DHL (the delivery service) is holding a contest called the U.S. Olympic Spirit Awards, where people can vote on the US athletes they feel best show the Olympic spirit. You can vote for a team, a male athlete and a female athlete. Also, by registering to vote, you get a chance to be an Olympian for a day - that is, head out to the Colorado Springs Olympic Training center, where the short track team, volleyball team and other Olympic teams train.

This is a pretty cool contest, but unfortunately, much like Dancing with the Stars, it's a mere popularity contest...whoever is the most visible athletes are getting the most votes. Here are the standings so far...

Male U.S. Olympian
1. Shaun White, snowboard
2. Chad Hedrick, speedskating
3. Joey Cheek, speedskating
4. Apolo Anton Ohno, speedskating
5. Ted Ligety, alpine skiing
6. Evan Lysacek, figure skating
7. Bode Miller, alpine skiing
8. Johnny Weir, figure skating

Female U.S. Olympian 1. Lindsey Kildow, alpine skiing 2. Sasha Cohen, figure skating 3. Hannah Teter, snowboard 4. Emily Hughes, figure skating 5. Christine Witty, speedskating 6. Kelly Clark, snowboard 7. Gretchen Bleiler, snowboard 8. Rena Inoue, figure skating

U.S. Olympic Team
1. Snowboarding
2. Figure Skating
3. Speedskating
4. Ice Hockey - Female
5. Alpine Skiing
6. Curling
7. Ice Hockey - Male
8. Bobsled

As much as I love Shaun White, I don't feel he should be at the top of this list. I definitely don't think that Chad should be #2 - yes, he's won us some medals, but showing Olympic spirit? No, I wouldn't have voted him on my list. (FYI - I wouldn't have voted for Shani, either) As for the women, I'm glad to see Lindsey Kildow at the top of the list. Though I voted for Kelly Clark, since she went all out in her last run and really broke the barrier between women and men in terms of how awesome her run was, til the end. Snowboarding is a good choice for the top of the team list, having gotten the most medals, a great team of good sports (let's forget that Lindsey Jacobellis snafu).

But let me bend your ear for a bit, my friends, and let you know who I endorse...

There is one person throughout this whole Olympics who, to me, has exemplified what being an Olympian is - competing his hardest, being a good sport, being unselfish, and playing nice when a storm of controversy surrounded those around him...and that is Joey Cheek.

No one heard of Joey Cheek before these games. He didn't have a cool NBC add with flames and cool rock music. He was hardly talked about by any sportscasters and was off the radar of many people who were making race predictions.

Even now, after winning a gold and silver medal and donating all of his winnings ($40,000) to an organization that brings sports to children of underdeveloped countries, his light is still hidden under the Shani/Chad feud. But his contribution to Right to Play has caused other sponsors to match his donation, currently around $300,000 in matched donations.

During all of this, he stays humble"

He seems genuinely embarrassed by the attention his donation has attracted. "I always felt like if I did something big, I wanted to give something back," Cheek said. "The best way is by helping someone else. It is empowering to think of somebody other than yourself. I can take the time to gush about how wonderful I feel or I can use it for something productive. I skate around ice in tights. It's not that big a deal."

So here's the link to vote, you can vote for whoever you want to, you don't have to vote for Joey...but I ask you to really think about who you're voting for, who really has the Olympic spirit...

Vote for the US Olympic Spirit Award (you have to register to vote, but you can vote every day)

Posted by Yano at February 23, 2006 12:09 PM

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