Live from New York it's...ME!

Just wanted to drop by and say hello to everyone! I'm here for work...and came this close to getting into SNL tonight...oh well! Keep sending in those links and pics to: info@ohnozone.net

I'll post some more just as soon as Blogger starts behaving!! :)

Hey OZ fans! Blogger is being cranky and not letting me upload any new images. In the meantime there are a couple good links below. I'll be back later to try posting some hot Apolo pix!

Joanna sends a link to a Arizona Republic audio clips. Hear Apolo under Jan. 19 and Feb. 6, 13, 20, 23.


Olympics audio clips

AAOGrl4Evr sends this fun article. Great punch line at the very end!

OH, YES!: Ohno finally gets his gold

from Joanna...Gov. Locke and AAO

an old favorite from Susan

WOW! Thank you, Joanna

This suggestive shot sent by Susan F

This next trio from Lyn

From Lucinda, via Defintely Apolo

Well, well, well. Look who's back in Colorado, and on skates no less (via Denver Post):

Lucinda, Susan F and Unidentified all send this reminder:

NBC to Broadcast Final Olympic Tribute to Athletes from 2002 Winter Games

Shani Davis article which mentions AAO, from Joanna

Shani Davis stirs up U.S. speedskating


KEARNS, Utah (AP) -- Shani Davis grew up to be 6-foot-2 and lean. While
the other kids in his Chicago neighborhood played basketball, Davis wanted
something else.

"I decided when I was very young, if I was going to do a sport, I wanted
to be different," he said.

He succeeded. He got into short-track speedskating and became the first
black to make the U.S. team in a predominantly white sport.

The 19-year-old Davis will be a long shot to medal at the Salt Lake City
Olympics, which begin Friday. His best friend and teammate, Apolo Ohno, is
favored to win four golds.

"There's a lot of love between me and Apolo," said Davis, who lets Ohno
borrow his shirts when they go out to clubs.

The two were involved in a pre-Olympic controversy, when 1998 Olympian
Tommy O'Hare claimed Ohno helped fix a 1,000-meter race at the Olympic
trials in December.

Davis won the race, earning enough points to grab the final Olympic berth
and knock O'Hare off the team. An arbitrator found there wasn't enough
evidence to support O'Hare's claim that Ohno and Rusty Smith conspired to
fix the race so Davis could make the team.

O'Hare withdrew his demand for arbitration, clearing the way for Ohno,
Davis and Smith to compete in Salt Lake City.

"I'm just happy I can make the team and get a lot of experience. Maybe
next time I can skate individually," said Davis, who only qualified for a
relay.

Fred Benjamin, president of U.S. Speedskating and a former employer of
Davis' mother, Cherie, said her son deserved to make the team.

"If you talk to the other athletes who train with him, they'll say he's
the first one there and the last one to finish training," Benjamin said.

Davis' height makes him the tallest American speedskater in a sport where
gravity favors those who are built low to the ice, like the 5-7 Ohno.

"It's hard for me to get low and do all this leaning and trying to
protect my track," said Davis, last year's national junior short-track
champion. He was 11th at the world short-track championships in 2000.

"I try not to worry about size out there even though it's a big factor.
You have to work with what you have."

Davis first tried speedskating when he was 6, around the time his parents
divorced.

"I couldn't stand up on my skates, but over time I liked it because I got
to travel to Milwaukee and stay at hotels, run around and swim," he said.

Cherie Davis pushed her son, waking him every day to make him run a mile,
starting when he was in second grade.

"She wanted this more than I did at that point," Davis recalled. "All her
hard work, I'm thankful for. I really do admire her."

Davis grew up in the Hyde Park section of Chicago and attended Catholic
schools. He sees his father occasionally, but since the divorce, it's
always been Shani and Cherie.

"My mom did the best she could to raise me up and keep me out of
trouble," he said. "She wanted me in skating so that I was occupied and
had something to do every weekend, so I would have something to aim for
when I get older."

Davis quickly attracts friends with his smile and friendly nature. His
mother -- who used to work as a secretary for Benjamin, a Chicago attorney
-- has a reputation for being outspoken and difficult, which she earned
while serving as her son's protector.

"If I saw somebody react to him negatively, then I would react to that,"
she said, recalling how some people would point fingers and accuse her son
of cheating if he won a race.

