A Spectator's Paradise on Blackcomb Mountain: The Whistler Sliding Centre -
The Olympic Cauldron will be lit in Vancouver on February 12, 2010. This weekend is a good time to pencil in the Men's and Women's Bobsleigh events into your calendars for television viewing, so here they are:
In recent blog posts, I have enjoyed sharing information with you about some amazing and dedicated athletes who inspire us all. The men and women of the U.S. Olympic Bobsled (Bobsleigh) Team come from different towns and cities across the United States. Their individual journey's in reaching the Olympics is itself awe-inspiring. Whenever possible, I have made it a point to hear each athlete interviewed on audio or video tape. Their perspectives are unique and fascinating. But yesterday, I also spent several hours studying the construction and design characteristics of the The Whistler Sliding Centre on my computer. Built on the southeast flank of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, British Columbia (in Fitzsimmons Creek valley) this track is now considered the fastest in the world. It's been a genuine joy for me to learn more about the incredible Americans who will represent us at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver!
Steven Holcomb’s Four-Man Bobsled Team, 2009 USOC Team of the Year
"The Night Train”--even the name has an ethereal quality to it that a character in a Clint Eastwood movie might enjoy. This team is just as intense as any of Clint's movie roles, and similarly, they don't mess around. This four-man bobsled team is the 2009 U.S.Olympic Committee Team of the Year. One man whom you will certainly recognize in this video clip is driver Steve Holcomb (Park City, Utah). Just a few years ago, Steve almost lost his vision due to a degenerative eye disease. However, a revolutionary surgical procedure restored his sight from 20-500 to 20-20 and he is guiding our Men's Four-Man Bobsled Team towards capturing the Olympic Gold medal for the first time in 62 years! As you may know, on February 28, 2009 the team captured The FIBT World Championship in Lake Placid, New York. That victory ended a 50-year dry spell to capture the World Championship medal for the U.S. In addition, "The Night Train" placed fourth overall for the 2008-2009 World Cup season, including two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze.
Mens 4-Man Bobsled Team USA 2009 USOC Team of the Year:
Steve Holcomb (Park City, Utah) Justin Olsen (San Antonio, Texas) Steve Mesler (Buffalo, New York) Curt Tomasevicz (Shelby, Nebraska) -
Holcomb:“It's quite an honor to be named Team of the Year. There are a lot of great athletes and great teams out there and to be seen as the best is a wonderful feeling. I know my team has worked really hard not only in the winter season, but during the summer and this will mean a lot to all of us. Our momentum is growing as we approach the Olympics, and this will only help build on what we have already established.”
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Allow me to digress slightly (with enthusiasm, of course). The U.S. has qualified three sleds in both two and four-man bobsled events. Here are the Four-Man Bobsled Teams representing the United States:
USA I:
Steven Holcomb (Park City, Utah)
Justin Olsen (San Antonio, Texas)
Steve Mesler (Buffalo, New York)
Curt Tomasevicz (Shelby, Nebraska)
USA II:
John Napier (Lake Placid, New York)
Chuck Berkeley (Clayton, California)
Steve Langton (Melrose, Massachusetts.)
Chris Fogt (Alpine, Utah)
USA III:
Mike Kohn (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
Jamie Moriarty (Winnetka, Illinois)
Bill Schuffenhauer (Ogden, Utah)
Nick Cunningham (Monterey, California)
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Only three nations are qualified to enter three sleds into the 2010 Olympics: Germany, Switzerland and The United States.To quote a line from a Steve McQueen film: "Time starts now".
USA Women's Bobsled 2010 Olympic Team L-R: Michelle Rzepka, Elana Meyers. Erin Pac,
Bree Schaaf, Emily Azevedo and Shauna Rohbock
(Photo Credit: Charlie Booker) -
My blogging has been rather limited into the New Year. But today I had to simply make time. That's because this is only the third Olympics that the U.S. Women's Bobsled Team have had a sled of any kind (they won Gold in 2002 and Silver in 2006). This year, we have three sleds entered in competition! On the heels of my previous posts of 11/30/09 ("Bree Schaaf and Bobsledding"), 12/02/09 ("Emily Azevedo & Bobsledding"), 12/04/09 ("Bobsledding Passion") and 12/06/09 ("Women's 2-Man Bobsled World Cup Results") it's a thrill for us to keep in mind who the drivers and brakemen are that will be representing our country. Each country is allowed to bring 2 bobsleds. Those that are allowed to bring a third have to have one of the top two rankings in the world of all the number 3 bobsleds after they have finished their season. USA 1 will be driven by 2006 Silver medalist Shauna Rohbock with brakeman Michelle Rzepka. USA II will be driven by Erin Pac with brakeman Elana Meyers. USA III will be driven by Bree Schaaf with brakeman Emily Azevedo.
