USA MEN'S FOUR-MAN BOBSLED TEAM!
Steven Holcomb’s Four-Man Bobsled Team, 2009 USOC Team of the Year
"The Night Train”--even the name has an ethereal quality to it that a character in a Clint Eastwood movie might enjoy. This team is just as intense as any of Clint's movie roles, and similarly, they don't mess around. This four-man bobsled team is the 2009 U.S.Olympic Committee Team of the Year. One man whom you will certainly recognize in this video clip is driver Steve Holcomb (Park City, Utah). Just a few years ago, Steve almost lost his vision due to a degenerative eye disease. However, a revolutionary surgical procedure restored his sight from 20-500 to 20-20 and he is guiding our Men's Four-Man Bobsled Team towards capturing the Olympic Gold medal for the first time in 62 years! As you may know, on February 28, 2009 the team captured The FIBT World Championship in Lake Placid, New York. That victory ended a 50-year dry spell to capture the World Championship medal for the U.S. In addition, "The Night Train" placed fourth overall for the 2008-2009 World Cup season, including two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze.Mens 4-Man Bobsled Team USA
2009 USOC Team of the Year:
2009 USOC Team of the Year:
Steve Holcomb (Park City, Utah)
Justin Olsen (San Antonio, Texas)
Steve Mesler (Buffalo, New York)
Curt Tomasevicz (Shelby, Nebraska)
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Justin Olsen (San Antonio, Texas)
Steve Mesler (Buffalo, New York)
Curt Tomasevicz (Shelby, Nebraska)
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Holcomb: “It's quite an honor to be named Team of the Year. There are a lot of great athletes and great teams out there and to be seen as the best is a wonderful feeling. I know my team has worked really hard not only in the winter season, but during the summer and this will mean a lot to all of us. Our momentum is growing as we approach the Olympics, and this will only help build on what we have already established.”
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Allow me to digress slightly (with enthusiasm, of course). The U.S. has qualified three sleds in both two and four-man bobsled events. Here are the Four-Man Bobsled Teams representing the United States:
USA I:
- Steven Holcomb (Park City, Utah)
- Justin Olsen (San Antonio, Texas)
- Steve Mesler (Buffalo, New York)
- Curt Tomasevicz (Shelby, Nebraska)
USA II:
- John Napier (Lake Placid, New York)
- Chuck Berkeley (Clayton, California)
- Steve Langton (Melrose, Massachusetts.)
- Chris Fogt (Alpine, Utah)
USA III:
- Mike Kohn (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
- Jamie Moriarty (Winnetka, Illinois)
- Bill Schuffenhauer (Ogden, Utah)
- Nick Cunningham (Monterey, California)
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Only three nations are qualified to enter three sleds into the 2010 Olympics: Germany, Switzerland and The United States. To quote a line from a Steve McQueen film: "Time starts now".
posted by Michael Manning @ 7:04 PM
27 comments
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27 Comments:
Not long now until the Olympics. :o)
I read your latest article in Airways when I was sitting at Barnes & Noble the other day. Interesting reading about one of the first black men to hold such an advance position in aviation. Good writing, Michael.
Have a great weekend, my friend!
Love and hugs,
Diane
Good luck to all three bobsled teams and may the best men win!
Thank you Enid! :)
Diane: Thank you, my friend! The Earl Estwick Trailblazer Fund awarded 60 scholarships last year!!
I appreciate your kind note. I have two more interviews straight ahead in 2010 with Airways. Have a nice weekend!!!:)
The winter olympics are my favorite, thanks for the insight into the US Bobsled team...
I've watched the movie, "Cool Runnings," many times with my son... Lately, I've read Marteen Troost's "Getting Stoned with Savages," about this life in the S. Pacific... When his wife has a baby on Fiji, Troost who is Canadian, imagines his son leading the Fijian team in the winter oylmpics, racing downhill with a snow plow.
Next time I fly, I'll have to pull out the magazine--do you write for Delta too?
Nothing much has been said about the Winyer Olympics in britain so far
Hi, Sage: I've enjoyed watching that movie myself.
Airways is often confused with the seat back airline magazines. However, they are a commercial aviation industry magazine sold at outlets in the U.S. such as Borders and Barnes & Nobles and worldwide bookstores and newsstands. I contribute a handful of articles each year.
Captain Picard: That's interesting.
We don't have enough snow in the UK for this, but I hope it goes well.
Ellee: Ah, maybe this is why Jean-Luc Picard commented that there has been little media coverage "across the pond".
We really have great teams of Men and Women and I am very excited! Thanks for the note, Ellee! :)
A very interesting and cool clip. The speeds are unbelievable...
On a lighter note, did you manage to catch the "clothing" mishap with the English female bobsled team? I believe the clip went around the world.;)
xo
Zuzana
Zuzana! Nice to hear from you in Scandinavia! No, I'm not aware of any Bobsled suit malfunctions. That's a new one! ;D
xo
Michael
I obviously don't know much about eyesight because 20-500 sounds so much more powerful than 20-20. :)
I'll be watching to cheer on our teams. Here's hoping we have much to cheer about this time out.
D-Man: Steve overcame his vision challenges and I feel his future is now secured as one of the best drivers in the sport. It will be exciting!
PM: Our teams are terrific. I feel optimistic!
Like i said before, I wish them luck.
I know it's one hell of a sport flying down an ice covered track with out an airbag.
Are the Jamaicans in or did the fail the urine test lol
A couple more weeks before the games start and I can't wait
Walker: I share your enthusiasm for the games to begin!
it's weird to think that time starts and stops.
i've always believed time was a kind of perpetual motion machine.
i like reading books about time travel.
and also about stopping time.
the most reasonable explanation of why we are here (other than by divine creation) is explained by probability theory.
everything is probable; change is random.
which means, time likely began as a random occurance. it will continue to exist in all probability, until some random accident or cosmic occurance happens that will stop it.
it boggles to ponder what would come next.
p.s. great story about steve holcomb.
Seraphine: I was wondering when and if someone might comment on the McQueen quote from "Bullitt"--and YOU did! The scene in question is where Steve pulls Jacqueline Bisset's Porsche off the highway and they have a fairly intense conversation. The quote comes at the end of that scene.
Yes, a wonderful story about Steve Holcomb. I completely agree! :)
I hope our USA team wins!
It's amazing the speed they go!
I enjoyed the clip, thank you for sharing.
Margie: Your enthusiasm is apparent and I'm delighted that you too enjoyed the clip. I have loved this sport for a long time and it is always fun to share my enjoyment of bobsledding with others! :)
Just stopped in to say hi!
Hope all is well Michael!
xo
Lee Ann
Lee Ann: Hello!
All is well, no worries. My schedule has been a little crazy. That's all. I'll drop by for a visit. Take good care! ;)
xo,
Michael
And I KNOW that film! Just back from Vegas. Tired and somewhat poorer, but ready to race!
Whew! The video made me dizzy! How cool. I wish all of the teams well.
Tanyetta: I feel very Confident in both our Men's and Women's Bobsled teams. They will do very well and I can't wait! :)
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