Hoist a cold one: $18 mill taking chill out of USOC - IOC relationship

To paraphrase a famous utterance, the financial agreement announced Thursday between the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International is a small step in settling account ledgers and a giant leap in getting past the idea that this was more about settling accounts than reaching a reasonable solution.

The differences between the USOC and the IOC on financial issues had become so great and divisive over the past few years it seemed one side was from Mars, the other from Venus and both had chosen to emulate Ralph Kramden's threat when he got fed up with his wife, Alice, on the old ``Honeymooners'' sitcom:

"To the Moon, Alice."

The result of all the squabbling over games costs, the issue more easily taken out of play, and revenue sharing, which will remain much harder to solve, gave those of us who cover the Olympics some wonderfully vitriolic outbursts to report.

All that noise also gave Chicago's failed 2016 Summer Games bid a headache for which there was no medicine.  While it was not the prime reason Chicago lost to Rio, which was destined to win, it gave the IOC voters an easy excuse to humiliate the United States by eliminating a good Chicago bid in the first round a year ago.

So where does it all stand now, and how did the parties get there?

The war of words ended with the departure of Hein Verbruggen from the IOC and Peter Ueberroth as chairman of the USOC.

It took nearly another year for the USOC to overcome its internecine feud, which began when board member Stephanie Streeter engineered the ouster of USOC chief executive Jim Scherr. When Streeter, haplessly unfamiliar with the peculiarities of Olympic administration,  took Scherr's job on an acting basis, the USOC's constituents were so furious they tried to oust not only her but Peter Ueberroth's successor as chairman, Larry Probst, who had been looking at his post as a very part-time thing.

Streeter was forced out soon after the Chicago bid demise. Probst, both combative and chastened in reaction to the criticism, vowed to do the USOC work on a full-time basis and is keeping his word.   The USOC board then showed uncommon good sense in hiring Scott Blackmun as CEO, knowing his past involvement with the USOC would make Blackmun's learning curve a flat line.

From USOC's Mike Moran: A call to salute 1980 Olympians who stayed at home

Wednesday, I posted an essay from 1980 U.S. Olympian Anita DeFrantz on the pain she still feels over the 1980 Olympic boycott. (To read it, click here).

Here is a more anecdotal voice on the 1980 boycott, that of longtime U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Mike Moran, who would like to see the International Olympic Committee formally honor athletes from the more than 60 countries -- including the United States -- who did not go to the 1980 Moscow Summer Games because their political leaders supported U.S. President Jimmy Carter's boycott.

-- Philip Hersh

Read more: "A call to honor all the world's 1980 Olympians who were forced to stay home"

Photo: Mike Moran was the chief spokesman for the United States Olympic Committee through 13 Games, 1980 to 2002. He is now a media consultant.

U.S. Olympic Network cuts to black before ever seeing light

Peter Ueberroth's legacy within the international Olympic world will remain indelible and enormously significant.

That was clearer than ever Wednesday, when many obituaries of former International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch -- mine included -- noted how Samaranch took Ueberroth's model for private financing of the Olympic Games and used it as the basis for the global sponsorship programs that took the IOC from pauperdom to prosperity.

The success of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games, which Ueberroth ran, effectively saved the Olympic movement.

That made some other news Wednesday take on an ironic dimension, chipping away even further at the legacy of Ueberroth's four-plus years as chief executive of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

That news, as first reported by SportsBusiness Daily, was the termination of a deal struck last year between the USOC and Comcast for a U.S. Olympic Network.

The network was Ueberroth's baby.  Whenever he saw USOC chief operating officer Norm Bellingham, the USOC staffer in charge of network development, Ueberroth would ask, apparently in jest, "What channel are we on, Norm?''

That was a sign of Ueberroth's impatience over what seemed an interminable gestation period for the network.  That impatience undoubtedly played into Ueberroth's insistence on going ahead with an announcement of the deal last July despite having received a crease-and-desist letter from the IOC, which warned the USOC to hold off until a large number of contractual issues were resolved.

