Unlike my rhyming skilz I displayed Tuesday morning with Bolder, I was stuttering and sputtering in the afternoon with a different type of voice; the voice of a triathlete in Phoenix.
The first Timex triathlon is set for this weekend. Its a big race (sprint/olympic) with over a 1,000 triathletes signed up. Only problem is that Tempe Town Lake (TTL) is a showing a ph balance that the city deems to be borderline high to conduct swimming.
I was forwarded a message to speak with a reporter for the local ABC news channel and give a quote about swimming in the lake. As it turned out, I was already there finishing up a run, so they came down for the interview. I was asked several questions about my triathlon background, what I thought about the conditions, had I swam in TTL like this, swam anywhere worse...Right after the interview and some pick up shots of me running I was told the story was going to be the top story for the five o'clock news. Oh shit!
Sure enough at 5:00 p.m. I was quoted and filmed in the lead story (yeah Bold, slow news day). Of course I felt misquoted and some of the calls I got from team mates and Mistress were funny since the reporter clipped one answer to a seperate question. For the record, I have never seen elk in Tempe Town Lake. God I hope I live that one down. I can see a lot of Fez hats coming my way soon. My new nickname will be 'Moose' since 'elk' doesn't roll off the tongue as well.
I ordered a copy of the clip and will post it on YouTube and put on the blog as soon as I can so you can watch it. I tried some html kung-fu and if this works I will be amazed but try this link. If it doesn't work go HERE and look up 'water danger in tempe town lake' if its not still on the top story list. You can use Real Player to see the clip.
Later that night I got a call from the Tribune, a large metro newpaper and they were feeding off the ABC story and I gave another interview. Hopefully I won't be cut up again. God I hope I am not misquoted.
Just doing my part for a better triathlon future. I could be the unofficial spokesman for triathlon in the valley. I got lots to say...but you already knew that.
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15 comments:
First--Comm, you are looking good! Seriously. I like the running sequence.
Second--I am glad I read your post before watching the footage, because Hubby and I could not stop laughing about the elk, skunk and dead fish comment.
Third--You are so poised. That was a fun post. Nice way to start my morning.
Enjoy your fame, or infamy, depends on how you see it! :)
Of course they will misquote you. It's what the media does. I've given several interviews at my old position. None of them were right, some of newspaper reporters actually made up quotations.
But you're still semi famous. Enjoy!
Trifeist is right, that's what they do. The moral of the story: Never hang anyone based on what you saw in the media.
Good luck with the swim. Maybe you can draft in the wake of an elk...
Congratulations on your newfound fame!!
Hey I got that the Elk was in a different lake. Hope you get your Polar prompts for wearing the hat as well.
I got a phone call from the AZ Republic last night, I guess looking for their twist on the same story.
Celebrity Interview!
Well done dude. Well done.
You look like more of a normal person that I had imagined...
Polar should kiss you right on the lips.
You gots crazy mic skilz, cwazy!!
Dude, you are my hero...[ahhhhhhh]
Nice work representin' the tri-blog alliance...oh wait, you didin't mention us. ;)
Great job!
If I can please Bolder and Flatman, my life is complete.
There is a new excuse for a slow swim that is sweeping the valley of the sun......
"I was feeling really good and fast, then I ran into one of those dam elks!"
Well folks, fatman to ironman is none other than THE MACHINE, my intrepid training partner.
jc hyte is none other than my other full time intrepid training partner John.
Nothing but love from those guys.
No there is no elk in tempe town lake, she cut my answer!
Good lord I will never live this down.
elk, skunk, dead fish... what kind of fucked up lake are you practicing in, comm? :) i noticed you didn't say anything about the boats on the lakes that you practice in... that let you climb in during the swim and enjoy a brewski with them. i find that suspiciously missing from your interview...
ok, first of all, i tend to believe journalism requires the ability to be creative. amazing how if they don't get you to say what they think you should say, they create it.
so cool to see you in real time too. lookin' good and i can totally tell you are a former military man. amazing.
Good job of representating the tri community.
Stuck in office..can't see the video :(
You gave a great interview. Call me naive but I am kinda shocked about the misquote: so you were saying that the elk etc. were in a different lake and she made it sound like you said they were in tempe town lake? It's not a biggie, but still... where's the morals? Like I said, call me naive.
OH OH! Can I get your autograph! What is it about news casters? They *never* get your quotes right. Good job on the interview.
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