Rogge: Schmitt was misquoted

Rogge: IOC Member was "misquoted."

Reporter on the scene: Pal Schmitt went "on the record."


Who are we supposed to believe? I am siding with Pal on this one.

I say let Mr. Schmitt speak for himself...he certainly doesn't need an IOC President trying to explain to a member of the press what HE thinks Pal said.

Mr. Schmitt, don't let anyone try to muzzle you on this. You've opened a door---that needed to be opened for a long time. Believe me, it's tough to be the first to raise an issue with the IOC.

But the rewards are well worth it.

I know.

He's Our Pal

Pal Schmitt has done something that no other IOC member has publically dared to to:

Challenge the IOC on the issue of press freedom in China in the runup to the 2008 Games.

I say: Good Job, Sir!

Pal was involved in a very bitter election in 2001 for the IOC Presidency. He lost out to Jacques Rogge, who today was sent a letter fromt the President of Reporters Without Borders which in part said "your silence on this matter has enabled the abuses" of freedom of the press in relation to the Olympic preparations.

I said a couple of months ago it was going to take an IOC member to challenge Dr. Rogge on the issue of press freedom. I don't know if Mr. Schmitt reads this blog (he's probably too busy but thank you in advance if you do) but he's done the right thing, and it was a huge risk for him to step up and speak out. I only wish more IOC members would do so.

I wonder how long Jacques Rogge is going to stay silent on this matter. I hope it won't take the arrest of an IOC-accredited journalist during the Games next year for him to wake up and smell the problem. His peers certainly are speaking up.

It would behoove him to listen to the voices that are getting louder and louder on this issue.

What will it take for him to listen? Ideas, anyone?

The Bonds indictment-what's next?

Well, it's finally happened. Balco Barry and the Feds finally met up and the hammer has come down. People are expressing surprise at the timing of the indictment. Me? Not surprised. The Feds just saved some hapless team owner(s) that might be thinking of signing Barry millions of dollars in salary and bonus.

You can always count on one scandal erupting before spring training. This would have been a PR nightmare extraordinaire. I got the feeling here in Atlanta the fans were saying "not in MY backyard" to a possible Bonds signing. People are saying his career is effectively over.

All Barry had to do was tell what he knows. Apparently law enforcement has a mountain of evidence on him and with a greater than 90% conviction rate, his back is against the wall. Lying to a federal grand jury is serious business. My late dad was on two federal juries and the experience makes going to county court to do the "one day/one trial" system a cakewalk.

He probably wouldn't have recieved any jail time if he told the truth---or at the very least a minimal amount of time. People are saying that Barry wasn't an Olympic athlete and why is the government so adamant about going after him? Because the feds have some rock-solid proof and now it's their time to shine.

It's guilt by association. And the sad part was that Barry risked his career, and for the time being, it's effectively over. For now. Maybe forever.

I don't understand it myself. But Barry's links to the Olympic world via Balco are yet to be revealed. And you can bet the Feds always get their man.

Or maybe Barry should just do what Michael Vick did today. He signed in 22 days early to a Virginia lockup in anticipation of the judge sentencing him to a jail term for dogfighting.

Barry Bonds: sign in please.

Friday's Random Thoughts

Brrrr....it's cold outside! Time for a hot chochlate, and a bit of FRT!




My neighbor already has their Christmas tree up. Looks like it's about time to decorate here too.

I don't get the adults who are obsessed with Hello Kitty. What's up with that?

Why can't some people park their cars head first? Some clown almost hit my car in the parking lot of Kroger tonight trying to park back end in.

I have seen some of those "fire in the hole" videos on YouTube. I don't think it's very funny. Where are the parents in these cases?

Barry Bonds has been indicted for lying to a federal grand jury. His home run record of 756* might be taken away. His next record could very well be a prison record for the next 30 years. We'll be discussing this on Monday. Just remember one thing: Hank did it on steak and eggs!

The December Ladies' Home Journal has the septuplets on the cover again. Enough already with these people. I am tired of hearing about them.



Monday's posting will be the last before we take a break in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Regular postings will resume November 29th.

