Overall picture of Beijing still hazy

August 25, 2008

Recent columns

• Phelps rises—but not to the top

  August 23, 2008

  BEIJING — A week ago, when I ranked the greatest Olympians ever, Michael Phelps was sixth with a bullet, meaning the swimmer was like a pop song moving up the charts.

• Greatest Olympian debate Part II: Phelps moves up to fourth

  August 22, 2008

  A week ago, when I ranked the greatest Olympians ever, Michael Phelps was sixth with a bullet, meaning the swimmer was like a pop song moving up the charts.

• Sprint relay snafus

  August 22, 2008

  The U.S. men have botched a 4x100 relay baton exchange in the preliminaries five times in 15 global outdoor championships beginning with the 1988 Olympics.

• Michael Phelps great—but not the greatest

  August 15, 2008

  BEIJING—Could everyone please stop hyperventilating over Michael Phelps?

• Still No. 1: Owens' 4 golds at Berlin

  August 15, 2008

  BEIJING—Even if he's not the greatest Olympian ever, wouldn't winning eight gold medals mean Michael Phelps had the greatest performance ever in a single Olympics?

• USOC's wobbly stance

  August 7, 2008

  The U.S. Olympic Committee leaders apparently are so determined to advance Chicago's 2016 Games bid that they will do anything to avoid offending their Chinese hosts, even if that means throwing U.S. Olympians, past and present, under the bus.

• 10 More to root for

  August 3, 2008

  Christian Vande Velde, road cycling: The Lemont-raised rider is coming off strong fifth-place finish in Tour de France.

• Beijing's atmospheric conditions iffy for athletes

  July 27, 2008

  BEIJING—From my hotel window Saturday morning, the sun was trying to rise above the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium.

• Another black mark for Tour de France

  July 18, 2008

  Go to the Tour de France's official Web site and check out the standings after the 11th stage, which ended Wednesday.

• Ups and downs of U.S. Olympic track and field trials

  July 8, 2008

  EUGENE, Ore.—Ups and downs of the Olympic track and field trials that ended Sunday:

• New world record-holder adds to 100 meters' luster

  June 2, 2008

  In a blink of an eye, the longstanding dynamic of track and field's glamor event at the upcoming Olympics has changed.

• Next job: Wooing the IOC voters

  April 15, 2007

  Chicago's mandate in the domestic bid process was to convince the U.S. Olympic Committee board of directors its Olympic plans could win enough international votes to be named 2016 Summer Olympics host city.

• City, Daley duck the money issue

  March 12, 2007

  It has been 10 months since Mayor Richard Daley announced Chicago would explore whether it made economic sense to bid for the 2016 Olympics.