If you missed it, Friday, March 12, was officially “Natalie Randolph Day” in Washington, D.C., but the hoopla and media frenzy will continue for some time.  On Friday, officials at D.C.’s Calvin Coolidge High School announced that Natalie Randolph will coach their football team, making her the first woman football coach in American history.

Randolph told reporters that she has loved the game since she was five years old, and she joked that when she asked her father if she could play in high school, he replied, “Absolutely no!”  She ran track in college, and then she went on to excel as a wide receiver for the “D.C. Divas” of the Independent Women’s Football League.  As a player, Randolph built a reputation for speed, quickness, and exceptionally sure hands.

As a coach, Randolph looks forward to a winning record.  Asked if some of the players had issues with playing for a woman coach, Randolph explained, “A few of them had concerns, but they came to me, and we talked through them.”  Appearing with Randolph at several Friday press conferences, the players expressed wholehearted support for their new coach, saying that they share her dedication to excellence.  As a science teacher and assistant football coach at Coolidge High, Randolph has won high praise from students, parents, and colleagues, all of whom agree, “She demands excellence from herself and her students.”

Echoing the sentiment in an interview with Campbell Brown on CNN, Randolph said, “I set very high standards for myself,” and she downplayed the historic significance of her appointment.  She agreed that she is enjoying the moment, but she was the first to say, “In the fall, when we get on the field, it will be all about football.  I am excited, and the team is excited, and I am sure the excitement will build from now until the fall.”

With the Olympics wrapped-up, Lindsey Vonn a lock for the World Cup, and March Madness still a week away, sportswriters were free this week to return attention to their pet obsession—Tiger Woods.  Although Woods has remained under the radar and out of public view, and even in the absence of new disclosures about his no-longer secret love life, nevertheless newswires and sports pages came alive today with headlines proclaiming Woods’s imminent return to the game.

Only Woods himself is “officially authorized” to release information about his plans, but two well-informed sources told the Associated Press Thursday that Woods intends to play The Masters in April.  Other sources close to Woods whispered he might make his reprise in just two weeks at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.  Woods has won the Palmer six times, reigns as the defending champion, and lives just a short SUV-drive from Bay Hill, where some other accomplished golfers will compete for the cup and purse.

Since returning from Arizona, where he completed “family therapy,” Woods has dedicated himself to daily conditioning and practice.  Last weekend, golf-guru Hank Haney flew to Orlando, coaching Tiger’s swing and scrupulously avoiding the media.

“The Spin Doctor” joins the team.

Meanwhile, former White House “spin doctor” Ari Fleisher signed-on as Woods’s media consultant.  Fleisher has some prior experience with attempts at rehabilitating fallen heroes’ shattered images: He advised Mark McGwire as the steroid-infused slugger attempted a return to baseball.  Woods’s recent public apology did more to fan the flames of controversy than to reconcile the world’s premier golfer with his fans and sponsors.  According to his website, Fleisher specializes in coaching athletes to manage every single encounter with the press.

First, of course, the Olympic officials took care of their business, passing the torch and giving a preview of what people can expect in Sochi.  The Moscow Symphony Orchestra and the mighty Russian Ballet performed, and a troop of Royal Canadian Mounted Police raised the Russian flag over the proceedings.  The world, indeed, can expect some fireworks from the Russians in Sochi, as President Putin has expressed his general displeasure with Russia’s performance at this year’s games. 

Business concluded, the party began.  Catherine O’hara, best known as the mom in the series of Home Alone movies, showed typically self-deprecating Canadian humour, waiting for curlers to sweep her path to the stage and then gently poking fun at Canadians’ propensity for saying they’re sorry.  William Shatner, Michael J. Fox, and Michael Buble followed in quick succession. 

Then, the serious partying kicked into high gear.  Nickelback rocked the crowd with brilliant renditions of their current hits.  Thunderous applause for Nickelback barely waned before Avril Lavigne appeared—no longer a teen-aged punker, Avril appeared all grown-up in a spectacular red satin dress, and she belted out “My Happy Ending” and “Girlfriend” for clearly delighted gliders and sliders. Rounding-out the series of virtuoso performances, Alanis Morisette serenaded the crowd as spectacular visual effects made them part of the show. 

As the party wound-down, the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee proved that it could take a joke as well as any other random collection of Canadians: An overall-clad mime with an electric tool belt “repaired” the broken arm that failed to lift during the opening ceremonies.  Speed-skating legend Catriona LeMay waited patiently for the arm to rise—just as she had in the opening.  This time, arm successfully lifted skyward, LeMay lit the torch to a standing ovation. 