So far, so good

50+ posts and counting. It's definitely a challenge to think of something to write five days a week. But that can be filed under the category of discipline. And a good attitude, of which I have previously discussed here.

I was at a meeting tonight at the Wellness Community. My late husband's oncologist was the featured speaker. I went partly to thank him for the care he gave Ken and also to support my husband's memory and my pageant platform of Brain Tumor Awareness. One of the things he discussed tonight was attitude and initiative. He said that those who actively participated in their treatment had a much better chance of recovery than those who were passive, didn't ask questions, and uninvolved.

I drove home thinking that could apply to so many other things. Attitude and Initiative. The right mindset with the right partipation equals success. Wheather that two-way street takes you to the doctor's office, or face to face with a sport or business icon (guarenteed to happen if you hang in the Olympic world), it's a formula that almost always will bring success and further opportunities as a result.

Just watch out for the red lights. The green is just on the other side.

Sad to see you go

This week sees the election of a new WADA President. Since as of this writing there is only one candidate, and no one else on the horizon (you never know between now and Sunday when the election is what might come up), it's going to, for me at least, taking some time getting used to a new person at the helm. I only hope whoever heads WADA as of Sunday will continue the legacy that Dick Pound has laid down. WADA's HQ are to remain in Montreal so there might be some behind the scenes help if he is called upon. I can't see him just walking away from the fight against doping.

Whoever is in the President's chair as of Sunday has some big shoes to fill. And hopefully, will continue the tough-as-nails stance against the issues that have come up this year. Marion Jones for one. Whoever the medals go to, the new guy better get it right from the get-go, otherwise we could be in for a rough ride, and whoever works doping control next year will have their hands full due to the fact it will be open season for the cheaters due to the fact the first year included falling down on the job.

Whoever is elected, remember this: you aren't there to make friends. You're there to clean up sport and the future of a clean Olympics is on your hands.

Don't let it get away.

Being Thankful

It is less than two weeks to Thanksgiving here in the United States. I've been thinking a lot about what I have had to be thankful for. Here are some of mine:



That I live in a country where I can write freely, without fear of harassment.

Friends who support what I do.

A loving husband watching over me in Heaven.

A roof over my head.

Having been able to travel the world and get a bit out of my comfort zone.

My good attitude---but it doesn't mean I will just walk away if you say or do something to hurt me.

My life outside the Olympic world...my subdivision board, and starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel after a horrific year of losing the most important person in the world to me.

Hey, I am even grateful for the jerks, because they remind me of how never to act at an Olympic activity or Session. I have a saying: Life takes care of the villians.

A good cleansing laugh, the kind where you have tears running down your face and your tummy aching.


What are YOU grateful for?

China media database---say what again?

The Chinese want to compile a database of reporters and media folk during the Olympics. They say it is to stop intimidation of interview subjects (among other "concerns") and media people shaking down interviewees for money.

What?!?

You heard me.

I am just shaking my head at this one. Maybe translate "intimidation" as aggressive gathering of the facts and you know where I am going with this one.

Most media people I know are professionals. As for shaking down people for money, that is a laugh. We're looking to get paid-legally. Shaking people down is for the low lifes (alhthough I am sure there are media low-lifes hanging around in the bushes somewhere in the world.)

At the time I am writing this, there is a writer's strike. Most network TV shows have stopped filming. I would rather bet money on one of them asking for money than a reporter covering the events in Bejing.

Just another example of how BOCOG is out of touch one year on.

Chinese pressure forces CBC to pull TV show

In a report in Friday's New York Times, it was written that Chinese diplomats in Canada pressured the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to pull the program "Beyond the Red Wall: The Persecution of Falun Gong." The action was prompted by what was described as a telephone call to the CBC from a "cultural consultant" at the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa. A spokesperson for the CBC, Jeff Keay, has rejected any connection between the Olympics and the CBC and said the decision was made in response to the aforementioned telephone call from the Embassy. John Cruickshank who is in charge of the news operations at CBC said that "I'm happy we stepped into the process. In the end, we got the journalism right."

Or did you?