"I became a maniac for a while. I would just say anything. A lot of
people say, 'Well, Shani's nice, but his mother is just awful.' I don't
even want to be popular, I just want Shani to be happy."

Benjamin smiles at the mention of his former secretary.

"I respect her because she speaks her mind," he said.

When Davis was young, his mother encouraged him to come to her if he felt
wronged.

"That's why he's so well-liked, because he doesn't really have a chip on
his shoulder," she said. "I write a lot of mean letters."

Cherie Davis was especially busy typing when O'Hare filed his complaint.
She fired off e-mails to U.S. Olympic Committee and speedskating officials
and the media.

"I would take up for Shani if I saw something I thought was an injustice,
and it didn't have to be because I thought they were doing it because he
was black," she said. "I just thought it was wrong."

Some teen-agers might be embarrassed by a mother who still fights their
battles. But Davis remains grateful.

"I never thought I would go this far in skating. It's hard. It's
expensive. My mom is a single mother. She works hard to get me to these
competitions," he said. "She did her best and I can repay her by doing my
best."

from Lucinda and Joanna

Apolo with Senator Oke and Kaden Lewis (the baby). It's from March 14,
2002.

Lyn sends the next two from her Oakbrook encounter

"Boxers or briefs, Apolo?"

The next two courtesy of Brooke

Another from Apolo at the NYSE, from Joanna, Lyn and Liz

From Megan, transcript of a CNNfn interview with Apolo and Yuki

"Apolo Ohno: Wonderful Skater, Beautiful Man, CNNfn"
Rhonda Schaffler, CNNfn Anchor, Market Call: "We'll go quickly back to the New York Stock Exchange. Amanda has a guest with her. Amanda" Amanda Lang, CNNfn Correspondent: "I do have a guest, a very special guest. Olympic gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno and with us, his dad, Yuki Ohno. Appreciate you both being here. I'm acutally going to go through the list of achievements here because it's pretty important. Nineteen-year-old Apolo, Rhonda, was the youngest American to win a World Cup, gold medalist at the age of 19 and just named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by 'People' magazine. Let's start there, how does that feel?" Apolo: "That was amazing. I was flattered when they told me about that. We had to keep it a little secret for a while, but I'm just so happy to be recognized as something like that, you know, other than my sport. So that was incredible for me." Lang: "And the Olympics, had you always thought, planned, hoped that would happen or was that something that happened in the last few years? You're only 19, how long could you have been planning it, I guess? Apolo: "About five years ago. It takes a good four, five years of serious training to be able to reach that world class level. I was happy to have the opportunity and the talent. So I'm very, very grateful." Lang: "What is next for you, other than turning 20 on May 22nd? Apolo: "A lot more appearances, events. Probably start training again. I have six international World Cups a year. So the fun never stops for me. Just been crazy, a whirlwind the past couple of months." Lang: "We have your dad here. I want to ask you, Mr. Ohno, how does it feel to have a son of 19 who is not only a gold medalist but one of the most beautiful people in America?" Yuki: "It is just fantastic. It is just so great." Lang: "Are you surprised by him?" Yuki: "In many ways, yes, yes. Always he surprises me. Always. Lang: "Maybe he will continue to surprise us all. We look forward to seeing what you do next." Apolo: "Thanks." Lang: "Thank you for being here, Apolo and Mr. Ohno."

Enjoy it boys & girls! Video of Apolo's interview on CNN

News from Junko via Apolologic:

Apolo Receives "CelebrAsian Award 2002"

From Junko via Apolologic Apolo's interview on Japanese TV:

