Emily sends this picture of Apolo from the Indiana State Fair. Her report follows!

Here is Emily's Indiana State Fair report:

Well my day started out the best and ended the best it could! My friend Kaitlyn and I got to the show 2 hrs early just for apolo and it was a good thing we did. We were waiting by the gates for them to let us in, then this lady from the state fair walks out of the gate and says “wait here and maybe you’ll get to see him.” There he comes down the sidewalk with 3 people around him with the lady that had told us. Then he walks right by my friend (he was only about 1 foot away, i wanted to reach out and grab him!) and I to get inside the grandstands! HE WALKED RIGHT BY US!!!! When he walked by, he kind of slowed down and knew we were fans and the lady said “say hi girls” we said “hi” with one of those half waves half amazement things and then he had the biggest smile on his face! He walked up to the stands for the news interviews. I was too scared to take a pictures rite in front of his face so I took some pics of him walking up the stairs but he was sooooo hot! He was wearing a gray Jordan shirt, jean shorts and kind of tan shoes! My friend and I watched him get interviewed and took a few pics, then we got in about 25 mins after he walked by. We got front row seats! Then we went back downstairs to get bracelet thingy’s for the autograph session, because they said they would draw a number and the next 250 numbers would get autographs.
        Then my friend and I walked back to our seats to see if the view was ok then my mom said we should go down and get another bracelet and we might have a better chance, we went down and right after we got our bracelets Apolo walks thought the small, early crowd! My friend grabbed my arm and dug her nails into me as he walked by, that was the second time we saw him before the show!!! (he looked at us as he walked by) We waited at our seats for the show to start then Apolo walked right under us and out the bottom of the grandstands to the stage and tents to get ready. My friend and I screamed to him as everybody else did. My friend and I went down and got about 4 more bracelets for a total of 6 each so we would have a good chance! (Hey what can u say we love Apolo Anton Ohno) after that we sat in our seats until the show. Apolo was announced and everyone cheered and my friend and I were the loudest people out there! They showed some of the tricks and then it started to drizzle and we were ok we kept taking pictures and then the rain stopped but picked up about 5 mins later, when it started to rain harder my friend screamed out “take off your shirt!” to Apolo he just smiled and maybe blushed. It started to rain harder and harder but we had a poncho and put it over both of us. We screamed out “Apolo we love u” and waved and he waved back with a huge smile again! He knew it was us again and we were soaked. About 7 mins later they stopped the show and Apolo went to sign autographs with the rest of the athletes! He was soaked when he came out! And he looked cute…NO…HOT! He had a towel and he sat at the table there was a huge line. We were in the front half of the line then my mom went up and started to talk with the security guy, Paul who was standing next to Apolo’s table and she stayed up there to “help” him with stuff and get pics!!!!! Paul was nice! My friend and I finally went up to see where my mom was and my dad held our place in line. We went up on the stairs to get good pics of Apolo and the guys sitting next to Apolo looked up at us and stood up (he noticed we were trying to get pics) then he said “1, 2, 3 scream!” we did and Apolo looked straight at us for the 4th time that day! He had a huge smile on his face after that! We got some pics and got back in line.
        He noticed us again for the 5th time that day and smiled a big white smile! My friend had him sign a picture but I handed his book “AllAbout Apolo.” He smiled and turned to the people behind the desk and his table and he said, “oh this is my book!” he sounded excited to see it! I was sooo happy to see him. Then he asked “did you like it?” my friend said “yea we’ve read it like 100 times!” he said, “You know my autobiography is coming out soon.” We said yea and he smiled and went on to the next person. My friend and I were so excited to see him that close so we got back in line to see him again. That time it only took about 15 mins to get to the front of the line then my friend asked “Are you allowed to give hugs?” then I asked “Or is it just strictly a hand-shake thing?” he said no I can give u a hug my dad got a pic of my friend getting a hug but missed me! It’s a great pic though! I got a hug too. He asked if we wanted another autograph and we of course said “Sure!” and he gave us another 1! We snuck back in line and I asked if I could get another pic and of course being the nice person he is said “sure!’’ he leaned over his table and I got another half hug from that and this time I got a pic that was the 6th time he had seen us that day! He knew who we were.
        During all that excitement there was this nice girl talking to my mom. The girl was saying how she dropped her batteries on the floor under the table and my mom asked the security guard to get them for her. She was so happy he did and my mom also went up and got an autograph but it was for me! She apparently got to talk to Apolo for a minute! While we were waiting for him to leave my dad said something funny and Apolo heard it while he was in the middle of signing all the autographs and he started to laugh and so did Paul and my mom. It was kind of funny seeing Apolo laugh at my dad. Also in the middle of signing autographs that day Apolo got up and looked to see how long the line was and when he sat back down he was like “geez.” well we all love you Apolo!!! He was so nice to all the little kids that came up and the older women and men! My mom, dad, my friend and I finally left and we waved to Apolo and we went to the fair for about another 2 hrs but I couldn’t stop thinking about Apolo
(it was the single greatest time of my life) *he also saw we were standing right in front of him so he would turn to us so we could get good pics of him!*

