Mad Man at the Olympics!

Last night at Club Bud, perhaps the most exclusive Olympic-time party venue in Vancouver, the stars were shining as tens of thousands of Canadians took to the streets. (disclosure: Club Bud is a client of Edelman, the P.R. firm where I work)

"Mad Men" star Jon Hamm was among numerous celebrities who took in the sights and sounds of Club Bud, and he was also nice enough to speak with OlympicsRingsAndOtherThings.blogspot.com. Enjoy the video!

More interviews to post later, that's for sure! (come back for interviews with Olympic figure skating legends Kristi Yamaguchi and Tara Lipinski, Hayden Christensen, Michael Buble and others.

Heading now to speedskating.

And living the dream!

(P.S. If any "Mad Men" writers are out there and spot this interview, please, please write the Olympics into an upcoming episode!)

Olympic Heroes Squared

Today I witnessed two heroes of speedskating, and both experiences left me breathless.

This afternoon at the Richmond Olympic Oval, Team USA speedskater Shani Davis won the gold in the 1000m race (astounding!), while this morning, U.S. Speedskating sponsor Stephen Colbert played to a staggering outdoor crowd gathered for "The Colbert Report" taping on the banks of False Creek in Vancouver.

I don't want to spoil the surprises that Colbert unleashed on the show taped to air next week, but let's just say that Mr. Colbert was absolutely hilarious both on stage and backstage, where my Edelman colleague Shari and I were staked out to deliver some client news and information to Colbert's producers (we happened to also visit with two of several attending media there, too, including LA Times reporter/Olympic blogger Mr. Chris Erskine and Ms. Tiffany Campbell, doing the online thing for The Seattle Times).

As an Olympic fan and a Colbert Nation member, I am in awe of the Colbert team of writers for their creativity and for their hard work. We're heading back tomorrow to delivery the next batch of client details, and hopefully there will be time to post photos, videos and more details from Feb. 17, a day of Olympic heroes.

Congratulations, Shani Davis! What an amazing race!

IOC Member Dick Pound Talks About Olympics Returning to Canada

Perhaps I buried the lede in my previous post.

IOC Member Dick Pound took time to talk about the Olympics returning to his home nation Canada during an International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) event in Gastown, Vancouver today.

His comments on Calgary and the snow (or lack thereof) around Vancouver sort of made me think of that great Tears for Fears lyrics, "I wanted to be with you alone, and talk about the weather."

Tell you what, I was indeed Head Over Heels to speak with an IOC member about Vancouver's Games.

The best part is, later in the day, another International Olympic Committee member shared a few minutes, too.

International Society of Olympic Historians Presents Awards in Vancouver

Today in Vancouver's historic Gastown neighborhood, in a cozy coffee shop/basement restaurant named the Salt Tasting Room, the International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) presented three awards for lifetime accomplishment in the preservation of Olympic history.

The 2009 ISOH Award was presented to author/historian Robert K. Barney, while two 2009 Vikelas Plaque (named for the first IOC president) awards were presented to Olympic Order recipient/Emmy Award winning filmmaker Bud Greenspan and former USOC press chief (and so much more) C. Robert Paul, Jr.

This was the second time I've seen Mr. Greenspan in person, and though he is much older (now 83, unfortunately unable to speak) than our first conversation -- in Atlanta in 1997 at the premiere of his Centennial Games film -- he was in good spirits and visibly appreciative of the honor. The film company he founded in the 1960s, Cappy Productions, apparently provided some consulting to VANOC for capturing footage of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

His more senior fellow honoree, Mr. Paul, shared some amazing stories, as did ISOH officer and Olympic author/NBC contributor David Wallechinsky, who introduced the pair of honorees by explaining that Mr. Paul helped a young and then-Olympic-first-timer Greenspan to secure his last-minute media credentials at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

As a public relations practitioner, I was fascinated by Mr. Paul's additional stories from the front lines of old-school media relations on behalf of Team USA. He shared that at the Innsbruck 1976 Winter Olympics there was an "incident" (P.R.-speak for S.N.A.F.U.) when the last-place ice hockey team trashed a restaurant and they had to sneak the players out of town to avoid an international incident (over lunch we briefly talked about how their sneak-away tactics might now be foiled by instantaneous social media posts).

Also of note was how Mr. Paul invented the tradition of a U.S. Presidential phone call to gold medal winning athletes.

As the story was told, Mr. Paul planted that idea with a New York Times sports writer (Paul knew the White House press chief read The Times religiously) by convincing the reporter to include a closing paragraph about the lack of presidential attention to top Olympic performances (wouldn't you know it, the next day President Ford telephoned the day's U.S. gold medalist!).

