Monthly Archives: December 2010

This story was written at the 2003 Titan Games in San Jose. The Titan Games featured all the combat sports; we had wrestling going on the left mat, boxing in the center and judo on the right mat and fencing on a stage — all at the same time. It was an awesome event. I met Dan Gable there. I interviewed boxer Rock Allen and his dad, Naazin Richardson, who has trained Sugar Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins. Continue reading →

I loved putting this story together. I’m in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic for the 2003 Pan American Games, running all over the place from venue to venue. The athletes in this story are not household names, which is one of the reasons I like it so much. Peggy Storrar played on the U.S. Field Hockey national team for years, never competing in the Olympic Games. She played for the love of the game. When I coached Sam’s basketball team, we had a motto: “Get the ball!” Continue reading →

Apolo Anton Ohno is one of my all-time favorite Olympians. I feel like I got to watch him grow up from a young man into an Olympic legend. He may be the most mentally-focused athletes I’ve encountered. I got to know him a bit when I produced his first website. I probably saw Apolo compete more than any other winter Olympian. I was there when he crashed and earned the silver in 2002 and when he won the 500-meters in Torino in 2006. I was also there when things didn’t go his way in Torino. I stood in the chaotic mixed zone after the competition and the USOC press officer put him directly in front of me. I was so impressed with how he handled that situation. He had become the Peaceful Warrior. Continue reading →