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This issue was supposed to begin with our heartfelt congratulations and praises for everyone who contributed to our extremely successful site visit by the USOC last month. That must come later.
Instead we begin with our heartfelt condolences and grief for the victims of last Tuesday terrible terrorist attacks and their families.
Like all Americans and indeed, like the vast majority of people around the world -- we are profoundly saddened, shocked and angered by the events of September 11th. We struggle with our friends, our families and our neighbors to understand how these terrible things could ever happen, and what they mean for our country and for the world.
But if these crimes show us some of humankind capacity for great evil, then the overwhelming response of Americans and indeed of most people around the world -- show us our greater capacity for kindness and good. We are inspired by the selflessness of the firefighters, police officers and rescue workers. We are humbled by the nation and the world outpouring of support for the victims and their families. And more than ever, today we are proud of our country, our people and our freedoms. We will easily withstand even these terrible attacks.
Sports and games are trivial in the context of last week tragedies. But throughout the week, in e-mail messages and phone calls, I have been reminded by friends and athletes around the world that sport can also bring much needed good will and understanding in a divided world. Indeed, we love the Olympic Games because for just a little while the world sets aside its differences to celebrate our common humanity, our common goals and our common future.
With your strength and your help, we at BASOC will continue our work to bring the 2012 Olympic Games and the international goodwill and peace they bring -- to the San Francisco Bay Area.
In peace,
Anne
And on to other news BASOC recently hosted the United States Olympic Committee site inspection team. Their mission... to inspect the San Francisco Bay Area's proposed athletic venues and plans for the 2012 Olympic Games and meet the people behind the Bid. Through three days of meetings, presentations and travel around the region, I think we impressed the USOC with the Bay Area's outstanding existing athletic venues, public transportation systems, diverse peoples and cultures, technological know-how and commitment to environmental protection.
There was lots of good news coverage. If you missed it, check out our newly designed web site Press room page that lists the recent articles of news coverage from around the region about the USOC visit to the Bay Area.
We strongly believe that the recent successful site visit positioned the San Francisco Bay Area bid among the frontrunners to become the U.S. Candidate City for the 2012 Olympic Games.
As you know, we are proud of our bid to host a privately-funded, privately-insured 2012 Olympic Games in the San Francisco Bay Area and here is the most important part... BASOC involved hundreds of community leaders, nonprofit organizations, athletes and volunteers in assembling our regional bid. Under the guidance of leaders in the environment, technology, and transportation, our bid makes unprecedented commitments to environmental protection and management, public transportation, sustainable development and the creation of new affordable housing in Silicon Valley. Our Board of Directors, Olympians, staff and volunteers reflect the entire diversity of San Francisco and the Bay Area.
The USOC will announce the final four cities of this domestic phase of the bid on October 26 at the USOC Board of Directors meeting in Salt Lake City. Well fill you in on the details of the next phase in our November newsletter.
Thanks to all who participated in the site visit -the venue directors, security folks, Olympians, coaches, sports experts (SME's), theme team leaders, BASOC board members and more. It was a great operation clearly supported by the great people of the San Francisco Bay Area.
-Anne Cribbs, CEO, BASOC
By Elizabeth Faletti, BASOC Volunteer Editor and Writer
Some people naturally inspire others. It's the energy in their voices, the sincerity of their expressions, the pictures in the stories they tell. Some people make us believe because they believe. Olympian Barbra Higgins believes in the power of athletics to direct and inspire the lives of children. She believes in the universal truths of Olympism. She believes in the promise of future generations. When children hear her stories, they believe in the possibilities of their own futures.
Born and raised in Panama, Barbra came to the United States at the age of 18 to attend Florida International University in Miami. After graduating with an accounting degree, she went on to law school at the University of Miami. She competed in fencing while studying in the United States with the goal of placing in the top 25 nationally and maintaining her status as the highest ranked female fencer in Panama. This gave her the opportunity to represent her native country of Panama in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Barbra took some time out of her busy schedule to speak with me about her Olympic experiences, her involvement with BASOC, and her work with Bay Area youth.
