Inside Scoop - Archive

[an error occurred while processing this directive] Inside Scoop - Archive

Gateway to the Summer Games - Inside Scoop

Archive

Q:	How many athletes have injured themselves this year in the Olympics, who, and what team?
A:	That question is difficult to respond to, because no overall stat is kept. Some injuries are relatively minor – a swimmer jamming his hand into the wall too hard, or bumping his head, or tripping over a bed in the dark – all of those happened to U.S. swimmers with no ill effect. DonovancBailey was one big casualty in track – he pulled up sick in the prelims, and of course C.J. Hunter withdrew from the field events because of a knee injury. Also, a runner from Nigeria, I believe, was hit by a car on the streets of Sydney and killed. A few injuries happen in every sport, and of course, with 12,000 athletes living together in the village, the flu is a danger, and so is sickness from unfamiliar food.
Q:	I would like to know the influences of today's society on the notion of fair play, winning and losing.
A:	That's a tough question, because everyone has a different opinion, and because the same isn't true of every athlete. Many folks feel that in today's world of big-money endorsements, prize money in some sports (like track, beach volleyball and swimming), and the advent of the so-called Dream teams (pros in basketball, baseball and hockey) -- that the concept of sportsmanship and competing simply for the sake of trying to achieve your best has given way to professionalism and the bottom line. Certainly the prevalence of drug use to enhance performance adds to that. But away from the TV cameras, you still see some outstanding examples of sportsmanship and graciousness. I think the real answer is that nothing really changes much -- there will always be a certain percentage of people who will cheat to get what they want, and there will always be a percentage (much larger, I think) who compete with the idea of sportsmanship and being an ambassador to the world for their country.
Q:	What is the motto of the 2000 Olympics?
A:	The motto for the Olympics overall is "Faster, Higher, Stronger." I don't know that there's an official separate slogan for any particular Games. But for people visiting and working here, we're calling this the "no worries, mate" Games. That's what the Aussies say all the time. Either that, or "It'll be right." It's their way of saying "No problem." They seem to mean it, and be a very nice combination of efficient and laid back.
Q:	Does each country have to design and provide their own uniforms or do they get them from the Olympic committee?
A:	Each country works with their own Olympic committee, and also the company that supplies the uniforms to design their uniforms and the gear they wear in warmups and during the Opening and Closing ceremonies. Sometimes an athlete who is very famous – like a Michael Johnson or Ian Thorpe – will have a personal contract with a company like Nike or Adidas, that is different than the company that supplies his team. The rules for that vary from country to country. But usually that athlete can wear his own gear (shoes or swimsuit) while he's performing, as long as he takes the brand name logo off.
Q:	I am currently working on a worksheet for PE, and I am having trouble finding the exhibition sports being offered in this year's Olympics. Could you help me find the answers?
A:	There are no exhibition sports this time. The Olympics have gotten so big (several new sports were added to the official program) that exhibition sports were done away with. One thing that's very popular in Australia is surf life-saving. It's a real life skill – many beaches in Australia are treacherous because of riptides – and every beach has a life-saving patrol. There are contests that involve rowing, carrying a big reel of roping, running the beach and swimming all over Australia. They had wanted this to be an exhibition sport, but could not work out the schedule.
Q:	Has the weather affected any of the athletes?
A:	So far, the weather has not been much of a factor. The week before the Games a windstorm damaged some sailboats that were practicing, and the triathlon got a little hot toward the end of the run, but nothing major. The sun has been shining, and the temperatures have been crisp at night and warm in the afternoon. If there are high winds, or it gets unseasonably hot – remember it is only early spring in the Southern Hemisphere – it could affect the track and field athletes.
Q:	Who is the oldest, competing athlete in Sydney?
A:	I'm not sure about that – but I believe there are some shooting and sailing competitors in their 50s.
Q:	Why do the Olympic Rings have red, black, yellow, green, blue and not orange, purple, brown and other colors?
A:	The five colors and rings represent the five continents. They are joined together to symbolize the meeting of athletes from all of the continents at the Olympic Games. Baron de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, developed this symbol in 1913.
Q:	How many medals has each country won so far, Karen?
A:	I'm sorry. With all the excitement, I'm not able to keep track of how many medals each country has won. For an up-to-date chart of the medal standings, you can try looking in the USA TODAY newspaper, or the Web site at http://www.usatoday.com/olympics/sydney/front.htm.
Q:	I am a sixth grade student at Babcock Middle School. I was doing an Olympic crossword puzzle for homework and I was stumped with one question. I was wondering if you could help me with this answer. What is the name of the demonstration sport held in Atlanta in 1996?
