Olympic Nick

So Long, Farewell

2012-01-24T17:05:00.005-06:00

Auf Wiedersehen, Innsbruck. My third Olympic Games might have been my most productive. After many trips to the mountains and many interviews conducted through interpreter or broken English, I have some stories to show for it. I learned a ton about writing and reporting while working with some awesome mentors and senior reporters. Never will I get to work with such great sportswriters and editors in a situation where it's expected for them to show me everything they know.

I had a great time hanging out with the other young reporters. Never will I get the chance to spend two weeks eating, drinking and working with 14 other people from different countries. The experience of talking with others about their native culture, food and politics is the next best kind of cultural exchange after visiting those countries themselves. I've gained a tour guide should I visit Barbados, Vancouver, the Canadian Arctic, Montevideo, Tel Aviv, Vienna, China, Singapore, Australia, Dakar, Senegal, Delhi, Riga and Ukraine.

Click HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE for four more of my stories.

Click HERE for more photos of my Austrian adventure.

German translation of the day: beer = bier

A Winter Sports Wonderland

2012-01-21T05:01:00.002-06:00

Click HERE to read my first event review of the Games.

German translation of the day: achtung = caution

The Final Stretch

2012-01-19T16:57:00.002-06:00

The past two days were spent away from the mountains. I was able to watch speed skating, some hockey and engage in the Culture and Education Program that is unique to the Youth Olympics. Friday, I return to Patscherkofel to cover alpine skiing. It will be my first time writing a standard event review since arriving in Innsbruck. I'm excited for the challenge.

There's only three more days left in this crazy trip. There's still about five sports across three venues I've yet to see. Once I return to the States, there will be 185 days until the Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Click HERE to read my latest story, which I'm surprised hasn't caused more of a stir.

Click HERE to see more photos of my Austrian adventure.

German translation of the day: guten tag = good day, hello

Patscherkofel, Khutai and Seefeld

2012-01-17T18:03:00.004-06:00

Those are names of the three mountain venues for winter sports around Innsbruck. After six straight days working assignments at these venues, Wednesday will bring a welcome change of pace. I will get to stay inside Innsbruck city limits. Somehow, I've been dubbed the mountain man of the Young Reporters. I've covered primarily the outdoor sports: ski/snowboard halfpipe, luge, alpine skiing, and ski jumping. Two days ago was probably the coldest I've ever been in my life. The weather in the mountains was -10 celcius, or 14 degrees Fahrenheit, not counting wind chill. Not fun conditions for standing around outside all day.

I've been able to catch bits of hockey, curling and for the first time Tuesday - figure skating. With only five days left of competition, I hope to catch the remaining winter sports I haven't seen live: speed skating, biathlon, bobsled and skeleton.

I've interviewed lots of people and written some cool stories, but THIS one might be my favorite of the trip.

Click HERE for more photos of my Austrian adventure.

German translation of the day: auf wiedersehen = goodbye

Opening Ceremony

2012-01-15T11:02:00.002-06:00

I took these quotes from athletes at the Opening Ceremony for the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, but they never got used.

So here they are. Try to imagine the accents when you read them.

James Lelliot (Great Britain), bobsled, 18

“It’s absolutely amazing. I can’t believe how many people have turned up for it. It’s an honor. It’s going to be absolutely amazing. I think for anyone who hasn’t realized how big this thing is, they’ll realize after this.”

Linus Birkendahl (Germany) snowboard slopestyle, 16

“Super stoked to be here, it’s awesome. The crowd, all the people, it’s just an awesome feeling. I’ve never been to anything like this. There’s 70 countries here. It’s so good.”

David Panyik (Hungary) biathlon, 16

“Really exciting. The show was beautiful. Amazing performance, everything. Nations come together and celebrate together this event. So I think it’s amazing.”

Anne Michiels (Belgium) speed skating, 15

“It’s amazing. It’s just a big experience to be here and I like it very much. It’s so nice you can meet other people. It’s beautiful.”

Georgi Mihaylov (Bulgaria) snowboard slopestyle, 16

“It’s amazing, the atmosphere and everything is perfect. The whole country’s coming. We exchange some pins. It was cool. The feeling is good.”

Click HERE to read my latest story.

Click HERE to see photos of the Opening Ceremony and more.

From Austria, With Love

2012-01-13T08:23:00.003-06:00

I've been here four days now and I've just now found time to talk. In 30 minutes, I will board the media shuttle to the Opening Ceremonies. It's located at Innsbruck's iconic ski jumping venue, so stay tuned for those photos. My first couple days have been filled with training, interviewing and writing. I've filed three stories so far. Click HERE to read the first published article.

It's not too cold in the city. Even in the mountains, it's only freezing when the sun isn't shining. My hotel is very nice and the area surrounding it is filled with restaurants. I've already had pretzels, schnitzel, gulash and my share of beers - all Austrian/German delicacies. It's been great to meet the other "young reporters" and "mentors" again.

My first two assignments have been to report on training for ski halfpipe and luge, both outside and in the mountains. I think most of my days will be spent in the great outdoors, rather than inside watching hockey or curling. I've never seen halfpipe in person and it looks totally different than what I've seen on TV. Since training hasn't started, my job is talk to athletes and come up with a story. So far I've written about the different halfpipe tricks and interviewed a US bobsledder and US luge athlete.

Click HERE to see photos of my first few days.

German Translation of the Day: thanks = danke

Austria Bound

2012-01-07T17:15:00.003-06:00

On Monday, I leave for Innsbruck, Austria, site of the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games. I attended the first Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore in August 2010 as part of the International Olympic Committee's Young Reporters program. Well, I've been invited back and I couldn't be more excited. I'll try to post and Tweet as often as possible.

Here's what I think I know about Innsbruck, Austria and the 2012 Youth Olympics:

The main language of Austria is German.
Arnold Schwarzenegger lived in Austria until he was 21.
Austrian beer and schnitzel is supposed to be as good as any in Germany.
Innsbruck is a world-class ski town of 150,000.
Innsbruck is much closer to Munich, Germany than Vienna, Austria.
The forecast calls for light snow and highs in the mid-30s.
Innsbruck has hosted two Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976.
Three sports will make their Olympic debut - snowboard slopestyle, ski halfpipe, women's ski jumping.
Team USA features a pair of twin curling athletes, a brother-sister ice dancing duo and two athletes with Olympian fathers.

A very busy 12 months

2011-10-31T22:04:00.004-05:00

It's been a year since I've last updated this blog and I'm happy to report that I am still very much a part of the U.S. and international Olympic movements. A few months ago, I was invited to return as an Young Reporter at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. I look forward to attending my third Games in as many years. I plan to work a fourth Games - the London 2012 Olympics - for USA Canoe/Kayak. The team has qualified four Olympic slots already and hope to earn more.

I remain a grad student at TCU and have been working towards my Master's degree in public relations. I became the first intern at Streams and Valleys, a nonprofit devoted to promoting the Trinity River in Fort Worth. When I'm not Tweeting for the organization, I'm on the river interacting with all its different user groups. I'm currently volunteering with TCU Athletics Media Relations, working in the press box at Horned Frog football games. I've also volunteered with the 2011 Crowne Plaza Invitational golf tournament, the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament Southwest Regional, and the 2010 Valero Alamo Bowl. Phew.

Until Austria...

Click HERE for my latest USA Canoe/Kayak press release.
Click HERE for one of my Streams and Valleys blog posts.

Still Paddling Along

2010-10-28T23:00:00.003-05:00

This post is two months late but I went to a meeting of the Fort Worth chapter of the Social Media Club and I decided to get back on the blogging horse. My last days in Singapore were spent hanging out with my fellow Young Reporters, attending the Youth Olympic Games Closing Ceremony and walking around Little India with my Austrian friend, Gernot. Immediately upon returning, I dove into grad school at TCU and am just now beginning to catch my breath. The semester is going well. I'm learning a lot and seeing a new city. I've stopped working for USA Fencing, but I'm still the press officer for USA Canoe/Kayak. I've returned to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs one weekend for the Olympic Public Relations Assembly. The London 2012 Olympic Games are just around the corner and I hope to be there.

Click HERE for my latest Canoe/Kayak press release.

Click HERE for my photos of Little India and the Skypark in Singapore.

A Foreigner on the MRT

2010-08-23T11:10:00.002-05:00

After watching some Youth Olympic basketball, I decided to go on an adventure. Instead of taking the totally convenient and comfortable Youth Games-provided transportation, I traveled back to my dorm room via Singapore’s subway system, the MRT. The Youth Olympic Village is located on the campus of Nanyang Technological University, on the city’s far west side. I was on Singapore’s version of the Millennium Mile, Orchard Road, in the heart of the city.

