Things I’ll never forget about Beijing 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 | 10:49 AM ET
Things I’ll never forget about Beijing 2008, with one rule: I had to see them in person.
Best moments:
1) Priscilla Lopes-Schliep’s bronze in the 100-metre hurdles. Maybe it wasn’t the most glamorous event or record-smashing result. But, it had incredible drama, a stunning finish, great suspense and complete surprise.
Plus, it involved Canadian success.
2) Usain Bolt winning the 200 gold in world-record time. Before the Olympics, he told anyone who would listen – including Donovan Bailey – that he wouldn’t try to beat Michael Johnson’s 19:32. Minutes before the race began, Bailey predicted the record was safe. After all, Bolt hadn’t run his hardest yet and he was tired from eight races in six days.
When Bolt came out of the turn, didn’t slow down and people realized he was going for it, they went berserk. As he crossed that line and “WR” came up on the clock, it was bedlam. Spontaneous craziness, for lack of a better term. Even Bailey was going nuts. Then, 91,000 people sang him “Happy Birthday”.
What a scene that was.
3) Jason Lezak chasing down Alain Bernard in the 4x100 relay. This was Michael Phelps’ second gold, and he was helpless, watching from the deck when it happened. He’d swum the lead leg, only to watch the French eventually take control.
The mouthy Bernard entered the race as the 100 world-record holder and had guaranteed his team would “smash” the Americans. However, he committed two rookie mistakes, allowing Lezak to swim in his wake and then taking an extra-long breath to look for the Yank at the finish. Lezak took advantage and beat him by a cuticle.
Some think Phelps’ near-defeat in the 100 butterfly was more exciting, but I choose this one because he had almost no control over the outcome.
4) Mike Brown’s 200 breaststroke final. He missed the podium by a heartbreaking 0.09 seconds, then apologized to Canadians for not getting there (not that it was necessary). As the race ended, Marianne Limpert said that the worst places to finish at the Olympics were second or fourth, and it was clear he felt the same way. I’ve always felt you learn the true character of a person in defeat, not victory. That day, we all learned Mike Brown has great character.
I was reminded of that one week later, when I sent him some email questions about the aftermath. His response:
“Immediately after my race, I got through all the interviews poolside, then walked back to the Canada section, where our massage tables and support staff stay during competition, and lay on one of the tables. Put a towel over my head and cried for about 20 minutes. My coach, Jan Bidrman, came over, lifted the towel up and noticed I was crying, so he laid the towel back down, pulled up a chair and waited for me to pop my head up. I talked to him, which was hard, because he was just as upset – not angry – but upset, because we both have been working so long and hard for that one moment, and I missed it by 0.09 of a second. I calmed down and went to meet my family, where more tears flowed and lots of hugging. They just kept saying how proud they are of me and what I have accomplished is amazing. Fourth at the Olympics, fourth-fastest on the list of all-time 200 breaststroke swimmers...Commonwealth record-holder, and set a Canadian record that won’t be touched for awhile, two-time Olympian...I realize all this and am extremely proud. It helps a little, but I replay that race constantly in my head.”
He added, “I am past the tears by this point, but not over it yet,” and “I will be going for another four years. That’s a long time to wait for another shot at the podium but I came so close this time that I need to try again.”
Brown concluded with, “I will always walk away from everything I do with my head high, regardless of result. Because excellence is not an achievement, it’s a characteristic.”
Wow. All I can say is, “Good Luck, Mike.”
A nation will be rooting for you.
5) Simon Whitfield’s silver in the triathlon. I’m cheating on this one. I watched it on a monitor in the International Broadcast Centre. Who cares? Seeing him rip off his visor and charge at the leaders was right out of Rocky.
6) Liu Xiang’s stunning withdrawal in the 110 hurdles. Even remote civilizations who ignore technology and shut themselves from the world understood this event’s importance to China. A Belgian reporter was looking for two tickets to the final for one of his interpreters. A broker told him it would cost 6,000 Euros (approximately $9,500 Cdn). After Xiang pulled out, the price went down to 200 Euros.
When he walked off the track, it was as if the crowd expected him to go change his shorts and come back. No one knew how badly he was injured. Then, an announcement was made. I’ve heard conflicting reports about what was said (the language was Mandarin), but it was either “Xiang is out” or “the race will begin now.”
All of a sudden, there was a very loud shriek, followed by dead silence, no emotion at all as the heat was run. People either sat stunned, or just got up and left. Members of the Chinese media were crying in the mixed zone, crying in the press conference, crying on live television. It was as if he had died.
Canada’s Mark McKoy is the oldest man ever to win this event. He was 30 in 1992. Xiang will be 29 in London.
7) Ryan Cochrane’s bronze medal in the 1,500 freestyle. This is the most brutal indoor swim event. Rick Say predicted that Cochrane would be Canada’s surprise swimmer and the 19-year-old put on a terrific performance. He was caught – and briefly passed – near the finish by veteran Yuri Prilukov, but showed the poise of someone twice his age.
Pretty good for a guy who says his twin brother, Devin, has all the athletic talent in the family.
8) Yelena Isinbayeva’s world-record in the pole vault. What a showman she is. Just before her successful attempt, the U.S. men swept the medals in the 400 hurdles. She waited until they finished their victory lap, so she had the crowd’s undivided attention. It resulted in one of the loudest ovations of the Games.
American Jenn Stuczynski promised she would beat Isinbayeva, leading the Russian to say, “It just goes to show you that people who talk too much don’t win anything,” during her interview with the CBC.
What a great quote.
9) Keith Beavers’ qualification in the 200 IM. Beavers entered the Olympics ranked 28th in the world in this event. After swimming in semifinal I, he waited by our interview site to watch the other one. When he realized his time was just enough, he celebrated like a gold medallist. (Of course, my giant cranium got in the way of the shot. Luckily, another camera caught it.)
He retired from international swimming with a 7th-place finish, 21 spots above his ranking.
10) Julia Wilkinson admitting that she was once so nervous before a race, she threw up on her boyfriend’s jacket.
Wilkinson has a chance to be a star at the London Games. According to Canadian swimming coach Tom Johnson, she can contend in the 100/200 freestyles and the 200 IM. Her sister, Jane, two years older and a long-time swimmer herself, thinks the 100 backstroke is also a possibility.
Jane played a huge role in Julia’s coming-out party here. Julia began the competition with a couple of terrific swims, then suffered a disappointment in the 100 back. She wanted to finish in 59 seconds, but didn’t and was devastated. It was strange, as if her positive start was entirely erased by one bad race.
Julia later credited her sister for reviving her confidence, because “sometimes parents just don’t understand.”
Jane responded to an email question about that day: “Julia called me all upset because she knew (and I knew) she could have gone faster, broken one minute and made it to the final (top eight). Swimming is such a mental sport that sometimes when one race goes badly, you start to lose your confidence in your training, your fitness or your ability to compete at the meet. The best thing about Julia’s disappointing race was that she had a bad start. Both of us knew that the outcome of the race had nothing to do with how she actually ‘swam’ the race. I told her that she was swimming fast and that she should not put too much emphasis on the race, just because she had a bad start. The rest of her races would be great if she could put that race behind her, which is what both my Mom and I told her to do.”
I also asked Jane if her sister was confident enough in herself to handle the pressure of winning.
“Julia has always been a racer. In the past, she has had to feel the pressure of winning and she has been successful. Her swimming background at her conference championships and NCAAs has created pressure-filled situations in which she has learned (even if she is anxious and pukes on herself and her boyfriend’s parka) that she can compete with the other girls. I believe that when the time comes that Julia is racing for gold at the Olympics, her anxiety and her nervousness won’t hold her back from winning.”
Julia will be 25 in 2012. If she believes in herself as much as Jane does, there’s no reason she can’t be one of Canada’s brightest stars.
