Mixed Zone Mania

I've become very familiar with the media mixed zone at the Whistler Creekside alpine skiing venue. The mixed zone is the area reserved for the written press, which the athletes walk through after competition. It's part post-game press conference, part locker room interview. Print journalists get the athletes only after the Olympians have passed through multiple broadcast booths. By then the athletes are burnt out on answering the same questions and the reporters are antsy to file their stories by deadline. I'm in this area to assist the alpine press officer, which often involves standing amongst the journalists and recording their interviews so as to post some quotes online as quickly as possible for reporters unable to make it to the event. If the athlete is big enough, he or she will be completely surrounded by about 30 reporters. For those out of sight and earshot, they create a satellite huddle around speakers playing the informal press conference. Its crazy the lengths sports writers will go to get the quotes they need.

Click HERE for the quotes I posted from the women's alpine super combined event.

Canadian Observation of the Day: "Oh, Canada" is one of the better national anthems out there.

Medal Count: United States 17, Germany 11, Norway 8