U.S. companies paying majority of Olympic freight again

By Philip Hersh

News and comment:

News:  U.S. Olympic Committee sponsor Proctor & Gamble will announce Wednesday it has become an International Olympic Committee global sponsor as well.

Comment:  Another plus for the USOC in its efforts to regain international favor -- especially if, as I suggested last week, it forgoes some or all of its share of the P&G and Dow Chemical deals to help resolve the longstanding revenue-sharing conflict with the IOC.

Coincidentally, with the addition of Dow two weeks ago, the majority of IOC global sponsors -- six of 11 -- will once again be U.S.-based multinationals.  So much for the irrational ranting of some European IOC members who try to minimize the significance of U.S. sponsors in the big picture.

Even more significant:  Dow and P&G both are paying for their sponsorship in cash -- some $75 to $90 million over four years.  The other four USOC sponsors also pay primarily cash, while at least two international sponsors -- Atos Origin and Omega -- give the IOC all value-in-kind, and Acer gives primarily VIK.

It's also worth noting the USOC is the only country in the handful (Germany, France and Italy among them)  with individual IOC global sponsorship revenue-sharing deals that takes some of its share in VIK.

News:  Monday, BMW and the USOC finalized a six-year sponsorship deal worth a reported $24 million in cash.  The German carmaker is the first foreign auto company to sponsor U.S. Olympians.  It also is providing substantially lesser amounts of cash in six-year deals with four U.S. sports federations - track and field, swimming, speedskating and bobsled / skeleton.  Bobsled also will get some technological assistance.

Comment:  The USOC was left in the lurch in 2007 when General Motors, which was headed for bankruptcy, decided to end after 2008 a partnership that had existed since 1984.  GM paid the USOC about $5 million a year in cash, provided vehicles and spent $100 million in advertising on Olympic telecasts, according to Sports Business Daily.   BMW will not supply vehicles but its cash is welcome for a USOC facing an uncertain financial future after 2012.

News:  USA Track & Field's volunteer board of directors is turning an annual review of its salaried CEO, Doug Logan, into a power play that could result in his being forced out after barely two years in the job, according to both media reports and Tribune sources.

Comment:  Just another example of the old axiom that the only amateurs left in the Olympics are those running them.

The USATF board has apparently given Logan about a month to respond to criticism in three areas, including sponsorships, athlete relations and expenditures.  His answers may determine his future.

Dumping Logan without just cause likely would not sit too well with the USOC, which spent several years hectoring USA Track & Field to reform its governance -- that reform occurred in December, 2008 -- and telling the board to stop meddling in the federation's day-to-day affairs.

It should be noted this is the third time in the past six years the USATF board has gone after the CEO.  It happened to Craig Masback in 2004 and 2007 -- and he resigned to join Nike in January, 2008.  That is the sort of meddling at issue.

And imagine how financially reckless it would be in these economic times for the board to fire Logan willy-nilly with an estimated $1 million -- and a severance fee -- left on a contract that expires in 2013.

When I spoke with him Monday, Logan referred any comment on his situation to USATF President Stephanie Hightower, an Ohio State grad who is the most decorated high hurdler in collegiate history.  When I reached her, Hightower declined to comment on a personnel matter.

News:  Star-crossed 2008 Olympian Alicia Sacramone made her post-Beijing return to competition in last Saturday's CoverGirl Classic at the UIC Pavilion. ( For my story on her comeback, click here.)

Comment:  Sacramone's return was a success, with victories in both events she entered, the beam and vault.  ``Now that it's over, it feels great,'' she said.   Sacramone will try to regain a spot on the national team at next month's U.S. Championship.

Photos: (Above) --  Olympic speedskating champion Apolo Anton Ohno on a BMW motorcycle during Monday's announcement of the German carmaker's sponsorship deal with the USOC and four U.S. sports federations (Associated Press / Evan Agostini); (Below) - Back on the beam:  Alicia Sacramone winning the event Saturday in her return to gymnastics competition after a two-year absence.  (courtesy USA Gymnastics / John Cheng)

U.S. speedskater takes lead in world all-around championships

With a surprising win in Saturday's 1,500 meters, speedskater Jonathan Kuck of Champaign, Ill., moved into the overall lead after three of the four races at the world all-around championships in Heerenveen, the Netherlands.

Kuck, 20, a University of Illinois junior, is unlikely to hold that lead over reigning all-around champion Sven Kramer of the Netherlands after the final race, Sunday's 10,000 meters, in which Kuck finished eighth at the 2010 Olympics.