11) Everything else. What an awesome experience. This was my fourth Olympics (Salt Lake, Athens, Turin). From broadcasters to former competitors, so many with so much more experience than me said it was the best one they’ve ever seen.
One last thing about Brown and Wilkinson: They will both work in television. I first met Brown at the 2004 Olympic Trials, when he won the 200 breaststroke and proceeded to do a posedown on the deck, drawing hysterical laughter from the crowd. He recently did an interview with Cosmo TV, and the station raved about him.
Wilkinson, a communications major at Texas A & M, also has charisma and a great sense of humour. She’s very comfortable in front of the camera and can laugh at herself, a lost art in 2008.
Biggest winner: Speedo. The LZR swimsuit (pronounced “laser”) snared all but two of the sport’s gold medals. (Germany’s Britta Steffen – who won the women’s 50 and 100 – was the exception. Her country, which had a contract with Adidas, did not allow its swimmers to wear them. Make no mistake, those athletes were extremely upset, even with Steffen’s victories. By comparison, Japan basically tore up its contract with Mizuno.)
I can understand why their existence was referred to as “technological doping.”
Jessicah Schipper’s suit ripped in the ready room before she won the bronze in the 100 butterfly, and Ryan Lochte’s came apart as he won the 200 back. Federica Pellegrini wore another swimsuit under the LZR because she was worried about tearing. They are so tight that racers wearing the full-body version were begging the first person they saw after getting out of the pool to unzip them. But, a swimmer without one was a panicky mess. Steffen’s two victories were late in the competition and I wonder if Speedo’s dominance would have been so great if she had won earlier.
That does, however, lead into the next topic.
Phelps or Bolt: I’d prefer to accept them as equals, the two most dominant men in the history of their sports. But if you put a shotgun to my head and said, “Pick!” – well, my choice would be Bolt.
The LZR is one reason. There were 25 World Records set in the pool, compared to five at the track. Phelps set a ridiculous seven, three of them in relays. Bolt set three, one of them in a relay. I have no doubt Phelps would still have won eight golds if he swam in leotards and a tutu. But would he have set all those world records? I’m not as sure.
While track technology is greatly improved from the days Percy Williams won golds for Canada, there was nothing runners wore which influenced results as much as the LZR. In a regular swimsuit, does Phelps set seven? I don’t know. But I do know that Bolt still sets his three.
The second reason is much more subjective. Bolt is a riot. He allows himself to be himself: a funny guy, a big kid, a 22-year-old enjoying the ride. If you showed up at his aunt’s reggae bar in Jamaica, he’d probably invite you to join him for a bottle of Red Stripe.
Phelps is more robotic. He doesn’t have Bolt’s charisma or joy. At times, he appears manufactured in a laboratory. I got the impression that for him, Olympic domination was more relief than fun. In four years, maybe Bolt will be similar because of expectations, but I doubt it.
Most Stunningly Insane Comments: IOC president Jacques Rogge is handed a fan-friendly Olympic superstar in Bolt, and goes out of his way to attack the sprinter’s alleged taunting, which, by the way, not one of his defeated opponents complain about. Then, he questions whether or not the guy is a drug cheat.
I guess Rogge needed to be noticed, since the Chinese government basically reduced him to an unimportant, insignificant figurehead. Kind of like the Governor-General.
Edwin Aldrin Award: Because no one remembers who was second on the moon, honouring those totally overshadowed by Bolt and Phelps.
In the pool, Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe won a gold and three silvers. Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima dominated the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Rebecca Adlington was the first British swimmer to win multiple golds in a century.
Australia’s Stephanie Rice won three times, set two world records and, according to The New York Post, snared Michael Phelps. I wonder which one she considers the greatest achievement.
On the track, Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele became the first in 28 years to complete the 5,000/10,000 double. Before Angelo Taylor, no one ever won gold in both the 400 hurdles and the 4x400 relay. And 19-year-old Pamela Jelimo became the first Kenyan woman to win Olympic gold. That surprised me. The country is so dominant, I figured another female would have won one by accident.
Biggest disgrace: The Canadian Olympic Committee for not allowing Donovan Bailey, Clara Hughes, Mark Tewksbury and Perdita Felicien into Canada House. I understand the COC doesn’t want media inside, but there’s a huge difference between schlubs like myself and, say, Hughes.
Let’s go over the resumes:
Bailey won two gold medals, three world championships and set a world record in the 100. It stood as the Olympic standard until Bolt showed up 10 days ago.
Hughes is the only Canadian to win medals in both the Winter and Summer Olympics, and the only person anywhere with more than one in each. She has five, including gold in 5000m speed skating from 2006.
Tewksbury owns one Olympic medal of each color. His gold came in Barcelona, from the 100 backstroke.
Felicien is the 2003 world champion and 2007 world silver medallist in the 100 hurdles.
Tewksbury, blocked at the door by some bouncer wannabe, actually could see a poster of himself on the wall. That still didn’t get him in.
What an embarrassment. If the COC doesn’t care about its athletes, why should anyone else?
Favourite Anthem: Kenya’s is really haunting. Dramatic and powerful. Loved it every time I heard it. Italy’s was my second favourite. When Pellegrini won the 200 free, the crowd clapped along to the up-tempo beat, even though it had no idea how the song went.
Most Overrated Event: Beach volleyball. Yeah, I know it looks great on television. And, yes, even President Bush was creepily ogling Misty May-Treanor. But the indoor game is superior. It’s not even close.
Sorry For Asking: Following the 3m springboard diving event (no Canadians entered), I was asked to tape an interview with Russian silver medallists Julia Pakhalina and Anastasia Pozdnyakova. We knew Pakhalina spoke English, but we weren’t sure about Pozdnyakova, so I asked her. She looked at me like I had a third ear on my forehead and snapped, “Of course.”
Cameraman Gary Hogg is probably still laughing. It was pretty funny.
The Class Acts: People who stopped to talk even when they lost painfully.
Canadian Division: Mike Brown; Dylan Armstrong (who agonizingly lost a shot put medal on the second-last throw); Gary Reed (whose late charge in the 800 missed the podium by a microscopic 0.12 seconds); and Adam van Koeverden. (Okay, I cheated on that one, too. Karen Larsin did a great job with that interview. Sue me.)
Non-Canadian division: British swimmer Francesca Halsall. The BBC was stationed next to me at the Water Cube, so I saw her interviewed when the Brits just missed the medals in the 4x100 medley relay. Apparently, she did not want to enter the race because it’s not her specialty, but anchored because she was pressured to do so. She cried into the camera and apologized to the country for not getting to the podium. She’s 18. It was tough to watch.
American hurdler Lolo Jones, who tripped on the final hurdle en route to gold. Her mistake allowed Lopes-Schliep to win a medal. She must have done 40 interviews explaining what happened.
Darvis Patton and Lauryn Williams from the American men’s and women’s 4x100 relay teams. Both dropped the batons, but took the heat. Williams had a great line despite her sadness, saying, “Maybe the baton had a life of its own.”
U.S. breaststroker Brendan Hansen. Once a dominant force in the event, Hansen failed to make the Olympic team in the 200 and missed the podium in the 100 as hated rival Kitajima took both. But he stopped to explain what happened and even made a point of congratulating a man who openly mocked him for his failures.
Wasn’t It Nice To See: Jamaican sprinters actually win medals for Jamaica?
Sorry For Asking II: We interviewed Jamaican 400 hurdler Melaine Walker after her opening heat. She looked good, but was annoyed at the way she ran. After the semi, she was very happy, and when we asked to interview again, she said, “Oh, now you want to talk to me.” I looked at her and said, “What are you talking about? We talked to you yesterday.”
She says, “Oh. Go ahead then.”
I can’t remember which cameraman was howling at that bizarre exchange. She gave a superb interview after winning the gold, though.
