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Edmonton Sun (Alberta, Canada)
August 21, 2004 Saturday Final Edition
HISTORY CHANNELLING;
THAT'S THE GRECIAN FORMULA FOR THESE OLYMPIC GAMES
BY DAVE 'CRASH' CAMERON, EDMONTON SUN
The Olympics are all about history.
The first to be documented was held in ancient Greece in 776 BC.
Coroebus, a cook from Elis, won the sole event - a run of
approximately 192 metres (210 yards).
The competitors were naked. But it is not known whether Coroebus also
cooked in the nude.
The Olympics were shut down in AD 393 by a Roman emperor because he
didn't like its "pagan influences."
This is the first case of political meddling messing up the Games.
The first "modern" Olympics were held in Athens in 1896, revived by a
French aristocrat named Pierre de Coubertin.
Born in 1863, he was only seven when France was overrun by the
Germans during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Some historians
believe that de Coubertin attributed the defeat of France not to its
military skills, but rather to the French soldiers' "lack of vigour."
This would not be the last time that the French were to be labelled
"weenies."
Approximately 300 athletes - all male, all clothed - competed in
1896. (Susan Nattrass didn't qualify for the Canadian team because of
her gender.)
There were nine events: swimming, cycling, track, fencing, shooting,
weightlifting, gymnastics, wrestling and lawn tennis.
CBC's Don Whittman had to cover all nine events by himself.
Our man Terry Jones filed his first-ever column.
He dubbed it "the greatest Olympics ever."
- - -
I'm just kidding, of course.
Jonesy didn't cover his first Olys until Paris in 1900.
- - -
It is an honour and a pinnacle for athletes to make the Olympics. The
same is true for members of the media.
While this is Jonesy's 13th Olympics (not kidding), TSN's Farhan
Lalji is working his first.
"I just got married a month ago and now I'll be gone for a month," he
told me before boarding the 12 hours worth of flights to Athens. "My
wife's loving that.
"But I'm looking forward to it. This is why you want to work for a
national network - to get the opportunity to do something like this.
"A lot of people have concerns about terrorism. For me, honestly,
that's one thing I'm not concerned about. I'm more concerned about
the heat and the logistical headaches.
"I don't do well in the heat," said the B.C. boy.
"It's events like this that define you as a reporter. I know for me,
the best job next to mine, outside of sports, is to be an
international correspondent.
"The Olympics are always going to be a big deal regardless of the
politics and the socioeconomic conditions around it.
"The Olympics are still the Olympics, and it's still going to be
centre stage. There's not another event I'd rather cover."
- - -
My new pal James Sharman, host of the most excellent Sportsworld on
The Score (Ch. 80, weekdays at 3:30 and 5 p.m.), isn't in Athens, but
the native of England has a strong perspective since he covers many
of these sports more than the once-every-four-years.
"I think internationally the Olympics still enjoy that 'romantic
appeal.'
"Certainly in Europe and Australasia the so-called 'pure sports' such
as track and field have a massive following. The Golden League events
in Europe are capacity-filled, atmosphere-rich spectacles, and,
indeed, the top stars are household names.
"It seems in North America only the record holders at the 'glory'
events are known.
"I think this has as much to do with the marketing of sports in North
America. It is truly a big-league continent.The amount of money
ploughed into the marketing of the NBA, MLB, NFL, and, to a lesser
extent, the NHL, brings those athletes into our living rooms every
time we turn the TV on.
"Team sports are where it's at over here.
"You can sell a million L.A. Lakers jerseys, but try selling a Haille
Gebreselassie vest"
- - -
In his column in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (the Star-Trombone as
he calls it), Karl Weiner appears impressed by the sense of history
in Greece after visiting the narrow Panathinaiko stadium, the site of
the 1896 Games on a spot where a previous stadium stood in 334 BC.
You may have seen Panathinaiko when it was used for the celebration
in June following Greece's underdog win of the Euro 2004 soccer
tournament. It is also where the Games' marathon run will end.
"It is the world's Fenway Park, the globe's Rose Bowl, the friendly
confines of ancient dreams and echoes," Weiner said.
"I've been to Yankee Stadium, the Los Angeles Coliseum, Notre Dame's
football stadium, the tiny gem of a football stadium at St. John's
and the old Maple Leaf Gardens.
"Panathinaiko is as good as it gets."
- - -
Why not? The first athletes were naked.
Overcome with Olympic fervour I bought my first issue of Playboy in
years. Not since Hugh Hefner ... well, actually, Hef hasn't changed,
has he?
But times have. If these athletes had posed like this years ago ...
oh, the scandal. Likely, their tickets to Athens would have been
cancelled.
But I bought the magazine for the articles. Honest.
- - -
Think our team sucks?