I found out that the trip would span one subway transfer and one bus exchange. Singapore has a reputation for being extremely safe and having law-abiding citizens. I probably wouldn’t have tried this in Rio de Janeiro. Here are some scattershot observations from my adventure:

-The MRT is very clean and spacious, compared to the other subway systems I’ve experienced (London, NYC, Chicago, DC).
-The MRT has five lines, or routes. The maps are easy to read.
-It was around 8:45pm Monday and their were a lot of business men in my train.
-I was probably the only non-local, a sharp contrast to touristy Orchard Road.
-A more diverse crowd enters at the Outram Park stop. Subways seem to attract two crowds: 1) the working class and 2) the young & fashionable.
-All stops had either a British or Asian ring to it. Queenstown or Tion Bahru were separated by one stop. Further down was the Spanish-sounding Buona Vista. Where am I?
-Everyone in Singapore has a smart phone. iPads can be bought in corner stores. I’m 13 hours ahead of Central Standard Time, but it feels more like I’m 13 months in the future.
-The only other Caucasian around me is carrying a man purse and wearing women’s shoes. He must be European.
-A local is wearing an Allen Iverson backpack. That’s a strange sight in any country.
-Things forbidden on the MRT- 1) No smoking: $1000 fine. 2) No Flammable Liquid/Gas: $5000. 3) No Eating or Drinking: $500. It occurs to me that I’ve been drinking water the past 20 minutes.
-The subway heads above ground midway through the trip. I’m surrounded by high rise apartment complexes. Singapore is a very urban city.
-I get off the MRT and head for the bus exchange, which turns out to be in the middle of a huge mall.
-The mall is packed at 9:45pm. Singaporeans love to shop.
-Now on the bus. I don’t really know where I’m supposed to get off, or “alight,” as they say in Singapore.
-I’m heading down Pioneer Road, a major thoroughfare. There’s a decent-sized soccer stadium on my left. It’s home to the Goomback United Football Club.
-Singapore flags are on every building. The young city-state just celebrated 45 years since it’s independence.
-There are warning signs all over this bus. Mind your step. Mind your head. Please move to the rear. No assault on bus captain (no joke).

I made it. I now understand the commute made by the countless purple-shirt-wearing volunteers that work in the Youth Olympic Village. I feel like a true Singaporean. I’ve lived here for two weeks now and tonight, it feels like home. Estimate time of trip: 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cost: free with Olympic transport card.

Click HERE to see a video I helped create. Click HERE to see some photos of the Young Reporters, including myself.

Singapore Subway

2010-08-23T11:01:00.001-05:00

Sport Media Summer Camp

2010-08-21T10:45:00.004-05:00

This time two weeks ago, I was preparing myself for the 24-hour flight to Singapore and the trip of a lifetime. A week from today, I will be readjusting to the Central Time Zone and preparing to begin my graduate studies at TCU. It's been an amazing experience so far, with too many interesting encounters to mention in this blog. I'm learning so much and meeting people from around the world. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and learning about myself.

As an "Young Reporter" I have spent two days working as a print reporter and two days as a photo-journalist. Tomorrow is day two of my time in broadcast media. I can't imagine a better crash course in sport reporting. The 28 of us young reporters are learning from six of the best minds in sport media in the world. I will be excited to return home, where the humidity is less intense and the food is more familiar. But until then, I am going to take advantage of this unique opportunity and make the most of every day.

Singapore tidbit: Singaporeans are crazy about soccer, specifically the English Premier League, more specifically the team Manchester United.

Click HERE to view my photo album from the Opening Ceremony. Click HERE to read my fencing article from Singapore.

Singapore Singers

2010-08-21T10:25:00.002-05:00

A Kaleidoscope of Sport

2010-08-15T04:10:00.003-05:00

Last night's Opening Ceremony for the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore was fantastic. No offense to my Canadian friends, but Singapore 2010 blew Vancouver 2010 out of the water, while floating on top of the water. The stage was literally floating in Marina Bay, with all of Singapore's most iconic landmarks forming the backdrop. From left to right: the Singapore Flier (think London Eye), Double Helix Bridge (made to look like DNA), Marina Bay Sands (think over-the-top Las Vegas casino), Marina Bay itself and countless skycrapers. It was impossible for the show not to be visually impressive.

To make matters more outrageous, fireworks were used liberally, punctuating the end of each segment, whether a dance sequence or traditional Olympic speech. Us young reporters happened to be seated next to one of many small stages in the crowd. Alternating on this stage were drummers, dragon dancers, and even pole dancers. The dance sequences were equally ridiculous and amazing. Well done, Singapore. Let the Games begin.

Singapore tidbit: Although English is the official language for business in Singapore, nearly every Singaporean speaks another language (often Chinese or Malay) at home.

Click HERE to view my Q&A with four-time Olympic ice hockey medalist Angela Ruggiero, who's in Singapore, serving as an Athlete Role Model for the Youth Olympians.

San Antonio to Singapore

2010-08-12T01:29:00.002-05:00

This is both the farthest East and South I have ever been. Until two days ago, I had never ventured past Western Europe. I have definitely never been this close to the Equator. Singapore's tropical climate results in beautiful green forests, but also sweltering humidity. Aside from feeling like I'm walking through thick, wet air at all times, I love this city-state. The flora is unlike anything I've seen before. The closest would probably be Vancouver, which has almost as much rain. It rains here every day around 6pm.

I am staying in the athletes village, which was converted from the National Institute of Education, a sprawling college on the western edge of town. I have to take a shuttle between my dorm room and the dining hall. It's not as close to downtown Singapore as I expected or hoped. It only makes me more excited to begin real work Friday morning at the Main Press Centre in downtown. Today, I'm planning to meet up with my former U.S. Olympic Committee boss, Lisa Ramsperger, who arrived yesterday. I met up with former fellow USOC intern, Ian Jaray, already today. It's great to see familiar faces.

Singapore tidbit: The currency is the Singapore dollar. A $25 t-shirt in Singapore will cost about $18 US dollars.

Click HERE to read my feature on fencers Tim Morehouse and Ben Igoe from Summer Nationals in Atlanta.

jetlagged and sweaty

2010-08-10T10:15:00.003-05:00

singapore is great (and humid) but was too out of it to enjoy my first day. i look forward to hitting the ground running tomorrow. better blog posts to come.

A Whole New Ballgame

2010-07-31T00:01:00.002-05:00

I know what you're thinking, "WAC." But you're wrong, TCU is in the underrated Mountain West Conference with the likes of BYU and soon-to-be Boise State. This stadium will be my new home field. A month from now, I'll be living in Fort Worth disguised as a Horned Frog. Don't worry, underneath all the purple paraphernalia, I'll still bleed orange. You can take the Horn out of Austin, but you can't make him root whole-heartedly for another school.

All jokes aside, I'm really looking forward to spending the next two years in "Cow Town." I've heard only good things about the school, campus and downtown area. I'm excited to explore the city. I have very little experience with Fort Worth, so I'll be starting from scratch. I can't wait to see Billy Bob's honky-tonk, try out Cousin's BBQ, drink at the original Flying Saucer pub, and peruse the city's many museums. My apartment is located on the banks of the Trinity River, near Trinity Trail and not far from the famed Fort Worth Zoo and scenic Botanic Garden.

A week from Sunday, I embark on a 24-hour flight to Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games. I've got a lot of packing to do.

Singapore tidbit: Singapore is the world's fourth leading financial center and the primary language is English.

Hello Hotlanta

2010-07-21T00:00:00.004-05:00

Nine days. 6,500 fencers. 100 events. I saw more fencing at the USA Fencing Summer National Championships in Atlanta than I will probably ever see for the rest of my life combined. It was a great experience. I was able to see a new city, hang out with some old friends and yeah, watch a lot of fencing. The beeping of the electronic scoreboards still rings in my ears. I was able to leave the competition venue to visit the CNN headquarters (see Sanjay Gupta above), taste Coke products from around the globe at the World of Coca-Cola and experience Atlanta nightlife with a fellow Central Catholic alum.

Since returning from Atlanta, I spent one productive day in Fort Worth, where I walked around my future campus (TCU), met one of my future professors (Advertising and PR) and signed the lease on my future residence (an efficiency!). The day has got me excited to start a new chapter of my life in Cow Town. Last weekend, I was in Pittsburgh, spending time with my girlfriend and very large and very Italian family. We went to the small town of Crabtree, PA to watch fireworks and gamble by night and to witness dynamite explode and process with the statue of Mary by day. I'll explain later.

I leave for the Youth Olympic Games in less than three weeks. Until then, I have to pack for both Singapore and Fort Worth. I probably ought to do some research on the Southeast Asian country I'm about to live in for three weeks.

Singapore tidbit: Singapore is a city-state (it's own country) with a population of 5 million.

Olympic Nick is Back!

2010-07-02T00:59:00.003-05:00

Since I last left you, I've been at home with my parents in San Antonio, alternating between job searching and soul searching. My sister got married and the U.S. made a run at the FIFA World Cup. I've volunteered as a media relations assistant for the 2010 NCAA Women's Final Four at the Alamodome and I've worked for the U.S. Census Bureua as a crew leader, supervising 20 interesting characters. Both were great experiences that did more than just fill my time.