Bad Technique Award: Katie Hoff in the 400 free and Milorad Cavic in the 100 butterfly. Hoff short-armed her way into the finish, allowing Rebecca Adlington to beat her by a fingernail. Cavic didn’t go into the wall hard – as every swimmer is taught to do – which gave Phelps gold number seven. And can we stop with the conspiracy talk? The Serbs themselves admitted defeat.
Funniest Canadian: Decathlete Massimo Bertocchi. Highlight after the five Day I events? “Finishing.” Highlight after the five Day II events? “Finishing.”
Most Disgusting Moment: No names to protect the protagonists, but a reporter near me asked one of the runners for an interview after the 5,000. The athlete asked for a few minutes, then proceeded to vomit right in front of both of us. That wasn’t so bad, because it actually happened a couple of times, so you get used to it.
But, the reporter actually went ahead with the interview! It’s not like the guy was a medal winner, or even from the same country as the guy questioning him. I almost puked watching it.
Worst-Handled Moment: Could track officials have butchered the 200 any worse? They disqualify Wallace Spearmon, but allow him to do a victory lap before saying anything. Shawn Crawford – originally fourth – finds out he’s won a bronze while doing an interview with Swedish TV, as the on-air guy points to the corrected scoreboard. (He later gets upgraded to silver when another sprinter is DQ’d.) Initially, Crawford thinks the reporter is nuts.
Much Respect For: The U.S. Track & Field Assocation. The Americans had no one in the men’s 800 final, no one in the men’s javelin final and no one in the men’s long jump final. Two out of three medal contenders collapsed in the men’s shot and Bernard Lagat was a huge disappointment in his 1500/5000 double attempt. Sprinters from both sexes were dominated by the Jamaicans, and the two 4x100 relay teams dropped batons in the semis.
The men did go 1-2-3 in the 400 and the 400 hurdles, while the women joined them in sweeping the 4x400s. In Canada, there would be a parade down Sussex Drive, complete with former Winnipeg Blue Bomber cheerleaders.
But not south of the 49th. Here’s what Doug Logan, the organization’s CEO, wrote in his blog:
“I have received e-mails from people across the country, particularly about the relays. They all say more or less the same thing: the dropped batons were reflective of a lack of preparation, lack of professionalism and of leadership. I agree...We can be a much better team. And we will be."
That’s a standard this country should strive for.
Craziest Scene: The silk market or the pearl market. If you don’t like to be touched, don’t go. If you don’t like to argue, don’t bother. It’s more physical than Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
But, I did get a good price on a Frolex.
You’ve Never Seen Anything Like: Beijing drivers. Generally, I think Toronto’s pretty bad. I’ve driven in Mexico, Italy and Israel, all of which have bad reputations, and none of them are worse than the Ontario capital.
Then, I arrived in China.
Imagine every ridiculous stereotype of bad driving you can think of, and multiply it by a trillion. Three weeks into my stay, I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Sometimes, they will pay attention to traffic lights, but lane markings are nothing more than a guideline, cyclists go anywhere they want, pedestrians think they’re invincible and the horn should be the country’s official musical instrument.
One-way streets? Who cares? Just pick any direction you want. Lane changes? Here’s how they work: There was a major six-lane road (three lanes each direction) going past our hotel. Let’s say we’re leaving it, and our driver pulls out into the main road. Does he wait for an opening? Don’t be stupid.
He simply coasts into the closest lane. Anyone charging at us doesn’t stop, they just slide into the next one. Drivers already in that middle lane follow the same process into the last one. What do the people in that far lane do? They go back towards the middle, of course. In Beijing, you spend as much time driving sideways as you do moving forward.
Too bad I never got a chance to try.
I Wondered If It Was Fixed: The diving competition. I covered the first three events, and listened as Anne Montminy described how the judges were being influenced by the hometown crowd. Some less-than-perfect attempts were getting good scores, and China badly wanted the eight-event sweep. Now, I didn’t see the Alex Despatie silver, the Emilie Heymans silver or the Blythe Hartley fourth, but Steve Armitage said he thought it was honest.
Army’s seen more diving than just about anyone, so I take his word. I do, however, admit to some skepticism.
Impressive Teenage Performance: Sixteen-year-old diver Jennifer Abel clunked her third dive in the springboard prelims, jeopardizing her chances at qualifying for the second round. It would have been easy for her to collapse, but she showed great composure in regaining control and advancing. She didn’t make the finals, but I didn’t cover that, so she doesn’t lose any points under my scoring system.
I Don’t Know What To Make Of Him: Brent Hayden. Hayden swam exactly one bad race. Unfortunately, it was in his premiere event, the 100 freestyle. The 2007 world champion looked awesome until he coasted through his semifinal swim and, as a result, didn’t even reach the final. Then, he swam an outstanding relay leg in the 4x200 freestyle, a team he said would be “a surprise not to medal,” but ended up fifth.
He didn’t seem too bothered by either finish, even admitting to CBC that he “left something in the pool” and didn’t go all out in his solo race. That didn’t go unnoticed, especially by Swimming Canada.
He’s talented, he’s friendly, he’s likeable. But, does he have what it takes to be a champion again?
How Can You Not Root For This Guy? Ryan Lochte, who won two golds and two bronze, admitted he played the flaming bag trick on his girlfriend. That instantly made him my favourite Olympian.
Lochte also said he has no idea where his 2004 medals are (he won two), and minutes after winning the 200 backstroke, added he was already thinking about 2012.
And You Thought You Had A Bad Week: Swimmer Victoria Poon qualified for her first Olympics, but spent most of it in quarantine after catching the chicken pox. She was removed from the 4x100 relay, but did get to swim the 50. She didn’t get a second race, which is too bad, because if anyone deserved it, it was Poon.
Great Attitude Award: Joe Bartoch, who competed in the 100 butterfly, did not qualify for the semis after finishing two seconds behind the leader. Even though he’s 25, he said he wouldn’t retire, because, “Even though I’m not supposed to say it, I want that world record.”
Best Quote I Read: Amanda Beard, who seems willing to take off her clothes for anyone who asks nicely, said, “Ewww, that’s nasty” when asked if she hooked up with Phelps.
Most Surreal Experience: I show up for the closing ceremonies, and cameraman Mark Punga is telling me he’s taken 100 pictures with the young men and women who are waiting to participate. He’s not joking. We are repeatedly swarmed by friendly performers who want to take photos with us for no apparent reason.
They don’t ask us who we are. They don’t ask us where we’re from. They just want to be in a picture with us, either giving the thumbs up or pretending we are interviewing them. I am not exaggerating when I say that we must have been in 500 snapshots. Several times, security has to come by and chase people away.
The only time we are ignored is when David Beckham shows up. (By the way, I was told Beckham had it in his contract that no close-up shots could be taken of his face. Maybe I can get the same deal.)
Mel Lastman Award: I was worried London mayor Boris Johnson would strangle himself waving the Olympic flag.
Saddest Realization: That the average Chinese person lives a life of fear. There were a couple examples of this, but the one that stands out involved Marianne Limpert. One day, as we were getting onto the shuttle from our hotel to the IBC, she had an umbrella that a young worker said was “too big.”
I know, it sounds crazy. But the volunteer was serious.
We tried to say it was not such a big deal, we’d just keep it in a corner, but she looked at us in horror. It became very clear that she was scared for two reasons. First, she needed approval from a manager to clear the umbrella and, second, she was concerned that we would be unhappy because of her.
These Games were supposed to put a good face on China, and it became obvious over 21 days that Chinese people wanted no part of being responsible for a tourist’s unhappiness. They avoided arguments at all costs (except for the silk/pearl markets) and did everything they could to make visitors comfortable.
But, there are rules. Some of them were of the micromanaging variety, like the umbrella rule, or asking people on the shuttles to store their bags on the shelves provided, not on the seats or on the floor by their feet. When some of us resisted these small rules, you could see the worry. They were concerned about getting in trouble, because these small, silly rules weren’t being followed.