Who's journalism exactly? The Chinese, or the CBC's who's charter I am sure mandates fair and accurate reporting (if it is the same as Radio Canada International's, of which I listen a lot to.)

I am really disappointed in the CBC for caving in to pressure and not airing the program. How about letting the Canadian people deicde for themselves on what they can watch and not some faceless flunky at an embassy who wants to impart their brand of (cough cough) "impartiality" which translates to, "if you air this program, we can bet next year we're going to give you grief." The CBC in my opinion took the lazy way out and caved, which they should have never done.

This sets a dangerous precedent. Who's next? NBC? BBC? TVNZ? We know the Chinese don't keep their promises. But they have no business telling CBC what they should broadcast. I wonder how this is going to play out in the end, if the program will be shown at all. Maybe one of the cable stations up in Canada will pick up the program since CBC is too chicken to air it.

To my Canadian readers: I am outraged and I hope you are too. No matter where you live (in/out of Canada) let's tell Jeff and John what we think and maybe the Chinese Embasssy in Ottawa should get a call too. This action by China is totally unacceptable for Canadians, let alone for anyone else who's country will recieve an Olympic broadcast next year.

I thought CBC was impartial. Guess I got it wrong.

Thorpe cleared of doping---will he sue?

Swimming's international governing body FINA has cleared Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe of doping allegations. FINA's conclusions were that the levels of alleged drugs occurred naturally in his body and there is no need to investigate further.

This is an investigation that should have never happened. I wonder who blew the non-existant dope whistle on him. The actual dope in this case is the person or persons who accused Ian in the first place.

When situations like this come up, my first thought was "who did you tick off?" Someone doesn't normally go to one of the sport governing bodies unless 1: you have solid proof (which the person(s) involved in the Thorpe case didn't have or 2: something else (unrelated to swimming) is going on here i.e. someone trying to shake you down for money, for example.

Ian has every right to protect his good name and reputation. I hope he does. Maybe that will make some other nutcase think twice about going after an athlete (or any celebrity for that matter) with unfounded allegations, in order to destroy their careers or worse, their international reputations.

Bibles allowed: how nice

The USOC has confirmed from the IOC that athletes will be allowed to bring Bibles into the Olympic Village next year. But what will actually be allowed into practice the closer it gets to August is yet to remain.

Beijing knows they are going into "put up or shut up" mode. Either come up trumps with your promises, or else. Sometimes I think they would rather take the risk on the "or else" part.

I wonder how long it will take for me to get the first email about something confiscated, censored, corrupted or worse. Maybe I am being cynical but after six years, nothing surprises me anymore.

They say they will allow certain items. But, mark my words, putting it into actual practice will be quite another matter alltogether.

Chicago's Olympic Battle

Oops. Big oops. Really big oops.

Chicago has engaged the services of former Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games official Charlie Battle in their bid to bring the 2016 Summer Olympics to their city. He is described as an Olympic official "with over twenty years experience."

Not the most appropriate choice, I say.

In a 1999 Washington Post article, he admitted that ACOG "probably violated" IOC gift-giving limits, but "nothing illegal went on." I am not so sure, with all the Olympic consultants out there, Chicago couldn't chose one person who has absolutely NO question about how they handled previous Olympic dealings.

This is an issue of which the IOC is quite sensitive: you better have your hands squeaky-clean, otherwise anything you say or do could be called into question. There have been people at the IOC working their butts off to erase the scandal-laden Samaranch years. It's up to the bid committtes to do their part. And this is where Chicago is already failing.

Tell that to NYC 2012 about how well their bid went down. Charlie was involved with them too. If I was a bid official, I would hold off and search for someone with absolutely no question of a black mark, improper gifting or other Olympic-related bid wrongs by co-workers in their past.

Chicago better be more careful in the people they hire in the future, because it's going to be called into question in Copenhagen.

That is if those people aren't let go beforehand. Which might not be such a bad idea at this point.

Don't pat yourself on the back---yet

From the way the folks up in Chicago are thinking (and talking), you'd think they have it in the bag for 2016.

Not so fast, I say.

