THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 2, 1996 TAG: 9608020694
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SERIES: Olympics '96
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
From Atlanta
LENGTH: 54 lines
Gold standard: One argument making the rounds - probably put out there by Carl Lewis' flaks - is that a 10th gold medal for King Carl would increase the popularity of track and field in the U.S. Nonsense. Lewis has had 12 years to save his sport; another photo op with the Stars and Stripes won't matter.
Publicity hound: Now that gymnastics is over, this is all you need to know about Bela Karolyi, coach of Kerri Strug. The night Strug hurt her ankle, she went to the hospital. He went to the press conference.
Not so fast: The only problem with Strug becoming the next Mary Lou Retton is that the current Mary Lou shows no signs of stepping aside. How many pint-sized gymnast salesgirls does corporate America need?
Paint job: It's way past time United States basketball adopted the wider, cone-shaped international lane being used at the Olympics. It would open up the college and pro games and force our big men, the one-dunk wonders, to develop a wider repertoire of shots and moves.
Quick hit: When I arrived at the Olympics, I thought heptathlon was a prescription drug.
Idle thought: If security-guard-turned-suspect Richard Jewell is arrested, that makes him the Unabubba, right?
Clean winner: Give American doubles specialist Gigi Fernandez a gold for candor. Asked why only American tennis players aren't competing in team uniforms, she said, ``N-I-K-E. They wouldn't go along with it.''
Seeing red: The things you don't know about some sports. The weightlifting competition was interrupted several times while workers wiped blood off the bar and then sanitized it with bleach.
We kid you not: The entry list for track events include each athlete's name, country, qualifying time .. and shoe brand!
Solid footing: During a doubles match Wednesday featuring Dutchmen Jacco Eltingh and Paul Haarhuis, a young man in the stands clapped together a pair of wooden shoes. Maybe he had an endorsement contract with the manufacturer.
Track trinity: U.S. sprinter Jon Drummond offered a revealing insight into track and field when he said that he moved out of the Olympic Village and into a hotel because, ``In order to prepare, I need to be with my coach, my trainer and my attorney.''
Puzzled: Can't say I understand the frantic pin trading and collecting going on here. A city so full of pin heads and ring heads could use a visit from the Dead Heads.
Bulls-eye: Jim Easton, president of archery's international federation, heads off critics at the pass. ``You understand your sport is not contributing that much to the Games,'' he said. ``It's really that boring.'' Couldn't have said it better.
Ticky-tacky: A man outside the boxing venue at Georgia Tech wore a sandwich board that read, ``Don't call me a scalper. I'm a ticket technician.'' by CNB