I’m having trouble finding a word to describe how hard it feels to realize their fear.
The idea that the Games changed China is beyond naive. The government built spectacular venues that Vancouver or London simply should not bother trying to emulate. There is no opposition here. If the politicians decided to build a $200 million Water Cube that will smash world records, who is going to stop them?
No one.
The infrastructure was changed, but the society? I don’t think so.
These people are friendly, and I think they really enjoyed the experience. When Canadian athletes or broadcasters said these were the best Games they’d ever seen, the Chinese nationals absolutely beamed. You should have seen the smiles. But what kind of lives are they going back to?
I wonder about that. And I probably won’t stop wondering for a while.
We’re lucky to live in Canada.
Finally, A Thank You: I don’t really like to talk about media access, because I don’t think the public cares who does (or doesn’t) talk to us. But, it should be noted that I had the opportunity to interview 58 Canadian athletes after competition, many of them more than once. You know how many said no?
Zero.
I’ve written before that the Olympic setup for interviews is far, far harder than any other league’s. There is no cool-down time. You move right from competition to media inquiry. It didn’t matter if a Canadian won a medal, finished agonizingly close, or wasn’t even near the podium. They all talked.
That simply does not happen in any other sport, and people should know that.
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About the Author
Elliotte Friedman is the host of the CFL ON CBC. Prior to being named host in 2006, Friedman worked on the CFL on CBC broadcasts for the three seasons as a sideline reporter. A Toronto native, Friedman is well known for his additional work on Hockey Night in Canada, as well as his presence on the Torino 2006 Winter Games telecasts as a hockey reporter. Prior to joining the CBC, Friedman worked at The Score network and was widely regarded as one of the best reporters in the country. Friedman used his reporting skills to break stories and file feature reports for high profile events including six Stanley Cup Finals, four Grey Cup Championships, two World Series and one Olympic Games. He is also a regular on the nationally syndicated Prime Time Sports radio telecast, hosted by Bob McCown.
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Comments
Lyle Grant
Vancouver
A great read!
I enjoyed your summaries and reflections more than the games themselves.
Thanks for the added entertainment.
Posted August 27, 2008 04:10 PM
Catherine Woods
Elliot: Where has the CBC been hiding you? Your Olympic coverage was fresh, down-to-earth, and well conceived. Your insights on China were sad, but not unexpected.
Posted August 27, 2008 03:51 PM
Elliotte Friedman
Toronto
Let me just say this, because it's appears as if I didn't make it clear enough in the blog:
These Olympics were incredible. Broadcasters and athletes went out of their way to praise them. I made sure to tell anyone who asked, and even some who didn't. There is no way Vancouver or London will be able to equal what we saw here.
The people are very, very friendly. I enjoyed meeting them and getting to know the ones who worked closely with us. They were eager to please and easy to talk to.
But I stand by what I wrote in the "Saddest Realization" section. In my life, I've been lucky enough to visit the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Sweden, Denmark, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Thailand, Greece, Italy and Israel.
Many of those places I went to alone, on vacation. There was an undercurrent of fear in China I never saw anywhere else.
Anyway, I appreciate all of your comments.
Thank you.
EF
Posted August 27, 2008 02:54 PM
John McBrien
Hamilton
Elliot,
You missed a great opportunity to congratulate our Olympians. Interview after interview we watched as you neglected (or forgot) to mention what a superb job our atheletes did in their respective events. Would you please remember that they spend their lives training for that one day, one race... please offer them the kudos they deserve!
Posted August 27, 2008 02:48 PM
WX
Vancouver
Stupid assumptions that Chinese people live in fear!
Posted August 27, 2008 02:45 PM
Joe Atwood
Great article. I loved everything about the Olympics. The CBC did a great job covering the Olympics. I espcially liked the interviews with the Canadian athletes. It seemed liked you talked to every Canadian regardless of whether or not they won a medal. I am diasppointed that the CBC lost the broadcast rights though. Hopefully it can get the rights to future games.
Posted August 27, 2008 02:09 PM
Les
K-W
Enjoyed reading your reflections and, even though I disagree with some of your views, have softened my opinion of your Olympic coverage. You do a much better job interviewing a medal winner than when you interview others who performed admirably but did not make it to the podium.
Would like to see some further statistics - # of Canadian athletes who achieved a personal best, a Canadian best, a final or a top-ten performance. If we had a fourth place finish in every event, we wouldn't be on the board but we would have done very well.
I'm proud to be Canadian and to know that our athletes tried their best. I'm also proud that, while we support our athletes, we do not forget that there are many other reasons for being proud Canadians and many other ways in which we spend our money to help our citizens in a variety of ways. Winning medals at the Olympics provides no guarantee that a country is a great place to live.
Posted August 27, 2008 02:05 PM
Jordan Wong
Vancouver
This gentlemen said it best:
Ray
Ontario
I'm not convinced from your "examples" that the average Chinese person lives in fear. I don't even really understand why you interpreted it that way. Maybe there were some picky little rules for those travelling to the International Broadcasting Centre, but for the average person who's not being escorted in a media shuttle everywhere, life is very flexible. My saddest realization is that people still make outrageous generalizations about the lives of average Chinese people based on their own very limited experience.
Posted August 27, 2008 01:50 PM
Jason
Toronto
Great article indeed.
Except: "That the average Chinese person lives a life of fear. "
Your ignorance is in display.
Posted August 27, 2008 01:34 PM
Brent
Moncton
Holy cow people! Elliot was giving his opinion and perception. They aren't to be taken as fact. It seems to me that the reality is that China put on quite a show. I also doubt that the people of China are free to do many of the things that people in other countries can do such as criticize the government.
Granted I'm not saying that all of our freedoms are good. But that is another topic for discussion.
Elliot, I enjoyed your summary.
Posted August 27, 2008 01:19 PM
Rick
Gee Elliotte,
Do you really hate Beach Volleyball that much?
Have you ever played the sport. It is a great sport.
Posted August 27, 2008 01:13 PM
Tim
A good read and good job on the coverage.
Posted August 27, 2008 12:51 PM
S.K. Chu
Canada
I want to comment on the following:
"....So Elliotte's observation is spot on. As an anthropological and socialogical observer I can confirm that the average Chinese person lives in fear of the 'man' and waiguoren's......" Canadians, please note that you don't need to live in fear because you have your country has Welfare and has UI. Imagine if Canada has no welfare, has no UI, will be be afraid of being fired by your boss when you have a whole family to raise?
Posted August 27, 2008 12:45 PM
Ray
Ontario
I'm not convinced from your "examples" that the average Chinese person lives in fear. I don't even really understand why you interpreted it that way. Maybe there were some picky little rules for those travelling to the International Broadcasting Centre, but for the average person who's not being escorted in a media shuttle everywhere, life is very flexible. My saddest realization is that people still make outrageous generalizations about the lives of average Chinese people based on their own very limited experience.
Posted August 27, 2008 12:38 PM
Ben
Toronto
Good point - my "saddest realization" is that you don't even appreciate the organizers and the volunteers' hard work that makes your "wonderful experience" possible.
Posted August 27, 2008 12:19 PM
Canadian
Niagara
Hey Elliotte,
Just wondering why your favorite anthems were the Kenyan and Italian. WHy not the Canadian anthem? I love hearing it everytime !
Posted August 27, 2008 12:17 PM
Bill
Vancouver
Hey Rob from Taiwan, In this case the first C in CBC stands for Canada, not China. Sheesh.
Posted August 27, 2008 11:24 AM
g
Van
Holy Crap!!! Thanks for the run-down. I can't believe how much I missed. I was in the US for the first half of it and subjected to the Michael Phelps show. I really like most Americans but what's with the exaggerated exuberance and posturing that follows each victory? For once I'd like to see some modesty exhibited by their athletes. It would speak volumes for that wonderful country.
