Much to my amazement (and that of most of the rest of the world), not all American Olympic athletes are slimy, self-centered buffoons with the social graces of an enraged hippotamus and the myopic world view of the current occupant of the White House. Apparently, speedskater Joey Cheek actually spent his post-victory press conference talking about things other than himself and his sport. He also donated his winnings for the games (a $50,000 bonus for a gold medal and $25,000 for a silver, from the US Olympic Committee) to an organization called "Right to Play" that benefits third-world children.
This story in Sports Illustrated describes how he also encouraged corporate sponsors of the games to match his donation, raising a cool half-million dollars.
Of course, such selflessness won't go unnoticed in America. When the New York Times asked one of the principals of a large New York marketing firm about Cheek's potential as an advertising spokesman, he replied, "Has he won anything yet?"
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