This past week the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) selected a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the organization. Scott Blackmun is a lawyer by trade and was the interim CEO at the USOC in 2001. Several articles and commentaries have been written indicating that he was a good choice and links to those articles are below.
Commentary: From a Team Handball standpoint it would certainly have been better to have had Mark Lewis (husband of former Handball Olympian, Dawn Allinger Lewis) get selected to the top job. Blackmun doesn’t have that strong of a connection to the sport, but having worked at the USOC from 98-02, he’s surely familiar with it. In a press conference after being selected he noted his previous experience at the USOC developing plans for USOC resource funding of National Governing Bodies (NGBs). This experience should mean that he’s cognizant of the challenges a smaller federation like USA Team Handball has fighting for attention and funding against better known and resourced sports. With the caveat of not knowing much about the other finalist, Chuck Wielgus, the CEO of USA Swimming, I think Blackmun’s selection is better for a minor sport like Handball. I say this only from the standpoint that Wielgus may have been inclined to think that other NGBs simply need to emulate the successful practices of his sport. What works for swimming, though, doesn’t necessarily apply to Team Handball.
AUDIO: USOC Press Conference: http://www.teamusa.org/assets/documents/attached_file/filename/20210/010610_Scott_Blackmun_Press_Conference.mp3
Alan Abrahamson Blog at Universal Sports: Scott Blackmun: Arguably the USOC's last best chance (6 Jan 10): http://www.universalsports.com/blogs/blog=alanabrahamsonsblog/postid=387006.html
Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph: GUEST COLUMN: USOC has chosen the right CEO to restore credibility (7 Jan 10): http://www.gazette.com/opinion/mike-91944-ceo-moran.html
Washington Post: Scott Blackmun says fixing the USOC is 'not a short process' (6 Jan 10): http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/06/AR2010010604011.html
LA Times Olympics Blog: Lengthy deal, less money for new USOC boss sends right message to IOC (7 Jan 10): http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/olympics_blog/2010/01/lengthy-deal-less-money-for-new-usoc-boss-sends-right-message-to-ioc.html
Reuters Canada: IOC keen to see where Blackmum steers USOC (6 Jan 10): http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCATRE6055QA20100106?sp=true
Colorado Springs Independent: Blackmun: perfect for USOC (7 Jan 10): http://www.csindy.com/colorado/blackmun-perfect-for-usoc/Content?oid=1574263
LA Times Olympics Blog: USOC critics hail choice of Blackmun: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/olympics_blog/2010/01/usoc-critics-hail-choice-of-blackmun-as-ceo.html