But given his strong performance in Friday's 5,000, where Kuck finished fourth to the victorious Kramer, he should have a good chance at a medal.  

Kuck, who won a silver medal in team pursuit at the Olympics, recorded a personal-best time of 1 minute, 45.36 seconds in the 1,500.

-- Philip Hersh

Photo: Jonathan Kuck after his performance in Friday's 5,000 meters at the World All-Round Speedskating Championships. Credit: Peter Dejong /Associated Press

U.S. Speedskating shakeup ousts executive director, names interim boss

As reported here earlier Monday, U.S. Speedskating has fired executive director Bob Crowley and replaced him on at least an interim basis with Brad Olch, the former mayor of Park City, Utah.

The federation announced later Monday that Olch, a member of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Organizing Committee, had taken the job.

The move is part of a general shakeup in the federation that also included the dismissal of high performance director Guy Thibault and communications director Peri Kinder.

Crowley had been executive director for four years.

Olch, the Park City mayor from 1990 through 2002, lost a bid to regain that position last November by a 2-to-1 margin to incumbent Dana Williams.

Olch began work as U.S. Speedskating's boss Monday at the federation headquarters in Kearns, Utah.  Sources said that he has indicated he does not want the job on a permanent basis but that speedskating officials hope to change his mind.

U.S. speedskaters had a strong showing at last month's Olympics, with four medals in long track and a record six in short track.

The bankruptcy of a Dutch bank that was the federation's primary cash sponsor had left U.S. Speedskating with a $300,000 hole in the 2009-10 budget that Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert filled by asking for donations from his Colbert Nation, the fans of "The Colbert Report."

Colbert's high-profile involvement also gave the sport publicity it could not have bought at any price.

-- Philip Hersh

U.S. Speedskating to oust executive director in ongoing shakeup

U.S. Speedskating is expected to announce later Monday that it has fired Executive Director Bob Crowley and replaced him with Brad Olch, the former mayor of Park City, Utah and a member of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Organizing Committee.

The move is part of a general shakeup in the federation that also included the dismissal of high performance director Guy Thibeault and communications director Peri Kinder.

The changes were made by a unanimous vote of the federation's board of directors.

-- Philip Hersh

U.S. women's speedskating team fails to medal in team pursuit; Germany wins gold

With veteran Catherine Raney-Norman collapsing off-pace at the end, the United States speedskating women leave Vancouver's Olympics without a medal.

A mid-race burst had the U.S. women leading the speedskating team pursuit bronze medal race by a half-second with two laps left when Raney-Norman completely lost any gas in the tank. She fell well behind her teammates, with Poland bursting forward to win the bronze by 1.56 seconds. Teams officially finish only when all three racers cross the line.

Thus a U.S. upset of Canada to get to the semifinal round went for naught.

Germany won the gold in the event, Japan won the silver.

-- Brian Hamilton in Vancouver, Canada

U.S. men's speedskating team wins silver medal in team pursuit

After posting eye-opening upsets on Friday, the United States men couldn't cut through the ear-splitting din at Richmond Olympic Oval and beat the home team for gold.

That went instead to the favorites from Canada, who led a fairly comfortably from start to finish in the speedskating team pursuit final and left a not-too-shabby silver medal for the U.S. trio. A stellar closing lap made it extremely interesting at the end, but Canada crossed in 3:41.37 -- just .21 seconds ahead of the U.S. contingent of Chad Hedrick, Brian Hansen and Jonathan Kuck.

After upending the Netherlands in the semifinals, though, this was essentially gravy for the Americans, only one of which -- Hedrick -- had medaled in individual competition throughout the Olympics.

The medal gives the U.S. 35 medals in Vancouver, the most it has ever won at a Winter Olympics, beating the previous high of 34 in Salt Lake City in 2002.

-- Brian Hamilton in Richmond, Canada

Photo: The U.S. men's speedskating team competes in the team pursuit on Saturday. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

Apolo Anton Ohno adds to medal collection, wins bronze in men's 5,000-meter relay

 