How did you discover fencing?
My mother was a fencer. There was some sort of Caribbean games being held in Panama when I was in high school and she said, "come on, let's go see them fence." So I went. Everybody was dressed in white. Everybody looked so debonair, they looked so good in their uniforms! I thought, "hey, I can do that." My mother was my inspiration. I actually took lessons for a full year before I fenced in a tournament. Because of that I won my first tournament. That encouraged me. I thought, "I'm good." That ended with the very next international tournament where I was out in the first round! It definitely humbled me. I was a little more cautious about how good I thought I was, but I looked good! I had all the right stuff on.
What is your most memorable Olympic experience?
The Opening Ceremony. You start out really early in the morning. They took us to the boxing venue and lined us all up in the seats. The Los Angeles Organizing Committee put a big TV screen in the venue so that everybody could see the ceremonies while they where happening. They linked it all up and the telecast started. It wasn't more than maybe twenty minutes into the telecast when they released all these balloons during the opening ceremonies. The balloons got caught up in the wiring, pulled the wiring apart, and there it went! We didn't get to see any of the ceremony! So, we started singing, we started chanting, yelling who was better than who, which side of the stadium was louder. We had to compete, even there! We finally lined up and started being ushered. It was hurry up and wait - you run to catch up thinking you are going to miss something, then you stop, then you run again, then you stop. You can hear the roars. When you get over to the tunnel (to enter Olympic Stadium) it is pretty dark. Your eyes have to adjust to the darkness and then you can see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. You can hear a lot of clapping and congratulations and that kind of noise and you get to a point where the dark turns to light. You step into the light. And the minute you step into the light you can hear so clearly that I looked at a person that was looking straight at me who was clapping and I could hear her single clap-I swear-I could hear her single clap. It was just so intense-it took my breath away. I know I was just smiling from ear to ear, waving saying, thank you, thank you.
Another memorable highlight was closing ceremony because I got to carry the flag of Panama. Trying to get to the flag was hard because they had all of the flag bearers up front and they thought they could stop the rest of the athletes from coming through the gate. I couldn't get my flag out of its holder when this man, this other athlete, stepped up. I'm five feet tall. This man walks up and his credentials hanging on his chest are at my eye level! He pulled the flag out and I looked at his credentials which read Sebastian Coe, Gold medallist. That is what the Olympics is all about, a gold medallist coming over to help little ol' Panama get her country's flag out of it's holder!
How did you get involved with BASOC?
I'm the treasurer of the Northern California Olympians. Anne Cribbs and I have done a number of things together over the years and she asked for our support in this effort. I was actually part of the original bid when the Bay Area put in for the 1996 Games and I believe in the cause.
What is your present role with BASOC?
Im speaking in elementary and middle schools in the Bay Area although I have done a couple high schools as well. I tell the kids what fencing is all about and my experiences -how you can couple both athletics and academic life. It's a lot of fun and it gives me the opportunity to get them excited about our bid efforts as well. Also, I make myself available for any fundraisers or events where Olympians are needed.
The Olympic bid is something I'm very passionate about and getting the word out to the children of the Bay Area is something I'm very interested in. I'm also on the board of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. We give over $100,000 per year to youth sports groups in the Bay Area. I believe that sports can make a huge difference in children's lives.
Tell me about your professional life outside of competition.
I went to work in tax law for Price Waterhouse right out of law school. They were fabulous! They gave me a month off prior to the Olympics in order to train. After working at Price Waterhouse for four years, I started my own sports marketing company. I represented a variety of athletes such as Edwin Moses. As my athletes retired, stopped playing baseball or football or whatever their sport was, I stopped recruiting and moved on to a more business consultant role. I was the Chief Operations Officer for a company called DentPro for about six years. I am now a consultant to small businesses. I help them organize their accounting, legal, and internal operations.
What role did you play in the USOC site inspection visit in August?
I showed up at the 7:30am role call at the Moscone Center where fencing is going to be held in 2012. I stayed with the group all day and tried to help any way I could in regards to answering questions about Oakland and Berkeley. I'm proud of Oakland. I've lived in Oakland since 1989 and think that Oakland is the best kept secret in the Bay Area. Based on their comments, the site committee seemed to be pleased with our venues.