After Comcast found out about the IOC's objections, it chose to have no representative on the media teleconference for the network announcement.  This time, the cable behemoth just walked away, possibly to rid itself of a contractual entanglement that might have given critics of its proposed merger with NBC -- the U.S. Olympic rights holder through 2012 -- more basis for their argument that the combined company would stand to control the market in too many ways.

When that USOC-IOC conflict flamed up last June, it also reignited the lingering controversy between the two parties over revenue sharing.  That wound up burning Chicago's Olympic bid, even after Larry Probst, who took over as USOC chairman in late 2008, all but begged forgiveness from IOC President Jacques Rogge and announced an indefinite hold on plans for the USOC network.

The IOC members -- and former members -- who had been most vocal about the revenue dispute used the network fiasco to remind everyone the USOC -- and, by inference, its bid city -- was the devil incarnate.

Let's make one thing clear: There was no way Chicago would have beaten Rio for the 2016 Games in last October's vote, not after the IOC  gave Rio a virtual line-by-line analysis of how to improve a bid plan that had been rated fifth among the seven candidates in June 2008. Rogge wanted his legacy as IOC president to include having been in office when South America got its first Olympics, and the IOC did everything it could to make that happen.

(Six months later, the IOC must be thinking it might have been more careful about what it wished for. What it has gotten already is:  horrible crime at this year's Carnival in the notoriously murderous city; mudslides that have killed nearly 200 and left thousands homeless; a political battle over oil revenues that threatens the 2016 organizing budget. Wait until the construction falls far behind.)

Without the network issue, though, Chicago might have avoided its humiliating first-round defeat.

In its announcement of the Comcast deal last July 8, the USOC said the network was supposed to be up and running soon after the Vancouver Winter Games. Now it is probably dead for good.

"This is just a formal acknowledgment of a decision made eight months ago, when we agreed not to pursue the network without the cooperation of the IOC," USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said in an e-mail Wednesday. "The timing for the network no longer made sense."

The silliest part of the whole thing was the U.S. Olympic Network never made sense no matter when or which way one looked at it -- especially financially, as it was expected to drain at least $25 million a year from USOC coffers indefinitely.

Someone -- maybe even Bellingham --  can channel that money in more useful ways.

-- Philip Hersh

Speaking out: The puck stops with IOC President Rogge if women's hockey is to grow

I am an enormous fan of women's sports. And that includes non-Olympic women's sports, such as the Northwestern women's lacrosse team, whose success has turned into my favorite story of the last five years.

I have railed at the International Olympic Committee for not allowing female ski jumpers to compete at the 2010 Olympics, for allowing women's softball to be dumped from the Olympic program, for its staggeringly poor representation of women among its own membership (barely 15%), for having just one woman on its 15-member executive board, for allowing international sports federations to have an even more dismal record on women in leadership positions.

Having established, I hope, my bona fides as a relentless backer of more opportunities for women as athletes and sports leaders, I am going to take what may seem an incongruous position.

I agree with IOC President Jacques Rogge's feeling that unless the level of women's hockey outside Canada and the United States improves, the sport has no future in the Olympics.

Where Rogge and I differ, though, is he would put all the burden for that improvement on individual nations and the International Ice Hockey Federation, while I say the burden is on the IOC. Otherwise, the IOC's professed goal of gender equity in the Olympics will ring hollow.

That IOC posture of fobbing off responsibility led to its shameful failure to prevent the International Luge Federation from issuing a half-baked report blaming Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili's "driver error" for the accident that led to his death.

Jacques Rogge (part 2): Women's hockey gets more time, so does NHL

At the Thursday breakfast interview with a group of international journalists who focus on the Olympics, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge was optimistic about the future of both women's hockey and of NHL involvement at the Winter Games.

Many NHL owners have already made clear that the distance and time difference between North America and Sochi, Russia, site of the 2014 Games, minimizes the value of having their players participate.  But some players, including Russian NHL superstar Alex Ovechkin, have made it just as clear they intend to play.

"I would hope [the NHL will continue to participate] because they add a lot to the quality of the hockey tournament,'' Rogge said.  "I have had a meeting with [NHL commissioner] Gary Bettman and [International Hockey Federation President] Rene Fasel.  This was not a final discussion.  We still have plenty of time to find a solution.''

