“I’m delighted to be in this position,” the 64 year-old former Major League Soccer CEO told the teleconference.  “As the staff will learn, I keep a picture on my desk from 1980 of me dressed in clown makeup.  It’s a reminder not to take myself too seriously.”

Yet he takes over an organization with serious problems and challenges, including a mandate by the USOC to fundamentally change its governance model and streamline its bloated board of directors. (more…)

It was the summer of 1984 when my Olympic dream began.  I just turned 13.

With the Games already in full force in Los Angeles, my father made the impulse decision to load the family in the beat up station wagon and drive the 700 plus miles from Ashland, Oregon down to southern California in order to soak up the Olympic experience.  We certainly didn’t have event tickets, nor could we possibly afford them. My dad figured we could just find a spot on the street, along the end of the marathon course, and watch the women’s marathon enter the stadium. 

Once we arrived in LA, I remember getting up extra early and driving towards the stadium on a hot summer day to catch a glimpse of the race.  We found a parking spot which seemed like ten miles a way and trudged towards where the marathon course met the stadium entrance.  As we got closer and closer we could hear the stadium speakers blaring that Joan Benoit (now Benoit Samuelson) was opening up a huge lead over the field.  Our excitement grew and we walked faster hoping to get a good spot on the street.  By the time we reached the course, the streets were so crowded that there was no chance that my dad and his three boys could ever find an open spot to watch the runners go by.  The speakers from the stadium continued to scream that Benoit was still leading with just a few miles to go.  We could now here the crowd inside the stadium chanting “U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A…”

At that moment my dad told my oldest brother, Bob, to stay with me and Tim.  He said that he would be right back and for us not to move.  I saw my dad disappear into the huge crowd.  Ten minutes later my dad emerged with a huge smile on his face.  He had three tickets in his hand.  He gave them to us and told us to run as fast as we could to the stadium.  We looked at him and asked him why he wasn’t coming.  He just kept on smiling and told us to run, FAST!  As the three of us raced towards the stadium with tickets in hand, I turned around and saw my dad standing there laughing.  I later learned that my dad found a scalper and bought three tickets that were being sold for an outrageous price.  He had just enough money for three tickets.  It was probably all the money he had for our entire trip to California.

The three of us boys entered the stadium.  The ushers pointed us towards the Olympic Flame and told us our seats were at the very top row, right under the Flame.  We climbed the hundreds of steps and found our seats moments before Benoit entered the stadium.  It was the most thrilling experience I have ever had.  Over 100,000 people screaming “U-S-A, U-S-A” were in complete hysterics as Benoit came charging in with her silver uniform and white cap in hand.   At that very moment I wanted to become an Olympian and I spent the next 20 years doing everything I could to become one.  It was not to be. 

However, this blog isn’t about an Olympic dream unfulfilled.  I would, in fact, argue the opposite.  After all, I learned how to chase something with reckless abandon.  I learned how to believe in myself and not some statistic.  I learned how to risk it all.  I learned that I am capable of wrestling the wolves until I am spent.  Perhaps this is what the Olympic dream is really about.  Thanks, Dad. 

PJ 

A full debrief of the Olympic Trials with special guest Coach Vin Lananna (co-chair of the Eugene ‘08 organizing committee and director of track & field at the University of Oregon). Toni and Matt kick off the show with their assessment of the Trials - the highs and lows, surprises and disappointments - before bringing on Coach Lananna, who gives a candid recap of the show.What lived up to his expectations? What can be improved for 2012? How do we make the sport more professional? Can USATF succeed in Indianapolis? This and more on the Toni & Matt Show.

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