A:	You know, I was in Atlanta, but I can't remember what the demonstration sport was, or even if there was one. There was some talk of having golf at Augusta National, but that was discarded. There used to be a demonstration sport at every Olympics, but they stopped it because the Games were getting too big. If you look in a book called The Complete Book of the Olympics by David Wallenchinshky (it's in stores or the library), it lists all the sports in all the Games.
Q:	I am also interested in what your job is like. Do you travel a lot?
A:	Yes, I travel a lot. Most sports writers do. If you don't like to travel, it isn't the job for you. I probably work half the time in our office, which is just outside of Washington D.C, and half the time on the road. When you are on the road, you might write from anywhere. For instance, right now I'm in the Sydney Aquatic Center watching the preliminary heats of the men's 1,500-meter freestyle. (That's why I don't have a book on Atlanta handy). When you write at an arena, you usually are sitting at a table that's built over a row of bleachers, and sitting on the next level of bleachers. Sometimes there is a workroom set up near the locker rooms, or sometimes you write in your hotel room. It all depends on how quickly your story has to be written for the next day's paper. Sometimes you have only a few minutes, so you need to write right in the arena. I don't think my job is hard. I think I'm very lucky to have a job that I enjoy doing. But it does involve working very long hours. At the Olympics, you start at about 8 in the morning and sometimes don't finish until midnight. And sometimes, even at home, the hours are long, because you can't really control when news happens. So you don't work regular hours like most people do. And sometimes, writing on deadline, very quickly is very stressful. But it also a lot of fun.
Q:	How many people and how many countries will participate in this year's track & field competition?
A:	I believe there are about 197 countries participating in the Games overall. Most of them will have at least one track competitor in some event.
Q:	When and where was the first Winter Olympic Games? What were the first winter sports represented in those Olympics?
A:	The first Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix, France in 1924. For more information about the Winter Games and Olympic history, you can visit the United States Olympic Committee site at http://www.usoc.org. Click on "The Dream" in the upper left-hand corner, and then choose "Olympic History."
Q:	Which Olympic athlete that you have interviewed do you admire the most?
A:	I always admired the diver Greg Louganis, who won two gold medals in consecutive Olympics, in 1984 and 1988. He was probably the greatest diver of all time and he performed best under pressure, yet he was always gracious and friendly to everyone – his competitors, the press, even the people who worked at the competitions. Jackie Joyer Kersee is the same way, and so is the current backstroke star Lenny Krayzelburg. They've all come back from some pretty tough personal circumstances, and kept the world and their sport in perspective.
Q:	How long has fencing been in the Olympics and why is it not on TV?
A:	Fencing has been an Olympic sport since the very first modern Olympic Games in 1896. In fact, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Baron de Coubertin, was himself a fencer. As for why fencing is not on TV – it is on TV somewhere. Every event of the Games is filmed, and made available to countries all around the world. The countries pick what they want to show. So fencing might be on a lot in say, France or Germany. In the United States this year, NBC decides what American viewers get to see, and when you get to see it.
Q:	I need the names of six of the Olympic team members that are from N.Y., the Rochester, Syracuse or Buffalo areas.
A:	Swimmer Kim Black, who won gold medal on the 4x200 freestyle relay (and is a pre-med student at Georgia applying for a Rhodes Scholarship) is from Syracuse. For the rest of the roster, try the USA TODAY Olympic site: http://www.usatoday.com/olympics/sydney/front.htm.
Q:	I need to know what the new emblem above the Olympic rings stands for. The emblem has a central figure (looks like a person running), three boomerangs, (they make up the arms and legs), and a the flash above the person. I also need to know why they chose the relaxed writing style that makes up "Sydney 2000".
A:	Some Olympic symbols, like the rings, are the same forever. But each Games host city is allowed to design their own logo that sets their Games aside. It's supposed to be something that reflects the feeling of the competition, but also says something culturally about that country. If you remember, in Los Angeles in 1984, the logo was called Running Stars – and it incorporated the speed of an athlete with a stars and stripes theme. I've never been very artistic, so sometimes the finer points are lost on me. But the Sydney logo is clever – the boomerang also could be a runner carrying a torch, and the smoke from the torch is in a shape that makes you think of the outline of the Sydney Opera House, which is the city's most recognizable landmark.
Q:	I am a French teacher in a high school. Can you please provide me with information about the French athletes who are in Australia now, such as: what types of sports they play; a list of the most popular athletes there; a Web address where they can be reached; or anything else that can be of interest to young people?