Finally, still rocking the free world after five decades, Neil Young pointedly and poignantly sang “Long May You Run.”  As Young sang, “We’ve been through some things together/ With trunks of memories still to come,” the Olympic torches went dark, and the Games officially came to an end.

 For South Korean figure skater Kim Yu-Na, the four minute free skate represented far more than a well-choreographed dance across the Olympic ice.  Yu-Na perfectly understood she skated on behalf of the entire South Korean nation, who would settle for nothing less than Vancouver gold.  Tangled in a fierce duel with Japan’s Mao Asada, Kim Yu-Na skated for her nation’s honour.

 En route to her Olympic gold medal, the 19-year-old South Korean super-star rewrote the figure skating record books.  She established an all-time high mark for her short program, set another all-time high score in the free skate, and ended the competition with the highest total score ever recorded under figure skating’s radically reinvented scoring system.

 Coached by two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser of Canada, Yu-Na spent January and early February training in Toronto, sheltered from relentless South Korean media and throngs of adoring fans.  The pressure in her own country became such a distraction, the skater and her coach grew convinced it undermined the quality of her training and threatened her Vancouver performance.

 After Yu-Na’s long program, veteran figure skating analysts agreed that her performance more than satisfied the gold medal requirements.  Moreover, experts agreed Kim Yu-Na rightfully earned the nearly twenty “grade of execution” points judges lavished on the flawless free skate.  In sharp contrast to the men’s competition, which unfortunately became “all about the jumps,” the women’s competition demanded sophisticated, skilled execution of fine foot-work, deep edges, graceful curves, and exquisite spinning.  Putting Yu-Na’s performance under the microscope, worldwide analysts reached consensus:  “Everything that she does is everything that [the judges] want,” said NBC analyst Scott Hamilton, “and she does it all spectacularly.”

 “With just a touch of flirt,” added Sandra Bezic.

Tanith began skating when she was 2 years old. By the time she was 11 she had won some awards and was fine tuning her skills.

Tanith Belbin was born in Canada but has dual American citizenship. Her hobbies are fashion design and broadcast journalism. Belbin moved to the United States from Canada in 1988 after she was unable to find her perfect ice skating partner. In the United states she partnered with Benjamin Agosto and the result has been four victories at the Nationals and a silver at the Worlds competition.

There was initially some dispute as how to get Belbin to join the 2006 Olympics since she was a Canadian citizen. After much petitioning, thanks to Senator Carl Levin and former president George Bush, a special act was enacted by Congress allowing her to gain American citizenship and compete for a potential medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics. The result: a silver at the 2006 Olympics.

Update: Unfortunately for Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto their chances of a medal did not materialize in the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, placing fourth. She also demonstrated she is tech saavy by twittering her 7,000+ fans via twitter on her thoughts.

Photo: Tanith Belbin at press conference.
Author= flickr user [http://www.flickr.com/photos/davehogg/ Dave Hogg]

“He’s one of the greatest runners this game has ever seen and words can’t do justice to the things he’s accomplished on and off the field”, was the reaction of current Chargers coach Norv Turner.  Many had expected this move for the budgetary reasons as well as a Chargers offense that was becoming more inclined to the “passing” game.  Even LaDainian Tomlinson had expected this move to come.  Backup Darren Sproles will have to take over L.T.’s game now.

Among some of his accomplishments:

Rushed for 12,490 yards throughout the year.
Most touchdowns in a season – 31.
Most points scored in a season – 186.
4× First-team All-Pro selection (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
5× Pro Bowl selection (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)

His 2009 stats:
14 games, 3.3 yard average, 12 touchdowns, 20 receptions for 154 yards.

Among some of the latest brief news results you may have missed:
In bobsled two-man team – Germany showed impressive results:  Kevin Kuske and Andre Lange of Germany got the gold with total heat time of 3:26.65 seconds.  Thomas Florschuetz and Richard Adjei of Germany followed with 3:26.87. Alexey Voevoda and Alexsandr Zubkov of the Russian team were next with a time of 3:27.51
 
In speedskating Women’s 1500 meters – Ireen Wust of the Netherlands got the gold medal with a time of 1:56.89 followed by Kristina Groves of Canada (1:57.14)  and Martina Sablikove of the Czech Republic (1:57.96).  The Dutch skater blistered through the last lap to overtake the Canadians and get the gold.  

In Freestyle Skiing – Michael Schmid of Switzerland got the gold followed by Andreas Matt of Austria and Audun Groenvold of Norway. Schmid was the world cup leader this season as well.

In Biathlon – Magdalena Neuner of Germany got the gold followed by Olga Zaitseva of Russia and Simone Hauswald of Germany. This was the second gold for Neuner, she won with a time of 35 minutes and 19.6 seconds