Anyway, I digress. I missed a lot but what I was most impressed with was the woman's 10-metre platform and Emilie Heyman's silver. Here you had the Chinese diver destined for gold execute a perfect dive right after Emilie executed something nearly as perfect. I can't even imagine the pressure that both of them were under and to deliver such a finale. Total perfection.
Posted August 27, 2008 11:22 AM
David Richardson
Calgary
Elliotte,
I wrote to you during Week-One of the Olympics, commenting on your inverview style at poolside. Now, I must say, I was, for the most part, writing to you with my tongue firmly planted, but was somewhat confused by the injection of your p.o.v. into every question. I selected my words carefully, as not to appear to be adopting a rant-type tone, but I must also tell you how much I enjoyed your response.
I certainly know that you do not believe athletes are; "too smart" to be competitive Olympians, but just wanted to make a point that you are being watched, and listened to very closely by your viewers. It actually would not be worthwhile to take the time to write to you if we did not respect your style, and efforts, and intellect. Your efforts during all of your interviews were appreciated in my house, and were an integral component to each event. We considered an event incomplete until the "Elliotte Interview". We really did appreciate what you added to the telecast, and thank you very much for this extensive summary of your experience. We have saved this wrap-up piece as a nice souvenir of the past two-weeks, and something that we will likely review in the future as a trigger for recalling pleasant memories of the Beijing games. Thank you for adding to the experience.
David
Posted August 27, 2008 11:21 AM
g
Van
Holy Crap!!! Thanks for the run-down. I can't believe how much I missed. I was in the US for the first half of it and subjected to the Michael Phelps show. I really like most Americans but what's with the exaggerated exuberance and posturing that follows each victory? For once I'd like to see some modesty exhibited by their athletes. It would speak volumes for that wonderful country.
Anyway, I digress. I missed a lot but what I was most impressed with was the woman's 10-metre platform and Emilie Heyman's silver. Here you had the Chinese diver destined for gold execute a perfect dive right after Emilie executed something nearly as perfect. I can't even imagine the pressure that both of them were under and to deliver such a finale. Total perfection.
Posted August 27, 2008 11:21 AM
Thighrod
Canada
Quote:
>Mike Sun
Canada
"But what kind of lives are they going back to?"Pretty much like in Toronto - but not as boring as in Toronto, and chance of being randomly stabbed on Beijing's streets is almost none.
Posted August 26, 2008 09:15 PM
Ummm....maybe you missed the memo, the father-in-law of one of the US volleyball coaches was randomly stabbed to death early in the games. I hope this was intentional on your part, otherwise, quite a ridiculous mis-statement!
Posted August 27, 2008 11:19 AM
KRS
Toronto
"The infrastructure was changed, but the society? I don’t think so."
Changed from what? When was the last time you went to China before this? What are you basing this on? Changed from 10 years ago? 20 years ago? 3 weeks ago?
"They were concerned about getting in trouble, because these small, silly rules weren’t being followed."
Wouldn't anyone in say, a government organization, a large corporation, or a military organization be compelled to act in a very similar manner? You have to remember that these volunteers are responsible for your well-being - should something happen to you or your equipment/possessions, they, ultimately would be held responsible. Is it unfair? Yes. Is it unheard of? By all means no.
"I wonder if it was fixed."
China won 6/8 gold medals in diving at Athens 2004 (missed out on the 7th because of a sheer fluke, and lost the 8th by 20 points). Was it really inconceivable that they could sweep all 8 golds without outside assistance? Besides, what are you going to do? Tell the crowd to sit on their hands as to not influence a bunch of judges that had sat through countless home crowds before?
"But what kind of lives are they going back to?"
There's a simple way to find out. Book your next vacation in Beijing.
Posted August 27, 2008 11:02 AM
Keith
Trois-Rivieres
We must remember that a Canadian best is not world class and we saw this during the Olympics. Maybe we can have our own Canadian Olympics..this weill ensure more than three gold. I as a Canadian and a sports fan am not proud of our Olympic performance even if the COC reached its Olympic objective of 16th place!!!
Posted August 27, 2008 10:38 AM
Neil
Ottawa
Great article to read.
I feel that some of the comments are unwarranted though. This is more of a personal recollection rather than a report on what happened in China. It is exactly what the title is, things that Mr. Friedman will not forget about his experience.
Now, you can argue about whether or not personal beliefs should be published on a news website, but that's exactly what this is and I enjoyed reading it.
Before you decide to criticize his statements about the Chinese populus, remember that they are not reports of exactly what is really happening they are descriptions of the events that he experienced as they came across to him.
Posted August 27, 2008 10:36 AM
Braydon
Vancouver
Great blog, really summed up the entire Beijing Games. But you should not make assumptions that Chinese people live in fear. You were only in Beijing for a few weeks. It is sad that these Games only confused the West about China, not opened relations up as it was intended to.
Posted August 27, 2008 10:29 AM
John Lester
Edmonton
Descriptive and insightful summary. Thanks. This leaves a much better taste in my mouth than your on-the-spot interviews at the Games themselves. I felt your interviews with many of our hard-working athletes were insensitive and negative to say the least. It was frankly apalling that there was often no mention of the positive aspects of a performance, such as a personal best; only the disappointment. Further to this, Canadians should not look down on an athlete who doesn't respond favorably to the tone of your questions after what would obviously be a disappointing moment. I realize you are there to report, not to cheer them up, but on the other hand, I would think their time with you would make a difficult time much worse.
Posted August 27, 2008 10:24 AM
Howard
Toronto
Just a comment about those who say you misunderstood the level of fear in China. For those who say you were incorrect, let me say I know a woman from China who grew up in a small rural village. Her father was an editor of a local paper. He once wrote something that was mildly disapproving of some actions by the local government and as a result the entire family was transported to a mining community. The father divorced his wife to save the livelihood of his family because he was forever blackballed. His daughter, managed somehow to be accepted into the prestigious University of Beijing and graduated with a law degree with high honours. She was then posted to teach in a tiny college where she shared a bedroom with five other professors and was only allowed to see her husband briefly on weekends. She and her husband left China as soon as she was able. This too is the reality of China.
Posted August 27, 2008 10:12 AM
William Olsen
NYC
This is typical a white guy's writting about foreign country. Instead of appreication of the hard work put up by thousands of Chinese volunteers, you are purposely down play the success of Beijing Olympics. I am sure if there is some instance of someone got killed or a bomb explored, you will blame the Chinese were not doing a good job on security. If there no one cared about you or inconvenient transportation, you will complain to the Chinese for their unorganized plan. Yes, it was a big time for the China to show the world that China can do it and China can do it better than anyone has ever done before. And you know what? China did it and did with truly exceptional and exciting event. For me as a Canadian, I thank China for their affords for the successful completion of the Beijing Olympics 2008. Looking forward to Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010. It is unlikely that it will be as spetacular and exciting as Beijing Olympics 2008.
Posted August 27, 2008 09:57 AM
Rob Anderson
Ottawa
Elliot,
Thanks for the reflections and the opportunity to say thanks for your post-event inteviews. As a viewer, I get really tired of the hackneyed and lazy "How does did it feel..." questions. Thank-you for avoiding those and leaving them to the poeple back in the studio. You really got to the point of what actually happened out on the track/pool/whatever. Our entire family was glued to the Olympics. We found that the observations and insights you helped our Olympians reveal were key to understanding the event that had just happened.
Thanks
Posted August 27, 2008 09:46 AM
Willie
Toronto
Great comments Elliott. I appreciate your candidness and your search for the new or interesting facts. We're looking forward to more great work once hockey starts up again!
Posted August 27, 2008 09:44 AM
Fan Xiang Kong
mississauga
Mr. Friedman,
If you can easily draw a conclusion that an average Chinese person lives a life of fear. Then from you as an example, can I say that an average Canadian person is irresponsible, ignorant and idiotic?. You will regard this as an insult. Why can't I?