Here is a link to an ebay live photo - Apolo with a DOW who wishes to remain nameless. ;) Enjoy!

Tonight we resume oldies week on OZ. Joanna sent these two magnificent skating shots. Some other OZ favorites follow!

From Jena, this article, via Deseret News:
Olympians still reaping 'gold'

Here they are! Jan and Kimo have sent their most recent photos: top 3 from Seafair, next 3 from after the ESPYs

Apolo and Yuki stop to say hi

Apolo takes a picture of Jan & Kimo with their sign (note Yuki's lei)

Jan & Kimo at the end of the parade with their sign

Kimo, Apolo, Jan, post-ESPYs at the hotel

Apolo and Jan

Janey Miller and Apolo

Thanks much to Sonia and Dez for providing these audioclips from Apolo's interview at the Seafair parade

Clip 1: "It just feels good to be here"
Clip 2: "Watch out for the teenage girls"
Clip 3: "It doesn't get better than this"

Here are some of Lydia's pics of Apolo in Kentucky

Indiana State Fair

This just in from Jena, the official Ohno Bloodhound:

I got the scoop on Apolo's third book!!!!!!

Title = "Edges"
It's a photo/picture book about short-track speedskating
Due out in Fall 2003

(See this archived post from July 28 for more details)

Thank you, Miss Yano, for creating this wonderful OHNOZONE anniversary collage!

Here are some of Lydia's pics from today!

Whew - brace yourselves! Lydia's Indiana report follows...

Hey guys I was wrong when I said that July the 26th was the best day of my life. Today was the best. I didn’t even think I was going to Indiana until this morning after cryin my butt off to my parents. My dad was like “Get in the car.” We got there at like 12, Apolo walked in at like 1, and the show got started and Apolo stood up on this thing with the announcer guy. The show didn’t even get that far before it started pouring down rain and Apolo was just like “I’m from Seattle I’m used to it.” And he was getting soaked and so was I and every other crazy person to sit in the open. I was drippen wet, so they cancelled it and I got out and ran downstairs and got in line for autographs. These girls behind me were freakin out, Apolo walked by us to get to the tables, his hair was still wet and all from the rain. We kept getting out of the line to take pictures. I went up behind him and called his name he turned smiling and got a picture right in his face… So when I get up there I was juggling all my stuff and he looks at me and I handed him my paper to sign and I go ‘It's a little wet.” And he said “That’s ok here’s a new one” and he looked at me and smiled and said “I remember you! You're from Kentucky right?” and he tuned to his agents and said “DO you remember her?” and they where Like hey how ya doin, and all and I’m like shocked because he seemed just as excited to see me as I was to see him. So he asked my name and how I was while he was signing and all I was like fine and I was putting the stuff I had for him on the table and gave it to him, as I did this the batteries came out of my digital camera on the table and floor. I handed my other camera to the nice woman behind me and asked to take a pic with Apolo and he said sure and I leaned over the table and all and almost fell over it. Apolo got a kick out of this and laughed at me. He saw that I had put some stuff on the table for him and thanked me for it and all and I shook his hand and moved on to the other guys. I asked to take a pic of the first guy because he was kinda cute and I was still shakin and he was like “You might want to hold it still honey” and I was like “Uh yeah sorry” and moved on to the rest of them so embarrassed.

So I walked back around to Apolo’s table and was talking to this couple and they helped me get the batteries to my camera back. Apolo handed them to the security guard and smiled at me. I was very red. So I decided to stay there the rest of the time. Right by the table. I made buddies with security and everything. Except one, he was kinda mean. So I call him Mr. Evil. I called one of them Joey because he looked like Joey from NSYNC, the other guy I called Mr. Nice Guy. I was crankin jokes and everything with them and everyone was like “Who is this girl and what the hell is she doin up here with Apolo.” And Apolo's agent kept looking at me and laughing and every once and a while when me and the security guys would make a joke and start laughing Apolo would look up at me and smile.

