me they are part of a group of 100+ Korean ski fans who came to British Columbia together for the Olympics, so look for their entourage cheering on the slopes of Whistler. Also, mark your calendars for the Olympic Torch Relay arrival at Whistler on Feb. 5 (see window poster with details in photo).

Whistle Stop At Whistler

On day 10 of this Olympic adventure, today felt right to bust out of the city and explore the mountains north of Vancouver.

Via motor coach round trip on the Sea To Sky Highway, I spent a few hours this afternoon in Whistler (disclosure: a client).

This was my second trek to Whistler, but the first during ski season (the previous journey to the mountainside resort took place in August 2009).

It was exciting to view Canadian snow en masse, the further north our bus travelled.

The Sea To Sky Highway is itself an adventure, with awe-inspiring overlooks of several island and miles of seawater juxtaposed with pine-covered, steep slopes of Canadian Rockies. Today was foggy, to the peaks were rarely visible -- fortunately in August it was clear and the pinnacles of stone with blue sky were gorgeous.

About half-way to Whistler, there is a (new?) visitor center at Squamish, definitely worth a look-see for the cultural experience and to snap shots of the Olympic red mittens-clad Paul Bunyan statue on the side of the road.

Whistler is positively buzzing with activity. Every restaurant was packed with diners, while the pedestrian walks were teeming with ski and snowboard traffic, media crews filming pre-Games b-roll, shoppers toting their new five-ringed purchases and construction workers were busy installing temporary staging around every corner.

Unlike Vancouver, which to date remains void of "Look of the Games" bunting, Whistler already has hundreds of feet of fencing in and around official Games areas, and the fences now don vivid Olympic decoration that really pops when it's next to mountain powder.

The biggest surprise of the day: Olympic tickets, by the hundreds, remain on sale at affordable prices. A couple dozen folks were in line at Whistler's official Olympic ticket booth, and I snapped up some Vancouver Medal Ceremony tickets while considering Closing Ceremony ticket options (lots of A level tickets remain available for purchase, apparently, in line daily or via Tickets.com).
No trip to Whistler is complete without a trip to the Boutique Olympique, the town's official VANOC store, but every storefront in town sells Olympic merchandise (a few shops even traded pins).

A note for travelers considering Whistler -- and this was news to me: Driving yourself to Whistler is not an option from now to March 1. There are several types of official vehicle passes, official shuttles/tickets and types of proof of accommodation/residency required to get near Whistler. Lots of traffic pattern changes are going into effect as well, so be sure to research options and requirements well in advance.

Cultural Olympiad 4-1-1

A national reporter who contributes to a few broadcast shows in the U.S. today asked for story suggestions related to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. "What are some of the Olympic stories that aren't being told but should?" was one question posed.

For a P.R. person, talk about a dream conversation!

In tandem with a client-news-infused response, and donning an objective Olympic enthusiast hat, the first thing that came to mind was the lack of attention for the Cultural Olympiad, too often the red-headed step child of the Olympic Games.

The Cultural Olympiad was a significant element of the Centennial Olympic Games of Atlanta, including four years of major arts, music, literature and film events such as a Nobel Laureate gathering, pre-Games film festival, an Avon-sponsored exhibition on women in culture, Annie Liebovitz photography and the outstanding High Museum of Art exhibition "RINGS: Five Passions In World Art" which brought Rodin's "The Kiss" sculpture and Edvard Munch's "The Scream" to Atlanta.

But at each Games attended since, it's been difficult to impossible to find elements of the Cultural Olympiad for each host city.

I went out of my way to locate programs for Games-related arts events in Sydney to no avail. At Salt Lake, the first Olympics after 9/11, there were a few elements (like the Dale Chihuly installation downtown, which was gorgeous) but the Cultural Olympiad was likely scaled back as funds shifted to security.

Athens had an actual published program for the Cultural events, but most seemed too far afield. And in Torino and Beijing, I found programs but sparse time to experience the arts and music offerings due to timing and work duties.

So it was exciting to find tonight an official "2010 Cultural Olympiad Program Guide" magazine-style free program including almost 90 pages of Vancouver events now through the Paralympics. Get your copy at the Vancouver Public Library. Interested parties should also "know the C.O.D.E." (the Cultural Olympiad Digital Edition) to Connect. Create. Collaborate.

Some of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad events that jumped off the page include Destination Art, Laugh It Out!, KAMP, a Feist concert, the world premiere of "Laurie Anderson: Delusion," "Out From Under: Disability, History and Things To Remember," and the public poster project titled "Endlessly Traversed Landscapes."