It takes two to tango. You...and the votes of those all-important IOC members.

I am just not convinced. My gut feeling is that in Copehangen, we will see the fastest flameout since NYC's bid. What I don't understand is the other writers who are so quick to be the enablers, patting Chicago on the back for the great boxing championships, for the quick resolution on the Romanian boxers who shoplifted several hundred dollars of goods from Nordie's, and for the overall organisation of their bid.

Slow it down, please.

We've still got a bit more time before the IOC sesssion in October, 2009. A lot (and I do mean, a LOT) can happen between now and then. Those who are so quick to praise Chicago in my opinion are actually doing their bid a disservice because I can almost guarantee that between now and October 2009 when the IOC Session will be held, that there will be some kind of major scandal from someone, somewhere, sometime. It might not involve Chi-town, but you can be sure someone is gonna get it---and good.

We're not going to have another Olympic Games in the USA for quite some time. We better get used to it.

And that can be attributed to some of our own doing---and words.

Friday's (sniffle) Random (sneeze!) Thoughts

I've been battling a nasty case of the flu most of this week. Thank goodness for the 24 hour pharmacy that is down the street. I hope everyone else is staying well---and out of the doctor's office!



I had two groups of kids ring the doorbell on Halloween, even though the lights in the house were off downstairs. No lights, no candy! Maybe next year.

My two absolutely favorite songs-of-the-moment are the Teddybears "Different Sound" and Kid Rock's "So Hott"...everytime I hear them on the car radio, I swear I am going to blow out the speakers because I turned the volume up so high.

Can't construction companies be more careful? We've had several incidents of streets being blocked off when a JCB or Catepillar-type machine hit a gas line. It's the law here you have to "call before you dig." I don't know anyone who's worked construction so maybe this isn't really the danger TV news makes it out to be because the companies are always careful (??)

Did anyone watch the Heather Mills McCartney interview on Today? Shut up, settle or better yet, GET A JOB!

Is it my imagination or are the pre-Christmas and Thanksgiving sales getting started earlier this year?

Speaking of Thanksgiving, the one day I am so grateful that I don't work in retail management anymore is the day after the holiday. Anyone who doesn't go to a mall during the year can be guarenteed to show up the day after Thanksgiving.

What was it tonight with Bravo running the film "Notting Hill" for four hours straight? Programming error, maybe? It's one of my favorite movies, but there is something called overkill.

I have to admit: the National Enquirer and Globe are my guilty pleasures.

Who is that snotty-sounding woman with the English accent who does the ads on TV for those gold coins commercials? Like nails on a chalkboard. Men, can you imagine waking up next to her in the morning? I think not!

I once had a chance to take a private tour of the Kremlin-and turned it down. I've regretted it ever since. Who knows whom I would have run into?

Is it my imagination or is there not that kind of excitement this year about college football?


Back on Monday as usual!

Liar Liar, Pants on Fire

The China Public Security Ministry offical made it official: no public protests or so-called "unathorised" marches will be allowed during the Beijing Games. That isn't what Wang Wei promised in 2001 when he said that "anyone was welcome to stage a demonstration, you just have to apply for the correct permit and it will be approved."

Who's fooling whom here?

Certainly the Security Ministry official who's lies are just about as transparent as the excuses Brit gives to her parenting coach.

We've had almost six years of the wool being pulled over our eyes in regards to how transparent the Beijing Games actually will be. They say that dissent "will not be tolerated."

OK then what happens when the first reporter interviews a Falun Gong believer, or internet dissident (and broadcasts or publishes the work while they are inside Mainland China. I wonder if there are contingency plans with NBC, BBC, and the other major broadcasters if one of their own suddenly gets a knock on the hotel room door in the middle of the night. What then?

Today's Security Ministry announcement really concerns me. This is just the beginning. It's not enough to decry what is happening. For those of us who work with the written word, it is up to us to put it into actual practice every day of our working lives. It is our responsibility to our brothers and sisters who can't do what we are doing, and if they are doing it, putting their lives on the line every single day.

Shine the light into the darkness. It's our moral responsibility.