Is there any pressure the IOC can exert or anything you can do to entice Mr. Bettman to make this happen?

"It's not my style in negotiations to pressure people.  I would like to persuade, and the persuasion is two-fold:

"One, the players want to participate.  Mr. Ovechkin has said that whatever happens, I will be be present in Sochi, and he has the power to do so, of course, being allegedly the best ice hockey player -- together with [Canada's] Sidney Crosby -- of the whole NHL.

"Secondly, it is the best promotion for the NHL and for hockey.  Don't forget the [TV] ratings of the Olympic final are way higher than the Stanley Cup final.  This is fantastic promotion for the NHL in North America.''

Jacques Rogge (part 1): Shadow of luger's death will never go away

I joined a small group of international journalists whose primary beat is the Olympics for a Thursday breakfast with International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge.  In an hour-long question-and-answer session, he touched on myriad topics, some serious, some lighthearted.

A sampling follows:

Before taking questions, Rogge gave a preliminary assessment of the 2010 Games.

"It's premature to make a final judgment on the Games before they end Sunday.  But we can make a preliminary judgment.

"Of course, the death of [Nodar] Kumaritashvili will cast a shadow over the Games.  That goes without saying, and this is something we are not going to forget."

[Note: the Georgian luger died in a training accident the morning of the opening ceremony.]

"But we owe it to the organizers and the athletes to make a separate judgment on how they performed.  Having spoken to many athletes in the Olympic villages, they are very happy with the village, with the general organization, with the competition and the warm supportive crowds that are not chauvinistic for all the teams.

"Athletes have also heard about the very good ratings on television and for them it's important because they want to have a big audience in their home country.  If you compare to Salt Lake City, which is a fair comparison because it is more or less the same time zone, we have major progress in all the markets, this is very heartening.  Not only in free-to-air, which is traditional television, still very strong, but a huge, huge increase in digital, Internet, video on demand and mobile.'"

On the legacy Vancouver will leave for the Olympic movement:

"The communion of the public with the Games.  From an organizational standpoint, there has not been a sea change.  The involvement of the public definitely is.

"Everyone is very excited by the fantastic atmosphere here -- people partying, having fun.  This is something really unique, that I have seen only in Sydney to a certain extent in 2000, but of course you cannot compare Summer Games with the Winter Games."

And now, some questions and answers:

In your final assessment at the closing ceremony, how will you categorize these Games?

"In general, it will be a positive one."

-- Philip Hersh in Vancouver, Canada

Photo: IOC President Jacques Rogge speaks to reporters on Saturday. Credit: Marcio Sanchez / Asssociated Press

Jacques Rogge: Death of luger will remain a legacy of Vancouver Games [updated]

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said Thursday the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili will be one of the legacies of the Vancouver Games, similar to how the killing of Israeli athletes will forever be associated with the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.

Rogge said the death will forever cast a shadow over the Vancouver Games and urged organizers of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, to make sure the sliding track is safe.

In addition, Rogge said the IOC accepts "moral responsibility" but not legal responsibility for Kumaritashvili's death.

[UPDATED, 12:52 p.m.: For more on Rogge's comments, go here.]

What do you think? Use the comment board to elaborate on your opinion.

-- Austin Knoblauch

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

IOC President says Plushenko's behavior only an expression of disappointment

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge criticized Jamaica's Usain Bolt as being disrespectful to his competitors when the Jamaican sprinter celebrated his victory in the 100 meters at the Beijing Olympics well before the finish line.

Yet Rogge pretty much gave Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko a pass for repeated comments disrespectful of his opponents and his sport after losing the Olympic men's figure skating title Thursday to Evan Lysacek of the United States.

Plushenko, the 2006 Olympic champion, also made light of the awards ceremony and the traditional medalists' victory lap.

In the awards ceremony, he jumped up to the gold medalist's step on the podium, grinned and then walked to the lower silver medal step. He tried to avoid the victory lap and wasted no time removing the silver medal from his neck once leaving the ice.

Asked on Saturday for his reaction to Plushenko's behavior, Rogge said, "I think he was very disappointed, obviously, and some times in disappointment, you express things you wouldn't express at another time.''