But things started to change about three weeks ago. I received an email from my old boss at the U.S. Olympic Committee. He wanted to know if I was interested in 1) going to the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and 2) working remotely for USA Canoe/Kayak about ten hours a week. I immediately accepted both offers. In Singapore in August, I will be the lone USA representative in the Young Reporters Program organized by the International Olympic Committee. I'm now working with USA Canoe/Kayak, but also US Fencing. Turns out both sports' national governing bodies needed help and they needed it immediately. I was promptly shipped to Brooklyn, where I covered the NYC Fencing World Cup. On Monday, I head to Atlanta for the Fencing Summer National Championships. The canoe/kayak gig could potentially last through the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Things have been happening very fast. In the meantime, I'm planning to enroll in the Master's of Advertising & Public Relations program at TCU in the fall. One thing is for sure, I'm bringing back the blog, Olympic Nick is back!

And I Would Walk 500 Kilometers...

2010-03-12T14:03:00.002-06:00

Actually, I walked 219 kilometers in Canada. The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee gave all press members these pedometers and I wore mine everyday. 219 kilometers amounts to 136 miles. To give you some perspective:

The distance between Vancouver and Seattle is 141 miles.
The distance between San Antonio and the Mexican border is 145 miles.
136 miles amounts to more than 5 marathons.

The real reason for this final Olympic Nick blog post is to show off my comprehensive online photo album from my adventures in British Columbia. Included in the album are shots from opening and closing ceremonies, alpine skiing, curling, hockey, and the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Check it out!

Goodbye Canada, Hello Unemployment

2010-03-05T12:37:00.004-06:00

I'm home. My last few days in British Columbia were spent in Vancouver. Among the activities were watching the U.S. lose to Canada in the gold medal hockey final, watching about a hundred thousand Canadians celebrating like madmen, watching Neil Young and other acts perform at the closing ceremonies, celebrating the end of the Games with co-workers, visiting the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge and honoring Vanessa's birthday with friends. It was a fun two and a half days and a great way to cap off my time in Canada.

The photo above is from the suspension bridge, which is just the largest of a labyrinth of bridges amongst the trees in Northern Vancouver. Locals probably consider it a tourist trap, but I had never seen trees like this before and the photo opportunities along were worth the steep price of admission. The Olympic Games were an amazing conclusion to an awesome nine-month stint with the U.S. Olympic Committee. As a way to close down this blog, I will post an extensive photo album in the coming days. Thanks for reading and see you in London 2012.

Canadian Observation of the Day: Canadian hockey fans talk trash but are otherwise completely harmless

Final Medal Count: USA 37, Germany 30, Canada 26

An Experience Worth Its Weight in Gold

2010-02-27T20:33:00.004-06:00

Steven Holcomb and his "Night Train" crew won the 4-man bobsled competition, giving the U.S. it's 36th medal. This ties the all-time mark set by Germany in 2002. Tomorrow, the U.S. is assured a 37th and record-breaking medal in the men's ice hockey final versus Canada. Win or lose in that game, these Olympic Games have been hugely successful for the Americans. The Canadians have hosted a great party. The bronze medal pictured above belongs to Elana Meyers of the third place women's bobsled team.

Tomorrow, I leave for Vancouver where I will spend the next two nights before returning to Texas. Not sure if I'll be able to catch the Closing Ceremonies or where I will be for the gold medal hockey match but I do know that I'm just about ready to head home. It will be nice to spend some more time in Vancouver and hang out with the USOC crew down there. Go USA!

Click HERE for my flash quotes from today's men's alpine slalom event.

Canadian Observation of the Month: The Olympic Games will be considered a bust for many Canadians if their men's hockey team falls to the U.S. in tomorrow's final.

Medal Count: USA 36, Germany 29, Canada 25

Winter Winding Down

2010-02-26T19:22:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is the last full day of competition for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Today was the second to last day for me to stand outside in the freezing cold at the alpine skiing venue. Aside from these blogs, I haven't had too much time to reflect on my month in Whistler. I fall asleep almost immediately upon hitting the pillow. My best times for meditation have been on the ski lift rides to and from the alpine venue. On the way up, I get to see ten thousand flag-waving Olympic fans gearing up to cheer for their country. On the way down, I overlook Whistler Creekside and the forest that surrounds it. Every day brings new experiences and memories. Yesterday, I was able to visit the USA House in Whistler. This was my first time at the House on the evening after an American won a medal. I got to see the athletes and their friends and family enjoy the moment together. With their own medals hanging from their neck, the athletes present a special medal to their coaches, thanking them for all their hard work. It's a pretty cool sight to see and yes I was able to touch the medal.

Click HERE for the flash quotes from the women's alpine slalom event today.

Canadian Observation of the Day: Seems like half of the staff and volunteers with the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee are American.

Medal Count: USA 32, Germany 27, Norway 20

Bringing Home the Hardware

2010-02-25T19:04:00.004-06:00

With the women's hockey team winning the silver medal, the U.S. now tops the medal count with 31 podium finishes. Three more medals will tie the all-time best finish by the Americans at a Winter Games, set in Salt Lake City in 2002. With over two full days left of competition, Team USA has already set the record for most medals earned at a Winter Games outside of the U.S. The U.S. Nordic combined skiing team arrived in Canada having never won an Olympic medal. Today, Billy Demong and Johnny Spillane finished first and second, bring the team's medal haul to four at these Games. At the Whistler USOC Media Services Office, we've been adding the names of each medal winner to the wall on either side of the entrance. It's a simple yet impressive display that might come off as showboating. I'm not sure even we anticipating this kind of performance.

Canadian Observation of the Day: The only thing they Canadians love more than hockey is talking about how humble and polite they are.

Medal Count: USA 31, Germany 26, Norway 19

The Cultural Olympiad

2010-02-24T20:43:00.002-06:00

After sport, the Olympic Games is a celebration of music and art. Music and sport are both universally loved and great ways to bring people together. Everyday, four free concerts are within a quick walk from my office. I've been unable to see a few of the shows I had circled on my calendar, such as jewish rapper Matisyahu and costumed deejay Deadmau5. But recently I've made up for it by catching Damian Marley (son of Bob) and Canadian indie rock group Stars. The Games are nearing their end and Whistler goes out with a bang with hip-hop artists on three straight nights: the Roots, Knaan and Usher. Oh yeah, there are some sport competitions going on as well.

Click HERE for my flash quotes from the first run of the women's alpine giant slalom event.

Canadian Observation of the Day: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, affectionately known as Mounties, are everywhere, although not all of them wear the official red jacket, tan Stetson and boots.

Medal Count: USA 28, Germany 24, Norway 18.

Venturing Into Vancouver

2010-02-23T19:35:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was my first entire day off so naturally I went to Vancouver to see experience the Olympic Games away from the mountains and in the big city. After freezing at the alpine venue the past week, I welcomed the opportunity to thaw out at some indoor sports. First off was U.S. women's hockey semifinal match against Sweden. Team USA won and go on to play Canada in the gold medal match on Thursday. Then I saw the U.S. men's curling match against China. Curling has been one of the few areas where the Americans have underperformed and yesterday resulted in another loss. Nevertheless, it was very cool to see the sport in person for the first time and to hang out with former USOC intern Maura.

In between the two competitions, I was able to walk around Vancouver, which is much more urban and diverse than I expected. It seemed like a less intense version of London or New York. It was every bit as visually stunning and hip as I expected with lots of interesting bars, restaurants and artwork. Tons of people were out on the streets, soaking in the Olympic spirit. I stopped by the USA House, where I ate a gourmet lunch and met up with former USOC intern Vanessa. It was a great day off and it has re-energized me to finish off these Olympic Games strong.

Click HERE for flash quotes from the men's alpine event today.

Canadian Observation of the Day: Tim Horton's is the Canadian Dunkin' Donuts, Blenz is the Canadian Starbucks, they also have plenty of Starbucks.

Medal Count: USA 26, Germany 23, Norway 17

Doing It His Way

2010-02-21T20:46:00.003-06:00

Bode Miller is one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time. He is certainly the best American to strap on a pair of skis. Today, Bode won the gold medal in the super combined competition, completing his set of gold, silver and bronze for the 2010 Games. Add that to his two silver medals from 2002 and he has reached five Olympic podiums. He's now become the biggest story for two Olympic Games. Bode essentially took off the 2006 Games in Torino in a well-documented two weeks of partying and underachieving. This time around, the articles are praising Bode for returning to his old self. But through it all, Bode has maintained that he's never changed. He still gets nervous, he still loathes the media and he can still ski. I've gotten a chance to be in the presence of Bode and I truly believe that he is one of the most impressive and intriguing athletes of this generation.

In other news, the U.S. has just upset Canada in men's hockey, 5-3.

Canadian Observation of the Day: USA-Canada hockey certainly ranks as one of the top rivalries on this continent, up there with USA-Mexico soccer and Yankees-Red Sox baseball.

Click HERE for my transcript of the U.S. men's alpine super combined quotes.

Medals Count: USA 24, Germany 18, Norway 12

Alpine Aficionado

2010-02-20T17:15:00.002-06:00

Today I attended my fourth alpine event. I have seen U.S. skiers win five medals. The U.S. alpine ski team has now won seven medals, the U.S. Ski Team 11, and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association 16. I have been up close and personal with three of the best U.S. skiers ever: Bode Miller, Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso. After a mix of rain, snow and fog that has caused delays, the weather has been perfect. The sun is shining, just not on the print media area, where I'm stationed. The temperature drops considerably in the shade and it can make waiting for athletes to come through seem like an eternity. I suppose it's all in a day's work here in the Whistler. I'll probably never have as much fun working 12 hour days and weekends.