Posted August 27, 2008 09:23 AM
Kelvin
Toronto
Kudos on the coverage though. Like being there myself. Shame on the COC. Thanks for coming out. Now stay out!
Posted August 27, 2008 09:06 AM
Kelvin
Toronto
Fear in China - it's such a relative term. Actually, regularly heaing the terms shootings, innocent by-standers and criminals with guns in Toronto is what fear is. Welcome Home Eliott.
Posted August 27, 2008 09:04 AM
robert roberts
winnipeg
How is it that you make no mention of the gold medal finish of Eric Lamaze and his horse Hickstead?
Posted August 27, 2008 09:02 AM
Kelvin
Toronto
Fear in China - very relative term. However, I can tell you that these days the terms, shootings, innocent victim and criminals with guns has me fearing Toronto. Welcome home Eliott
Posted August 27, 2008 09:01 AM
John
Toronto
It reads like: They (China) are good, but we (Canada) are better.
Posted August 27, 2008 08:49 AM
Veronica
China
I love how all these "Chinese Canadian's" say that they're all up in arms about the whole saddest realization part. I live in China. I'm a foreigner--Canadian--and I can tell you the average Chinese living in China does live a life of fear. Those people tending to the tourists were probably afraid they would loose some of their salary for not making the tourist follow the rules.
I've seen it first hand. At my employment place I've seen the management come down hard financially on the Chinese employees--for things that they had no control over. It's the Chinese managed mentality. And it's not just my employer either. I've heard from other expat friends the same stories as well.
So Elliotte's observation is spot on. As an anthropological and socialogical observer I can confirm that the average Chinese person lives in fear of the 'man' and waiguoren's.
My favorite or most memorable moment was Mike Brown's Bronze race....what a great race--that Tunisian....out of no where and Mike keeping up with the Great Grant Hackett for the most part of the race...good stuff!!! Unfortunately I could not see some of the Olympic moments described in this blog. I had to settled with Chinese television--not always entertaining--or Philippino television--again boxing and judo to my delights but I wanted to see Rowing!!
Posted August 27, 2008 08:29 AM
Wendy
Burlington
CBC did an excellent job at covering the Olympics. I enjoyed every moment. However, it is obvious from reading your list that the track and the pool was the focus... which reinforces that TV is all about ratings and advertisements and money.
It was great to see you interview so many athletes after their races, however, I felt sorry for so many athletes who had to be interviewed after thier races. At some points, I did not enjoy watching the Interivew. Most of them were so out of breath they couldn't even talk. As well, some of the questions you asked were rediculous. I am not sure if you have ever completed... if you have, maybe you forgot what it was like to complete therefor lacked some compassion (as part of your job) for these athletes during the interview process. In the future, I would like to see a little more respect shown for the athletes after they complete their events. Give them more time to relax and catch their breath and ensure the questions are reasonable.
I would also like CBC to show more events on TV more often... I saw clips of the Badminton and what a wicked sport.
One final comment, I was disappointed in your comment concerning the Beach Volleyball. Now, don't get me wrong, Volleyball was the ONE sport that I did enjoy playing, however, as an athlete, I can certainly appreciate the athleticism of these athletes. More so than 6 on one side. The ground that must be covered, the speed and agility needed, and the ability to be jumping on every single point. The womens game beach volleyball demonsrated more athletic talent in this respect. I am sure the game of 6 is more exciting, however, I am also sure that the 2 "man" game demonsrates incredible athletic ability.
Thanks
Posted August 27, 2008 07:57 AM
Matt
Wonderful blog. I've been experiencing the Olympics in the UK with the wildly successful Brits and it was great to read some Canadian reflections. Makes me want to be home for 2010 (but maybe back here for 2012).
Sounds like you had a fascinating time.
Posted August 27, 2008 07:51 AM
Alan
Halifax
The most hilarious moment of the entire games was when Ron McLean gave you that one word of advice just before your interview with Yelena Isinbayeva, the Russian pole vaulter (who is drop-dead gorgeous) ...
"Focus"
Posted August 27, 2008 07:30 AM
John
Toronto
Reads like:
They(China) were pretty good, but we(Canada) are better.
Posted August 27, 2008 07:18 AM
Wei Tingyi
Shanghai
Elliotte,
Your comment on China shows your sheer naivity about China. China is going through profound social transformations. Like my friend Nan Ming, I DO NOT live in fear. My saddest realization is that you returned to Canada with some cheap bargains found in the pearl market, but with no single insight on today's China.
I protest on your remarks.
Wei
Posted August 27, 2008 06:19 AM
Nan Ming
Shanghai
Elliot,
I am a Chinese living in China. I can tell you on behalf of myself, my family and several of my friends that WE DO NOT LIVE IN FEAR!
Posted August 27, 2008 06:13 AM
Mia Yu-Grenier
Beijing
Elliotte, your "realization" that Chinese people live in a state is simply ignorant and laughable. It re-confirms that Western journalists like you are arrogant enough to stick to your previous steretypes. You may have been in China; but you have both eyes and mind closed.
I am a Canadian living in Beijing. I can tell you my Chinese friends enjoy their lives as well as what the Games have brought to them. They are NOT in fear of returning to their old lives, which are pretty nice and comfortable in comparison to the Canadian standard.
Without a good grasp of the complex social reality of contemporary China, with a long good converstaion with a Beijing native, how can make this statement on CBC which seems directly come out of a red-neckish stereotype?
As a Canadian in China, I can tell you China is a much mis-understood country due to the remarks like yours. And the Canadian people are becoming more culturally-blind precisely because of Canadian reporters like you.
We are looking forward to more intelligent and well-balanced coverage from CBC.
Mia
Posted August 27, 2008 06:10 AM
Tony
Toronto
Will written Elliot, I enjoyed your coverage
Well Done
Posted August 27, 2008 05:28 AM
Raymond
BC
Hi, Elliotte:
Good writing overall and I enjoyed reading the most part.
On sad thing is that you apparently don’t speak Chinese and you missed lots of great interactions between athletes and audience. Singing “Happy Birthday” to Usain in Bird Nest was only one of them although it was probably the greatest one.
The saddest thing is that you don’t understand Asian culture at all. You think the volunteering lady looked at you in horror and lives in a live of fear just for an oversize umbrella? How arrogant you are? Having lived in a few Asian countries I can tell you her behaviour is typical in Asia. A couple of years ago in Tokyo I took bus from the hotel to Narita airport. At the scheduled departure time the driver checked the passenger list and found an American couple did not show up. He went into the hotel and couldn’t still find them. For the rest of the story I can just copy your writing: He looked at us in horror. It became very clear that he was scared for two reasons. First, he needed approval from a manager to depart and, second, he was concerned that we would be unhappy because of him (He called the manager twice and finally got the approval for departure).
Next time maybe you should learn some Asian culture so you don’t look so ignorant and laughable.
Posted August 27, 2008 03:49 AM
weiming
BC
Weiming from China:
my "saddest realization" is that you don't even appreciate the organizers and the volunteers' hard work that makes your "wonderful experience" possible. Don't you know that those little tiny rules are the ones that make sure a smooth and safe Game? Don't you know how complicated it is to organize a giant event such as the Olympics? I am an ordinary Chinese, and let me tell you, I am not living a life of fear!
"The infrastructure was changed, but the society? I don’t think so" - this only proves your own ignorance!
Posted August 27, 2008 03:47 AM
Rob
Taiwan
Amazing how there was no mention of any of the 100 Chinese athletes who won medals. They were the best performers of these games and not even a mention of their achievements.
Posted August 27, 2008 02:36 AM
Scott
Calgary
GREAT Blog Elliotte. Really awesome to read... very intrinsically Canadian. Excellently communicated.