Apolo is such a sweetheart. When the little kids came up he would be like “Hey little guy you want me to sign that for you?” and He’d take pictures with the little baby and all. I fell even more in love with him. Mr. Evil rolled his eyes at me. Apolo was wearing a pair of blue jean shorts and blue Nike shirt some tan boots and Nike socks.... ok i was staring at his legs and feet. So I stood there for like about 2 hours just talking with people and taking pictures of Apolo.

But the end had to come... so me and that nice couple, there daughter and her friend the security gauds and the police where left there with Apolo. So me and the girls decide to say goodbye and take pictures of him posing for us... oh yeah. We even got goodbye hugs!!! When I hugged him... his hair poked me in my eye and my eye watered a lil and one of the girls were like “oh you should have got a pic of that” and i threw my camera to her and me and Apolo did one more for the camera and he kept saying thank you and my eye stopped watering. So we were saying our goodbyes (Apolo and us) and I was talking with him as he was stretching and asked him has he slept on the pillow and he said that “No not yet, I’ve been traveling a lot lately and haven't been home to.” and I felt sorry for him. Then we did a little chit chat, me and him, just gibberish, i was talkin to him like a good friend. He’s such a great guy, so he left and I said goodbye to Joey, Mr. Nice Guy, Mr. Evil, (there where hugs between us...lol)the nice couple, their girls and the police, and I left just in a daze... and then i heard the cow moo and was knocked out of my dream.

I honestly have no words for Apolo... he's just the best guy... So friendly and nice, the way he was with the kids just made me melt.

Wow everyone -- check out this awesome interview with Apolo on Skinsuits n Skates

A couple more golden oldies, from Lea

Ah, but where's the video?

Indiana State Fair Goes Tobacco Free, via Indy's WISH-TV

Here's a great little article from today's Indianapolis Star

Ohno's busy schedule brings him to state fair

some things bear repeating

The Ohno Zone is amazing to me! This started, really, as a fluke...a couple of mentions on my personal weblog and BANG! traffic swamped my personal site...we were off and running. I've said this from the very beginning: All of you are the reason this site is so special and has remained a thriving, entertaining and wonderful community! It all comes down to you. There are people here from the very first day, and people who may be visiting today for the first time...all are welcome here. I ask you all to remember and respect the integrity and goodwill of others, and the positive energy and excitement that anchors the very core of the Ohno Zone. In the past six months, you have never ceased to amaze me! I can never thank you enough for what you helped build and maintain. You are all such an integral part of this place. I adore you. I thank you. I look forward to a wonderful road ahead...together. I would also like to take a moment thank Noelle, who selflessly maintains the very public part of this site, keeps me updated and watches over the Ohno Zone like a hawk. Her daily commitment to the site and to you is staggering. Noelle, there are no words to express my gratitude and love. I can't do this without you...and wouldn't want to try.


Y'all are the best! Now, let's go out there and find AAO pics, facts and links ain't nobody seen before!!!

Big love,

Todd

Ohno Zone Official Hater Policy

Originally posted March 26, 2002


I have no interest in censoring anyone's opinions...ever. However, my policy is this: any and all attacks, mudslinging and general hatefulness will not be tolerated. Comments deemed as such will be deleted, and the offender's access to the comment function will be eliminated.



I would advise everyone to think twice before posting a snarky comment. There is no room for that in the Ohno Zone, and there never has been. Please resume being the fabulous & wonderful people you truly are. Thank you.
-Todd

Hello OZoners! I hope the summer finds you all rested and well! I wanted to remind everyone to keep doing what you can for the In Apolo's Name Project. Just head up there to your upper right corner and click the link to donate. Let's keep the ball rolling! Way to go , Ohno Zone! Big kiss to everyone!!

Look at what April made for the OZ DOWs!

Two goodies from Brooke

From Liz, via Seafair Commodores

From the looks of the OZ inbox, this is shaping up to be oldies-but-goodies week! No better way to kick if off than with the RS pics, courtesy of Susan

Hey everyone - check out United Fans of Speedskating, a site put together by Stephanie of RustySmith.com. It aggregates information and links about speedskaters and their favorite charities, letting fans know how they can make a difference by donating to a worthy cause in their favorite speedskater's name.

United Fans of Speedskating

Apolo and Gov. Locke at Seahawks opener

Courtesy Seattle Seahawks

From Jena

* Washington Gov. Gary Locke joined fans for the coin toss, and Olympic gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno, wearing a Seahawks jersey, delivered the game ball. See full Seattle Times article