Apolo Anton Ohno threw up his arms in a what-can-I-do gesture and smiled.
    The American short track speedskater had just been disqualified in the 500 meters, but he wasn't leaving the Vancouver Olympics empty-handed Friday night.
    Ohno returned later and anchored the United States to a bronze-medal finish in the chaotic 5,000 relay, giving him his eighth career medal.
    It was Ohno's third medal of these games, to go with a silver and another bronze that made him America's most decorated Winter Olympian. He already has the most short track medals of any skater.
    The 45-lap relay ended a wild final night of short track, marked by crashes, disqualifications and capricious skating.
    It also might have been the final Olympic race of Ohno's stellar career. He is contemplating retirement, although U.S. national coach Jimmy Jang is hoping to convince the 27-year-old skater from Seattle to compete in a fourth Olympics in 2014.
    “He's a very excellent athlete, exceptional in every way,” China's Han Jialiang said.
    Ohno skated the final two laps of the U.S. relay, sticking out his left skate at the finish before getting edged by South Korea's Kwak Yoon-gy. Canada won the gold and South Korea earned the silver.
    Ohno slapped hands and exchanged hugs with teammates J.R. Celski, Travis Jayner and Jordan Malone. He waved to the crowd before skating to the boards and hugging an ecstatic Jang, a longtime friend.
    Ohno then skated over to congratulate the Canadians, nearly stepping on their Maple Leaf flag. He also shook hands with his South Korean rivals.
    On the podium, a roar went up as Ohno's name was announced and the medal slipped over his slicked-back hair. He held up his bronze in one hand and waved his bouquet in the other.
    The medal salvaged the night for Ohno after he was disqualified in the 500, apparently for causing a crash in the final turn. He crossed the finish line second behind Canada's Charles Hamelin, whose momentum spun him into the middle of the ice as the race ended.
    Ohno was in last place when he tried to go inside of Canadian Francois-Louis Tremblay to move up on the final turn. The American's right leg appeared to hit Tremblay and he went crashing into the padding.
    South Korea's Sung Si-bak also went down, although it appeared he lost his balance.
    After several minutes of discussion, during which Ohno skated calmly around the ice, the referees DQ'd him. He smiled, fully aware of the unpredictable nature of his sport.
    Ohno managed to get past crashes in both his previous heats to advance to the 500 final, which he won four years ago in Turin.
    Hamelin won the gold. Sung took silver and Tremblay got bronze.

Photo: The crash near the end of the men's 500. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times.

Katherine Reutter of U.S. wins silver in women's 1,000 meters

Short-track speedskater Katherine Reutter of the U.S. won the silver medal in the women's 1,000 meters Friday night at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Wang Meng of China won the gold in 1:29.213; Reutter finished in 1:29.324 and Park Seung-hi of South Korea won the bronze in 1:29.372. Yang Zhou of China was disqualified for interference and finished fourth.

This is Reutter's second medal in Vancouver. She was also part of the bronze-winning 3,000-meter relay team.

-- Houston Mitchell in Vancouver, Canada

Photo: Katherine Reutter reacts after winning the silver medal. Credit: Amy Sancetta, AP.

Apolo Anton Ohno disqualified in men's 500-meter final

Short-track speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno didn't add another medal to his collection Friday night, when he was disqualified for pushing in the final of the men's 500 meters at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Ohno appeared to push Francois-Louis Tremblay of Canada on the final turn, causing Tremblay and South Korean skater Sung Si-Bak to fall.

Charles Hamelin of Canada won the gold, Sung the silver, Tremblay the bronze. Ohno has one more chance to win a medal later Friday night in the men's 5,000-meter relay.

-- Houston Mitchell in Vancouver, Canada

Photo: Apolo Anton Ohno, left, was disqualified for pushing the skater in front of him on the final turn. Credit: John David Mercer, U.S. Presswire.

Speedskating: U.S. advances to finals of men's team pursuit, semifinals of women's team pursuit

Chad Hedrick is guaranteed a fifth Olympic medal, leading the United States to an upset win over Sven Kramer and the powerful Dutch in the men's team pursuit at the Vancouver Winter Olympics on Friday.

Hedrick skated with Brian Hansen and Jonathan Kuck and barely got past the team from the Netherlands, winning by 0.40 in the eight-lap semifinal race.

The U.S. will face Canada in Saturday's gold-medal match. Hedrick already has a gold, a silver and two bronzes in his career, and he'll add one more Olympic medal before retiring after the Vancouver Games.

On the women's side, the U.S. edged Canada by 0.05 seconds to advance to the semifinals of the women’s team pursuit event.

The Americans will face Germany in the semifinals on Saturday. The U.S. team includes Catherine Raney Norman (Elm Grove, Wis.), Jennifer Rodriguez (Miami), Jilleanne Rookard (Woodhaven, Mich.) and Nancy Swider-Peltz Jr. (Wheaton, Ill.).

-- Houston Mitchell in Vancouver, Canada

Photo: Americans Chad Hedrick, Jonathan Kuck and Trevor Marsicano earned a spot in the team pursuit speedskating final. Credit: Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images.