Posted August 27, 2008 02:20 AM
Arthur
Toronto
I think it is a little unfair for you to say "We’re lucky to live in Canada." and to generalize the way you did in your "Saddest Realization" part. You make it sound as if it is so unfortunate that these people are doomed to have to live in China. As a Chinese Canadian myself, I find that quite insulting. I think any average Chinese who saw your comments would be annoyed to see that some foreigner would generalize and say that they are living a "life of fear" in China from just a "couple" of examples. Chinese people have historically had great respect for hierarchy. The volunteer was merely trying to do her job and follow the rules that her supervisor gave her. I really do believe that it was cultural differences and the scrutiny on the volunteers to make the perfect Olympics that led you to make your, so called, "realization".
Posted August 27, 2008 01:49 AM
Long Huang
Toronto
I think you misunderstood Chinese people. There was no fear at all as long as when I was living there. I really do not understand what you are trying to imply when you say "I’m having trouble finding a word to describe how hard it feels to realize their fear".
I recalled when I was in China long time ago, I do not need to worry about my job, I jumped from one company to another. There were so many chances there. Now, I live in Canada, I have been working on same job for more than 8 years. Everyday, I am living with a FEAR. A fear of no knowing what is going to happen tomorrow.
It is kind of shock for me to see a reporter like you have so big problem to understand Beijinger. No wonder Canadians misunderstand Chinese so much.
Posted August 27, 2008 01:06 AM
Fan Xiang Kong
mississauga
Saddest Realization.
So sad you say average Chinese person lives a life of fear, which is absolutely not true. and you really don't need to worry about what kind of lives they are going back to. misunderstanding is everywhere here.
Posted August 27, 2008 12:31 AM
Tomas Kudaba
Hi Elliot,
I chuckled at many of your comments and agreed with them. I must take eception at Steve from Philadelphia 's comments on Canada House. I'm not sure of the circumstances that cause him to feel "left out" from Canada House but from my experience I never met such a tireless, unselfish group of volunteers in my various experiences. I'm not sure what the guidelines were for those who received accreditation for Canada House but speaking only for myself, I followed the process from Day 1 and felt invited and engaged throughout. Having my son participate was a thrill indeed but also having the benefit of experiencing Canada House for two weeks was truly a joy and a comfort. My thanks go out to the COC committee for doing what they did and all those wonderful people who made us feel at home in China and giving us a part of Canada while we were in China. Many of the parents who were there have spent thousands supporting their kids and continue to do so. Most of these athletes do not earn millions or even thousands but they pursue their dreams and through parent and some government support, are perhaps lucky enough to share their successes with their parents and the rest of Canada. Frankly, I'm not concerned that Canada House was not a VIP centre. I don't think it was meant to be such. I realize how business works and I realise about the "optics" of not letting former greats in the facility but it is simplistic to state that the people mentioned in the e mail should always be included. What were the guidelines and goals of Canada House? The answer in my opinion was that they were there to assist Canadians whose children had made the Olympic team and help them cope in a country merging into western society norms.
Posted August 27, 2008 12:20 AM
Tonya Reesor
What an awesome expository! I loved reading your thoughts and experiences in China. I particularly enjoy your closing thoughts on how these Games will "be remembered". I hardly doubt that any of this extravaganza will improve the quality of life for the average Chinese citizen. Sad, really when you consider the absurd amount of money and human sacrifice it took to impress the world.
Thanks for sharing...enjoy a much deserved rest. Oh, and get this list on TV...it was great. And, the COC should be dismissed for not allowing four of our greatest Olympians to share in the celebrations of Canada House...how embarrassing.
Posted August 27, 2008 12:03 AM
Doug
Toronto
Good list, after a good job in Beijing. Only one quibble with the list, but it is a fundamental one. I refer to the issue of access to Canada House for athlete/journalists.
On the basic issue, Bailey/Felicien/Hughes/Tewksbery et al are NOT different than you, Oake and Armitage. Like you, they are being paid for insights, observations and reporting what they see and hear. And inside Canada House, they will see and hear things that are not meant to be seen or heard by journalists. The viewing public would certainly benefit from hearing on CBC that Athlete A is limping, or Athlete B is overly tense to the point of catatonia, or that someone saw Athlete C come in at 4 am the morning before his race. But this information would come at the expense of the athletes for whom Canada House is supposed to be a sanctuary, away from the madding crowd (and journalists). I suspect that Bailey/Felicien/Hughes/Tewksbery et al would be welcomed with open arms were they to relinquish their status as journalists. But having chosen to wear the "Press" hat for these two weeks, they have sacrificed --- not forever, but for these two weeks --- their right to trade on their past athletic credentials.
By way of analogy, I suspect that as a former Brave, Joe Torre could wander about the Atlanta locker room as he wished, when he was "just" a retired ball player. But once he chose to put on a Yankee/Dodger uniform and manage a competing team, I suspect that he found the Braves locker room off limits. The comparison is not perfect, but it gets the point across. And I'll bet that once he retires as a manager, the locker room door will re-open for him, as will the door of Canada House for these four deserving ex-athletes.
Posted August 26, 2008 11:57 PM
Bill
Vancouver
I noticed that Phelps ditched his LZR suit and just wore the bottoms and still won. Maybe they are overrated?
Posted August 26, 2008 11:24 PM
Andy
Toronto
Good article.
As far as your "Saddest Realization", I think they were just over stressed. Because it was first biggest international event happened there, everyone wanted to be perfect, giving that a lot of western country/people wish them screw up, for whatever reason.
By the way, society is changing, towards a good direction at large. You don't see it probably because you don't want to see it or you don't have a chance to see it.
Cheers!
Posted August 26, 2008 11:11 PM
blueonblue
Vancouver
Hi Elliot, Enjoyed all your interviews some of them were bizzare but the most absurd was the one with Tyler Christopher. He gave it all leaning forward looking at the ground,it seemed very disrespectfull to you and the Canadian public we do pay for his funding.
Posted August 26, 2008 10:48 PM
Nathan
Vancouver
Hey Elliot,
Just had to make a comment after I saw your interview with Dylan Armstrong. I have to be honest I thought you totally laboured the point that he finished fourth instead of celebrating the accomplishment - of course it must sting him to finish fourth by that margin. Bringing it up multiple times and then asking the question at the end does not make for a good interview, it makes you look completely insensitive. Good thing Ron Maclean was there with an insightful commentary afterwards. Watch it, you'll see.
Cheers,
Nathan
Posted August 26, 2008 10:47 PM
Sue
Toronto
Hi Elliott
Congratulations on an outstanding job in Beijing. I think you are the best interviewer I have ever heard!
And I've just read your excellent summary and found your opinions on all the subjects very interesting.
Thank you for being you and keep up the great work!
Posted August 26, 2008 10:40 PM
Craig Hostland
Kelowna
Elliot,
I only started to read this lengthy dialogue because I have appreciated your way of presenting the "facts". What I got was a well written story that I didn't expect.
Thankyou for your insight, please do this again.
Posted August 26, 2008 10:15 PM
John
Toronto
Thank you Elliot!
You managed to entertain and inform me with your Olympic review along with the great side stories,humour and insights.
Your story about the micro-managing and the fear of making mistakes saddened me.
Freedom of speech without fear should be a human right. Thanks for letting us know the truth about a dictatorship that does not permit you to be yourself.
But China will have to change eventually.
Let's hope for the best.
The Chinese people showed the world what they could accomplish, now think what they could do if they were free!
The IOC sucks but all the international athletes should be proud of their own determination and spirit. They showed us what will power can accomplish.
Life is not a competition but if we all put the same kind of effort in our own lives as these wonderful athletes, wow!
Posted August 26, 2008 10:14 PM
Shannon
Gatineau
Hi Eliotte,
Thanks for this. Can't get enough of the Olympic stuff.
