Olympics, Leagues Fuel Women’s Game

After years of being ignored, women’s basketball in the United States finds itself in an unprecedented spotlight as the Olympics approach. Interest in the college game is sky high, the U.S. team is favored to win the gold medal this summer and there are two - count ‘em, two - professional leagues making plans for play., This sudden embarrassment of riches is a natural, according to two leading members of the Olympic team.

“We’re fortunate to have this opportunity. People finally realized that little girls play basketball the same as little boys,” said Theresa Edwards, heading for her fourth Olympic squad.

Lisa Leslie, the U.S. team’s starting center, said plans by the NBA to start a women’s league, plus the American Basketball League, can draw more attention for the game.

“We deserve to have a league of our own,” Leslie said. “It’s unfair to have to send our best players overseas to play after college. Now, America is ready to embrace women’s basketball.”

Players are not the only ones who would benefit from a U.S. pro league. Tara VanDerveer, the Olympic team coach, said she’s committed to returning to Stanford after the Games but now sees more choices on the horizon.

No panic in Atlanta

On the day after federal agents arrested two Georgia militia members in an alleged pipe-bomb plot and sparked several hours of frenzy amid reports that the Summer Games were the target, Atlanta went about its business as usual Saturday.

There was no sense of urgency or feeling of panic evident on Peachtree Street. Tourists and local residents strolled in bright sunshine, buying newspapers and T-shirts with the Olympic rings and other symbols.

“I have spoken with Atlanta chief of police Beverly Harvard, who has assured me that this incident will not affect our plans for providing a safe and secure environment for local residents, athletes and spectators this summer during the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta,” said Mayor Bill Campbell.

Smith joins torch parade

Twenty-eight years after his black-power salute at Mexico City, a mellower Tommie Smith returned to the Olympic fold Saturday.

But he’s still disgusted by the racism he said pervades American society.

Smith, 51, completed a half-mile jog through the heart of Los Angeles’ Chinatown. He is one of 10,000 runners who will crisscross the country with the Olympic torch en route to the summer games in Atlanta.

The invitation to participate was just the second time Smith has had contact with the U.S. Olympic Committee since the panel suspended him during the 1968 games. He was a coach for the U.S. national track team briefly last year.

Smith won the gold in the 200-meter dash at Mexico City and teammate John Carlos won the bronze. On the winner’s podium, the two raised black-gloved fists and bowed their heads as the national anthem played. They said they were protesting racism.

“What happened back then is happening now, the same thing, the racist tendencies, but it’s more covert now,” Smith said.

Ticket sales brisk

About 240,000 Olympic tickets for previously sold-out events went on sale Saturday, including seats for prime events such as boxing, basketball and track and field.

“Within the first few minutes, all the phone lines were full and the operators were busily taking orders,” said Laurie Olsen, a spokeswoman for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

Breath of life

The asthma that has plagued swimmer Tom Dolan since childhood may be getting worse.

Dolan, the world record-holder in the 400-meter individual medley and a top hope for an Olympic gold medal, said this week that he has passed out two times since Christmas as the result of asthmatic attacks.

“It’s something that, for me, is always going to be there as long as I swim,” he said. “It’s become increasingly hard. I have to learn to contain it.”

T-shirt wars

In its never-ending battle against ambush marketing and trying to protect its multimillion-dollar sponsors, the USOC has taken on a new interloper - the post office.

USOC deputy secretary general John Krimsky criticized U.S. Postal Service plans to produce one million T-shirts bearing the designs of Olympic stamps and the phrases “ATLANTA” and “USA ‘96.”

The postal service may legally market Olympic stamps, but Krimsky noted that T-shirt rights belong to Champion sportswear, a division of sponsor Sara Lee. The USOC receives no money from the postal shirts.

“ACOG and the USOC are shocked that any agency of the federal government would engage in ambush marketing,” Krimsky said. Federal law gives the USOC exclusive marketing rights to anything Olympic-related.

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