Notes On Nancy Kerrigan

It is sad news to read the headlines about Olympic silver and bronze medalist Nancy Kerrigan and her family.

This woman has had more than her share of public scrutiny caused by family and friends in and out of the Olympic figure skating world. The latest news is really a shame.

I found Kerrigan to be likeable and interesting to work with when shen visited a client pavilion in Torino at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Kerrigan was a correspondent for one of the unaccredited media outlets' nightly entertainment shows, and she had some fun working with a professional chef and learning about authentic Italian cooking.

A good sport, Kerrigan made time to talk with fans and guests who recognized her during the TV taping.

Here's hoping things will ease up for Kerrigan in the future.

Photos by Nicholas Wolaver 2006 at Torino

USA Luge Blows Through San Diego

Some of the Team USA national governing bodies are sending regular updates about athlete, coach and equipment news in these final days before Vancouver 2010.

One such update arrived today from USA Luge, informing readers that Olympic lugers will test three bodysuits at a San Diego Low Speed Wind Tunnel, which may help Team USA shave thousandths of a second off their times in Winter Olympic and other competitions.

According to the press release ...

The Low Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT) is considered to be the best facility of its kind in the world. The testing methodology and expert staff draw both world-class athletes and top aerospace companies. To date, the LSWT has conducted nearly 100,000 hours of testing and has been used extensively in numerous military and civil aerospace development programs, including those of the F-106, B-58, F-111, F-16, Global Hawk UAV, Tomahawk Cruise Missile, and Advanced Cruise Missile.

Turning USA Luge sleds into cruise missiles in time for their Whistler runs sounds like a good plan to me.

You can meet USA Luge athletes here, and be sure to check out their recent photos and videos or general history of luge and Vancouver 2010 Olympic luge details.

Photo via Yahoo! and AP/Robert Pfiel

New Friends and Friendly Reunions

The Olympic scene makes it possible to establish new friendships while renewing contact with Games buddies of past Olympiads. During these first few days and nights in Vancouver, it's been fun to meet some new characters and connect with old friends.

On the work front, Paul -- my colleague/office-mate from 2006 client B.C. Canada Place (several dozen of us P.R. types shared one little room in the Province of British Columbia's little log cabin in the piazza) and Beijing roommate/partner-in-crime -- has been a great host while leading Edelman 2010's range of client projects. It's been tremendous fun to learn more about several Canadian colleagues, and everyone has been very welcoming and collaborative for the newbie from the South (they haven't yet seen the giant Stars & Stripes flag about to go up in my office).

One of the other B.C. Canada Place office-mates, Brian, was host for a fun night at Robson Square last Thursday, and I appreciate the new B.C. Province pins from the occasion (also looking forward to visiting the B.C. hospitality areas open in the Vancouver Art Gallery come Games time).

Around town, this week afforded me some time to check out The Bay (disclosure: a client) and the Coca-Cola Pin Trading Centre within its walls (anything Coke feels like back home in Atlanta). In the pin trading scene, some of "the regulars" trading there include some friendly members of the Pacific Pin Club, which will host a pin "Pre-Games Extravaganza" event this Saturday (thank you, several members, for the invitation!).

Thanks are also due to Alex, the B.C. university student (see photo -- she's wearing a red jacket made of a cotton:recycled Coke bottle blend) majoring in performing arts (think "Glee") who, as a recent new hire for Coca-Cola pin hospitality duties, hooked me up with a free pin (when you visit the Pin Center, be sure to bring a pin to get a pin at their worldwide pin map shown in photos with this post) and a table for trading one weekend afternoon.

The pin centre also offers visitors a daily free drawing (as shown in photo) as well as the option to hold up a real Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch for photos (eventually they will also snap photos and place them onto custom pins -- sounds like chocolate and peanut butter perfect combo to me).

As a few fellow collectors asked questions about my blog, they went out of their way to be sure I met Andrea, creator of the outstanding 2010vanfan.ca blog (so far, she is the only fellow Olympic blogger in town with a custom-designed blog Olympic media pin similar to mine). I'm only starting to read her excellent blog posts, and find the interactive map of Olympic venues to be of great interest (a must read/must view for anyone heading to Vancouver).

My old friend and former ACOG colleague, Nippy, arrived today, and we reconnected for the first time since scaling the Great Wall in China. Welcome to Vancouver!

This coming week will be busy-busy at the office, so time to explore may become scarce. Glad to make new connections and renew contact with familiar friends around town.

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!

Tom Green Comedy Tour Atlanta Debut & Review

About a week ago, I was excited to learn that Canadian comedian Tom Green planned a return to Georgia.