Click HERE for the post-alpine quotes I posted today.

Canadian Observation of the Day: The country has two languages (English and French), which seems like a huge pain in the butt, having to label everything twice.

Medal Count: USA 21, Germany 14, Norway 10.

Mixed Zone Mania

2010-02-18T22:05:00.004-06:00

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

Another Successful Day at the Office

2010-02-17T20:53:00.002-06:00

By 7pm Pacific, the United States has already won four medals on the day: two golds, a silver and bronze. I was working at the women's alpine skiing (downhill) event in which Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso took the gold and silver medals, respectively. Vonn came into the Olympic Games heavily favored in multiple events before a shin injury left her participation in doubt until a few days ago. Mancuso has been happily hiding in Vonn's shadow and surprised many by her performance today. This kind of dominance by one country does not happen very often in alpine skiing. I was a witness to a small part of U.S. Olympic history today. The award-winning day is not over yet, with men's halfpipe snowboarding still to go and the U.S. having four guys capable of reaching the podium. There's a chance I could be venturing outside of my Whistler bubble to Cypress Mountain, the site of the women's snowboard finals tomorrow night.

Click HERE for my post-competition quotes from the women's alpine event.

Canadian Observation of the Day: Thermal underwear are a must if you plan on standing outside for an extended period of time.

Medal Count: USA 12, Germany 9, France 7

The Other Side of the Fence

2010-02-16T19:40:00.002-06:00

Today, I was able to take in some women's luge action. It was the first time I saw a competition and I wasn't working. When I'm working, I'm usually in the press area, which is not necessarily the best viewing spot. Yesterday, I watched men's alpine crammed amongst a hundred journalists. I was more interested in keeping my prime spot so that I could record Bode Miller's soundbites than I was in watching the action. When working at the Whistler Sliding Centre, I am stationed at the finish line, far from any of the hairpin turns that make luge, skeleton and bobsled so exciting and dangerous. Today I was amongst the fans, enjoying the spectacle of it all. Fans are allowed to line the track with about eight feet between themselves and the sliders going over 80 miles an hour. It's amazing to watch gravity hold a slider to the wall as he or she is perpendicular with the ground (pictured above). I'm hoping to see each Whistler venue from both the fan and press perspective.

Click HERE for my personal Twitter with 73 followers and HERE for the USOC Twitter site I help maintain with over 6,800 followers.

Canadian Observation of the Day: Canada's $100 million "Own the Podium" initiative has drawn criticism for being wasteful, unsuccessful and un-Olympic

Medal Count: Germany 9, USA 8, France 7, Canada 5

Catching All the Action

2010-02-15T18:56:00.005-06:00

Two days ago, I got to watch my first Olympic event: men's luge. Today, I watched my first Olympic event finals: men's alpine skiing - downhill. American Bode Miller earned the bronze medal in the event after not finishing in the top ten all year. Yesterday, Johnny Spillane became the first American to win a medal in Nordic combined skiing. These two were the first Americans to win medals from the Whistler venues, which makes for a busy night for me and my co-workers.

Since the opening ceremonies, I've been able to watch parts of three live concerts: Matisyahu, Estelle and Valerie Sajdik. I'm still hoping to see one of the nightly DJ shows at the end of the Whistler ski slope.

Click HERE and HERE for the last two transcripts I've posted.

Canadian observation: beanie (US) = toque (Canadian, pronounced "took")

Medal Count: USA 8, France, Germany and Canada have 4

The Games Must Go On

2010-02-14T14:06:00.002-06:00

Last night I stood around in the rain-snow-rain as the men's singles luge athletes took their first and second runs of the competition. The day before, an Olympic luge slider from the Republic of Georgia died on the same course when his sled careened off the track and he hit a metal poll going 90 miles an hour. The men's starting area was lowered to reduce speeds, padding was placed on certain poles and the competition continued as scheduled. The Olympic world was shaken, but only momentarily I'm afraid. I hope that this tragic death is not forgotten amid the excitement of the Olympic Games.

In the first full day of competition, the United States surged to the front of the medals race with four podium finishes: one gold, one silver and two bronze. Freestyle moguls skier Hannah Kearney stole gold from the grip of Canadian favorite Jenn Heil. Speedskater Apolo Ohno finished second in the 1500m to earn the silver medal, his sixth career Olympic medal, which ties him for first all-time for an American winter sport athlete and the most among U.S. men. Right behind Apolo in the 1500m was J.R. Celski, who returned to the ice after a lengthy recovery from a leg injury.

Click HERE for quotes from the U.S. luge athletes that I posted.

Canadian observation of the day: they have a chain restaurant called White Spot that I imagine is the Canadian equivalent to Chilis

Medal Count: USA 4, Korea 2, nine others tied with 1

One Big Canadian Party

2010-02-13T12:24:00.002-06:00

Last night I attended the Opening Ceremonies for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. We got there just in the nick of time and had great seats on the floor. We got to see performances by Canada's best: Nelly Furtado, Sarah McLaughlin and K.D. Lang. My favorite singers were the one's I had never heard of who sang the Canadian national anthem and the official Olympic anthem, which was more like an opera. I could have done without the fiddles and tapdancing but the Cirque du Soleil-type acrobatics that followed were great. The highlights were watching the U.S. and Canadian teams process around the stadium and meeting up with my Vancouver USOC buddies that I hadn't seen since December: Vanessa, Lisa, Nicole, Maureen, Lindsay, Bob, Peggy. I hope to see them again before I leave Canada.

Click HERE to read my former fellow intern Vanessa's blog.

Canadian observation of the day: parking garages are called "parkades"

Whistler forecast (Celsius): High 3, Low 2, rain

Today It Begins

2010-02-12T11:13:00.002-06:00

The first ski jumpers are catching air as I type. The first event of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games has begun. Tonight is the Opening Ceremonies. I'm waiting to find out if I will be going. Yesterday, I sat in on two U.S. press conferences: biathlon and doubles luge. It's amazing to interact with these athletes. Some of them are larger than life like Bode Miller. Most are very down to earth people that were as excited to receive their free U.S. Olympic apparel as anyone else would be. Except for a select few, winter sport athletes do not make much money. They spent a lot of time marketing themselves so as to get sponsorships. The sponsorships are usually just enough to pay the bills and allow themselves to keep doing what they love for a living. They are very grateful for everything they have and they are all ecstatic to be at the Olympic Games. As am I.

Click HERE and HERE for the press conference transcripts I posted.

Canadian observation of the day: They love the Maple Leaf. With the Olympic Games in town, the leaf is more prevalent than all the Nike swooshes and McDonald's arches combined.

Whistler forecast (Celsius): High 4, Low 1, rain

Nick Olivier, Press Attache

2010-02-11T00:18:00.002-06:00

That bright orange armband transformed me from just another U.S. Olympic Press Officer, to a full blown Press Attache. What does that mean? It means that when I wear that armband, I can open the gate, walk past the throngs of journalists and escort an Olympian through the mixed zone, an area where athletes conduct informal interviews right after competition. I was able to escort alpine skier Bode Miller, perhaps the most famous male U.S. Olympian at this Winter Games. The eccentric two-time silver medalist is notorious for avoiding media. With me by his side, he walked right by reporters yelling his name. As we left the mixed zone, I asked him how the run went. He gave me a straight answer, something he wouldn't do for anyone else at that moment. That's what a press attache is.

Click HERE for my transcript of the men's alpine team press conference.

Canadian observation of the day: Molson Canadian is the number one beer in Canada, followed by Kokanee. Labatt Blue seems to be more popular in America.

Whistler forecast (Celsius): High 4, Low 3, rain

Poutine: Canadian Junk Food

2010-02-10T01:38:00.003-06:00

Today started at 9am and ended at 10pm. After a day like that, I deserved to eat something grossly delicious. Poutine is a Canadian delicacy: fries, cheese curds and gravy. I imagine something this fattening and gluttonous is best eaten after a few beers or the morning after a late night. For me, it didn't live up to my high expectations. There are many ways to eat Poutine. I got the "classic" version. Maybe I'll have to try a different version before writing off one of the pillars of Canadian cuisine.

Including poutine, today was a day of many firsts. I sat in on my first Olympic press conference, this one for the 2010 U.S. Luge Team. Before that, I interacted with my first Olympian since landing in Canada, this one alpine skier Erik Fisher. The highlight of my day might have been trading my first pin. Trading pins is a major Olympic tradition. I traded with a manager at the McDonalds, who was a serious trader and wasn't just giving his away. The trade: one of my USOC pins for one of his McDonalds pins with a Vancouver 2010 mascot on it.

Canadian observation of the day: Canadians have there own sports (hockey and curling) but they also follow many American (football and basketball) and British (soccer) sports

Whistler weather (Celsius): High 3, Low 0, rain

Behind the Scenes

2010-02-09T01:03:00.004-06:00

There are three competition venues in the Whistler area. The Whistler Sliding Centre is home to luge, bobsled and skeleton competitions. Alpine skiing resides at Whistler Creekside. I didn't get to see the Whistler Olympic Park but I will eventually when helping out at the Nordic skiing disciplines: cross country, ski jumping, biathlon and Nordic combined. I was a pre-teen the only time I have skied. I have never been to a competitive skiing venue, much less seen a luge track. This is all new to me. I try to keep my ears and eyes open and soak it all in, hoping that it will start to make sense to me.

