U.S. skiers Joss Christensen, Gus Kenworthy and Nick Goepper appeared on Friday's edition of NBC’s “Today” show to discuss sweeping all three medals in the debut of the men’s slopestyle event. Near the end of the interview, host Matt Lauer asked the Olympians, “You were once somewhat obscure athletes, and now with this sweep, you are one of the biggest stories at the Olympics, have you understood that life might change a little bit?” After the trio agreed and said that things have been “hectic” during the “whirlwind” of the last 48 hours, Lauer asked, “Do you want to see how your life is going to change, can I show you something?” Lauer then proceeded to open a bag and said, “Look what Kellogg’s rushed out this morning.” He handed them a box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes with a picture of all three skiers on the cover. Lauer: "I hope you guys like Corn Flakes" (“Today,” NBC, 2/14).
A DAY TO REMEMBER: In Denver, Jason Blevins writes the U.S. riders "are a tight-knit crew." An American on the podium "is a victory not just for country, but for snowbarding and freeskiing" (DENVER POST, 2/14). In Boston, Scott Thurston writes, "Many slopestyle aficionados will remember Thursday as the greatest day in the history of the sport as the All-America trio put an exclamation point on US dominance in the new X Games events." Kenworthy said, "Our sport is young, cool, and edgy, and we have a following all over" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/15). USA TODAY's Lindsay Jones notes many of the other U.S. skiers and snowboarders "crowded the finish area to watch Team USA's first sweep of this Games" (USA TODAY, 2/14). In L.A., Bill Plaschke notes this was "only the third time the U.S. has swept the podium in the Winter Olympics, but the first time it was done by three bros." Christensen said, "We're just a bunch of friends trying to have fun." Plaschke writes slopestyle is "a breathtaking event that looks like snowboarding with the volume pumped" (L.A. TIMES, 2/14). In N.Y., Mary Pilon writes slopestyle is a "judged sport that is essentially Cirque du Soleil on snow, and the athlete lexicon is heavy on words like 'dude' and 'awesome'" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/14). The GUARDIAN's Owen Gibson writes slopestyle "celebrated a mutual love-in with the sometimes staid five-ringed circus." A process that began "with the introduction of snowboarding in Nagano and has accelerated since, culminated at Sochi's Extreme Park with a press conference that was pure Walt Disney" (GUARDIAN, 2/14).
REEXAMINING THE RULES: The IOC on Thusday said that it "will re-examine its restrictions on logos worn and flashed by competitors ... as the rides of most Sochi snowboarders flaunt stated limits on the allowable size of manufacturer names" (NBCNEWS.com, 2/13).