Further afield, the celebration sites Whistler Live!, Richmond O Zone and Surrey 2010 Celebration Site are enticing. And in the city, the LiveCity Yaletown and LiveCity Downtown venues (disclosure: Edelman clients) will be hopping, as wil the 2010 Aboriginal Pavillion.

Vancouver has some interesting options for arts at the Games. In the future, it would be cool to see the Cultural Olympiad gain event more attention at the Olympics.

Photos via VANOC's C.O.D.E. site

Setting Up Shop

These last few days were all about setting up shop at my temporary Olympic home in Vancouver.

For the first 17 days in town, I'm roosting on the 14th floor of a Granville Street hotel room nicknamed "the penthouse" facing the skyline and mountain range to the north.

Within a few blocks, everything one could need for Olympic residence and living is steps away -- feels very much like Manhattan sans grit and grime.

Down the hill to the east is our Edelman Vancouver office and the trendy Yaletown neighborhood. If you're heading to the Olympic City, be sure to stop by the Opus Bar for a drink, and get some sushi or a arugula/beet/candied walnut salad at Earl's.

Along Granville Street, the best dining option explored thus far was Taf's Cafe and Gallery, where they offer a tasty open-face Cajun chicken sandwich, fresh sangria and other delicious appetizers with great dance music (their chocolate mousse and coffee dessert special hit the spot, too).

There are two movie theatres within four blocks, as is The Bay (disclosure: a client), the upscale shops of Pacific Centre, as well as Robson Square, access to the Skytrain and Nesters Market. CTV's Olympic Studio is up and running.

I'm on the hunt for a decent taco shop and margarita, and will appreciate any local suggestions.

From this 14th Floor perch, it's cool to gaze upon the building-size banners going up in every direction, including all four sides of one tower to the north (now covered with a Welcome to Vancouver greeting from the Olympic mascots -- see photos). And the weather report tonight brought some welcome news for VANOC as a few flakes of snow fell on the Vancouver area slopes.

Spotted a truckload of NBC Sports technical team unloading gear from a truck into their apartment tower around the corner.

It is so on!

Sorry, Sasha

It was thrilling tonight to see Olympic Figure Skating silver medalist Sasha Cohen give it a shot for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Team. It would have really been something for her to be a three-peat Olympian after skating at Salt Lake in 2002 and Torino in 2006.

Watching Cohen skate this evening -- during the AT&T 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, Wash. -- brought back memories of last March, when Cohen was skating on tour in Atlanta and she took time for a blogger interview rink side at Philips Arena (was it really only 10 months ago when it was uncertain whether she'd be competitively skating now?).

Sorry to see Cohen won't be in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympic figure skating as a returning Olympian, but I have a feeling she'll be spotted around town doing paid appearances to adoring fans.

Best of luck to the U.S. Figure Skaters who apparently will be coming to Vancouver, including Rachel Flatt and Mirai Nagasu (is it just me, or is it too weird to see another U.S. ladies figure skater, Nagasu, head to a Canada Olympiad with music from "Carmen" in her main routine? Not another Debi Thomas, please -- if Nagasu is to skate to Bizet, she better keep her Witts about her).

Touchdown At Vancouver

After years of work and planning, and months of anticipation, I woke up this morning jazzed about the "travel day" notation in my work calendar.

Two flights and two taxi rides later, tonight it is great fun to write from Vancouver, the Olympic City, from the 14th floor of a downtown high rise hotel, a.k.a. "home" at the Olympics for the next three weeks (Edelman, the P.R. firm where I work, has an apartment arranged for the three weeks following this hotel arrangement -- looking forward to living without a car for several consecutive weeks).

Flying into Vancouver for the third time in as many years, this evening marked my first night-time arrival to Canada, and it was cool to disembark from United Airlines Flight 97 to enter the newly-decked-out YVR airport, with colorful "Look of the Games" banners, billboards and other decor on just about every surface.

For those arriving at Vancouver via air, you may anticipate a short green walk (most of the carpet is forest green) to an enormous First Nations carving and gorgeous fountain that surrounds the escalators to Passport Control. Luggage retrieval is a breeze, and just outside the baggage claim area I was happy to complete my first Olympic pin trade of 2010 with two friendly Information Kiosk volunteer workers (look for them, donning lime green jackets, under the big "?" question mark sign before grabbing a taxi or the train into the city).