From an Olympian's point of view, what impact would a 2012 San Francisco Bay Area Olympic Games have?
I've always thought it would be great to have the Olympics held here in the Bay Area. I saw the impact it had on the people in LA. I would walk out in the street and they would see I was an athlete because of the credentials we had to wear. They would come up and want your autograph and want to talk with you because you are an athlete. The first few times I'd say, "You know, I'm not a medallist-I'm just an athlete." And they'd say, "It doesn't matter. You're an Olympian. It took you this long to get here, you competed, and I want to know more about you." To me, it showed that the Olympics have a tremendous impact on people-not just the gold medallists but all Olympians.
During my practice rounds, since I was a team of one, I had no teammates to practice with so the Argentine and Romanian team adopted me so I would have someone to fence with other than my coach. I would love for these ideals to catch on to the rest of the City and I saw that it really does during an Olympic Games.
Thank you Barbra for your commitment to BASOC and the youth of the Bay Area!
By Elizabeth Faletti, BASOC Volunteer Editor and Writer
The San Francisco Bay Area is a bright and viable candidate for the 2012 Games. BASOC supporters believe in the strengths of the region and the leadership behind the cause. Leading the media campaign for the BASOC bid is this month's team member - Tony Winnicker, BASOC Director of Communications. Tony took a few minutes out of his busy post-USOC site visit schedule to share his thoughts on BASOC, the Bay Area media, and why he feels our candidate, the San Francisco Bay Area, is the best for the job.
So Tony, tell me a bit about your background.
I was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan and went to college at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Go Blue!
Since moving to the Bay Area and Northern California, I've become really enthusiastic about mountain biking and snowboarding-two things you can't really enjoy growing up in Lansing, Michigan. Both these activities combine getting outdoors, natural beauty, exercise, a few thrills and even a little risk-kind of a reflection of what brought many of us to California in the first place, actually.
Tell me about your personal and professional life today.
I live with my partner in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco. It's a great neighborhood because it feels like its own "village" in the heart of the city. My background over the past ten years is mostly political-working in political campaigns as a campaign manager or spokesperson or managing public affairs/public relations campaigns around legislative or political issues. Though it's really about the world's greatest sports and community event, in many respects, I view winning the 2012 Olympic Games as akin to winning a political campaign. After all, aren't we trying to be the U.S. Candidate city? Don't we have to convince local, national, and international voters and opinion leaders to "vote" for us?
I got my political start in college working for Michigan Senator Carl Levin, moved to Washington, DC to work for the Democratic National Committee and then on various political campaigns around the country. We found Washington, DC isn't a very balanced place, so we moved to the Bay Area for its natural beauty, diverse peoples, active lifestyle, and world-class food and culture. Last year, I managed a winning campaign against a statewide ballot initiative, but I've been following the Bay Area's Olympic bid for some time and wanted to see how I could help out. I initially linked up with Anne Cribbs and did some press/media volunteer work for BASOC. Frankly, I've worked on some pretty cool things - Presidential campaigns, Presidential Inaugurations, political conventions, a bus trip with Reverend Jesse Jackson and more -- but working with the leadership, Olympians, and volunteers of BASOC, and working to bring the 2012 Olympic Games to the San Francisco Bay Area, is one of the most rewarding projects I've been lucky to be part of.
What is your role at BASOC?
As Director of Communications for BASOC, my role is to help BASOC's leadership, Olympians, and volunteers effectively and collectively tell the story-through the media-of why the Bay Area is the best place in the world to host the 2012 Olympic Games. Reporters - and especially Bay Area reporters - can be pretty skeptical and jaded. So, some of my favorite moments in this work have come when some reporters have momentarily and inadvertently set aside their inherent skepticism to betray their own enthusiasm for the Bay Area's bid. During the USOC's visit to the Bay Area, for example, one reporter loudly exclaimed "Wow, that is so cool!" as she learned about the Olympic Village proposal in our bid. And while that line didn't exactly make it into her story, I know we have another ally for the long term.
