Posted: January 29, 2005

Athletics: Boston Indoor Games Shot Put Press Conference Excerpts

Shot putters Reese Hoffa, Adam Nelson and John Godina on Friday spoke to the press in advance of Saturday's Reebok Boston Indoor Games, which kicks off USATF's Visa Championship Series. The three will compete against each other, as well as Christian Cantwell, at the meet.

On Friday they discussed their Olympic experience, the upcoming meet, the fun of the shot put ... and Hoffa talked about his fantasy involving a bear suit and a cage.

Q: Tell us about your Olympic experience.

NELSON: Olympia was an amazing experience. The venue was fantastic. Twenty thousand people, where it began, all there to see us. We all took home special memories from us. I think all of us are somewhat disappointed about our performances, but it's something we'll remember the rest of our lives. The competition, it's tough. Sometimes the unknowns get the better of you.

GODINA: It was probably the best overall environmental experience I've had in my track & field career. We were really, really lucky to get to compete at Olympia. I appreciate all the effort the IOC did to get that done. At the same time, I was pretty embarrassed for us, because I think we all did pretty badly. That's the nature of sports in general, and that's why they built Olympia thousands of years ago - to see how it shakes down. Someday, in my career, we'll get a sweep. I know we will. It just wasn't last year.

HOFFA: It was my first Olympics. I just hope I have the opportunity to go back and compete.

Q: Talk about the elimination-style competition that will be held in Boston (eliminating the last-place thrower after each round):

HOFFA: I think it's exciting. I'm going to try to beat somebody every time.

GODINA; I think it's fun, something different. I also think it's more crowd-friendly.

Q: What do you think about how the shot put has risen in visibility?

GODINA: Other than the 100 meters, I think the shot put is the main event right now. That's what people want to see, that's what people walk away from the meet saying, 'that was fun.' We like to promote ourselves. We love the fact that we're getting out there in pictures. It's a business like anything else, but it's fun when the crowd is into it. It's like an NBA game. I was talking to a guy on the plane yesterday, talking about how much I've enjoyed the last eight years. Shot put has gone from being in the corner to being the center of everything. I'm proud of everybody. Having a circle of guys has created an aura around the event right now.

Q: Do you like competing indoors? What's the difference between indoors and outdoors?

NELSON: There's a huge difference for me. The ball is about 20 percent larger indoors. I have a real hard time getting acclimated to the indoor ball. But I like the smaller environment - we all do. Just in the past 4 years, I don't think you're going to find any other event in track that has the marketing power ... We've all been in USA Today, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal... I think there's something to be said about that, and every year it [the indoor season] gets off to a good start.

GODINA: My favorite thing is something that rarely gets done, but I know they're doing it at Millrose this year - just to stop the meet and let us go. It's got to be encapsulated in itself. I've never heard anybody complain that 'I wish they hadn't stopped the meet for the shot put.

Q: Reese, how to do you feel about the entertainment power of the shot put?

HOFFA: For me, I love to throw. I love to do anything that seems like fun. For the most part, it seems like you go out there, you throw, you get excited. I put the mask in [when he throws as 'The Unknown Shot Putter'] to bring something different. I'm just crazy enough ... I'm not too serious about myself. I want to make sure that any time I throw, I want to throw far. I made a joke to my fiancée that I want to make a bear outfit and throw in that, but only if I could throw the ball far. I know it's going to be hot and I don't want to do it in the summer when it's hot. If I could do something like that, it brings attention to the shot. It's odd, it's fun. I actually went and looked at materials [for the suit]. I was looking at something soft, nothing too heavy ... my ultimate goal, I want them to carry me out in a cage and release me. And just throw and have fun with it. It's one of my dreams. I'm a crazy guy.

Source: Jill Geer
Director of Communications