Flashbacks...
I was walking across the park today (always a somewhat odd sensation, to be out on an amusement park in the off-season. I actually prefer it that way, but without all the patrons, I don't get a paycheck, so I tolerate the summer crowds), and I realized that the Olympics are starting this weekend.
It's been four years since the Salt Lake Games...and that seems like both yesterday and a lifetime ago. It was one of the most memorable things that has ever happened to me...and I don't know that I'll ever top it. I mean, once you've worked on a show for a world-wide audience, what do you do for an encore?
I love the Olympics. The worst part of working on them, in 2002, was that I never had time to watch anything (sometimes I'd get lucky and catch part of a hockey game when I got home...but my schedule during the Games didn't allow much time for enjoying the broadcasts...I was at work by 8 am and getting off work for the night around midnight...for three weeks straight. But there were other rewards.
I'll never forget being at the medals plaza when the U.S. had their first sweep of an event. We were busy putting a bunch of costumes back in the wardrobe trailer, and I was the only one who had a view of the flag-poles. I knew we'd done well, because there were two American flags up...but I couldn't see the third flag. And then they started the anthem, and hoisted the flags, and the third US flag came into view. Literally, standing there, I said, 'Holy shit...we swept the category!' (I think it was freestyle skiing, but I don't recall that detail). Everyone else on the wardrobe crew dropped what they were doing and ran up onto the trailer steps so they could see the flags. It was a beautifully patriotic moment...
But I also recall being equally touched when the Swiss team managed the same feat in a different event, a few days later. It was incredible to be there, to see the immense pride and satisfaction on the faces of the medalists. I love the fact that, for a few days every couple of years, the entire world can find ONE positive thing to focus on for a few days.
Too bad it never seems to last.
I was walking across the park today (always a somewhat odd sensation, to be out on an amusement park in the off-season. I actually prefer it that way, but without all the patrons, I don't get a paycheck, so I tolerate the summer crowds), and I realized that the Olympics are starting this weekend.
It's been four years since the Salt Lake Games...and that seems like both yesterday and a lifetime ago. It was one of the most memorable things that has ever happened to me...and I don't know that I'll ever top it. I mean, once you've worked on a show for a world-wide audience, what do you do for an encore?
I love the Olympics. The worst part of working on them, in 2002, was that I never had time to watch anything (sometimes I'd get lucky and catch part of a hockey game when I got home...but my schedule during the Games didn't allow much time for enjoying the broadcasts...I was at work by 8 am and getting off work for the night around midnight...for three weeks straight. But there were other rewards.
I'll never forget being at the medals plaza when the U.S. had their first sweep of an event. We were busy putting a bunch of costumes back in the wardrobe trailer, and I was the only one who had a view of the flag-poles. I knew we'd done well, because there were two American flags up...but I couldn't see the third flag. And then they started the anthem, and hoisted the flags, and the third US flag came into view. Literally, standing there, I said, 'Holy shit...we swept the category!' (I think it was freestyle skiing, but I don't recall that detail). Everyone else on the wardrobe crew dropped what they were doing and ran up onto the trailer steps so they could see the flags. It was a beautifully patriotic moment...
But I also recall being equally touched when the Swiss team managed the same feat in a different event, a few days later. It was incredible to be there, to see the immense pride and satisfaction on the faces of the medalists. I love the fact that, for a few days every couple of years, the entire world can find ONE positive thing to focus on for a few days.
Too bad it never seems to last.
posted by Curtis at 5:50 AM
2 Comments:
it's also too bad that they tend to squabble with each other during and about that event.
I love the Olympics, too. Especially the winter Olympics.
I envy you your experiences in Salt Lake, even if you had to work it. I sort of went to one event, Men's Super G skiing at Snowbasin. We discovered you could get a regular pass and ski over to the event and watch it from behind these big, red plastic hurricane fences. It was fun. I was amazed at how many olympic skiers atually fell about 50 feet from the start. Seriously, about half of them. Half of the rest barely made it past the next 50 feet. So only about 1/4 who start actually make it down the course. You never see that on tv.
Looking forward to watching the events (taped, of course - I'm a highlight kind of guy)
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