What is BASOC's biggest challenge in relation to the Bay Area media's role in our Olympic bid?
From a media perspective, one of our biggest challenges is also at times a real asset. Unlike most of the other cities in the U.S. competing to host the 2012 Olympic Games, the Bay Area media market does not have one dominant newspaper or even news-making center. When you're in Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, etc., there isn't much question as to which newspaper or media outlet is dominant in that city. But as a regional bid with venues in San Francisco, the East Bay, the South Bay, and Sacramento, we have to work with newspapers, reporters and editors from each of those regions. On the upside, so many markets and outlets provide us with so many more opportunities to tell our story from many different local perspectives.
Why do you feel the Bay Area is the perfect host for the 2012 Games?
One of the reasons why I love this job is because I genuinely believe everything I say to the reporters about why the San Francisco Bay Area is the best place on earth to host the 2012 Olympic Games! We're an international destination whose symbols and "brands" - the Golden Gate Bridge, Silicon Valley, etc. - are known around the world. With our weather and our venues, we'll provide the best competitive conditions for the athletes. Our bid will leave legacies in transportation, technology, the environment, and youth sports opportunities for Bay Area residents and for the Olympic movement. Where else in the world can you find the Bay Area's combination of stunning natural beauty, diversity, world-class culture, state-of-the-art infrastructure, outstanding sports venues, and mild summer climate?
Plus, I live here, I love it, and I'd like the world to share in what we know. But there's a great deal of work ahead of us to get there.
Thank you Tony for your dedication and hard work on behalf of BASOC!
By Teka Thomas, BASOC Volunteer Writer
In August, officials from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) visited our region for its pleasant weather and dynamic people. They came away pleased with the solid planning of the Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee (BASOC) as well as the energy of the population that is informed and excited by the prospect of hosting the Summer Games. That great public awareness is largely due to the efforts of BASOC's advertising agency, DDB, its interactive division, Tribal DDB, and Ketchum Public Relations (Ketchum to be highlighted in months to come).
"To inspire people to get involved" is how Sarah Moore, DDB's Management Director, describes her agency's commitment to this civic effort. To that end, she has a team of ten people at DDB working on the BASOC account. Using the motto "It Could Happen" Sarah's team has made several print and outdoor ads that have blended Bay Area landmarks with images of Olympic athleticism. This is to symbolize the pride Bay Area people have in their region and combine it with their enthusiasm for sports.
DDB is an adverting agency with 206 offices across 96 countries world-wide. Tribal DDB's specialty is in the digital realm, or internet sector. They have 500 people across 22 offices. In collaboration with the San Francisco DDB office, 10 Tribal DDB staffers in Vancouver, B.C. created BASOC's user friendly website (www.basoc2012.com) that includes information on how Bay Area people can get involved. The online experience of our website portrays BASOC as being not only about the Olympics, but also about enriching life in the Bay Area. While traditional advertising has created tremendous awareness, our website will allow us to communicate the details of the Bay Area Olympic bid. Patrick Powers is the project manager responsible for producing our online presence.
Since their involvement beginning in May of this year, Tribal DDB has had an impact on BASOC. CEO Anne Cribbs credits DDB's professionalism and expertise in helping define the message about BASOC 2012. In our internet savvy Bay Area, basoc2012 has been a great way to communicate!
With the USOC preparing to reduce the number of domestic candidates to three or four and ultimately to one, the next twelve months will be a critical time for BASOC to communicate effectively with the Bay Area population and we will be looking to DDB and Tribal DDB to continue to help us spread the word!
Thank you DDB and Tribal DDB for your continued commitment to BASOC!
By Lauren Brock, BASOC Volunteer Writer
Just think of it as the most important term paper you ever had to write. That could be how Rob Weikert and a team of attorneys at Thelen Reid & Priest in San Francisco approached their daunting task of fine-tuning the massive, three-volume bid delivered by BASOC to the United States Olympic Committee earlier this year. While many different individuals contributed sections to the bid, Rob and his colleagues had to ensure that the entire document contained no legally offensive provisions and that BASOC had not made any false promises to the community, the government, or to the USOC. This was a job for someone with an eye for detail and strong ties to the Bay Area.