A:	About the French athletes....France sent a big contingent, and probably has athletes entered in 15-20 sports. The best way to get specific information about their team is to contact the French National Olympic Committee. I'm sorry I don't have a web address, but I'm sure they have a site, if you do a search. I'm covering swimming, and the French have not won a medal through the first three days. They do have a butterfly star, Franck Esposito, who will swim the 200 fly finals tonight and could medal. He's their biggest swimming star. They have two women track stars. One is Marie Jo Perec, who won gold in the 200 and 400 meters in Atlanta, and will be in one of the most closely watched races here, the 400, because she's taking on Aussie hero, Cathy Freeman, who is goood, and Australia's first real famous Aborigine athlete. Another is heptathlete Eunice Barber. She won the world championships in Seville, Spain last summer, and earned the nickname, The Barber of Seville.
Q:	Is reporting on the Olympics an easy job? Do you enjoy it? What is the best part of your job?
A:	Reporting on the Olympics is a fun job, but I wouldn't call it easy. It's funny, the logistics are almost harder than the actual work. Covering the event and writing the stories is something you've done a thousand times before -- just like homework, only a little more fun. But you are in a strange place, and there are thousands of other people there speaking about 20 different languages and all trying to go to the same place at the same time. Security at the Olympics is very tight (it has been since the Israeli athletes were killed in '72 and even more so since the Atlanta bombing) so there are a lot of metal detectors and fences and natural bottlenecks that slow you down. Sometimes tempers get short. Plus, there is an area at every stadium where the athletes come through after their races. Reporters are allowed to stand there, but it's very small and there is a lot of pushing and shoving. Last night a German cameraman tried to climb over my shoulders (after the Australians beat the U.S. in the men's 4x100 freestyle swimming relay), to take the spot I where was standing. I pushed him off, and almost knocked him over. We weren't mad, it was just a different kind of Olympic competition. The best part of my job is witnessing history -- getting to tell the world about it -- and meeting really interesting people from all over the world. You can study geography and look at maps, but you never really understand the world until you go out and see it. It's fun to see how different people really are.
Q:	I am teaching my ninth grade classes about the Olympics and would like to spotlight all athletes who hail from Massachusetts. Do you have that information? Also, any current event "scoops" as the Games progress would be very much appreciated. We are doing a current event every day!
A:	Athletes from Mass.? That's a toughie, but the info is out there. There are about 12,000 athletes here, more than 600 from the United States. I am covering swimming now – and am actually watching a race while I write this. In swimming, Samantha Arsenault, who will swim the 4x200 freestyle relay is from Peabody, Mass. My newspaper (USA TODAY) ran bios of every U.S. athlete with their hometown last Friday. If you can find it, it should have everything you need. Or you might try calling the U.S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colo. 719-578-4500. They might be a little stressed, since most of their staff is over here, but they might have that info on-line somewhere.
Q:	I have a friend in the Olympics and I was wondering if there was a way of sending him email or a letter! Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
A:	Contacting anyone here – unless you have their e-mail or cell phone number – is pretty tough. I'd hate to guess how many extra folks are in town, but there are about 12,000 athletes, and at least as many technicians, officials, and media — plus an army of volunteers. You don't say if your friend is an athlete or not. But if he/she is, you might try calling information in Colorado Springs and asking for the Sports Federation. But that's a long shot. Folks who are competing are not taking many messages until the Games end.
Q:	I would like to know how the people in charge of the Olympics decide where the Olympics will be held next.
A:	I don't know if you followed the great International Olympic Committee scandal of the past year or so, but that was as a result of how they choose Olympic sites. The IOC (International Olympic Committee) governs the Games and decides where they will be held -- usually about seven years in advance in order to give cities a chance to prepare. Australia found out in 1993 it was hosting these Games. The next Summer Games will be in Athens, Greece. In the past, there has been an ever-increasing bidding process -- a lot like lobbying in our Congress. The scandal centered around the U.S. bid for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games (which it won). Salt Lake organizers had lost out twice before and noted the gift-giving, etc that went on between bidding cities (via organizing committees), and spent more than $1 million in very lavish gifts -- crystal, Browning rifles, lavish ski vacations, even some medical care, elective surgery, cash, college scholarships, jobs -- for IOC members and their families. The real question was whether these gifts were just to curry favor, or if there were actual money-for-votes deals. Ten IOC members were expelled or resigned, there have been four indictments in Salt Lake, and the IOC has been forced to re-structure and limit travel to bidding cities by its members. Currently there is bidding going on for the 2008 Games. The field has been narrowed, to less than 10 cities, and Beijing, Paris and Toronto are probably the front runners.
