Monday, February 15, 2010

Noob Strikes Again

I've only been writing for just over a month. In fact, my first published article was on 02 Jan 2010, so I think I should be allowed my fair share of mistakes. The site that published my first article, Associated Content, has allowed me to grow as a writer, but they also give me a forum to fall on my face.

Case in point, I thought that I would try my hand at writing a news article for the site, and, in a word, it turned out great. I've written 33 articles for the web site, but this was the first article to get widespread attention. The article was about Nodar Kumaritashvili's accident in luge, and in one day, got nearly a thousand hits. For me, this is huge. Almost all of my articles combined might be just over a thousand views, and that is across 40 days of availability.

This then spurred me to write another news article about the Olympics, and I failed miserably. The article was about Apolo Ohno winning silver in the 1500m short track, and about the hostility between the South Korean Team and Ohno. Unfortunately I went too far in Ohno's defense by stating that a Korean news agency had gotten their facts wrong. It was I who got the facts wrong.

To make things worse, a number of folks have been keen to point out my mistake, at length, and with no thought of pulling punches. From first hand experience, I can say that this sucks. To Korea Times, I'm sorry for the error, and I am trying to correct it. To Apolo Ohno, thanks for that. And to me, next time I will double check the facts.

Give me another chance!!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Georgian Luge Competitor Dies in Accident, World Mourns Together During Opening Cermonies

Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luger, died on February 12th after an accident while completing a training run shortly before the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

At one point, it was unknown whether the Georgian Team would continue to participate in the Games, but later announced that they would stay and compete in his honor, as reported by Martyn Herman of Reuters. Olympic organizers offered a moment of silence during the opening ceremonies and the Georgian Team displayed a black banner on their national flag when they came out for the ceremony. In remembrance, many of the athletes have taken to wearing black bands, and they were evident during the Opening Ceremonies.

Luge training was suspended after the accident, and the idea of cancelling the luge event was considered. The track is reported to be very fast, and Nodar Kumaritashvili left the track as he was finishing his run. The accident occurred at the Whistler Sliding Center, a track that is acknowledged by the International Luge Federation(FIL) as being one of the fastest tracks in the world.

There is some controversy around the accident as the experience level of Nodar Kumaritashvili has come into question. He has apparently competed in 5 events in the past year, but finished in 31st while competing in December and November. His finishes in the National Cup races were not competitive enough for him to earn a berth into the World Cup rounds of these events. Of course, his father, Selix Kumaritashvili, ,who is the head of the Georgian Luge Federation is taking heat for pushing his son beyond his limits of expertise.

Nodar Kumaritashvili was 21 years old at the time of his death. This was his first Olympic Games, and the fans and athletes mourn his loss. Many people in the sports world have expressed their condolences, including International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, who started his press conference in tears.

Other athletes, including American luge racer Mark Grimmette, are noted for commenting on the safety of the track due to its speed. The coaches of the various national teams are expected to meet tonight to discuss possible ways to accommodate safer competition in the days to come.

God Speed, Nodar.