Wallechinsky also noted that Mr. Paul was the USOC archivist when the younger historian began work on his first Olympic book, and the pair concurred that "the camaraderie is not the same as it was back then" (early 1980s) at the Team USA home office in Colorado Springs.

The biggest surprise of the event: Spotting IOC Member to Canada Dick Pound, who arrived just in time for lunch! (HELLO!!!) Pound took time to answer a couple of questions for this Olympic blog. THANK YOU, Mr. Pound! (and thank you, ISOH, for hosting a great event!)

Gov. Arnold and the Olympics: Together Again!

I heard from several sources today that California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to be a 2010 Olympic torchbearer on Friday, Feb. 12, in Vancouver's famed Stanley Park.

This is a curious selection on a number of fronts, but I have to wonder if Schwarzenegger is getting some overdue payback for his past connection to the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Village.

If you read VANOC's "defense" of selecting Schwarzenegger, it does not appear VANOC CEO John Furlong has any idea about Arnold Schwarzenegger's Olympic connections from 13 years ago.

During the summer of 1996, Atlanta's Olympic Village was the site of the world premiere of Arnold's film "Eraser" -- as an Olympic Village employee that summer, it was my understanding that Olympian Willie Banks, the entertainment manager for the Village, secured this entertainment offering that was screened with thousands of athletes viewing a big screen on the field at Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium.

As a witness to Arnold's arrival and speech to the athletes (with "Eraser" co-star Vanessa Williams), it was surprising to learn (and I am certain those in attendance on Friday in Vancouver will concur) that Schwarzenegger is shorter than he appears in most of his films (at the moment, I don't believe sources that report Arnold at more than six feet tall). But he did share some inspiring remarks with the Olympians, who were thrilled to see him in person (it was pretty darn cool that he made time to meet the athletes that summer). Of course,

Schwarzenegger stated at the event, "I'll be back" -- maybe even then he knew something regarding planned or offered torchbearer activation?

"Eraser" turned out to be an utterly forgettable film, but it is remotely possible the IOC or other Olympic Torch Relay officials recalled Arnold's past Olympic ties and presented the honor of torchbearer duties to Mr. Olympia (oh, yeah, there's that Olympic connection, too).

Hopefully the only "juice" Schwarzenegger will take (for carrying the torch) will be some product from Atlanta's hometown beverage bottler (which happens to be a co-presenter of the Olympic Torch Relay).

See you at Stanley Park!

Photo via the Globe And Mail and Associated Press

Exploring The Olympic City

The last 72 hours were steady busy to intense, sensational to inspiring.

Saturday started with the move six blocks east (yes, "Moving On Up!" to the eastside) from a hotel to a new abode on Marinaside Crescent at a company-rented condo facing False Creek and the Olympic Village (unbelievable!).

Completed a bit of pin trading that afternoon before trekking to Horseshoe Bay for a ferry ride to the otherworldly gorgeous Bowen Island, where our Vancouver office GM and his wife hosted a client dinner at Blue Eyed Marys, a small, family-owned fine dining establishment where the menu changes monthly (delicious!).

On the ferry out to the island, one of the island's local politicos (and really nice guy) was on the front deck sharing his torchbearer story from "up north, near Whistler" as families clamored to shake his hand and pose with or hold his Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch. Very exciting to witness the spontaneous curiosity and awe of the kids of all ages checking out the local Olympic connection.

During the ferry ride back to West Vancouver, the sky was filled with dozens of synchronized searchlights (each night since Thursday there have been more and more searchlights shining upward across the city). "It's beginning to look a lot like Olym-pics" we sang in the car.

Super Bowl Sunday was a day of exploration, starting with a Sky Train ride down near the Main Press Center (MPC) and International Broadcast Center (IBC) on the northern waterfront -- what a gorgeous building that convention center turned out to be (it was a big hole in the ground when first I visited Vancouver in 2006).

From the IBC, another train got me to the Rusky Dom Sochi 2014 Russia House at Vancouver's iconic Science World. The place was under heavy transformation into what will likely be a hot ticket destination during Vancouver's Games.

I could not help but hum Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" while looking back across False Creek to the Edelman Olympic condo! The Olympic Village (just south of Science World) looks spectacular!

Also checked out the True North Media House, a social media centre for Vancouver's Games, which appeared to have a bit of work due to prepare for their planned opening this week.