The "Freddy Got Fingered" and "Road Trip" star tonight launched the U.S. leg of a "World Standup Comedy Tour" at Atlanta's Funny Farm Comedy Club in suburban Atlanta (just north of B.F.E., er, in Alpharetta, Ga., to be exact).

I've always enjoyed Green's off-beat humor, particularly his "Tom Green Show" bits, occasional appearances on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" (in particular, one segment he filmed at then-client B.C. Canada Place in Torino during February 2006, and, of course, this scene from one of his films (sorry, this YouTube link does not set up the scene with its tearful father-son goodbye).

Unfortunately, for the $25 ticket price, plus standard comedy club two-item/drink minimum, and the loathsome drive "Outside The Perimeter" ("O.T.P." for local Atlantans who reside in town), Green did not deliver the goods in his live comedy tour debut.

Though Green's live show has some potential to be great, it needs a lot of work before Comedy Central or any other network is going to come knocking for a TV special. (By the way, Chris Rock's most recent tour is now in rotation on Comedy Central and worth a look -- hilarious!).

On the plus side, the biggest laughs for Green were some you might expect. First the Drew Barrymore jokes. Then the testicular cancer/one-nut jokes. And then Green rolled out some of the script from "Freddy Got Fingered" and "Road Trip" -- all mostly fun and funny. His facial expressions do induce hearty chuckles on their own.

Things finally got funnier when Green launched into a few digs about reality TV, his own recent antics on "The Apprentice" and apt observations on American TV watching habits -- mostly bad habits and TMZ drivel (I happen to agree with Tom's remarks on this front, and hungered for more swings at paparazzi). My favorite was Green's take on the fate he wishes for "American Idol" flash-in-the-pan stars versus icons of rock'n'roll like The Rolling Stones (bravo, Tom!).

Probably the most original lines of the show were Green's descriptions of male adolescent anticipation, circa 1985 (pre-Internet), of the arrival of the Sears Catalog, and how in the same era the only way to find porn (other than the "PG-rated" stuff via Sears lingerie and swimsuit pages) was to discover discarded adult magazines in the woods "with sunlight shining down through the leaves lighting the way" (a lot of the mostly-Thirtysomething male audience members were nodding and nervously laughing in agreement).

But you could tell Green was struggling when only half-way through the performance he succumbed to audience pleas to "sing the 'Bum Bum' song" or "say the line about [fill in the blank from any of Green's films]." Of course, he did, briefly, pick up a guitar and start to play, but only the one recycled tune (well, at least a line or two from it).

It was disappointing that every time Green seemed to be on to something new and funny, the train of thought pulled back to (especially by 2/3 through the show) overused lines from past works.

When Green lamented, guitar in-hand, that for his big screen films, he only came up with the "Bum Bum" song, he seemed to be perceiving his own missed opportunity. On stage tonight felt right to debut an original tune for the tour, but missed opportunity again prevailed as Green put away the guitar after only a few bars.

The same thing happened when he feigned launching into a rap tune -- first time, something from the past. Second rap-song cued, Green held back sans delivery of new material. Near the end, Green asked the bartenders for a real drink, which he pounded; it was difficult to tell whether this was a panic move to buy some time and regroup versus a planned part of the act.

The appalling final lines and prop for the show, though not entirely predictable, retreated again to the past -- regrettably the intended shock and awe actions only seemed to resonate with part of the crowd (with some polishing this could be a huge crowd pleaser for future shows).

To his credit, Green and his opening act (a Dallas-born stand-up comedian with some potential that may be realized via this tour) took time after the show to shake hands or pose for photos with audience members and sign autographs. Green even made time for a quick backstage video interview (unfortunately, batteries kaput -- yours truly sucks at remembering to install new batteries), during which I got in three questions:

1. Where will the "Tom Green Comedy Tour" go next? (this part made it on video before the batteries died)


2. What is Green's take on the Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien actions of late, considering Green used to appear on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" as a correspondent? (Green took the high road on this question, stating only he "loves those guys")


3. What was Green's favorite memory or experience related to the Olympics, considering his aforementioned work for "The Tonight Show" in at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics? (Green answered "meeting you" before giving me the most patronizing high five and disappearing into the kitchen of The Funny Farm -- lame).

Should you see Tom Green's Comedy Tour? If you're a hardcore fan who wants to hear Green retread old material, knock yourself out. Here's hoping tonight's lackluster debut was just a warm up for better things to come -- Green has the goods. Just needs to deliver them better.

Image via Tom Green