Canadian observation of the day: approximate Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion can be done by doubling the temperature and adding 30

Whistler forecast (Celsius): High 6, Low 0, partly cloudy

Whistler: More Than Just Marmots and Moose

2010-02-08T10:09:00.003-06:00

I'm starting get to know Whistler, the ski town at the foot of the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. The town has enough bars and restaurants to accommodate the hordes of winter sport enthusiasts that are about to descend on British Columbia. Along with sports, the Olympic Games feature lots of live music. There are three outdoor stages along the Village Stroll, including one at the Medals Plaza for post-Victory Ceremony concerts and one at Skiers Plaza at the foot of the slopes where DJs will play each night during the Games. Matisyahu and Damian Marley hightlight the lineup for me. I'll be happy to catch any amount of live music as I'm sure anything will sound good when standing among thousands of people from around the globe.

Canadian observation of the day: I've heard very few "ehs" and "aboots"

Whistler forecast (celcius): High 8, Low -1, partly cloudy

Calm Before the Storm

2010-02-07T00:17:00.004-06:00

Today was a day for getting acclimatized. We walked around Whistler Resort and the Whistler Media Centre, becoming familiar with our surroundings. I spent much of the day in the U.S. Media Services Office in the Whistler Media Centre. I will devote many more hours in the room. The Media Centre contains large rooms divided into smaller, temporary offices. We share a wall with some Canadian journalists and another group of guys speaking a language I don't understand. Work is sure to increase with the Opening Ceremonies looming.

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl, the biggest American sports event. Rather than watch it at a noisy bar, we will be watching the game from comfort of our Whistler condominium. Included among the amenities are a 42" flatscreen, small grill for cooking and a balcony looking out at Blackcomb and Whistler mountains (pictured above). I'm hoping for a good game but it would be nice to see the Saints win.

Canadian observation of the day: Hockey and curling are the two biggest sports and there's not a close third.

Whistler forecast (celcius): High 7, Low 0

On the Ground: Whistler

2010-02-06T03:09:00.002-06:00

I'm here. Whistler is pretty amazing, although I've only seen it at night. My condo is really nice, apparently way fancier than most media housing at Olympic Games. Gotta get some sleep as work starts early tomorrow. I think we're going to check out some competition venues to get a lay of the land. That's my credential in the photo. It's supposed to be worth it's weight in gold. I'm hoping to get some USA pins so I can start trading with foreigners.

Canadian observation of the day: restrooms are labeled washrooms

Whistler weather forecast (celsius): high of 8, low of 1, partly cloudy

Next Stop: Vancouver

2010-02-03T16:41:00.003-06:00

That guy in the photo is none other than Bob Harper, one of the two trainers on NBC's The Biggest Loser. Jillian was less willing to take photos with fans. The show came to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to film an episode back in November. That episode will air next Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 7pm CST.

I leave Friday for Vancouver, British Columbia, where I will be serving as a U.S. Olympic Committee Press Officer at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Actually, I will be stationed in Whistler, a ski resort 70 miles north of Vancouver. I will be in Canada for 26 days, from Feb. 5 to March 2. I'm very excited about it although I'm still not quite sure what my job duties will be. And I definitely have no idea what to expect when it comes to the craziness of an Olympic Winter Games.

The Opening Ceremonies are Friday, Feb. 12 and the closing ceremonies are Sunday, Feb. 28. Today's weather in Whistler: High 40, Low 33, scattered snow.

Click HERE for the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team announcement release I helped put out.

Click HERE for the 2009 USOC Awards release I wrote.

Follow me on Twitter @NickOlivier.

Back Home in Texas

2010-01-06T22:14:00.002-06:00

Here's my belated post of the last few weeks in Colorado and the road trip home. Before leaving the Rockies, I made sure to see some ice hockey. First off was the biggest rivalry in the state: Colorado College versus Denver University. Denver came down to the Springs and defeated the home team in World Arena. Next up was a trip to DU's home ice, Magness Arena for another huge rivarly: U.S.A. versus Canada women's hockey. The Canadians dominated the U.S. in what could be a preview to the gold medal match at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

My buddy Anthony booked a one-way flight to Colorado so that he could accompany me on my drive south to Texas. While finishing out my last week at my internship, we spent a few nights in downtown Manitou Springs. What we didn't know was that the small mountain shuts down at 7pm. We toured the few bars still open and met some interesting people. Our drive home went by in a flash except for our highly-anticipated overnight stop in Amarillo. Turns out there isn't much more to do in the Texas panhandle than there is in Manitou Springs. We ended up going to the one tourist attraction in Amarillo, the Big Texan Steakhouse. The gaudy tourist trap left us wishing we had kept driving through the night.

I'm now home in San Antonio preparing for the Olympic Games and getting my life together. My plan for the blog during the Games is to make one short post a night, possibly with a single snapshot of the day, rather than an entire photo album.

Click HERE for photos of our road trip.

Click HERE for Teresa's article on the Southeast Texas swamp thing.

Days until the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games: 36

Texas Comes to Town

2009-11-29T20:58:00.003-06:00

The past two weekends, I've been visited by my buddy Sean and my parents. Sean came up from Austin so that we could both go to the Denver Broncos-San Diego Chargers game at Invesco Field at Mile High. The home team lost but it was still had a lot of fun. We didn't know of anyone tailgating so we bought a six-pack and pre-gamed ourselves, Texas-style, using the unmelted snow as an ice chest.

While on his visit, I showed Sean downtown Colorado Springs, where he met half of the intern class. I took him on a tour of the Olympic Training Center. We stopped by the Air Force Academy to peak inside the Cadet Chapel. We watched the Texas Longhorns advance to 11-0 in a downtown Denver sports bar.

With Sean gone, it was a quick three-day workweek and then Thanksgiving weekend. My parents flew up and we spent the break with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins in Highlands Ranch. It was there that we ate an untraditional Thanksgiving dinner (no turkey) and watched the Horns finish the regular season undefeated at 12-0. I took my parents on a tour of Colorado Springs on Friday, complete with OTC tour, AFA drive-through and lunch in Manitou Springs. Saturday, we walked around Boulder, Colorado.

I have only three more weeks left in my internship. I hope to finish strong and see a few more sights along the way.

Click HERE for photos of Sean's visit.

Click HERE for the latest Olympic Sports Scene.

Days until the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games: 75

Texas, how I've missed you

2009-11-12T20:35:00.007-06:00

Two weekends ago, I visited my old friend, Texas. While there, I took my first Longhorn football game, took in about 30 minutes worth of live music and ate some barbeque. My Horns dominated, the music was mediocre and the sausage poboy was delicious. Of course, it was great to see family and friends, like Sean, Roseanna, Zach and Anthony. It felt good to be back in the Lone Star State, although it went by too quickly.

Since returning, I had the opportunity to dust off the old pinstripe suit and dance. Just about all the interns took the chance to dress up and attend the way-too-early christmas charity function, the YOT (toy backwards) party. One toy and two books granted you admission and free drinks until they ran out, way-too-early. Anything for the kids.

This past weekend I spent working on the set of a hit television show. I can't reveal which one just yet but rest assured that I was able to get a picture with one of the celebrities on the show. Just another day at the Olympic Training Center.

Click HERE for photos of Texas and the YOT party.

Click HERE to see October's USOC Athletes and Team of the Month.

Days until Sean and I are watching the Broncos-Chargers game at Mile High Stadium: 4

Business Casual

2009-11-02T21:40:00.003-06:00

Halloween was a two-day event this year. Friday I was in costume at work, my office was one of a few that actually dressed up. I've never spent a lot of money on a costume and this year was no different. I bought a dreadlocks wig from Walgreens and borrowed another intern's tie-dye shirt. That night I went to a party thrown by one of my co-workers. Outside of four other interns and one other co-workers, I didn't know anyone at the party. It ended up being really fun and I got to know two of my co-workers a little better.

Halloween day was spent watching college football all day at the house I was house-sitting. The house, owned by one of my bosses, is like a ski lodge without the slopes, complete with hot tub and a nature trail for a backyard. The worst part was climbing his snowed under front yard to get to the front door. Anyways, the Texas Longhorns defeated Oklahoma State to remain unbeaten and in the hunt for the national championship game. After the game, some interns and I headed downtown where we met up with the rest of the intern class. I realized on the way down that I had forgotten my costume. I picked up a "Math Tutor" sign off the side of the road and carried it around with me all night. Surprisingly, the costume was a hit.

Click HERE for photos of Halloween and my home for the week.

Click HERE for the latest Olympic Sports Scene.

Click HERE for Teresa's article on a triathlete racing for a cause.

