Steve Kelley / Times staff columnist
Summit big news for Seattle

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In 1990, in the final chaotic days of the Soviet Union-as-Evil Empire, in a steamy, storied fieldhouse better known for basketball, a sold-out house cheered a wrestling tournament as if it were watching Good vs. Evil.

In the Goodwill Games at Edmundson Pavilion, the U.S. wrestling team was defeating the Soviet Union, and you would have thought the future of the world was being decided on the mat.

"It was absolutely wonderful in terms of the support," said Jim Scherr, part of that winning team and now chief executive of the United States Olympic Committee. "It was a great crowd that understood the sport, and the support was unbelievable. It was just a great competition."

The 1990 Goodwill Games were a runaway artistic and sporting success, and as Olympian as Seattle would ever have.

Now, 14 years later, Bob Walsh, who pushed those Goodwill Games into Seattle, is back with another downsized Olympic competition.

At a news conference yesterday, he announced the creation of the USA-China Sports Summit, a scaled-back, Goodwill-like event that will be held next year in Seattle, Tacoma and Everett from June 8-13 and will include track and field, volleyball, diving, archery and other sports, including possibly basketball.

Walsh said no public money will be spent on the event, expected to cost $12 million.

Olympic-level athletes from China and the United States will compete with athletes from other Pacific Rim countries yet to be named. The Summit plans to return in both 2006 and 2007, leading up the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Beijing has an option to host them in 2006.

This could be big for Seattle. Bigger, even, than Bucky.

"It's been too long since we've had a significant Olympic event in Seattle," Scherr said.
 
Imagine getting to watch the next generation of Chinese divers. Imagine the possibility of the Chinese national basketball team playing a group of the best U.S. college players.

Because of the Mariners' success in recent seasons, many of us have forgotten how Saharan the sports scene can feel when the home teams aren't doing well.

Without a PGA Tour event, without a stop on either the men's or women's tennis tour, Seattle needs this.

And, just as important, the Olympic movement needs it, too. With all of the doping scandals involved in track and field, the USOC has taken a serious hit this summer. It needs better public relations. It needs to change the perception that too many of its athletes are cheaters.

"We are worried about public perception because our brand exists on the how the public perceives our athletes and the esteem they hold our athletes," Scherr said. "There's a very distinct connection there, and we have to absolutely do whatever is necessary to ensure that perception remains what it is, which is the athletes are held in extremely high esteem.

"We think the fight against doping in sport is fair because first, it is the spirit of the Olympic ideals. Second, it protects the reputation of our team. And third, it protects the health of our country.

"We think that fight is extremely important. We are absolutely committed to it. We've put USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) in a position to execute it. We believe they are doing an excellent job, and we will try to do whatever we can to ensure a clean team in Athens."

Still, there seems to be more of a disconnect between the public and the Olympians. Growing up, I remember the excitement I felt in the buildup to the 1960 high-jump competition between John Thomas, Valery Brumel and gold medalist Robert Shavlakadze, and the disappointment when Thomas got the bronze.

I don't sense that same passion today. Young fans, especially, don't know the athletes as well as we did in 1960. The competition for sports fans' attention is much more intense. Some X Games athletes are as popular, or more popular, than Olympians.

How much gloom will there be, for instance, if Maurice Greene loses the 100-meter final?

"We do need to continue to make the connections that we're making in this community," Scherr said. "The athletes who will be competing here in the USA-China Sports Summit will be making a connection with the people who are watching and volunteering.

"This is a way for us to continue to do that at a high level. We need to continue to grow that. To bring our athletes to more communities. And give individuals an opportunity to get more connected to the Olympic movement."

In 1990 in Hec Ed's hothouse, Jim Scherr, a little-known U.S. wrestler, had fans standing on their feet, rooting for him with the same passion they later would show Randy Johnson on the mound in the Kingdome in October.

The hope is to create something like that again next June.

Steve Kelley: 206-464-2176 or skelley@seattletimes.com.