"the schoolkid's pink, heart-festooned backpack that Casey Dawson is schlepping around town as punishment for losing at fantasy football. It keeps me humble. It keeps me grounded. It puts a smile on my face every time I see it. It's kind of ridiculous, but it's fun. It keeps everything fun and light-hearted, said Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah, whose first event at this Winter Games comes Sunday in the men's 5,000 meters."
"Unfortunately, the timing is the Games, he said. So I have to carry it around for the biggest stage in the world. Rest assured, the TV cameras capturing every athlete's every move at the Speed Skating Stadium, a temporary structure built for these races, will zoom in on Dawson's accessories at some point. Probably going to come up in interviews, too."
U.S. Speedskating teammates embrace goofy off-ice bonding, including a plastic foot phone case and a pink, heart-festooned backpack given as fantasy-football punishment. Casey Dawson wears the backpack after finishing last in the league and says the items keep him humble, grounded and smiling despite their ridiculousness. The timing overlaps with the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, so cameras will likely capture the accessories during his men's 5,000-meter race. Many speedskaters manage fantasy squads, including Brittany Bowe, Mia Manganello, Sarah Warren and Zach Stoppelmoor. Teammates call the pastime a useful distraction from competitive stress and a way to keep team interactions light-hearted.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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