Days until I am sipping Bill Miller's sweet tea in San Antonio: 3

Tap the Rockies

2009-10-27T21:43:00.002-05:00

As part of the third installment of the Sunday Funday excursion series, some interns and I headed out to Golden, Colorado to tour the Coors Brewery. Along the way, we picked my cousin Emily and my friend John and his friend met us at the brewery. The self-guided audio tour took about 25 minutes but the free beer tasting at the end lasted nearly an hour. It was snowing and Golden seemed like a cool little town so we stopped to eat afterwards. None of us expected the snow, which slowed traffic to a crawl on our drive back to Colorado Springs. Coors light is probably my least favorite beer but I did gain an appreciation for Coors Original, or the banquet beer.

To continue the Intern Olympics, we played team handball last week and sitting volleyball today. Four former Olympians taught us handball, putting us through drills before letting us scrimmage so that we really gain an understanding of the game. The game is a mix between basketball, soccer and lacrosse. Then we were taught sitting volleyball, which is a Paralympic sport primarily for athletes with a missing leg. Much like wheelchair basketball, it was pretty difficult but also a lot of fun. Learning unfamiliar sports puts everyone on the same level, allows us to interact with the Olympians and Paralympians we live and work with, and exposes us to the venues and equipment available to us.

Click HERE for photos of the brewery tour.

Click HERE for the latest Olympic Sports Scene.

Click HERE for Teresa's article on bowfishing, which required her to take an airboat through the swamp.

Tomorrow's forecast for Colorado Springs: High 37, Snow

Sunday Sunny Sunday

2009-10-18T22:20:00.002-05:00

Sunday's high in Colorado Springs: 81 degrees. Perfect day for a trip to Garden of the Gods. I had been once before but this time I got to see a different part of the huge public park. The strange rock formations are truly unique. I couldn't believe the warm weather, one week after an icy Saturday with a high of 30. I don't know how many sunny, mild weekends are left so I was glad to take advantage of the opportunity.

This past week I booked two plane tickets. One to Pittsburgh for Christmas and the other to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in February. I'm very excited about both trips. I have never been to Pennsylvania and the trip will also include visits to the small Italian mining town of Crabtree. I'm hoping to eat some good Italian food and maybe enjoy my first ever white Christmas.

The Olympics are more real than ever for me now. I know that I have a bed in a condo in Whistler, within 100 yards of the Whistler Media Centre. Whistler is the ski resort about three hours north of Vancouver. The Olympic sports taking place there are biathlon, various ski disciplines and the sliding sports of bobsled, luge and skeleton. I think I will be doing odd jobs, such as writing releases for the website and working events. The hours will be long but I'm hoping to have a spare hour or two to catch an event. I might be able to attend the opening and closing ceremonies.

The Texas Longhorns are 6-0, having just beat their archrival Oklahoma in rather unimpressive fashion. For any UT fan, there's no such thing as a bad win over the Sooners. The Horns now enter a tough two-game road trip at Missouri and Oklahoma State.

Click HERE for photos of Garden of the Gods.

Click HERE for my latest Team USA Going for the Gold vodcast.

Click HERE for Teresa's front page story on intramural cricket at Lamar University.

Days until my weekend trip to Texas: 18

Wheelchairs and Mountain Bikes

2009-10-11T22:48:00.002-05:00

A few of the interns have organized the inaugural (as far as we know) Intern Olympics. The first event of the four-team tournament was wheelchair basketball. We enlisted the help of Paralympic cyclist and Olympic Training Center resident Joshua George, who was more than willing to coach us. He taught us the fundamentals and rules and then we played some games. My team was by far the least competitive but we ended up winning. Intern Olympic games of water polo and team handball are also in the works.

I rounded up some interns to spend a Saturday mountain biking. We rented the bikes and headed to the Air Force Academy for a trail that was described to us as a "Colorado intermediate." We get to the 13-mile trail and it's a little more intense than we anticipated. Three miles into the trek, my bike experiences some technical difficulties. It was unrideable, which was a bummer because A) my ride was cut short and B) the rental place might make me pay to replace an expensive bike derailer. Luckily, one of the other interns is an avid mountain biker and she was able to fix my bike up just enough to pass inspection when I returned it to the bike shop.

Friday was essentially the first day of winter here in Colorado. It sleeted Friday and flurried Saturday. The icy roads were nearly unnavigable. Today (Sunday) was slightly better. So naturally, I decided to head out to the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame right here in Colorado Springs. It was about as cheesy as I expected although the photo-ops were worth the price of admission.

In sports news, my Texas Longhorn and fantasy football teams are undefeated at 5-0. UT heads into Dallas next Saturday for its annual grudge match with the Oklahoma Sooners. It will be the first Red River Rivalry I miss in six years. The Denver Broncos are also undefeated and the Colorado Rockies are in the playoffs. I'm still hoping to check out an Air Force of Colorado College hockey game soon.

Click HERE to view photos from wheelchair basketball, mountain biking and the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Click HERE to view my latest press release announcing the September USOC Athletes of the Month.

Days until I am back in Texas for the UT-Central Florida football game: 28

Rocky Mountain High

2009-10-05T01:03:00.002-05:00

This is probably the longest I've gone without posting. Let me catch up. Last weekend was marked by two major events: the Air Force football game and the Pike's Peak Cog Railway. Both of which were great. I had been dying to experience some live college football, tailgate and to see what Air Force football was all about. The AFA Falcons won and I was able to play bags, also known as "cornhole," with a beer and my intern buddies.

Their are three ways to get to the summit of Pike's Peak: hike, drive, cog railway. No way could I have survived the 13-mile ascent on my own two feet. Driving is supposedly pretty scary, so I would have had to keep my eyes on the road rather than the amazing scenery. The cog railway seemed like the natural choice. Me and four other interns went on what might have been the last warm weekend. Still there was snow at the top. The views were breathtaking and the photo-ops were plentiful.

Since last weekend, Chicago went from contender to pretender in the race for the 2016 Olympic Games. Instead, the Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which should be a big party. No one can fault the Windy City for losing out to the first South American city to host the Olympics. It was a surprise to receive the least amount of votes, behind Rio, Madrid and Tokyo. The bidding process is highly political and the U.S. might want to take a break from the game after coming in last two times in a row (NYC bid unsuccessfully for the 2012 Games, which went to London).

Click here and here for two photo albums, one for Pike's Peak and the other for everything else.

Click here to see my blog posting on the USOC Intern blog.

Click here for Teresa's interview with George Foreman in the Beaumont Enterprise.

Days until the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games: 130

USOC Interns: The New Class

2009-09-20T20:27:00.003-05:00

There's a new group of interns at the Olympic Training Center. Vanessa, Ingrid (the two other summer holdovers) and I are slowly getting to know the names, hometowns, colleges and departments of each new intern. It helped that we had an intern assimilation day, which was highlighted by a crash course in judo. It just so happened that I ended up with the only non-white "gi" or judo robe. Making matters more ridiculous was that the blue "gi" was the only to have the words Big Boss written across the back (pictured above).

Since my last post, their were trips to the Finish Line for karaoke and downtown Colorado Springs. This weekend was some nationwide firefighters festival. Apparently, all firefighters are Scottish because many of them were wearing kilts and playing bagpipes. A few interns and me ran the Jack Quinn's 5k run, which starts from the downtown Irish pub every Tuesday night. To celebrate three intern birthdays (mine being one of them), we went to Bird Dog BBQ. The placed boasted of its Oklahoma-style bbq. Whatever it was, it was good.

Last night, Vanessa, Adam (my roommate) and I went over to my boss's house to watch the UT-Texas Tech football game. Two other bosses of mine came over to see Texas win 34-24. It was an ugly win but a win nonetheless. After watching USC and BYU go down to unranked oppenents, I'm happy the Horns are still undefeated.

Click here for photos of the 5K, BBQ, Finish Line, Cowboys and the Olympic Training Center.

Click here for the latest Olympic Sports Scene.

Tomorrows weather forecast for Colorado Springs: High 52, Low 36, scattered showers

My Kind of of Town

2009-09-15T00:36:00.002-05:00

This past week I have been in Chicago helping put on the 2010 Olympic Team Media Summit, which is the first chance to start hyping up the winter athletes heading into the Winter Games in Vancouver. It was my first business trip. I worked a few 12 hour days but it was a lot of fun. I got to know my bosses and co-workers better. At the end of each day I was very tired but we still went out and saw some of the Windy City.

I was in charge of the photo sessions, which meant that I herded athletes around between 10 photo stations. I had to make sure the athletes and photographers were happy. I got to manage volunteers and hotel staff. Everything went smoothly. The trip included sangria and a big dinner with my bosses and co-workers at a spanish tapas restaurant. There were three different receptions and media happy hour. One reception included a Beatles cover band and the happy hour took place at a rooftop bar on the 27th floor of a hotel in downtown Chicago.

The event and my room was in the historic Palmer House Hilton, right by Millenium Park, the Prudential Tower and the famous Chicago theatre. The park was the only thing between the hotel and the lake. In the park was a structure that has become somewhat of a Chicago icon, the Bean (see photos). Twice I went to a nearby sleazy sports bar to watch some soccer/football. One night we went to Giordano's for some deep dish pizza then the House of Blues. Our last night we went to a really cool college bar area where we saw a U2 cover band on the same night that the real thing was performing in Soldier Field.