If you deplane hungry at Vancouver International Airport, from the arrivals area head upstairs to the food court (excellent selection of Asian cuisine) and one of the Olympic Stores operates across the atrium from an enormous emerald-colored First National sculpture that is reminiscent of George Washington Crossing the Delaware.

Heading to this area is worth the trip also for a peek at the giant touch-screen Samsung "official phones of the Vancouver Olympics" with what appeared to be plasma touch screens with real working (and over sized) phone apps for fun (I watched some kids send a text message "Brian You Suck" handwritten on screen - LOL).

I was pleased the taxi ride to downtown was only $28 (last time I found the new city train to be fantastic and easy, but tonight there were too many bags to brave the rails). It was cool and memorable to cross the waterfront via Granville Street Bridge (is that what it's called?) and find all the city's neon lights fired up, much like the gargantuan million-dollar Olympic Rings lighting up the airport road (tonight in all-blue, but according to the cabbie, they change colors daily) -- it's going to be a remarkable Olympiad here!

The buzz so far regarding the Games (including feedback from the airport volunteers to the cab driver, hotel staff and Yaletown neighborhood grocery clerk) is that the weather is of concern as it's been a bit warmer than a typical January for the last several days (tonight typing this post I have my balcony doors open as it feels like it's about 65 degrees Fahrenheit outside -- gorgeous!).

The local TV weather reporters predict continued rain this week, and sustained warmth (hallelujah!), which leads me to the following weather prediction (you read it here first): It will snow in downtown Vancouver on Feb. 12 just in time for Opening Ceremonies!

A Streetcar Named FLEXITY

Too bad Marlon Brando isn't around for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, as the Olympic City apparently has a new streetcar named "FLEXITY" set to open -- and operate free for several weeks -- connecting downtown Vancouver visitors with just about everything on the waterfront.

According to the city's website and fact sheet, this spanking new Bombardier vehicle will quietly and cleanly wisk winter sports fans (and everyone) along the Olympic Line at no charge from January 21 to March 21 -- 60 days of not taking the bus.

This is good news for the thousands of likely carless-in-Vancouver visitors descending on B.C. Loving that the Olympic Line treks right up Cambie Street (site of my office). Bravo!

Hey, Stella -- see you at the FLEXITY station!

Photo via City of Vancouver

Vancouver Bound

Excitement is growing as there are just 29 days to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic opening ceremonies.

Closer to home, it's less than a week before my own relocation to British Columbia for a six-week assignment via Edelman, the P.R. firm where I work.

Edelman's roster of Vancouver Olympic clients includes two Worldwide Partners, the leadership of the global Paralympic movement, top global and Canadian brands, nonprofits tied to Vancouver's organizers and one of Canada's national heroes.

I can hardly wait to hit the town and get to work!

My colleagues to the north set up Edelman2010.ca, accessible from January 12 to March 31 for information regarding clients:

• 2010 Legacies Now, the first of its kind nonprofit organization within the Olympic movement, focused on creating social legacies for all of British Columbia


• GE, Worldwide Partner of the Vancouver 2010 Games


• Hudson’s Bay Company, National Premier Partner and Official Outfitter of the Vancouver 2010 Games


• International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement


• LiveCity Vancouver, THE destinations to capture the colour and spectator experience of the Vancouver 2010 Games, including free family entertainment and performances from headline artists


• Oakley, supporting almost 300 athletes worldwide by providing customized eyewear for competition


• Panasonic, Worldwide Partner of the Vancouver 2010 Games


• Petro-Canada, National Premier Partner of the Vancouver 2010 Games


• Rick Hansen Foundation, Rick is a true Canadian hero, having wheeled 40,000 km around the world; he’s co-mayor of the Olympic and Paralympic Athletes’ Villages and will host "The Difference Makers," a 17-part program on CTV during the 2010 Winter Games

And the good word from Vancouver is that there are at least two more "to be announced" projects/partners on deck, while my colleagues in New York are working on sharing details about client Zagat, which just published its Vancouver 2010 Pocket Guide (I'm picking up a copy for my Olympic packing list).

This is my third Olympiad via Edelman, and the first where I won't be working at a B.C. Canada Pavilion (as in Beijing) or B.C. Canada Place (as in Torino), enriching experiences of 2008 and 2006, respectively.

Each Games, with then-client The Province of British Columbia, taught countless lessons about Vancouver, Richmond, Whistler and all the Olympic host province locales and offerings. It's very cool to approach the eve of actually residing in B.C., and to soon experience the region in detail, if only for 40-or-so days. Looking forward to creating new Games experiences and stories (and blog posts!) very soon.