Armenia hasn't won a medal since AD 388.
August 21, 2004 Saturday Final Edition
HISTORY CHANNELLING;
THAT'S THE GRECIAN FORMULA FOR THESE OLYMPIC GAMES
BY DAVE 'CRASH' CAMERON, EDMONTON SUN
The Olympics are all about history.
The first to be documented was held in ancient Greece in 776 BC.
Coroebus, a cook from Elis, won the sole event - a run of
approximately 192 metres (210 yards).
The competitors were naked. But it is not known whether Coroebus also
cooked in the nude.
The Olympics were shut down in AD 393 by a Roman emperor because he
didn't like its "pagan influences."
This is the first case of political meddling messing up the Games.
The first "modern" Olympics were held in Athens in 1896, revived by a
French aristocrat named Pierre de Coubertin.
Born in 1863, he was only seven when France was overrun by the
Germans during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Some historians
believe that de Coubertin attributed the defeat of France not to its
military skills, but rather to the French soldiers' "lack of vigour."
This would not be the last time that the French were to be labelled
"weenies."
Approximately 300 athletes - all male, all clothed - competed in
1896. (Susan Nattrass didn't qualify for the Canadian team because of
her gender.)
There were nine events: swimming, cycling, track, fencing, shooting,
weightlifting, gymnastics, wrestling and lawn tennis.
CBC's Don Whittman had to cover all nine events by himself.
Our man Terry Jones filed his first-ever column.
He dubbed it "the greatest Olympics ever."
- - -
I'm just kidding, of course.
Jonesy didn't cover his first Olys until Paris in 1900.
- - -
It is an honour and a pinnacle for athletes to make the Olympics. The
same is true for members of the media.
While this is Jonesy's 13th Olympics (not kidding), TSN's Farhan
Lalji is working his first.
"I just got married a month ago and now I'll be gone for a month," he
told me before boarding the 12 hours worth of flights to Athens. "My
wife's loving that.
"But I'm looking forward to it. This is why you want to work for a
national network - to get the opportunity to do something like this.
"A lot of people have concerns about terrorism. For me, honestly,
that's one thing I'm not concerned about. I'm more concerned about
the heat and the logistical headaches.
"I don't do well in the heat," said the B.C. boy.
"It's events like this that define you as a reporter. I know for me,
the best job next to mine, outside of sports, is to be an
international correspondent.
"The Olympics are always going to be a big deal regardless of the
politics and the socioeconomic conditions around it.
"The Olympics are still the Olympics, and it's still going to be
centre stage. There's not another event I'd rather cover."
- - -
My new pal James Sharman, host of the most excellent Sportsworld on
The Score (Ch. 80, weekdays at 3:30 and 5 p.m.), isn't in Athens, but
the native of England has a strong perspective since he covers many
of these sports more than the once-every-four-years.
"I think internationally the Olympics still enjoy that 'romantic
appeal.'
"Certainly in Europe and Australasia the so-called 'pure sports' such
as track and field have a massive following. The Golden League events
in Europe are capacity-filled, atmosphere-rich spectacles, and,
indeed, the top stars are household names.
"It seems in North America only the record holders at the 'glory'
events are known.
"I think this has as much to do with the marketing of sports in North
America. It is truly a big-league continent.The amount of money
ploughed into the marketing of the NBA, MLB, NFL, and, to a lesser
extent, the NHL, brings those athletes into our living rooms every
time we turn the TV on.
"Team sports are where it's at over here.
"You can sell a million L.A. Lakers jerseys, but try selling a Haille
Gebreselassie vest"
- - -
In his column in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (the Star-Trombone as
he calls it), Karl Weiner appears impressed by the sense of history
in Greece after visiting the narrow Panathinaiko stadium, the site of
the 1896 Games on a spot where a previous stadium stood in 334 BC.
You may have seen Panathinaiko when it was used for the celebration
in June following Greece's underdog win of the Euro 2004 soccer
tournament. It is also where the Games' marathon run will end.
"It is the world's Fenway Park, the globe's Rose Bowl, the friendly
confines of ancient dreams and echoes," Weiner said.
"I've been to Yankee Stadium, the Los Angeles Coliseum, Notre Dame's
football stadium, the tiny gem of a football stadium at St. John's
and the old Maple Leaf Gardens.
"Panathinaiko is as good as it gets."
- - -
Why not? The first athletes were naked.
Overcome with Olympic fervour I bought my first issue of Playboy in
years. Not since Hugh Hefner ... well, actually, Hef hasn't changed,
has he?
But times have. If these athletes had posed like this years ago ...
oh, the scandal. Likely, their tickets to Athens would have been
cancelled.
But I bought the magazine for the articles. Honest.
- - -
Think our team sucks?
Armenia hasn't won a medal since AD 388.