Sochi 2014 News A Day In The Life… O...

A Day In The Life… Of The “Go USA” Mittens

By Lisa Costantini | Oct. 04, 2013, 9 a.m. (ET)

Buy your "Go USA" mittens to support Team USA on the road to the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games at TeamUSA.org/RaiseYourHands.


Cat Greenleaf, the host of NBC's "Talk Stoop," and bulldog sidekick
Boo sport the "Go USA" mittens on Oct. 2, 2013 in Park City, Utah.


We follow the highly coveted Sochi souvenir at the U.S. Olympic Committee’s semiannual Media Summit. Go behind-the-scenes as they attend photo shoots and press conferences, getting winter athletes to raise their hands in support of Team USA. Here is how the hectic final day went down, taken from the mittens’ journal.

8:00 a.m. — I woke up this morning to a bunch of people sullying my image. Sticker replicas of me have taken over the floor of the hotel lobby and athletes and media alike are walking all over me. How rude!

8:50 a.m. — On my way to the broadcast studio I pass the Ralph Lauren apparel booth. I had better behave because it looks like their “USA” mittens have their fingertips missing.

9:00 a.m. — Snowboarders Louie Vito and Elena Hight show up to film spots of them attempting to play a variety of games while simultaneously wearing me. Guess we all know who the famous one is now, huh guys?

9:11 a.m. — Cameraman, make sure you get me from the left. It’s my better side.

9:15 a.m. — Vito and Hight are given the task of emptying a cup full of plastic balls with only a pair of chopsticks to do it with. And while wearing me.

9:17 a.m. — After a couple of “son of a gun”’s Vito quits, proclaiming, “I’m Italian. I never used chopsticks growing up.”

9:18 a.m. — Hight completes the challenge, but admits, “I kind of cheated a little bit.”

9:23 a.m. — The two are now supposed to build a house of cards, again while wearing me.

9:24 a.m. —Hight senses this might be difficult and asks, “What if we do it together? It’s more fun.” Talk about a team player.

9:28 a.m. — Vito licks my fingers! What did I ever do to you?

9:29 a.m. — Even with moistened mittens, Vito still can’t complete the challenge and ends up knocking over the few cards the two managed to get standing up.

9:30 a.m. — The twosome raise their hands in the air, showing off the “Go” and “USA” embroidered on each of my mittens. Looking to the camera Vito says, “The mittens are not good for playing cards, but they are great for showing support for Team USA.” “Go USA,” chimes Hight.

10:15 a.m. — The Lindsey Vonn video press conference is about to start, but not before the opening act: Me. A short spot plays of celebrities and media proudly showing me off.

11:15 a.m. — Back up to the broadcast room where curlers Pete Fenson and Jessica Schultz are trying me on.

11:18 a.m. — The two are asked to sit at a table to see if they can successfully play a game of Jenga while wearing me.

11:19 a.m. — Schultz carefully plots out each move and is slow with her motions.

11:20 a.m. — Fenson stacks one block on top but the pile is starting to sway.

11:22 a.m. — Schultz adds another block to the top, but as she does, Fenson lifts the table and knocks the whole thing over on her. “You cheated,” she proclaims.

11:25 a.m. — A dictionary is placed in front of them and Schultz asks Fenson to look up the word “curling.” But instead of saying her line, which starts with “Hey, Pete” she says “mitts.” I understand — some girls just can’t get me out of their head.

11:45 a.m. — I am whisked down the hall to another room where the U.S. Snowboarding athletes are getting professional photos taken of them wearing me. 

11:56 a.m. — Flashbulbs are going off everywhere, but why has no one asked me for my autograph yet?

12:00 p.m. — Finally lunch. I am shoved in a purse and headed up to the athlete’s tent where everyone is grabbing a bite to eat. But I am quickly whisked away. Hey, I’m hungry too. I’m calling my union rep.

Members of the U.S. women's ice hockey team pose with the "Go
USA" mittens in a photobooth at the 2013 Team USA Media
Summit 
on Oct. 2, 2013 in Park City, Utah. 

12:01 p.m. — Someone sets me on a table next to the torch from Torino and an American flag.

12:09 p.m. — Suddenly the U.S. women’s ice hockey team is taking turns trying me on and taking photos with me in the photo booth.

12:11 p.m. — Poor Jocelyne Lamoureux doesn’t get to wear me. But at least she gets one of the red furry Russia hats to wear. I have been eyeing that hot accessory all day! Wonder if I can hand her my number?

1:20 p.m. — Off again. This time someone carries me back to the hotel ballroom and into a private Google+ Hangout with alpine skiers Laurenne Ross and Leanne Smith.

2:00 p.m. — They do the whole interview while wearing me. It is kind of cold in here.

2:01 p.m. — They end the interview with a “Raise Your Hands” shout-out. Why thank you. I would like to thank my mom for having me; my teammates: red, white and blue; and finally the fans, who have been so supportive.

2:30 p.m. — Back outside to the cold. I spot a pretty blonde lady sitting on a stoop. Oh no, what’s that beside her? Some sort of slobbery four-legged creature.

2:36 p.m. — I am handed off to the attractive woman who I hear someone call Cat Greenleaf. She is the host of NBC’s “Talk Stoop” show.  Ohh, I hope she tries me on.

2:37p.m. — Wait, what is she doing? Why is she reaching for that sloppy wet canine? No, no, stop that.

2:38 p.m. — I have just been put on a dog. My soft cotton fibers stretched and ripped by his mangy mitts. Where is my agent? Someone call the federation. I am clearly not getting paid enough for this.

3:30 p.m. — I am back in the press conference room on a podium on the stage. I think someone is about to make an announcement. Maybe it will be about me.

3:45 p.m. — “And the winner of our mitten drawing is…”

3:46 p.m. — I have just been given away. How do you like that for thanks? Maybe if I am lucky the nice lady who won will take me to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

Related Athletes

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Louie Vito

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Elena Hight

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Monique Lamoureux-Morando

Ice Hockey