WinterSports2002.com, Monday, February 25, 2002
VIPs, athletes, stars turn E Center into a who's who
Cheney, Giuliani are among luminaries at U.S.-Canada contest
By Lucinda Dillon Kinkead
Deseret News staff writer
The sky boxes and lower bowl seats at the E Center were a who's who of Olympic VIPs Sunday as athletes, television stars and dignitaries gathered to watch the gold-medal round of men's hockey.
Former New York City Mayor Giuliani laughed and waved to the crowds who cheered when the in-house cameras at the West Valley City venue caught him outside a sky box.
Giuliani was in town with his girlfriend, Judith Nathan, to attend the closing ceremonies Sunday night but hooked up with Salt Lake Organizing Committee President Mitt Romney and other officials at the much-anticipated afternoon game between the United States and Canada.
Romney seemed ever-aware of the spotlight — and mugged for the cameras from two seats away from Giuliani.
Giuliani chatted with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and shook hands with a row of solid-gold Olympic athletes sitting just below Cheney. The row included figure skater Sarah Hughes, snowboarder Kelly Clark, skier Chris Klug, speed skater Jennifer Rodriguez and Bode Miller.
Actor Matthew Perry, star of the hit comedy show "Friends," made a brief appearance with an interviewer and wished all the hockey players good luck.
Perry's mom is American and his father is Canadian, so Perry said he was rooting equally for both teams.
Moguls magic boy Travis Bailey and gold medal winning snowboarder Ross Powers were more pro-USA. in their approach.
His best advice to the hockey players for winning?
"It's the Olympics, pull out the stops. Give it all you've got and enjoy every second of it."
Popular, two-time Olympian Michelle Kwan was there as was former baseball great Steve Garvey.
Former Jazz star Jeff Hornacek and his family dined on hot dogs, waved flags and cheered like mad throughout the game.
Canadian hockey hero Wayne Gretzky, executive director of Team Canada, sat with four chums cheering and jumping up and down while Canada churned its way through the three periods.
When Canada scored a fifth goal late in the game, Gretzky's wife, actress Janet Jones, ran down from a few rows up and hugged the champion.
E-MAIL: lucy@desnews.com
© 2002 Deseret News Publishing Company