These boys were ecstatic. Apolo and Rusty Smith have been skating together for nearly a decade and J.P. Kepka has been on board for nearly five. Add in youngster Alex Izykowski and you have the squad that just barely beat the Italian team for the bronze medal much to the dismay of the hometown crowd.
Somebody with NBC Newschannel heard that the team was on its way for interviews and that they were hungry. A quick trip to Stella Cafe across the street landed six quick pizzas (some cheese, some pepperoni, lots of grease) and when Apolo and crew, with gold medal long-track skater Shani Davis in tow arrived, they dove into the pies. Smith told me he hadn't eaten in 13 hours. Apolo said he had tried not to eat pizza "all year" because of training.
"You don't understand... you just don't understand how good this tastes," he said with his face stuffed.
It was a treat to see these athletes so relaxed and enjoying a moment of accomplishment. Smith admitted that most of the time the attention is on Ono who has a way with the camera and generally makes good copy for writers with pithy quotes about life and the journey and how skating is in his blood and his destiny etc. But Rusty also said Ono deserves all that praise and fame because of what he's done for himself and the sport. Still, he said it is great to see the whole team honored for years of effort. They fell just short in Salt Lake, finishing fourth, which of course in the Olympics might as well be 78th as far as the American sports-watching public is concerned.
By the way, my colleague from our sister-station KGW in Portland, Stewie Stricklen, says Apolo is hot.
At this level, athletes are under so much pressure and are generally so wary of the press that its a bit unusual to see them let down and just be kids. Last night they did that and it was a pleasure to see because when they do relax they come across as fairly normal, likeable, cheerful young people who just happen to be elite athletes.
There was one slice left in the pizza box on our live-shot platform this morning. For a few minutes I pondered putting it on E-Bay and raising money for Apolo's favorite charity. Then I ate it. Shared a pie with a whole handfull of medal winners.