Switching gears, in her second week as a sports reporter, my girlfriend interviewed Shaquille O'Neal. He was in Port Arthur for a charity with East Texas-native Stephen Jackson. She has photos and video to prove it. The story ran on the front-page but has not yet been posted online.

Click here for photos of the Palmer House Hilton, Millenium Park and the Bean.

Click here for my latest press release for the USOC August Athletes and Team of the Month.

Days until my weekend trip to Texas for the UT-Central Florida football game: 53

Halloween on Wheels

2009-09-06T23:30:00.004-05:00

Fort Collins, Colo. is home to New Belgium Brewery, which is famous for Fat Tire Beer. Once-a-year the brewery hosts the Tour de Fat in the college town. The event is also held in other cities across the country but this one is the first and foremost bike-riding beer-drinking festival in the nation. Vanessa and I made the drive up I-25 to meet up with my cousin, Emily, and her friends. The only time I've seen more bicycles, I was in Amsterdam. The only time I've seen more elaborate costumes, I was at Carnaval in Austin. But it's safe to say, I've never seen so many costumed cyclists. The trip did nothing to change my perception that Fort Collins is the coolest little city in Colorado. I am already looking forward to going back for Halloween.

Meanwhile, the Texas Longhorns kicked off their 2009 football season with a bang. Although I was not able to watch the game (it was available only on pay-per-view), I have read enough game recaps to know what went on. The word of the day was "speed" as freshmen D.J. Monroe, Marquis Goodwin and Alex Okafor featured prominently. I cannot wait for game two versus Wyoming, although I might be working in Chicago and unable to watch it. I leave tomorrow morning for the Windy City for the 2010 Olympic Team Media Summit at the Palmer House Hilton. I will be working long hours but if I can find time for one deep dish pizza, I will be happy.

Click here for photos of the Tour de Fat.

Click here for the latest Going for the Gold vodcast, featuring speedskater J.R. Celski. This is the second vodcast for which I've written the script.

Click here for Teresa's first article as a professional journalist with the sports section at the Beaumont Enterprise.

Monday's weather in Chicago: high 72, low 65, partly cloudy

My Olympic Credential Photo

2009-09-02T21:55:00.002-05:00

This mug is gonna have the golden ticket to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. I just filled out my accreditation with the U.S. Olympic Committee. I will be volunteering with Media Relations at the Olympics in February. I will most likely be stationed in Whistler, the ski resort outside of Vancouver where half of the sports will take place. It's the opportunity of the lifetime.

After two long weekends with friends and the girlfriend, I took it relatively easy this weekend. Friday night Vanessa, Katie and I introduced some of the new interns to the Finish Line for cheap beer and karaoke. Saturday I walked around the Air Force Academy. It was a rainy day and hardly anyone else was around. The campus is amazing and very unique. It's tucked away, literally at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and all the buildings look like they were built in the same year in the 1950s. The main attraction was the Chapel, which is a large metallic structure with a recognizable, spired roof. The coolest thing was that it was split up into four places of worship: Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Buddhist. Each was a different size with its own design. The Protestant Church was the biggest while the Buddhist room was tiny.

Sunday I volunteered with doping control at a USA Weightlifting event. After that I covered the event in place of the weightlifting PR person. I had never been to a weightlifting competition so it was very interesting. I got to interview 2008 Olympian Kendrick Farris, which was cool.

This weekend marks the beginning of the Texas Longhorn football season. The game is on pay-per-view and I plan on going to the Tour de Fat with my cousin in Fort Collins. It will pain me to miss the game, and the next one versus Wyoming in Laramie. Next week I will be working at the Olympic Team Media Summit in Chicago and probably unable to catch the game. It will be a great experience but still bittersweet.

Click here to see photos of the Air Force Academy, the weightlifting event and more.

Click here to see the press release I wrote for the weightlifting event.

Days until the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games: 162

Teresa & The Flaming Lips

2009-08-26T22:30:00.004-05:00

Day 1: Flight delayed an hour. I pick up my girlfriend from the Colorado Springs airport and we head downtown to the hotel she picked out. Turns out the hotel was a bed & breakfast from the late 1890s, complete with chamber music piped in the rooms.

Day 2: Enjoy an excellent bed & breakfast breakfast. Take in the beauty of the Garden of the Gods. Take cliche photos next to "balanced rock". Walk around Manitou Springs, a small town separating Colorado Springs from the Rocky Mountains. Take a sip from one of the many springs in Manitou, many of which taste like bad club soda. Visit my aunt, uncle and cousin in Highlands Ranch, just south of Denver. My Uncle Mike never fails to cook me an elaborate meal and this time was no different. Tonight's menu featured home-made sushi. Head to downtown Denver and walk down the 16th Street Mall before calling it a night.

Day 3: Drive towards the mountains on the way to the Red Rocks Amphitheater. But first, a sidetrip to Heritage Square, a ghost town of an amusement park that's managed to stay open for so long because of its famous alpine slide. Seven bucks buys you a gondola right up the hill and a ride down the zig-zagging concrete track on a small cart. It was totally worth it. The slide was kind of like the opening act for tonight's main event: a Flaming Lips concert at Red Rocks. We got there early to experience the tailgating atmosphere that surrounds most Red Rocks shows. We were greeted by lots of crazy hippies and costumed super-fans. We left the parking lot to get a good seat. Watching from the sixth row, we enjoyed the two opening acts, one of which was from Austin, Texas. But there was no doubt who was the top draw. The lead singer of the Flaming Lips, Wayne Coyne, kicked off the show by walking out on top of the crowd in an inflatable bubble. There were lasers, confetti and countless balloons covering the crowd throught the show. The band is known for their live shows and they didn't disappoint.

Day 4: Toured the Olympic Training Center, ate some pizza and went to the airport. We were exhausted from the weekend. It was great spending time with my girlfriend. I miss Teresa already. It might be another two months before I see her next.

Click here to see Teresa's side of the story, on her blog.

Click here to see photos from our adventures, including the alpine slide and the Red Rocks show.

Click here to view my first Vodcast, created for the USOC "Going for the Gold" series.

Time until the beginning of the Longhorn football season: 9 days, 19 hours, 4 minutes, 20 seconds

Tony Comes to Town

2009-08-18T21:53:00.003-05:00

Day 1: I leave straight from work to pick up Anthony and Molly from the Denver Airport about an hour and a half after they land. We drive to our hotel in downtown Denver. After checking in, we start walking down the 16th street mall. We eat at the Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant before walking to the bars in lower downtown, affectionately known as LoDo. It is there that we meet up with John Frias, a fellow CCHS alum who now lives in Denver. Things get a little crazy and Anthony spends part of the night on the hotel room floor.

Day 2: We all wake up on time and set out on the road to Canon City, which is where our white water rafting adventure begins. There we met up with Vanessa and Cari, two USOC interns. Once at the office, we get our gear (helmet, life jacket and paddle) and load into the school bus that will take us to the Arkansas River. We go through some level three rapids and a few level fours (out of five). The guide lets us "ride the bull," which means that one of us sits on the front of the raft and holds onto a rope between our legs as we go through some small rapids. I did not fall out during this or any other part of the trip, which was my main objective. We went through the Royal Gorge and under the Royal Gorge suspension bridge, which was very cool.

Night two was to be spent in downtown Colorado Springs. After checking into our downtown hotel, I decided we had to start off at The Finish Line, a dive bar near the Olympic Training Center (not downtown). It was karaoke night and the otherwise sleepy neighborhood bar was hopping. A few songs and pitchers of beer later and that was the only bar we would end up going to that night. Among the songs that were sung by us were George Strait's Amarillo By Morning, Billy Idol's Rebel Yell and Louie Armstrong's What a Wonderful World.

Day 3: Wake up and recap the night from our suite at the EconoLodge. Head over to the Olympic Training Center for a quick tour. Then drive up by Pike's Peak and through Manitou Springs, where we ate lunch. We drive back up to Denver where I drop off John at his place and then Anthony and Molly at the airport. It was a quick weekend but we crammed many activities and had a lot of fun. Thanks to Anthony and Molly for coming out to Colorado and to John for hanging out with us.

Click here for photos of the Denver nightlife, the Finish Line, and the Olympic Training Center.

Click here for the latest Olympic Sports Scene, brought to you by Nick and Vanessa.

Hours until I get to see my girlfriend Teresa, who is coming up to visit this weekend: 68

Stairway to Soreness

2009-08-11T22:24:00.003-05:00

Since hearing about it a few weeks ago, I was determined to do the Incline. The Incline is about a mile's worth of steps going up Pike's Peak. And by steps I mean old rail road ties from the old cog railway. There is now a new cog railway that goes up Pike's Peak. The old train tracks have become a popular workout spot for fit Coloradans, of which there are many. I was prepared for the endurance challenge posed by a mile's worth of steps. I was prepared to be affected by the thin air. What I wasn't prepared for was how steep and unfriendly these steps would be. The railroad ties have not undergone a makeover to accommodate their many visitors. It was tough but worth it for the photos. I don't need to go back for a month or two, though.

I volunteered for the USA Triathlon Junior Nationals. It was really impressive to see these teenagers swim, bike and run the way they do. It was even more amazing to see the seven-year-olds posting better times than I could. I did lots of odd jobs for the event but the main one was marking the kids with there race numbers, which had to be on each bare arm and leg.

