It's Too Soon To Be This Tired

It's only the fifth day in London and my eyes are a bit red. Long days and nights. Unlimited options for fun and getting into trouble. Game on!

The last 48 hours included two big events at USA House, including last night's gala featuring Carl Lewis, Bela Karolyi, Shawn Johnson, Shannon Miller, Carly Patterson, Donna de Varona and very special guest Muhammad Ali.

We also worked with (client) 24 Hour Fitness to open Team USA's High Performance Training Center at the University of East London. So Kerri Walsh and Coach K from USA Basketball, as well as Tony Azevedo of U.S. water polo, were on site for the festivities (and I sure can't wait for time to post Kerri's interview video over the weekend).

Also squeezed in a visit to the James Bond exhibition at the Barbican Museum (photos saved for future post, Monty Penny).

This morning was the opening of Sochi House/Russia House, and about an hour ago I picked up my Opening Ceremony ticket from a last minute Ebay adventure. It is so ... ON!

I will post more after the ceremony and encourage everyone to tune in and take note of the fans in section 222 (I'll be waving to the cameras). Predicted performers (some may already be announced but the following are best guest sans search for what is already confirmed): Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Annie Lennox (I hope), Elton John, Coldplay (please!), Adele, Shirley Bassey, Pink Floyd, Duran Duran and for some Irish flavor U2, Clannad and Sinead O'Connor.

Also predict appearances by all James Bond actors, Dame Judy Dench, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Emma Watson and all of the Harry Potter performers, each with potential as Olympic flagbearers. Who are your predictions? Tell me and I will send the best commenters a pin!
Photos by Nicholas Wolaver

IOC Conference on Women and Sport -- Geena Davis

Just arrived at the IOC Conference on Women and Sport in Los Angeles, in the nick of time to hear Geena Davis, Anita DeFrantz and Diana Nyad speak to a packed ballroom of attendees. Unfortunately I missed the main remarks, but entered as Donna de Varona (an audience member) shared her perspective on the evolution of women in sports media.

Also heard from audience members (via Q&A session), notably one attendee suggesting a national registry for sports coaches convicted of harrassment or pedophilia, to which Nyad responded, "Why wait for a conviction? If you're fired [for one of these issues] you're out [of coaching]."

I look forward to the upcoming sessions today, featuring several IOC members and Olympic participants, and will post additional details. Thanks to the USOC and their P.R. team for the last minute credential!

The IOC, Chicago and "All That Jazz"

Just returned from a fulfilling volunteer experience with the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid during the International Olympic Committee's Evaluation Commission visit to the city.

My post was at the downtown Sheraton, in the media hospitality and workroom area just steps from the river and Michigan Avenue (the organizing committee helped with a special rate at the neighboring Embassy Suites, which was lovely -- Southeast room facing Lake Michigan, much like a similar room at the same hotel for a 2007 visit with client Rock City Gardens).

Flying into the city from Atlanta, it was a clear night and I caught a glimpse of the John Hancock Tower, site of an evening event with commanding views of the city. About an hour after landing and meeting for a CTA ride with my girlfriend (she arrived from Milwaukee via Coach USA as the plane touched down), we were up on top of the world with a few colleagues and the new contacts at Chicago 2016 inside The Hancock.

Every inch of the city, from the arrivals area at O'Hare, to The El, taxis, the train station, flag and light poles, bridges, shop windows -- everything -- had colorful signage proclaiming "we support the bid" or other "Chicago 2016" messages. It was impressive and reminiscent of arriving at Torino, Beijing or other Games decked out with "look of the Games" treatment.

Official volunteer business commenced on Saturday with a series of official press briefings at the Sheraton. Our team, lead by the media relations staff and partner P.R. firm team members, included several of Chicago's best and brightest communicators and volunteers with media-specific backgrounds. One minute some of us would compile or update press releases, the next we'd set up or take down portions of the press conference room.

I was fortunate on the first day to be assigned to two Olympians who were on site for media interviews after the press conferences -- Olympic Champion Donna de Varona was one of these athletes and it was fun to briefly get reacquainted (we first met at British Columbia Canada Place -- an Edelman client -- in Beijing last August) before she spoke with several Chicago TV stations. Later in the day, judo Olympic silver medalist Robert Berland (a Chicago 2016 staff member) also spoke with several reporters.

Day one was punctuated by viewing (and contributing to a press release for) President Obama's welcome video presented to the IOC. It was remarkable, and I believe unprecedented, for a sitting U.S. president to provide such advocacy for an Olympic bid at this stage of the process.