Another one from Apolologic

'Twas the Night Before the Games, penned by our very own Lucy

‘Twas the night before the Games, and all through the Village / not an athlete was stirring, not even an OZer! / The speed-skates were hung in the locker room with care, / In hopes that the foot odor would not be there. / The skaters were snuggled all warm in their beds, / While visions of Gold danced in their heads. / And Ohno in his skin-suit, and soul patch and that,/Had just settled down for a nice long nap. / When out in the hall there arose such a clatter, / Apolo jumped out of his bed to see what the Hell was the matter! / Away to the door he flew like a flash, / Tripped over his cat and landed with a crash. (We’re lucky he didn’t bruise that fine little ass!) / When he opened the door, what should appear, / None other than me, trying to check out his rear! / The Flasher yelled down the hall for her comrades to follow, / "Hey guys! Look! I’ve found Apolo!" / "Now, Noelle! now, Todd! now, Mass, Lyn and R! / On, Gigi! on Brooke! on Velma and Kimber! / Quick come from afar, help Apolo stay limber!" / As fast as Apolo, skating around the track, / All eight were on hand to have Lucy’s back! / So into the hot-tub, the group all went, / And that’s where the night was mostly spent. / Some of the DOWS had gone and gotten us some booze, / So what the Hell, we had nothing to lose! / I promised Noelle that she wouldn’t get busted, / All the while looking at Apolo, whom I lusted! / While reaching in the Mexican cooler to get another drink, / I got an idea which really made me think. / I decided to "accidentally" brush up against his thigh, / And automatically got a natural high! / It was going to be tricky, but worth a try, / If he noticed I could always lie! / And as I was lowering myself back into my place, / A perma-grin settled onto my face! / I had touched the thigh, muscles and all, / And almost went screaming down the hall! / But I kept my cool, excitement galore, / Wondering exactly how I could get to feel more! / Apolo glanced over and gave me a wry smile, / I swear my stomach jumped up a mile! / A few minutes later he announced he was going to bed, / But hoped he would see us tomorrow or else "we’d all be dead!" / As he was toweling off, he showed me some more leg, / Which was obviously an invite that he would see me in bed! / Into my shoe he slipped a key, / Then turned around and winked at me! / The rest, my friends, I’ll have to withhold, / But as he told me, it helped him win gold!

next two from Lyn

3 Variations on the theme of Pool, from Lyn via ApoloKitty

A glimpse into the life of 12-year old Apolo, via Tacoma News.

A JUVENILE WITH GROWN-UP HOPES Tacoma, Wa.; May 31, 1995.
Young, accomplished ice and in-line speedskater, Apolo Anton Ohno never travels without his 8-month-old tabby, Tiggy. "She's good luck for me. I can't leave her home alone," the 12-year-old Ohno said. This cat has acquired more frequent-flyer miles than the average tourist, venturing to such places as New York, Michigan and Ohio with his owner, who makes an average of 12 trips a season. Ohno, a student at Saghalie Junior High School in Federal Way, is one of the brightest young stars in the short-track speedskating community. In three years, he hopes to be skating in the Winter Olympics. He became interested in the sport on an outing to a local ice rink with a couple of his friends. When he realized his potential just from going to the rink, he joined the new Tacoma Speed Skating Club in 1993. Starting out on wheels, Ohno had to make the transition to ice. "I like ice because it's smooth and you can do everything neatly," Ohno said. "Your technique has to be perfect." There is one drawback to his training in the Northwest. The Tacoma Speed Skating Club practices only once a week for one hour on Sundays. Ohno makes up for it during the week with a little help from his friends. He cross-trains on his in-line skates, while his friends time him and cheer him on. To build endurance and strength, Ohno is a champion swimmer with the Highline Swim Club, and is in the water on a daily basis. In the world of short-track speedskating, Ohno is called a juvenile in the 12-13 age group. With his record-breaking times, Ohno has made quite an impression. At the last Olympic Festival, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., he finished 13th in a bracket for skaters 19-and-under. Ohno has received some of the best training that the sport has to offer. For two weeks in the summer, he trains under the guidance of both the United States and Canadian national coaches. With swimming in the morning, in-line skating in the afternoon and traveling on several weekends, Ohno still finds time for his studies and his friends. Even if it means taking an early morning flight on Saturday and going straight to the ice so he will not have to miss a Friday of classes, that is the sacrifice Ohno has chosen to make. One thing he has not had to sacrifice is time with his best friends. On top of seeing them during the week on their cross-training practice runs, he also gets to see them on the occasional Friday night at the local roller rink just to simply hang out and have fun. Despite his age, Ohno eagerly is awaiting the 1998 Olympics in Japan. Even though he will be just 15 years old, in a sport where it is not uncommon to see skaters who are in their 30s, Ohno says the door is open.

A glide down memory lane, all 8 courtesy of Alishia