Rogge said he did not know that Plushenko said a competition in which the winner did not try a quadruple jump was "not men's skating.  It is dance.''

"If that is the case, it is ill-advised, of course,''  Rogge said.

Rogge asked to be told what Plushenko said.  After hearing it, the IOC president said.

"He should respect his competitors, which I think he does. He has probably pronounced some words in the emotion of disappointment, but definitely he has to respect his opponents, of course.''

Rogge's views of Bolt's antics were much different.

"That's not the way we perceive being a champion." Rogge said in an interview with three international news agency reporters in Beijing.

"I have no problem with him doing a show. I think he should show more respect for his competitors and shake hands, give a tap on the shoulder to the other ones immediately after the finish and not make gestures like the one he made in the 100 meters.''

In Beijing, Rogge did not soften his feelings a few days later, after the Jamaican had won the 100, 200 and relay golds, all in world-record times.

"I gave Usain Bolt what I think is fatherly advice, and I stand by what I said,'' Rogge said in his final Beijing news conference. "He should show more respect for his opponents. He is a young man of 22. He has time to mature.''

Plushenko is 27.  He has competed in three Olympics, winning two silver medals and one gold. That would seem plenty of time mature.

Of course, it certainly is a lot easier to take on a little Caribbean island than mighty Russia, once an Olympic superpower and host of the next Winter Games.

Photo: Evgeni Plushenko takes the wrong route to the silver medalist's step. Credit: Cameron Spencer / Associated Press

Philip Hersh: A Candide conversation with IOC President Jacques Rogge

Today's "Candide" prize for an unbridled walk on the bright side goes to International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge (pictured, with President Obama).

He gets a copy of not only the 18th-century satire, titled "Candide, or Optimism,'' but also of  "Home on the Range,'' for seldom was heard a discouraging word from Rogge during a 30-minute conference call today about the upcoming Vancouver Winter Games.

Sorry about the mix of Voltaire and the motto on Kansas' vanity license plates, but you get the idea: fromhis answers to the questions I asked during the teleconference, Rogge's view makes pretty much everything look for the best in this best of all possible Olympic worlds. 

Q.  IOC member Dick Pound of Canada recently said figure skating is a "nightmare sport''  and is far from resolving the problems that caused the pairs skating scandal at the 2002 Winter Games.  Will there be another Winter Olympic figure skating scandal in North America, or is it likely everyone will be satisfied -- or as satisfied as anyone can be with judging in the sport-- with the the results in Vancouver? 

Rogge: You know there was some commotion and emotion in Salt Lake City.  We upgraded the Canadian pair, [Jamie] Sale and [David] Pelletier, and we also asked the ISU [skating's international federation] to change the judging system.... By and large, I would say the athletes are happy with that and that the national federations are happy with that.... I think today the public can be confident in the fairness of the results.

Q.  Is anyone at a higher level going to ask the Russian Figure Skating Federation or Russian Olympic Committee if its ice dancers might reconsider the choice of a costume that has offended the Australian Aboriginal community and caused worldwide controversy  [for its cultural insensitivity]?

Jacques Rogge says weather, financial problems will not affect Winter Olympics

Will weather be a problem at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver?

Canadian Olympic officials are concerned that unseasonably warm and wet weather could cause problems at some outdoor venues once the Games start Feb. 12. Organizers are particularly worried about the lack of snow at Cypress Mountain, the freestyle skiing and snowboarding venue.

In a teleconference with reporters today, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge expressed confidence the Games would run smoothly but did acknowledge weather was a concern.

"That's the only question mark," he said. "The rest, I'm very optimistic."

Rogge said plans were in place to deal with weather-related problems and that "competition will take place as schedule."

Rogge also talked about the financial situation of the Vancouver Olympic Committee, which recently was forced to make budget cuts. Like the weather, Rogge was confident the committee's financial problems wouldn't take away from the Games.

"Savings were chosen very carefully so as not to impact on the quality of the Games and the quality of the experience of the athletes," he said. "The athletes won't feel anything about the financial crisis."

-- Austin Knoblauch

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: An Olympic organizing committee member walks through the rain at Cypress Mountain on Jan. 12. Credit: Jonathan Hayward / Associated Press