My roommate Isaac has gone home and I have the room to myself for who knows how long. I might get a new roommate in September when the fall class of interns show up, or I might not. The summer interns are leaving one by one, which means a few more trips to the our neighborhood bar Finish Line are in order. Its a very cozy place with some eccentric regulars.

I finally wrote my first press release, all by myself. Click here to check it out.

Click here for photos of the Incline, the triathlon, the finish line and a night out in downtown Denver with my cousin Emily and her friends from when I first moved out here.

Days until my buddy Anthony and his friend Molly come to visit me: 3

Goobers and Buffaloes

2009-08-06T00:03:00.002-05:00

In July, right before I leave for Colorado, I see this show on the Food Network called Man vs. Food. On the show, the host goes around the country and eats unusually large or wierd foods, like a 7 lbs burrito or rocky mountain oysters. While in Denver, the host stopped at a burger joint called the Cherry Cricket. The place is known for putting just about anything on a burger, including a fried egg-and-peanut butter burger known as the Goober. I immediately added the burger joint to my list of 'things to do while in Colorado'. It took about a month, but I have finally crossed it off my list. I went with my cousins Emily, Christopher and Ana as well as my Aunt Nuni, who promised she would take me there. The burger was surprisingly good but very heavy. I will probably never order another and I will probably never consume so much protein in one sitting.

Goobers aside, I spent much of the weekend with family. After the Cherry Cricket, we went to Boulder and walked around. I forgot how nice the University of Colorado's campus was.

My internship is starting to pick-up and I am learning the valuable skill that is multi-tasking. However, there is still time to volunteer, which is a great experience and often very easy. Vanessa and I manned the pressbox at the Opening Ceremony of the State Games of America. We outnumbered the members of the media 2:1. At work, I was asked to escort a newspaper photographer around the Olympic Training Center. At the aquatic center, I got to go up on the catwalk overlooking the pool that is normally used by coaches.

Click here for the latest Olympic Sports Scene, co-written by moi.

Click here for photos of the Goober, Boulder and what not.

Days until the season opener of Longhorn football: 29

Rapids and Resorts

2009-07-28T20:25:00.002-05:00

By rapids, I mean the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. I had never been to a MLS game and it didn't disappoint. My fellow soccer-watching USOC intern Maura and I drove out to Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Denver. The soccer-specific stadium was pretty cool looking and just about packed. It was a little wierd being around so many American soccer-fans. The highlight of the day was realizing that the head referee on the field was none other than former Central Catholic High School student/teacher/coach Jason Anno.

By resorts, I mean the world-renowned Broadmoor hotel and resort in Colorado Springs, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. My Aunt and Uncle were kind enough to take me there for lunch. Established 1918, the sprawling resort was over the top, but classy. I imagine that lots of celebrities and maybe a few presidents have stayed there. If those walls could talk...

My first real bit of writing is now posted online. The Olympic Sports Scene is a weekly online newsletter that recaps all the past week's competitions from each U.S. Olympic sports team. From now until December, me and the other media relations intern Vanessa will be putting it together.

Click here for photos of the Rapids game and the Broadmoor.

Today's weather in Colorado Springs: High 74, Low 54, thunderstorms

One Very Granola Town

2009-07-20T21:55:00.004-05:00

I had never been to Fort Collins, CO before. All I knew about it was that it was the home of Colorado State University and that it had a few microbreweries there. What I didn't know is that it is a very laidback, bike-friendly town. Colorado loves local beer and Ft. Collins is the beer capital of the state. Every bar offered all dozens of community beers. It seems like everyone is outdoorsy and happy.

During my 22 hours in the town, my cousin Emily and I went out to the bars, drove out to Horsetooth Reservoir and played with her dog, Indie. We were going to goto the New Belgium Brewery, famous for Fat Tire and Skinny Dip, but they were closed. I plan on returning to Ft. Collins over Labor Day weekend for the Tour de Fat, a bike-riding, costume party put on by the brewery.

Before Ft. Collins, the USOC paid to take us to a Colorado Springs Sky Sox minor league baseball game. It was $2 beer night (until 7:30) as well as Jimmy Buffett night (he was not in attendance). Then on Saturday morning, I volunteered at the International Blind Sports Federation's World Youth and Student Championships, aka the Blind Junior Olympics. I was a timer for the swim meet and I sat next to a father whose son was competing. His 16-year-old son, Darren, lost his sight suddenly a year ago. Needless to say it was all very inspiring.

Click here for photos of Fort Collins and the Sky Sox game.

Days until the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games: 206

Coors Field and the Velodrome

2009-07-14T22:25:00.003-05:00

Since my last post, I visited Coors Field to see the Rockies play the Atlanta Braves. It was the last game before the All-Star Break and the Rockies won in the bottom of the ninth. The stadium is beautiful and the view was great, even from the Rock Pile (aka cheap seats). The tickets were four bucks and the beer was $6.50.

After work today, I made the trip to nearby Memorial Park. The inner-city park featured a big lake and a velodrome. A velodrome is an arena for track cycling, which is an Olympic sport. I had never seen such a stadium in person.

My good friend Anthony has booked his ticket to come see me in Colorado, along with two of his buddies. His mid-August trip is centered around a whitewater rafting excursion we have yet to organize.

In my internship, I'm beginning to work on Olympic Beat magazine, as well as prepare for the Olympic Media Summit leading up to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. If all goes according to plan, I will travel with the USOC media relations team to Chicago for the Summit in September.

Click here for photos of Community Day at the Olympic Training Center, Coors Field and Memorial Park.

Today's weather in Colorado Springs: High 91, Low 57, partly cloudy

Working Man

2009-07-11T21:14:00.002-05:00

My first ever 40-hour work week is in the books. I have worked hard and learn a lot about public relations. My bosses have gone out of their way to show me the ropes and they have trusted me with some serious assignments. In my first week, I have written press releases for the Junior Olympic Skills competition and biographies for the 2009 class of inductees into the US Olympic Hall of Fame. In my first three days, I interviewed three Olympians, including skier Picabo Street and basketball player Teresa Edwards. Vanessa, the other media relations intern, has more experience in the field and has helped me along.

Four years removed from my last dormitory experience, I was afraid to go back. But thanks to Isaac, my friendly (and clean) roommate, it hasn't been so bad. I also eat just about every meal at the Olympic Training Center dining hall, along with every other intern and resident athlete. The food is surprisingly good, varied and healthy. The nearest bar is about a five-minute walk away. The Finish Line is a great dive bar with lots of interesting regulars. The other interns and I have already broken in the ancient karaoke machine.

This weekend I volunteered to help out at the Training Center's Community Day. Without asking me if I had any real experience as a photographer, they handed me a fancy camera and told me to cover it all. This included taking photos of the unveiling of a Michael Phelps statue, which was a gift from the Chinese Olympic Committee. The community day involved demos of lots of Olympic sports like judo, fencing, table tennis and shooting, all of which were pretty interesting.

Click here for more photos of the Olympic Training Center.

Days until the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games: 215

Home Sweet Dorm

2009-07-05T23:43:00.004-05:00

Tonight is my first night in the dorm. Tomorrow is my first day of work. I now live in the athlete/volunteer/intern residencies at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. But before I go any farther, this blog post is dedicated to the roadtrip and days leading up to today.

In two days, my parents and I drove from San Antonio to Denver, where some of my relatives live and my sister was visiting. On the trip up, we stopped in Palo Duro Canyon. The canyon in in the panhandle of Texas near Amarillo, where we stopped for the night. The canyon is a miniature version of the Grand Canyon in Arizona but it is big nonetheless.

Over the last three days, we ate, drank and watched fireworks. I want to thank my cousin Emily and her friends for showing me around downtown Denver. Thanks to Uncle Mike and Aunt Rosanne for taking me in as their replacement son. Thanks to my parents for everything else.

Click here for photos of my stop at Palo Duro Canyon.

Today's weather in Colorado Springs: High 72, Low 55, thunderstorms

Goodbye Texas

2009-06-30T16:11:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow begins my two-day, 16-hour roadtrip with my parents to Colorado. I am currently taking a break from packing. Over the next few days, I will be spending time with my parents, Denver relatives and my sister and brother-in-law, who will be in town for a wedding. Then it's moving day in Colorado Springs. I'll have one day to get acclimated to my dorm room and roommate before I start work on Monday.

In addition to working hard, I plan to do some sightseeing during the next six months. Here are some events on my calendar:

Sunday, Aug. 9: Warped Tour in Denver to see NOFX

Sunday, Aug. 23: Flaming Lips @ Red Rocks with Teresa

Saturday, Sept. 12: UT football @ Wyoming

Saturday, Nov. 7: UT football vs. Central Florida in Austin

I also hope to catch Rockies, Broncos, Nuggets and Air Force football games. I plan to give white water rafting and snowboarding a try, as well.

Feel free to bookmark this page and check back to see how my adventure is going. I will be posting photos and links to any writing I may produce in my media relations internship with the United States Olympic Committee.

Today's Weather in Colorado Springs: High 88, Low 57, Thunderstorms