I want to just echo the previous comment, we want insight questions, questions about tactics, approach, preparation, etc. Less about "will you come back next time to try and fix things?" T&F is a really touch business. Canada's track athletes did an awesome job. At the Olympics, I think a little nationalism is allowed to slip into the media's pockets.
Again, very interesting read above. Thanks.
Posted August 26, 2008 10:09 PM
Janet Caulfeild
Thanks for this. Really enjoyed reading it.
Back home we try to watch it all & catch as much as we can. Then all we have to do is go to the kitchen for a coffee or snack & we miss something. You have given us a good inside scoop.
Take care.
Posted August 26, 2008 09:44 PM
Brett LaPeare
China
As a Canadian who is now working in China you're descrpition of the driving experience was spot on. Next time try a major throughfare between two cities; it's even more insane. Finally what's up with the COC; sometimes it's truly embarassing to be Canadian.
Brett
Posted August 26, 2008 09:26 PM
Mike Sun
Canada
"But what kind of lives are they going back to?"
Pretty much like in Toronto - but not as boring as in Toronto, and chance of being randomly stabbed on Beijing's streets is almost none.
Posted August 26, 2008 09:15 PM
Tina
Great run down on the Olympics, Elliot. There is a few quotes that I'll use. Most noteably, Mike Brown's quote about excellence.
I really enjoyed CBC's coverage of the games. There was great interactions with the atheltes and it truely brought the experience home to Canadians. I'm not surprised you had zero Canadian athelets say no to an interview, because that is so Canadian.
I was impressed with the interviews after the disappointments as well, especially Adam van Koeverden's comments. I liked the honesty. Sports is more then the podium moments and I'm glad I live in a country where we don't "fear" the truth even if it is hard to say, hear, or watch. The truth doesn't always relieve the lump in our throat we feel for an athlete, but it's harder to watch a great athlete like Liu Xiang not have his country give him the space to be truthful of the situation he found himself.
Posted August 26, 2008 09:14 PM
Michael
Courtice
Yo, Elliot
I can actually say this is a really awesome story. It was entertaining, and even though some of the subject matter was a bit controversial, it was never too negative. I was waiting for the story about the German weightlifter who had lost his wife, but went and won the gold medal as he had promised her, but unfortunately I don't think he was mentioned. Oh, well. It was still a very good story. Nice job, man.
Posted August 26, 2008 09:13 PM
Cheryl
Ottawa
Thanks so much for sharing your highlights! As an Olympic addict, I watched as much as I could but it was nice to hear about some of the behind-the-scenes stuff and things I didn't watch because it was at 3 a.m. our time.
As a journalist myself, I appreciate your comments on how willing people were to talk - whether they were Canadians or not, winners or not. That's so huge and I hope they were thanked profusely and often for being so giving with their time.
Great stuff all around!! I can't wait for Vancouver.
Posted August 26, 2008 09:12 PM
Michael
Courtice
Yo, Elliot
I can actually say this is a really awesome story. It was entertaining, and even though some of the subject matter was a bit controversial, it was never too negative. I was waiting for the story about the German weightlifter who had lost his wife, but went and won the gold medal as he had promised her, but unfortunately I don't think he was mentioned. Oh, well. It was still a very good story. Nice job, man.
Posted August 26, 2008 09:11 PM
Nathan Willard
Ottawa
Elliotte,
First and foremost, I want to say this was a great piece to read. Well thought out and written. Very thought provoking and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article as it brought to our attention a few of the things we did not see that related to the games in Bejing.
I knew from the moment I saw you on The Score, you were a very interesting and promising broadcastor. Congrats on your achievements and keep up the good work. It is well worth it.
Cheers.
Posted August 26, 2008 08:15 PM
Paul Kishimoto
Toronto
Eliotte,
Great remarks, including a few names I'm going to have to go back and look for in the video coverage. I think you missed Colin Jenkins in your count of unsung heroes, though. Whatever your opinion is on drafting in the triathlon, it's hard to knock his team spirit.
Forgive me, but I'm going to completely plagiarize your rationale on the LZR and why Bolt edges out Phelps. You put it very well.
Posted August 26, 2008 08:00 PM
Yin
Kitchener
Great piece! Thank you for recapping for those of us who didn't have a TV =)
Just like to point out though, that the Chinese people usually do not worry/fear that much. The reason they did during the Olympics is because it probably was the single most important event in the century, and every little detail counts. That, and the fact that you are not from China, therefore is a part of the foreigners "judging" China through your experience there.
Posted August 26, 2008 07:49 PM
Michael
Coquitlam
Thanks for the great insight and sharing your stories with us. You did a fabulous job. Well done! Looking forward to seeing more of you in the future.
Posted August 26, 2008 07:03 PM
Weiming
China
my "saddest realization" is that you don't even appreciate the organizers and the volunteers' hard work that makes your "wonderful experience" possible. Don't you know that those little tiny rules are the ones that make sure a smooth and safe Game? Don't you know how complicated it is to organize a giant event such as the Olympics? I am an ordinary Chinese, and let me tell you, I am not living a life of fear!
"The infrastructure was changed, but the society? I don’t think so" - this only proves your own ignorance!
Posted August 26, 2008 06:01 PM
Sanjay
Smack on. You can't make this stuff up, but great take on it! Well written, and even more so I felt I saved airfare!
You should have this on a TV Special.
Posted August 26, 2008 05:43 PM
Steven Bosinger
Philadelphia
Elliotte,
Thanks for having the guts to point out how poor the Canada Olympic House treated your "average Joe" canadians. My family lives and works outside of Canada and wasn't able to pick up any Red & White gear from the Bay or Roots before meeting up in China and we were dismayed that we couldn't even go to the Canada House to buy souvenirs. Instead, we would go to the Holland House, which was the most welcoming house in Beijing, and the best party.
I was also embarassed at the COC's poor effort at getting tickets for Canadians, even athletes families. After running around with scalpers all week, by chance I shared a car with Julia Wilkinson's mother, and she told me how the COC gave her only a few tickets, and that if Julia didn't make the semifinal, she would have to give half of them back!
Still an experience of a life-time, but in my opinion, the COC is not doing a lot for Canada's international reputation.
Posted August 26, 2008 05:35 PM
matt
winnipeg
Hey Elliotte,
Very cool list, I enjoyed reading this piece. I also found your reporting from the venues excellent. Despite never seeing you interview a swimmer, I thought you sounded very well prepared and asked some good questions. Also kudos for not coddling the atheletes and asking the questions.
Posted August 26, 2008 05:34 PM
Robert Fraser
Vancouver
Great summary Elliot, and I really enjoyed your coverage.
Well done!
I am sure proud to be a Canadian.
Posted August 26, 2008 05:31 PM
Steve
Vancouver
Ryan Cochrane's swim in the 1500 was awesome but it was only good enough for Bronze not Silver .. Grant Hackett won the Silver.
As for Stephanie Rice being forgotten, that would be only in the eyes of those outside of Australia, she has already signed one two-year deal woerht $700,000 (with an Australian TV network) and is expected to sign on with many more lucrative sponsors. She is the new golden girl of Australian sport.
Posted August 26, 2008 05:29 PM
Steve
Vancouver
Ryan Cochrane's 1,500 swim was great... but it was only good enough for a Bronze not a Silver medal... Grant Hackett won the Silver
Posted August 26, 2008 05:22 PM
Ryan
Toronto
Elliot
Overall good job - one thing though, soon as the athletes come off the track you have to go easy on the athletes with the thinking questions right away. Example, you interviewed a US runner (forgot who she was) asking her about her game plan..she was stymied. Same with the Lopes girl, first question was what did you say at the finish line and are you allowed to say that.
You're quick but they may be a little drained after the race to say the least. Other than that good job is not throwing the typcial "how do you feel now" questions out.
Thanks
Posted August 26, 2008 05:10 PM