A "new definition of what's cool about the Winter Olympics" was created yesterday as three U.S. snowboarders — Ross Powers (Gold), Danny Kass (Silver) and J.J. Thomas (Bronze) swept the medals in men's half-pipe, according to Liz Clarke of the WASHINGTON POST. The medals sweep is "bound to accelerate the popularity of one of the country's fastest growing sports." The capacity crowd of 16,500 at yesterday's event included a "striking number of teenagers and twentysomethings." The band Save Ferris performed during the break between qualifying runs and the final competition (WASHINGTON POST, 2/12). Attendance at yesterday's event was estimated by some at 30,000 (Mult., 2/12). USA TODAY's Lieber & Ruibal write U.S. snowboarders have "reinvented the 2002 Winter Olympics with a stunning medal sweep" (USA TODAY, 2/12). In Phoenix, Paola Boivin writes the U.S. medal winners "will leave an indelible mark on the Winter Games. They are free spirits with a casualness that goes against the grain of the Games, but are also so approachable they will attract a new audience. It's a dichotomy the IOC will gladly work through" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/12). U.S. snowboarding coach Peter Foley: "These athletes are approachable. That's what kids like about them." In N.Y., Edward Wong writes, "The American victories in snowboarding cap a long struggle by many supporters of the sport to win respect from mainstream athletes and Olympic officials" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/12). In UT, Lee Benson writes, "If snowboarding isn't the frozen wave of the future for American winter sports, there might not be one" (DESERET NEWS, 2/12). In L.A., Steve Dilbeck: "The rebels rule, the outcasts have gone mainstream — snowboarding has become the new sensation" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 2/12). In Indianapolis, Bob Kravitz: "The Winter Olympics have become the X Games, but with bigger TV ratings" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 2/12).
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NOT SO FAST: In Toronto, Allan Maki writes, "It's hard to look at a bunch of snowboarders and think of them as Olympic athletes" (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/12). In Orlando, Mike Bianchi: "I'm beginning to wonder whether these are the Winter Games — or a rave convention?" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/12). In Baltimore, Kevin Cowherd: "After four days of watching the Winter Olympics, I think I speak for everyone of a certain age when I say: Man, am I feeling old. ... Why don't they just call it the Gen-X Winter Olympics and be done with it?" (Baltimore SUN, 2/12). American Univ. AD and former Octagon Senior VP Tom George said, "For the Olympics, the question is how far are they going to go in bringing in these new stunt and action-driven sports? If they wanted to, they could make ice skating more of an action sport — have more jumping, more tricks" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/12).
STILL HAVE THE EDGE: More Foley: "These guys haven't gone mainstream. Mainstream has come to them." In Dallas, Mike McAllister writes, "Get ready to deal with heroes who don't want your adoration or attention; some, in fact, even despise it" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/12). In Salt Lake, Greg Burton writes, "Entering its second Olympic Games, snowboarding has lost none of the edgy, underground devotion that made the sport a hit at the alternative X Games." Burton notes the area near the bandstand turned into a "makeshift mosh pit" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 2/12). In Houston, John McClain: "The site looked like MTV's (Jerry) Springer Break" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/12). ESPN's Trey Wingo: "You really can't say enough about the X-Games and the role they play in this." Wingo noted Powers finished eighth and Kass won the Gold in this year's X-Games, so the X-Games are "really paying dividends for Team USA right now" ("SportsCenter," 2/11). Powers said, "We don't really have to be rebels right now. After this, we can go back and hang with our buddies and be rebels" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/12). Kass: "We're stoked that we got to come here." Kass, when asked about the medal ceremony said, "I'm gonna try to cry" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 2/12).
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EXPOSURE FOR BURTON: Burton Snowboards Founder Jake Burton appeared on NBC's "Today" show this morning and said of the medal sweep: "The Olympics are a big opportunity for mainstream exposure. That happened at Nagano, but here, we had great weather and we had a great pipe, and I think everybody got to see what snowboarding is all about" (NBC, 2/12). Burton, on Powers: "He's a sponsor's dream. He always does the right thing. ... He's a great representative for Burton, for Vermont and for the sport" (Burlington FREE PRESS, 2/12). But Burton Snowboards VP/Global Sales Dave Schmidt said, "We don't hang a lot of hope on the Olympics yet. They're clearly not a primary marketing tool for us" (L.A. TIMES, 2/9).
TUNE IN: In DC, Hank Stuever reports, at the half-pipe event, "While Olympic volunteers keep coming around with statistics and scores, ... the reporters keep asking for playlists" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/12). The competitors chose the music from a list of songs approved by Olympic sensors (STAR TRIBUNE, 2/12). Social Distortion's "Ball and Chain" played during Powers' Gold Medal run (USA TODAY, 2/12).
