[Sly Fox]

I right with most of you guys who just simply isn't down with the Winter Olympics in general. I live in Texas for crying out loud. But there is one guy who I am really excited to watch in Vancouver, speedskater Chad Hedrick.

Chad lived just around the corner from my house and his parents operate the roller rink where my kids regularly go. I first met Chad 5-6 years ago when I did some stories on him as he was shocking the skating world making the transition from inline champion to the ice. He was an unbelievably arrogant guy but a compelling story based on a Texan taking to the ice. I interacted with him more four years ago when I was working for the NBC station that was working with him to produce Olympic pieces. Even the other Olympians were a bit taken back by his swagger.

Then about six months ago some of my friends were buzzing about what an amazing testimony Chad had to tell. I was admittedly skeptical but I started following him on Twitter (@chadhedrick). Color me convinced. He was baptized at my church a couple of months ago while back home from the training center in Salt Lake looking for a house post-Olympics. He & I send tweets back & forth generally about Houston sports while he is travelling abroad and looking for local insight.

This weekend the Houston fishwrap ran a feature on him that didn't tiptoe around his testimony at all. I strongly encourage you to take the time to give this a full read:

Spring's Hedrick sheds bad-boy image at Olympics
He was the bad boy of skating in the 2006 Games, but the Spring Olympian has changed the way he looks at his life and his sport

By DAVID BARRON
Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle
Feb. 6, 2010, 9:38PM


Smiley N. Pool Chronicle
Chad Hedrick left the 2006 Olympics with a gold medal but a less-than-golden reputation. These games will likely be different.

VANCOUVER —Chad Hedrick, the Winter Olympian from a town called Spring, arrived at the 2006 Turin Games with big talent, a big personality, big dreams and two big nicknames.

One was “The Exception,” in recognition of his remarkable transition in two years from speedskating novice to world champion. Another was “The Paris Hilton of Speedskating,” for his pursuit, in the wake of relentless training, of relentless off-ice recreation.

“If you don't celebrate,” he said as the 2006 Games approached, “what's it all worth, you know?”

He walked the walk in Turin, Italy, winning one medal of each color. But it was his mouth — from his cheery, incessant self-promotion to his less-than-cordial exchanges with U.S. speedskating rival Shani Davis — that left a more lasting impression among casual viewers.

Four years later, at 32, Hedrick has arrived at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics for the final competition of his skating career. He is a husband and father and a new homeowner. He remains a relentless competitor, with eyes fixed on the chance for four more Olympic medals.

This time, however, his family and friends will wear T-shirts that list not only his name and Web site, but also a Bible verse about the relative value of temporal and spiritual rewards. And, only three weeks after he and his wife, Lynsey, were tempered by one of the most profound losses that can affect a young couple, the man who reacted to adversity with harsh words in Turin now greets it with hope and good cheer.

Click Here for Full Story

[Sly Fox]

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[flamehunter]

Great story! Thanks for sharing it, Sly. That will certainly give me something more to watch the games for. He's got a new fan. Let him know he's got people praying for him during the games in Lynchburg, VA.

[4everfsu]

Chad got bronze in the 1000 meter race

[Sly Fox]

The 1500m is his big event. But it was awesome to see him snag bronze even if it was just a footnote to NBC.

[ToTheLeft]

Too much Tim Tebow and Tiger Woods, not enough Chad Hedrick. Got it.