Day two was all over town! With four teammates packed in a rental car, we drove from site to site in advance of two media buses shadowing the IOC entourage visiting McCormick Place (a massive convention center and potential site of the 2016 Olympic media center and several sports disciplines), Soldier Field, Washington Park and United Center. I had not experienced any of these venues previously, but each one blew my mind!

Soldier Field, for instance, has the most mac daddy luxury suites ANYWHERE -- commanding views of the field with downtown's skyline decorating the horizon (historic and amazing!). Washington Park would be developed as the Olympic Stadium site, and reminded me of St. Louis' glorious Forest Park (site of the 1904 Summer Games near Washington University).

At our final stop of the day, dozens of young athletes played team handball and basketball, or did gymnastics, across the United Center floor while the IOC evaluators viewed a welcome video from hometown hero (and two-time Olympic champion) Michael Jordan.

Tuesday (day four) included a final volunteer assignment inside the final, and only, IOC press conference of the week -- it was enriching to be in the room with the IOC guests providing feedback to several of the nation's (and the world's) top Olympic and sports reporters. It was moving to see one of the Chicago 2016 official videos the IOC had screened earlier in the day -- athletes and folks of all ages were shown across the U.S. handing off 2016 batons symbolic of the city's strengths at sharing Olympism. A few fellow volunteers and most members of the media team then handed out the same batons to the working media, who had some strong and positive reactions to the display.

But I have to skip back to day three for the cake and icing assignment of the week: Red carpet for the "City Night" dinner and cultural event at The Art Institute of Chicago. With thanks to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for running with the story suggestion (submitted by our Chicago 2016 P.R. team from the Sheraton on Tuesday), I'll just add that seeing Oprah Winfrey in person, in her home town, was an experience I'll never forget -- at once it was similar yet drastically different from seeing Bill Gates speak at the Microsoft Vista launch in New York (disclosure: an Edelman project) or interacting with Ted Turner at the Atlanta Press Club (I only need to encounter Rupert Murdoch to complete the 'trifecta' of media mogul encounters).

It still does not seem real that Oprah was inches away speaking to reporters about all the positive potential Chicago 2016 has as an Olympic host. Hearing her enthusiasm and booming broadcaster voice in person was dramatic. I'm sure my jaw was gaping when she turned to face us.

The week did include a few critics of the bid. Part of the media volunteer assignment included keeping an eye on comments reported by media, or responding to those who have not yet embraced the Games' potential to be all positive for the USA, the Midwest, Illinois and Chicago. At least one of the responses we worked on is available online.

Several of the working media on site blogged or twittered from the experience. It was good to gain a few new Twitter followers, and start following new folks, during the week (in case you need it, follow me to http://twitter.com/nickwolaver for the real-time updates from April 3-8).

The complete volunteer experience was enriching -- I hope there will be further opportunities to contribute a verse to Chicago's efforts. It will be intense to track the other cities in the running, now that Chicago's presentations are complete, and very exciting when the IOC votes on October 2 in Copenhagen.

Oh, Donna

Backtracking now to August 7, the eve of Beijing's spectacular Opening Ceremonies. B.C. Canada Pavilion played host to the first of many Olympians who crossed under the Canadian hardwood arches.

The event du jour involved international organizations Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group (SDP IWG) and Right To Play, on site to announce a new report titled "Harnessing the Power of Sport for Development and Peace: Recommendations to Governments." I've not had time to dive into this report, but it sounds very interesting and is available for review.

It seemed that at almost every turn that evening there was an Olympic great with whom to speak.

Right To Play's President and CEO Johann Olav Koss (four time gold medal speed skater) was among the evening's presenters, sharing the stage and press conference with U.N. representatives and sports officials from several continents.

Then 1960 Olympic Champion and former ABC Olympic commentator, Donna de Varona, walked in to show her support and meet with other officials. Donna was keen to talk about Right To Play, and to introduce our team to her family, including her husband, John Pinto (who said to say 'hello' to one of my fellow Edelman bloggers), and their daughter, Joanna, an aspiring filmmaker whose first project involves Right To Play (more on her film to follow in a future blog entry).

We also got introduced to the attending International Olympic Committee members, including Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee (an pro-bono Edelman Sports client).

The event -- and hearing the personal stories of the Olympians first-hand -- was an inspiring evening and prelude to the Games.