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The year 1999 was significant for me (I earned my college degree that year). But it was significant for other reasons related to sports. In October, 1999 the International Olympic Committee added Women's Bobsleigh (in the U.S. we call it Bobsled) to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Accordingly, the first-ever Women's Olympic Bobsled Competition took place in Park City, Utah at Olympic Park in February, 2002. Jill Bakken and Vonetta Flowers earned the Gold Medal for the United States. In 2006, Shauna Rohbock and Valerie Fleming earned the Silver Medal for the United States.
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Mark your calendars for February 23rd and 24th when the Women's 2-Man Bobsled will be televised. Universal Sports will cover the races, or you can go to www.universalsports.com. Take a good look at our team in the photo above. All year-long, indeed, in the years leading up to the Olympics they have trained hard. They have heart and soul. They are ready. And we will be pulling for them one-hundred percent! Another good place to follow team race results and learn more about our drivers and push talent (particularly in the interim, is on www.fibt.com.) Delayed video of previous races is also available by engaging their On Demand Streaming.
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TeamUSA
USA I: Shauna Rohbock (Park City, Utah) and Michelle Rzepka (Novi, Michigan).
USA II: Erin Pac (Farmington, Connecticut) and Elana Meyers (Douglasville, Georgia).
USA III: Bree Schaaf (Bremerton, Washington) and Emily Azevedo (Chico, California).
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We'll focus on the Men's Bobsled Team USA shortly!
L-R: Eric Carmen, Wally Bryson, Dave Smalley, Rick Springfield & Jim Bonfanti -
Jim Bullotta was kind enough to send me a photo of The Raspberries with Rick Springfield after the October 21, 2005 L.A. House of Blues concert that was filmed for the 2-CD /1 DVD release "Live On Sunset Strip". Jim and Kent Hagen were Cinematographers of the show. Of course, it's great fun to see spirited photos like this one of true musical legends getting together for a visit. Thanks, Jim! MM
When I was a little kid in southwest Ohio, I loved to listen to The Raspberries. My playmates up and down the street had no idea who The Raspberries were. In fact, back then I never knew that this power-pop band got their start in Cleveland, Ohio! Today, it's not a far stretch to grasp the band's influences from the "British Invasion" of 1964: The Beatles, The Who, The Hollies and Small Faces. Over 30 years later, I'm hard-pressed to think of a better lead guitarist than Wally Bryson, or a drummer like Jim Bonfanti who inspires comparisons to the late Keith Moon of The Who. Interestingly, I found myself standing in a concert ticket line behind Raspberries bass player Dave Smalley last year. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I simply loved the crunchy guitars and the tight harmonies of this band. Perhaps unconsciously, even as a kid, I sensed that they were going in an opposite direction to audiences tastes during a time frame that many musical historians regard as a period of excess with little substance.
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From 1970 to 1975 this power-pop band poured out a string of Top 10 singles, among them: "Go All The Way", "I Wanna Be With You", "Ecstacy", "Overnight Sensation" (Hit Record), "Tonight", "Let's Pretend", "Don't Want To Say Goodbye", and "Play On". When the band split up in April, 1975 singer/songwriter Eric Carmen penned the hit "All By Myself" as a solo artist. Later in 1987, Eric's songwriting and vocals on the hit song "Hungry Eyes" became such a huge part of the movie and soundtrack from "Dirty Dancing". This song appeared in the unforgettable dance rehearsal scenes with the late Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. I can't say how many people who watched that film made the connection between Eric's songwriting, his vocals and The Raspberries. But watching the closing credits, I for one smiled and remembered.
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The Raspberries was also a favorite band of the late Beatle John Lennon. Other fans included: Elton John, Tom Petty, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, Cheap Trick, Nirvana, Motley Crue and Axl Rose of Guns n' Roses. Like Bruce Springsteen, Blondie and Fountains of Wayne, these artists cite The Raspberries as a pivotal influence.
