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Article: How will U.S. athletes be received at opening ceremony?
- Article from:
- San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, CA)
- Article date:
- August 12, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 San Jose Mercury News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Mark Purdy
ATHENS _ Friday night, the instant popularity poll will begin the moment American flag bearer Dawn Staley steps onto the track. The United States team will follow her into the new Olympic Stadium here to take a pre-Games lap during the opening ceremony.
All bets are off about what happens next.
But keep your ears open. It could be interesting.
For the first time since the Iraq war and the Balco drug mess, a group of young U.S. athletes will enter a public arena on the world's largest sporting stage.
And in response, the capacity crowd of mostly Greek citizens will greet the star-spangled American parade ...