Photo via Flickr user www.claytonperryphotography.com

Borderline

An article on the USA Today online travel section just started me whistling that Madonna tune "Borderline."

It's been about three years since my lone drive from Seattle to Vancouver via the Washington:British Columbia border crossing. According to today's report, if I'm to repeat that transnational trek again next month there may be a longer wait and more detailed search of the vehicle.

So in case you're planning to drive from anywhere in the USA to the 2010 Winter Olympic metropolis, be sure you plan ahead and bring your required documents.

If only I could drive one of those T-top Datsun Z cars (as featured in the "Borderline" video) ...

Photo via Flickr user i_am_metolius

New CEO for USOC

According to several national media reports (first with the news was the Chicago Tribune), the U.S. Olympic Committee will today announce its new CEO Scott Blackmun.

Here's a link to the U.S.O.C. press release.

This appears to be good news for the Olympic Movement stateside, and it will be interesting to monitor Blackmun's progress and the USOC's changes with his leadership.

Here's hoping in future press releases, the committee will get rid of the overused-in-press releases (and old-fashioned) canned-quote intros "we are pleased ..." and "I am thrilled ..." for their executive statements (to their credit, the quotes that appear without these intros are informative and interesting).

While on the USOC site, also found a handy link to "Support A Sport" connecting Winter sports fans with the National Governing Body (NGB) for easy contributions to the Vancouver 2010 cause. Good stuff.

Photo via USOC

Back to Blogging

The last few weeks were a bit insane.

Holiday treks to Oklahoma and Milwaukee, and some post-holiday catch-up work at the office kept me away from blogging, but with only a few weeks to go before the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremony, I'll endeavor to post daily or near-daily for the weeks to come.

Here's a random hodgepodge of Olympic topics, story suggestions and general stuff that piqued my interest in recent correspondence or trolling online:

• Thanks to a colleague and fellow blogger for pointing me to the SI.com Olympic galleries for Vancouver 2010 Olympic hopefuls


• Good traffic of Olympic news and views on the New York Times' Rings blog
  
• Adecco is still looking for a silver and bronze medal "Office Champion" via a video contest.


• MediaDailyNews reports on social media and the Olympics


• Stephen Colbert first took U.S. Speedskating to new heights, and last night's show featured Colbert Report on thin ice with the USA Curling team for Vancouver 2010


• One family's quest to get Vancouver 2010 Olympic tickets hit a snag, according to the Vancouver Sun
  
• The LA Times reported on Canada's Olympic hockey team selection, and more than 4 million Canadians took time to care about this news, says the National Post blog


• Lots of people went to see the new film "Up In The Air" during the last few weeks, and it really impressed me for its "real-ness" and story (compared to the digital-ness of the also-popular release "Avatar"). I now have a huge crush on Anna Kendrick, thanks in part to one of her talk show TV appearances


• ESPN and ABC noted some changes to anticipate for locals and tourists in Vancouver


• SafeGames2010 will apparently distribute more than 250,000 Olympic condoms during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games
  
• The Vancouver Sun's Olympic reporter Jeff Lee took on P.R.-types at VANOC on December 21, and I have to agree with just about everything he wrote. Lee also peeked at Olympic pins on deck for next month in a post dated December 3, which took me to a blog post about the Coca-Cola Pin Trading Centre that opened last weekend.

See you in Vancouver! Only 37 days to go!

Don We Now Our Sports Illustrated Apparel

Awesome news via the Associated Press: Sports Illustrated's new edition (on newsstands tomorrow) features Stephen Colbert in a U.S. Speedskating uniform!

As noted in previous posts, The Colbert Report and Colbert Nation recently rescued the national governing body for speedskating, raking in more than $250,000 in donations when another title sponsor pulled out of their arrangement.

Kudos to Colbert -- that photo cover is awesome, and I can't wait to read the sports media cover story. Bravo, SI, for celebrating Colbert's contributions to Vancouver 2010 and sport.

Photo via the Associated Press

America's Office Champion

A week or so ago a press release arrived from the U.S. Olympic Committee and sponsor Adecco, noting the video contest underway to determine "America's Office Champion."

After viewing the contest details, sample video and official rules, I have a couple of colleagues in mind to nominate, and if time permits, a video entry will be posted by the Dec. 22 deadline -- at first glance the entry process seems pretty simple (and topping the posted sample video should not be difficult).

"America's Office Champion" will not only head to three A-list events of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, but also the nominator may gain some spending money in the form of an Amex gift card (interesting since VISA is the official card of the Olympics), or a Flip Video device (sweet!).

