Kitsap at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

You think Bree’s gunning for the 2014 Sochi games? Of course.

She’s also finally got some time now that the competition is over to relax and soak in the Olympic atmosphere. Chuck and I caught up with her today at the women’s gold medal hockey game. She was there with a large group of American athletes, and really got in the, er, spirit? She had a big poofy orange wig and had blacked out her front teeth (You know, to look like a hockey player.) But she scrubbed it off before our interview. It would have taken some serious videographical explaining to make the teeth thing make sense without more context.

Anyway, here are some of her thoughts on the day after becoming the world’s fifth-fastest female bobsled pilot.

- Derek Sheppard

Share on Facebook

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Facebook loves Bree Schaaf. No, seriously, you guys are amazing.

Late last week I e-mailed Bree. I was thinking of putting a few links to bobsled stuff (Twitter feeds, Facebook fan pages and such) in a blog post.

There wasn’t a fan page set up for Bree yet, so our Web editor Angela Dice put one together, along with a few links, on Friday night.

When I checked how many fans there were on Monday, I was shocked. Amazed, even. Now, as of Tuesday morning, 835 people had become her fan on Facebook. 835!!!! In just a couple of days.

Here’s my best guess as to what this means.

1.) The Kitsap-area community is extremely supportive of its Olympic athletes. Have you noticed how many we’ve had in recent years?

2.) Bree no doubt has made quite an impression of folks. From her time at Olympic High School, then Portland State, and in recent years, gallivanting around the globe as a world-class skeleton then bobsled competitor. More than a few of the fans are fellow sliders from around the world.

The show of support is incredible. Keep it up, internets! Become a fan of Facebook HERE.

Oh, and the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton federation has a Twitter page HERE.

- Derek Sheppard

Share on Facebook

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Chuck is at Bree Schaaf’s parents’ house right now watching the opening ceremonies with them. (Yes, the Olympics are in the same time zone. No, they aren’t being shown live here.)

A couple weeks ago we headed to Terri and Ken Schaaf’s Bremerton home for a chat, where they talked about Bree’s childhood, and her determination and character.

With some help from the family, I got some old family footage, and some race footage from her brother, Tim.

- Derek Sheppard

Share on Facebook

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Yes, folks. Bree Schaaf can ham it up. In fact, most of the women’s bobsled team is more than capable of porcine tomfoolery. Larry and I attended the athlete processing yesterday (Chuck outlined the details here.) near the Vancouver International Airport.

Here’s a few of my “quick hits” from the event.

1.) I will not be challenging any of the women’s bobsled team to an arm wrestling match.

2.) We bumped into Bree before the event as she was leaving the hotel for some grub. After, Larry seemed somewhat amazed that I recognized her, saying he wasn’t sure he would. Strange, considering he’s seen photos of her for, I dunno, years in our paper. The only explanation is that Larry Steagall is getting old.

3.) I may use this space to continue teasing Larry.

4.) Speaking of age, I felt old at the athlete processing event. At a ripe old 28, I’m older than most of the athletes checking in yesterday. Say, the snowboarders and free skiers, for instance.

5.) Shaun White gets mobbed wherever he goes. So does Johnny Weir. Yep, they were there. Yep, Larry got photos.

6.) I’m surprised more media weren’t at the event. Really, it’s about the last chance any of us get at relatively unfettered access to a large number of athletes before the games begin.

7.) I didn’t interview the big names who were there. Why? I didn’t really know what to ask that wouldn’t illicit an stock answer I’d heard each of them recite to other journalists who were there.

8.) Most of my time and energy was focused on following Bree and her brakeman Emily Azevedo. They seem like two peas in a 90 mph pod. I’ll have a some video up this weekend, so keep your eyes peeled.

9.) Wanna see a photo of a famous guy? Here you go:

10.) Lindsey Vonn, Lindsey Vonn, Lindsey Vonn

- Derek Sheppard

Share on Facebook

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821

Bree’s sled might not have a name, but her uniform definitely doesn’t include a tie. That’s probably for the best.

The photo above is from a series of public domain pictures that several institutions have made available in The Commons on Flickr. Go here to see a few more old photos of winter sports.

You really have to marvel at how far technology has taken most of these sports. Compare that bobsled – or just a sled, really – with the $70,000-plus wind-tunnel-designed techno wonders that current athletes use.

And seriously, what’s this?

- Derek Sheppard

Share on Facebook