Monday was an intense day of media pitching, calls, research and follow ups on a variety of fronts. Some of this work was from the desk, but we're also hitting the streets and meeting (or getting reacquainted with) an astounding number of international media across downtown. Monday afternoon also afforded me time with a national radio contributor front the U.S. as we both went through the MPC/IBC accreditation application procedures, visited The Bay (a client, where throngs of shoppers and media are in pursuit of Olympic gear) and lunch in the Vancouver's historic Gastown District.

Monday night was the first night all three Games roommates were under one roof at the condo, with our first house dinner (delicious vegetarian soup and sandwiches and Bailey's-infused hot chocolate) capping three days of adventures.

Tuesday was bookended with the Olympic Torch Relay.

At dawn, KING-TV and KONG-TV of Seattle aired live coverage of The Flame's arrival at the International Peace Arch on the British Columbia-Washington border.

During the day, more media pitching, networking at a press conference with Vancouver's Mayor at (client) Vancouver LiveCity Yaletown, a walk through of the B.C. Media Centre at Robson Square, more media and client calls. Whew!

And tonight brought the arrival of the Olympic Torch Relay to the City of Richmond and "The O Zone" Olympic party area (definitely worth a visit during the Games -- I think my eyes spotted a Dutch House on site).

Tens of thousands of locals gathered on what was, from what I could tell, a high school track and field area transformed into an outdoor concert and party venue. After some interesting live music and a lot of jockeying for a decent camera position, the Olympic flame reached The O Zone via torchbearer Rick Hansen (a client), Canada's world famous "Man In Motion."

If you don't know Rick Hansen, you should!

On several short lists of Canadian favorites who might ignite the Olympic Cauldron on Friday night at B.C. Place, during the 1980s Hansen won Paralympic gold medals before hitting the road -- a LONG road of more than 25,000 miles across 34 nations -- to raise millions of dollars for spinal cord injury research.

More importantly, Hansen championed a movement to create an inclusive and accessible world for the disabled. His leadership during the last 25 years brought more than $200 million to the cause, but in his words tonight in Richmond, the journey is not over yet and his best work is still in front of him.

Well said!

In case you are wondering: Yes, that song from the film "St. Elmo's Fire" was inspired by and written for Rick Hansen's tour (once you learn about Rick, the lyrics really do take on a whole new meaning with so much more importance than any scenes of a youthful Demi Moore, Rob Lowe and Emilio Estevez). And during March and the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, the Man In Motion 25th Anniversary is on March 21.

Here's to another 25 years!

And here's to less than three more days and nights to the Big O!

Poll: Colbert vs. Vonn -- Sexiest SI Cover

Which Sports Illustrated cover star is sexier? Olympian Lindsey Vonn, or would-be-Olympic speedskater Stephen Colbert?

Both SI cover stars are obviously competitive and have legions of fans, so which fan base will answer the call and vote for the "Sexiest SI Cover" for the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games? The Colbert Nation? The U.S. Ski Team?

Drag your mouse over to the right side of the screen to vote in this Olympic blog poll now through next week.

Funniest comment posted in favor of either cover athlete will earn a blog pin by mail (mind your manners in the comments, please). Happy voting!

Here, KT KT KT

Remember the time when Kerri Walsh was wearing that curious black "stuff" on her shoulder during the Beijing beach volleyball games?

It was always my intention to try to learn more about "the stuff" but it slipped my mind.

And then the other day an e-mail arrived from the P.R. team for KT Tape, the proper name for the company/product that contributed to Walsh taking home the gold.

According to their website ...

"KT Tape is an elastic athletic tape that allows athletes to compete at the top of their game. Used as a preventative taping system, KT Tape enables athletes to perform at their highest levels with confidence."

Since we won't likely see too many beach volleyball players in Vancouver (note: if you spot ANY women's beach volleyball Olympians in town, a free blog pin goes to the first person to send me the news tip!), I was curious which Winter Olympic athletes might be donning KT Tape in British Columbia.

Quoth the press release ...

"Athletes from all sports use KT Tape. More and more people are discovering the difference KT Tape can make in their athletic performance. Injuries that usually sideline an athlete are no match for KT Tape. KT Tape provides relief for runner’s knee, tennis elbow, Achilles tendinitis, shin splints, sprains, and general back and shoulder pain, as well as most muscle soreness or pain. All of these injuries respond well to treatment with KT Tape, allowing people to remain active while injured."

The tape is also available now to consumers.

Anyone else wondering whether KT Tape was part of that photo shoot for the new (and "controversial") Sports Illustrated cover featuring Lindsey Vonn?

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).