Though originally from the Midwest, Rob relocated with his parents to Palo Alto in 1976, where his father worked for IBM, and has not strayed far away since. He attended Palo Alto High School, earned an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley, and studied for his law degree at Santa Clara University. In 1984, he performed a summer internship at Thelen Reid & Priest, and was hired by the firm following his graduation. Now a partner with 17 years of experience, Rob mainly focuses on copyright and commercial litigation for the firm's Intellectual Property and Antitrust department. We were recently able to catch up with Rob, fresh from the excitement of the USOC visit in late August.
How did you first become involved with BASOC and what is your current role?
In May of 1999, I read an article in the paper about the formation of BASOC that sparked my interest. So, I wrote a letter to Anne Cribbs, the CEO, offering my help with anything she needed in the legal realm. She asked me to meet with Jack Bair, general counsel for the San Francisco Giants and chair of the BASOC Legal Theme team. Once I became a member of the legal team, I asked the management of Thelen Reid & Priest for the firm's support of BASOC as a pro bono effort, and they agreed.
Along with the work our attorneys did on the bid, we also volunteer our offices as meeting space for the BASOC executive committee and board meetings. Currently, I am a member of the Executive Commission and an Ethics Officer on the Ethics Board, chaired by Alameda County Police Chief, Burney Matthews.
Had you ever encountered issues relating to sports law in your litigation practice before BASOC?
Not really, though I have always been a devoted sports fan and I compete individually in sports such as the triathlon and marathon. I think those experiences have given me some background knowledge of the legal issues that athletes face in many types of competition.
What has been the largest legal challenge for BASOC so far and what will you focus on in the next few months?
BASOC went above and beyond what was required in preparing their bid. One of our projects was to submit letters of intent to the proposed venue sites and procure their acceptance of the terms of use. These letters were memos of understanding that gave advance notice of the undertakings involved in a binding commitment to BASOC and we hope that they will eliminate conflicts with the venues as the Games approach. The biggest ongoing challenge that we face is to secure third party insurance for BASOC. The government and other private companies must sign undertaking agreements in which they promise to cover any financial debt incurred by BASOC, because the USOC and the International Olympic Committee cannot be held responsible if the host city is over-budget.
What are some of the other legal issues surrounding the hosting of the Olympic Games?
There are a host of other legal issues, too numerous to list here, but some of the basic concepts to be addressed are the formation of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (OCOG) as a multi-billion dollar organization; the contractual issues involved with the construction of venues and the hiring of vendors; broadcast rights for different members of the media; litigation; licensing and trademark issues for BASOC's intellectual property; and the growing number of employee and personnel contracts. If BASOC wins the bid in 2005, full-time legal counsel will eventually be needed to deal with these issues.
Which aspect of the Bay Area do you think could be the selling point for USOC officials?
Of all the possible selling points, the edge the Bay Area has over its competitors is its ability to play on an international field as a region that is already recognized and favored by tourists and athletes alike from around the world. Holding the Games in the Bay Area would allow athletes to compete on the purest possible level, in conditions that are ideal for all sports.
What will be the first event, after the Opening Ceremonies at Stanford Stadium, that you would like to attend?
After the Opening Ceremonies, I'd have to say my first pick would be the track and field events, but I'd also love to attend the swimming races and the water polo matches. I hope I have the chance!
Thank you Rob, and we look forward to your continued support of BASOC.
By JC Davis, BASOC Volunteer Writer
On Sunday, September 9, 2001, Lance Armstrong and key members of the US Postal team will lead an international star-studded field of over100 racers for the first-ever, US Open cycling road race - the SF Grand Prix 2001. The course covers some of the most spectacular scenery that San Francisco has to offer, but more importantly for the racers, the course is designed to be athletically challenging, providing just the right technical mix of flats, hills, and curves. Because of the caliber of athletes that will be competing, it also had to be created to be very spectator friendly.