If only I could nominate my girlfriend via her employer (would like to get her to Vancouver for a few days while my assignments there are underway).

Good luck to those who enter -- if you do, please post word of the entry via the comments section below so that readers here may view and vote for you.

Image via Adecco

100 Days Out Brings Olympic P.R. Trifecta In

The 100 Days to Vancouver milestone marked a flurry of activity online and in the news. It was refreshing to see the Olympic headlines gaining prominence again in anticipation of the big B.C. party coming soon.

There was a party in my inbox as a handful of public relations agencies/contacts sent over their Olympic wares tied to 100 Days as well.

The first arrival was some detail from Polo Ralph Lauren regarding the newly unveiled Vancouver 2010 Closing Ceremony uniforms to be donned by Team USA in February. There's a complete line of Olympic gear from this official outfitter. According to their news:

"The Closing Ceremony Parade Uniform for both men and women are vintage-inspired and modern in design with a functional cotton fleece pant, a patriotic navy and red wool shawl cardigan, and a newsboy hat adorned with the “Look of the Team” logo adding a distinct feel of American spirit. Underneath the shawl cardigan, the women’s uniform will feature a classic navy ribbed turtleneck while the men’s uniform includes a traditional plaid shirt made of woven flannel. The men’s uniform also boasts a sophisticated tie featuring unique patriotic elements."

Looks good to me. Their nods to the 1932 Winter Games wear at Lake Placid is classy.

Perusing the Polo photos and models/Olympians, both on the Polo media site and on another Olympic blog (this one showing some merchandise that was part of the Rockefeller Center festivities for 100 Days), I must admit the gargantuan horse and rider RL logo was a bit much for my taste (as a Polo customer and fan since fifth grade -- my closet has many casual and semi-formal Ralph Lauren items -- I often wish their high quality and stylish products to be available sans logo).

But the 2010 logos will certainly show up on NBC Olympic broadcasts from Vancouver (remember the whole controversy of Michael Jordan wearing having to cover up his sponsor logos on the medal stand in Barcelona? Will that apply again in 2010?).

Sidebar: One of my uncles works in a movie set and design operation in Texas, and at one point in the late 1980/early 1990s he visited one or more of Mr. Lifschitz's (Ralph's) homes to complete some design work. Will have to check the facts on this family lore before revisiting the Ralph connection again in the future.

Next to arrive in the inbox was a nice note from the P.R. team for McDonald's, reminding me of their 2010 Vancouver Olympic contest for kids (just wrapped up entry phase) and the company's extended timeline of Olympic involvement. Per the press site:

"McDonald's Olympic Pride continues to shine throughout the host country of Canada and throughout the world. McDonald's is preparing for its eighth Games as the Official Restaurant and feeding the athletes. Plans are in place to share the excitement of the Games with millions of customers across the globe as a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement."

As noted in previous posts, my personal Olympic journey is intertwined with the Golden Arches all the way back to "When The U.S. Wins, You Win" in grade school and the Atlanta Olympic Village (1996) locations of McDonald's across Georgia Tech.

Suggestion for future Games: I'd be "Lovin' It" if McDonald's Vancouver 2010, London 2012, Sochi 2014 or Rio 2016 Happy Meals would include PINS rather than plastic toys.

Another in-box P.R. arrival was from one of my colleagues at Edelman, the firm where I work. Our client 24 Hour Fitness announced Wednesday the names of the athletes on deck for their Vancouver programs. According to the press release:

"[24 Hour Fitness'] partnership [includes] six U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls for the 2010 Games: Snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, pairs skater Rockne Brubaker, short track speedskater J.R. Celski, Paralympic skier Chris Devlin-Young, speedskater Tucker Fredricks and skier Julia Mancuso. The athletes joined Team 24 Hour Fitness as they strive toward making the 2010 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team and medaling this winter at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

It will be fun to witness how these and other athletes progress, work out, Tweet and shine before and during the Games of Vancouver.

As I wrap up this press release-infused post, it is worth noting that on the 100 Days milestone I also stumbled upon some P.R. gone bad. Apparently an embargoed** press release related to the torch relay struck a nerve with a reporter in Seattle. Call it Schadenfreude, but some of the comments are hilarious.

**offered/delivered to reporters in advance of publication date as a courtesy to aid with timely news delivery

Images via McDonald's, 24 Hour Fitness and Polo Ralph Lauren (Polo image is via Yahoo! News/Associated Press)