Q:	Can you tell me about the swimmer from Scotch Plains, N.J.? (Sorry I don't have more of a description of him but that's what I'm looking for. Thanks.)
A:	The first thing to know about U.S. Olympic athletes and their hometowns is that everybody claims 'em. If they were born there, if they train there, sometimes I think if they just passed through and had a cup of coffee. This swimmer, Scott Goldblatt, is a 200-meter freestyle swimmer. He will swim the individual 200 free, which is a very hard event, for two reasons. One, it's short enough that it's almost an all-out sprint, but long enough that if you sprint as hard as you can, you'll go into oxygen debt and tie up. So a swimmer must start fast, but hold back enough to be able to finish strong. It's a fine line, sometimes. The second reason it is tough is because of an Australian swimmer named Ian Thorpe. Ian is 17, with size 17 feet (almost like wearing flippers), and very, very good. He's the world record holder, and a strong favorite. The other event is the 4x200 freestyle relay. The fastest four swimmers from each team each swim 200 meters. And the next one cannot take off until the one before him finishes. Scott is 21, and he has trained with two college teams, Cal-Berkeley, and the University of Texas. Texas has a very famous coach Eddie Reese, who specializes in training sprinters.
Q:	My class at Diamond Ranch High School is learning about the Olympic traditions and athletes. I am curious to know which event at the Opening Ceremonies is most exciting to you and why this event is special to you?
A:	The Opening Ceremonies have something for everyone. Each one is different and features shows that tell you something about that country. For instance, in Nagano, Japan, they had a sumo wrestling demonstration. In Los Angeles, they did show tunes. Lots of people like the parade of athletes. It's fun to watch each country and see the different outfits and styles. Some countries have only a few people marching. Others, like the United States and Australia, will have hundreds. Each country's athletes vote to elect a member to carry the flag. It's a big secret, the U.S. flagbearer won't be announced until the night before the Ceremonies. My favorite part is the lighting of the torch. It's always dramatic, and lately the countries have tried to outdo each other with novel ways of igniting it. In Lillehammer, Norway, a ski jumper carried a torch to the end of the ski jump and lit it from the air. In Barcelona, Spain, an archer shot a flaming arrow. And in Atlanta four years ago, of course, there was the relay and the surprise appearance of Muhammad Ali. Nobody knows yet with the Aussies will do — maybe a boomerang?
Q:	What three nations have competed in every (modern) Olympic Games?
A:	This has me stumped. Those are the kinds of questions I go to reference books for. My guess would be England, France and Switzerland, but that's only a guess. I'll see if I can run it down.
Q:	I teach music to 6th and 7th graders. I am planning on using the Olympic theme for next week's lessons. Can you find anything out about their music programs, symphonies, or famous rock?
A:	There is a ton of cultural stuff going on – here's a partial rundown. Most of it is put together by the Olympic Arts Festival, and co-produced by other sponsors or groups. There is a world premiere of a piece done with the Royal Festival Hall of London, a dance/theater production about perfection and pretence, and how society measures individuals. There is also a visual lights/music/images show projected onto the Sydney Opera House called "The Energy of Australia." The show is supposed to depict nature's four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Opera Australia is doing a production called "Capriccio." To list a few more things, there is a performance of "The Marriage of Figaro"; a contemporary Japanese animation show; several aborigine art displays; a performance of "Don Giovanni"; a film presentation and film, called "Antarctica", narrated by Sir Edmund Hilary, with footage of early expeditions; and a portrait display by a famous Aussie artist, Melissa McCord, called "Hands that Rock my Country" – it's photos of women who live and work in the Outback. I don't have the low-down on the Opening Ceremonies – those are handled by our Life department, and I'm afraid as a sports type, I don't pay much attention. I have heard that Olivia Newton-John is performing. I'll see what else I can find out.
Q:	How did you first get interested in Sports journalism?
A:	I always loved sports. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where the Ohio State Buckeyes played, and always watched their football and basketball teams. I never planned to become a sports writer – I wanted to go to Europe and be a foreign correspondent. But things don't always turn out the way you plan, and as it turned out, I found a job that I like very much.
Q:	What excites you the most about the Olympics in Sydney?
A:	The Olympics are exciting wherever they are, because they are so unpredictable. There are thousands of athletes from all over the world competing in so many different sports, and you never know which sport or country is going to produce the big hero, or the big upset. It might be the Russian basketball team, or a marathon runner from Kenya, or an American gymnast. It also gives us all a chance to see how people from other countries live and compete, and helps us to learn about sports we might not know much about, like the triathlon, which is very popular in Australia, or field hockey, which is popular in Pakistan and India, or taekwondo, which is very big in Korea.