Olympic Notes
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Bryant Says Chinese Fans Very
Knowledgeable About Basketball |
Lakers and U.S. G Kobe Bryant said of the Beijing community, "The people here are very passionate about basketball, very knowledgeable about basketball. They want to see great basketball. There's a lot of energy" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/8). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Loretta Chao writes, "A game pitting American and Chinese basketball stars Sunday represents something of a lovefest, as well as one of the toughest tickets of the Beijing Games. Even President George W. Bush is scheduled to attend" (WSJ.com, 8/8).
IT TAKES A VILLAGE: In N.Y., Katie Thomas reports a "few dozen athletes are doing their own reporting in the form of personal blogs that document their Olympic experiences." Despite speculation that athletes might use their personal blogs to "raise awareness about pet political causes, those who have posted so far keep to mainly safe topics." Meanwhile, athlete bloggers "gush about the Olympic Village, whether it's the Michael Phelps sightings or the broad selection of food" (NYTIMES.com, 8/8). USOC Chair Peter Ueberroth said Team USA “didn’t expect the (Olympic Village) to be so good." Ueberroth: "There’s no one at the last minute painting and putting in carpets. It’s ready to go.” He added, "Great facilities, great food. The athletes love the food, so we hear no complaints from them" ("Today," NBC, 8/8).
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE: The U.S. men's basketball team is not staying in the Athlete's Village, as has been customary since NBAers began playing in '92. Cavaliers and U.S. F LeBron James said, “We want to makes sure all the other athletes get a lot of sleep. If we was there, people wouldn’t get too much sleep” (“Access Hollywood,” 8/7). Switzerland tennis player Roger Federer said it is "impossible really (to stay in the village). There are so many athletes asking for photos and so on. It is not ideal to prepare" (London INDEPENDENT, 8/8).
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Kerri Walsh (l) And Misty May-Treanor Sporting
U.S. Outfits From Polo Ahead Of Opening Ceremony |
MARCO POLO: USA TODAY's Olivia Barker reports Team USA's outfits for the Opening Ceremony, which were designed by Ralph Lauren, consisted of "tropical wool navy blazers emblazoned with oversized Polo ponies, off-white wool trousers, white cotton broadcloth shirts, white twill newsboy caps and striped silk neckwear -- ties for the men, scarves for the women." Ralph Lauren Senior VP/Advertising, Marketing & Corporate Communications David Lauren said the goal was to create "something simple enough for the athletes to put together yet stylish enough to elevate us as a country." Lauren added the look is "very sharp, very graphic on TV, very aspirational and very statesman-like." Barker notes the "official design inspiration" was the film "Chariots of Fire." Nearly 200 non-personalized jackets will be on sale for $695 at RalphLauren.com and at Ralph Lauren stores (USA TODAY, 8/8). Meanwhile, NBC's Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford appeared on the fourth hour of "Today" wearing Olympic apparel. Kotb was wearing a blue Nike sweatsuit jacket and said, "This is the actual official jacket that those Olympic athletes were wearing when some of them were going into the airport ("Today," NBC, 8/8).
HOSPITALITY CONTINUES TO BE TOP NOTCH: In Minneapolis, Rachel Blount writes,"Beijing has been lovingly groomed by people bursting with national pride." Their "friendliness, though, is irrepressible." At one Olympic Village, "every door is staffed around the clock with smartly dressed young people who open it with a hearty greeting in English." U.S. women's basketball player Lisa Leslie said, "The people have been so nice. When I arrived at the hotel, they already had a crib for my baby in the room, with a teddy bear in it. They have gone above and beyond" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 8/8).
NOTES: In Manchester, Steven Morris notes Ai Weiwei, the artist who helped design the Bird's Nest stadium, "launches an outspoken attack on the 'autocratic rule' of the Chinese state" on the Manchester Guardian's Comment is Free site. Weiwei: "We must bid farewell to autocracy. Whatever shape it takes, whatever justification it gives, authoritarian government always ends up trampling on equality, denying justice and stealing happiness and laughter from the people" (Manchester GUARDIAN, 8/8)....The Empire State Building during each night of the Olympics will be lit in four different color patterns to "honor the top 66 countries" based on the number of athletes on each team. It will be the first time that the building will "have separate color schemes on each side" (USA TODAY, 8/8).
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