ESPN article about a woman trying to make the 08 Olympics team..

[SirFozzie]

Interesting concept in this series of articles


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/etick...t&lid=tab1pos1


Here's the editor's note, which kinda explains my interest in this.

Editor's Note: Maybe you can identify with this. Some ESPN.com editors were sitting around watching the two-man luge event during the 2006 Winter Olympics. "Hey, I could do that," one of us said. "Anybody halfway athletic could do that." At that moment, an idea was born: What would happen if a better-than-average-but-not-great athlete, who also happened to be able to write, tried to make the U.S. Olympic team in the Summer Games' equivalent of the two-man luge?

So, we posed the idea to Kathryn Bertine, a former ice skater, professional triathlete and accomplished author. Bertine, who was struggling along on a four-figure annual income from her triathlon competitions, happily agreed to donate the next two years of her life to pursuing a longtime dream, a dream shared by tens of thousands of Americans trapped in the everyday demands of their lives. You know, little obstacles like jobs, kids, lack of talent.

For the next two years, Bertine will chronicle her Olympic quest for E-ticket. While finding a spot on the 2008 U.S. team is the ultimate goal, Bertine will take every opportunity along the way to stop and smell the sweat socks ... and to share the smell, taste, sound and feel of the experience with you. You'll meet coaches, teammates, competitors, good guys, bad guys, people who will make you laugh, make you cry, make you cover your eyes in horror. You'll find out what the day-to-day life of an elite athlete is like, get a feel for the kind of sacrifices necessary, see for yourself what kind of politics is involved.

[k0ruptr]

Interesting read.

[SirFozzie]

yeah, don't know how I feel about this.. after all these folks make it their life's work to try to make the Olympics.. and ESPN's paying this person who's never paid their dues in the sport to try to come and take their spot?

[k0ruptr]

after the first read , it does seem like a gimmick/novelty but I still want to follow it , I guess for that slight possibility she will improve and actually make it. I'm not sure either how I feel along those lines. Although I think if by chance she improves so much that she makes it, then she will deserve it for sure.

[bosshogg23]

I thought it was interesting and she is a pretty decent writer. If she can make the team on her own accord them in all for her success.

[SirFozzie]

Part II: She tries to make the team for Team Handball

And learns several fun new definitions of pain.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/etick...t&lid=tab3pos1

[DanGarion]

Good stuff.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Hmm... "defender Erika Bohn"... goalkeeper for the 2004 national champion ND women's soccer team?

[Mr. Wednesday]

Dola... yes, it is! Should have read the article first...