Race Director Frank Scioscia, who also designed the 2012 Olympic Bid Cycling Course, says, "The goal was to create a course that would be challenging enough to really test the metal of the athletes, plus provide such amazingly visceral, urban-scenery, that it will be truly worthy of a champion. We wanted to ensure that as many people as possible could see the race without traveling." The course, in fact, will have a very European flair, with the festival atmosphere of a Tour de France stage. The SF Grand Prix course design team consists of Scioscia; Bryce Root, USF Sports Marketing graduate and former BASOC intern; and Rick Sutton, who is the Director of the Sea Otter Classic, one of the preeminent mountain cycling events on the planet.
This is one of the only times that Lance will race in the US. The fact that Lance and key members of the "Le Tour" team (Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Steffen Kjaergaard, and Cedric Vasseur, along with Olympic Gold Medallist Viatcheslav Ekimov, et. al.) are competing in this race makes this a truly unique, world class event.
The SF Grand Prix Course
The 125 mile course starts and finishes along the Embarcadero at the famous Ferry Building. The first of ten laps around the 'large loop' starts down the Embarcadero. The first turn is at Broadway, then through Chinatown, one of SF's oldest and most authentic neighborhoods. The course then gives way to North Beach, passing Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill. Before you can say "Lance," the course slashes through Fisherman's Wharf and Ghiradelli Square on way to the Marina Green.
Through the Presidio, the terrain is mostly flats, but, after cutting across Cow Hollow, then comes 'The Wall'... the obviously grueling Fillmore Street climb. This climb is so steep, the sidewalk has stairs! But, unlike most San Franciscans who usually take a cab over this one, the riders have to hit this hill TEN times during the race.
From there, the field will shoot past the Pacific Height homes of Danielle Steele, Willy Brown, and Larry Ellison... then Broadway to Polk, racing down main street Russian Hill where you'll be so close to the action, the racers could snatch a muffin from your sidewalk table. The Large Loop course legs down Columbus sprinting through very scenic Washington Park. Everything from here on out has a Transamerica Pyramid backdrop. Then it's a left turn at Chinatown and back to the Embarcadero!
Once the ten large loops are completed, the finale begins. This consists of five action packed laps around the 5-mile short circuit. This 'short' loop is identical to the first and last leg of the 'large' loop. The finish line is once again in front of the Ferry Building. (To view the course map, visit: http://www.sfgrandprix.com/images/San_Fran_Map.jpg )
2012 Olympic Course
Imagine. The year is 2012...the Olympics have come to the Bay Area. On the first lap, riders representing all nations cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge, one of the most internationally known symbols of SF, and race past the icon that symbolizes the Olympic Games. This is likely to be one of the signature shots that will always register these Olympic Games in our hearts.
When Scioscia was asked about differences between the Grand Prix and the Olympic courses, he highlighted the similarities. "What other event, time, or place will the Olympics come to your doorsteps, where you can hang out on your balcony, at your favorite cafe, or street corner? The topographical and competitive aspects of the SF Grand Prix will remain the same, but the Olympic course will likely shift the start/finish to Chrissy Field with more emphasis in the Presidio. However, as the SF Grand Prix evolves over the years, it's likely that good ideas will carry forward to the course of the 2012 Olympic Games."
Spectacular for Spectators
Compared to other urban cities capable of delivering the scenery, only a few can deliver a challenging course. The SF Grand Prix course, combined with the skyline, neighborhood character, and the international diversity of cultures has no equal. None compare to the total quality experience that is offered by the beautiful city by the bay: San Francisco.
If you would like to get involved in assisting the race directors this Sunday, please go to: http://www.sfgrandprix.com/involved.html
For more information on the event in general, please go to: www.SFGrandPrix.com
Please send comments, suggestions, and questions to: BASOC E-Newsletter, 1900 Embarcadero Road, Suite 102, Palo Alto, CA 94303 info@basoc2012.com
BASOC e-newsletter writing provided by dedicated BASOC volunteers and writing and editing provided by Elizabeth Faletti of The Write Stuff! - Berkeley, CA (510) 486-1843.
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