What the ...

So let me get this straight, my brother (Bobby) with the GPS led car, and cooler stocked every day with Bud, is asking me if I am out there...holy hannah. Yes, I am out here, and I can say it has been an interesting last few days in the Village and in Torino. Where to begin....

On Tuesday (Feb. 14) my dad and a friend of his - John Pearson - showed up in Torino. It was great to have them here, except I got word he shared a few too many of the family secrets with some of my co-workers who were staying at the same hotel he was. So in order to get him back for his "indisgressions" I gave them a pair of tickets to the women's hockey game versus Finland and made sure that he was seated behind perhaps the largest Fin I have ever seen (think Chris Farley with a viking cap on). And, to make things better, this was one very partiotic Fin who opted to wave a 5 foot flag the entire game. It was perfect because until the 3rd period the Fin's were in the game, so it meant a lot of flag waving. Keith, Michelle, and I did not sit with John and Dad, but my proudest moment as his son had to be when I looked up at the big screen monitor at the game and there is my dad's booty - front and center - because he had run down the steps to take a picture his new found Scandinavian buddy.

The other things that Dad and John did while they were here was to take in some Alpine Skiing, Short Track Speedskating, Medals Plaza, a men's hockey game, and we had them in the village for a visit. That is a busy three days.

I had mentioned that I had been to Medals Plaza with Chad Hedrick. Keith, Michelle and I also took a trip with Joey Cheek for his gold medal in the men's 500 in long track. That was a different trip because they put us in a vehicle that was escorted by the police. That would leave a person to believe that traffic would not be much of an issue. Here is the problem, I think the guy in the lead police car was one of the bus drivers from TOROC - and he was probably the one who could not find the speedskating rink from the Village - remember, the rink is a few hundred yards from the village. Granted, I have not been in many escorted trips - but I think that we saw the entire city on our journey. Wow.

Now I must admit something - I went down to Medals Plaza again on the 15th, but this time as a specator. The reason - Duran Duran in concert. They were no, no, notorious. Here is this band, from the 80's, and the place is going crazy. They are playing on a stage in the middle of this square that on three sides has incredible buildings - the history is amazing. The stage they ocupy had only moments earlier had some of the world's greatest athletes on it, and there is Simon Lebon telling me he is hungry like a wolf and her name was rio. People were dancing everywhere, it was crazy, but it was fun.

Update - let me just say that the Sahara recently had some rain. The men's hockey team leader - hearing of our plight...well desperation for some beers...brought some in for us. Let's just say that our post Games evaluations of him will be very high.

Yesterday our Village welcomed Katie Couric (you will see the piece on Monday). Nope, none of us made our way on camera. They spent three hours with the athletes. They may have 4 minutes worth of stuff. No matter, if you would like to get Katie's opinion of our humble world tune in on Monday. Keith was with her the entire time, he returned to the office looking like he had been run over by a truck. Then to top off Keith's evening Johnny finished in 7th in the men's event. Bad day all the way around.

No mom, I am serious, I did not get on camera. I also did not even go and see Katie.

So as we wrap up day 7 of the Olympic Games, we sit here saying what the...is going on. Don't know if you all are keeping track, but we have had an incredible series of events happen - and all ofthem bad - and they have gone against us. As I have mentioned before, we do not have a medal goal for these Games, but let me say that if by some odd chance we did, we would very possibly be behind on where we thought we would be at this time. So we need all of you to give some extra love to Team USA...please!

We continue to plug away here in the Torino Village. As we get more and more settled, the characters will begin to come out. There are still 9 days of events to go, the clock is ticking.

Bobby, you are up....