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Fate dealt an interesting hand in 2004 when The House of Blues invited The Raspberries to perform at their new nightclub in Cleveland, Ohio. The band agreed to perform one show on November 26, 2004--which sold out in four minutes! This led to a mini-tour in 2005 that began at The House of Blues in Chicago, Illinois. A Vh1 Classic episode on cable television ostensibly led to a recorded concert on XM Satellite Radio. At the band's New York shows, attendees included E. Street Band members Steve Van Zandt and Max Weinberg, Jon Bon Jovi, Rick Springfield, KISS's Paul Stanley and May Pang, John Lennon's former girlfriend. Attendees at other shows also included members of The Romantics and The Go Go's. On October 21, 2005 The Raspberries House of Blues appearance in Los Angeles, California was filmed and recorded for a 2 CD/Bonus DVD release in 2007.
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At a Rick Springfield concert in Chandler, Arizona bass player Dave Smalley was standing in front of me in the ticket line. Whenever I see a famous person, I always remember what Steve McQueen once said about having your anonymity as being "the ultimate". So, I am particularly careful never to bother them. Nevertheless, I as I casually looked around, I realized no one else had apparently recognized Dave (Arizonans are also very polite, so restraint may have prevailed). He wound up sitting with his party near my table at the Casino Arizona.
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With only a few album releases, The Raspberries made their mark in music history. It's nice to remember that period of time from my early childhood, and it's also a nice New Years wish to see The Raspberries reunite for a future concert tour. In closing, what I also see in their music that is missing today is a sense of fun and optimism. A Raspberry tour would be a nice addition to the New Year! MM
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“…I used to keep the 'Raspberries Greatest Hits'— the cassette — in my car. They haven't gotten the respect they deserved in my opinion. With all of the power pop music you hear out there, what about the Raspberries? The Raspberries had great stuff. And they had a great record called 'Overnight Sensation’, one of the greatest little pop operas that anybody ever did.”
- Bruce Springsteen
“Raspberries are absolutely awesome. What they did, they did brilliantly. Tremendous!” – Paul Stanley - KISS
"I love the Raspberries. The show was really cool! Eric is one of the greatest pop screamers and is such a great writer. I've been playing Ecstasy, Play On, Tonight, I Wanna Be With You, Party's Over, Let's Pretend, Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak, I'm A Rocker and I Don't Know What I Want all weekend. Great stuff. Thanks for the great music. I forgot how much Wally sounds like Lennon too."
-Rick Springfield
"Magnificent!" – Steven Van Zandt
“…Bruce gave me a copy of ‘Greatest Hits’ years ago, and I’ve been a fan ever since. I wouldn’t miss this show. I never got to see them perform the first time around. But I think I wore out their greatest-hits album."
– Jon Bon Jovi
“We love those guys!”– Joe Walsh - James Gang
“The Raspberries are one of the more remarkable stories in the history of American pop music, a notion they reaffirmed in a brilliant two-hour show.”– Chicago Sun-Times
“It's a stunning performance, nailing both the timeless hooks and the sexual promise that had made it a hit in the first place.”– Pittsburgh Post Gazette
“In our humble opinion, "Go All the Way" is one of the best power pop songs ever, which makes it all the more exciting that Raspberries are reuniting for their first show in 31 years.”
- Billboard
Set List from House of Blues Los Angeles, California Sunset Strip Performance
October 21, 2005
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I Wanna Be with You I Can't Explain [The Who] Play On Tonight Should I Wait Nobody Knows Making It Easy Come Around and See Me If you Change Your Mind It Seemed So Easy Let’s Pretend Last Dance Needles And Pins [The Searchers] I Can Remember Party’s Over Don’t Want To Say Goodbye Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) Hard to Get Over a Heartbreak I Don’t Know What I Want Ecstasy
ENCORE I Saw the Light Starting Over I'm A Rocker Go All the Way - The Raspberries: Eric Carmen Wally Bryson Dave Smalley Jim Bonfanti - With Musical Support from: Paul Sidoti Billy Sullivan Jennifer Lee
Basically, I'm a Public Relations Consultant with a background in Broadcast News. I've worked as a Reporter and Anchor with PBS, ABC, CBS & NBC affiliates and in Cable Television. I'm active in Radio & Television Commercials, Guest Speaking engagements and I enjoy writing, music and sports.
A Spectator's Paradise on Blackcomb Mountain: 
