Well, the Olympic Games have wrapped up,
which means athletes and coaches.
They've all returned home and this
morning we are so excited because
we have our very own three time,
Connecticut Olympian Jim Renee joining us.
He just came home from Tokyo where you
guys picked up a silver medal in baseball.
First off, congratulations and
welcome back, Jim. Thank you very
much. I'm really happy to be home.
It's nice to talk with you again and.
Yeah, I'm a little jet lag or trying
to try to assimilate back into.
Our culture here and and our time zones,
but it's it was a great trip and
I'm I'm thrilled to be on now Jim,
you haven't experienced
that in so many people.
Don't ever have and that's to go to the
Olympics and you've been to not one,
not two, but three.
And you've dealt with very
successful teams along the way.
And the Winter Games you were
with skeleton and bobsled.
Now you're with Team USA baseball
talk a little bit about the
Olympic experience as a whole,
and you know,
I know there was several
years in between the two.
But maybe the differences between
the winter and the Summer Games and
and specifically with COVID involved
this year. It was really interesting,
you know. I think COVID added.
Obviously added another dimension.
Winter and Summer Games are, you know,
in principle are the same, right?
It's it's a nations from all over the world
coming together to compete peacefully in.
And obviously you see tremendous examples
of sportsmanship and camaraderie and and,
you know, within our own organization.
And you know,
in between the different countries.
And it was, it's uplifting.
It's it's everything that I
thought would be in terms of.
You know how things went off that the people
in Japan couldn't have been more hospitable.
It is an extremely clean city.
And and they were very accommodating to us.
I mean, obviously the numbers
of participants were up at the
numbers of spectators or wait now.
But you know,
we we really enjoyed our stay there.
I would say the difference.
You know, obviously,
between the weather you know the winter.
In the summer,
everything is more accessible in the summer,
but you know,
I just think everything I haven't
been in Olympics in 15 years so.
You know the food seemed better,
or the accommodations seem better than
the other graphics that they use,
uh,
you know to to display in the
stadium during the game.
The social media aspect was obviously far
more advanced than than back in 2006,
so lots of differences.
But the spirit is the same in the
spirit of the game remains the same.
Absolutely.
Spirit of the games never unchanged,
COVID or not want to congratulate you.
Of course you guys had your eyes set on goal,
but you're coming back with silver.
Tell me a little bit about the team.
This was really trials and
tribulations for you guys.
I mean I spoke with you what it's
been almost two years when you
were first named to the team.
Thinking about gearing up to make the team.
Then the games get cancelled.
You guys have to go back on
track to try and make it.
You make it COVID again.
I mean, it's been a whirlwind for you.
Talk about how it got to this final point.
I mean, these guys are
coming home with a silver.
Yeah, it was a whirlwind for sure
and it challenged us on many levels.
But you know we assembled in
mid July in North Carolina,
USA Baseball headquarters.
We had a week to get to know each other.
It was 24 guys plus staff who
had never worked together.
Our coaching staff or you know Major League,
former Major League coaches and staff
and guys who were currently scouting
and working in those organizations
and they their task was to bring
us together and make us a team and
I have to say after three weeks
to these guys were like brothers.
I mean they they functioned like they
had known each other their entire lives.
I'm in some group messages
that continue to go on today.
A little inside jokes and such.
But you know,
everybody became really really close,
which is what you want from a team,
and it's really the only way you can win.
We had talent,
we have lots of young talent
that you'll be seeing in years
to come in the major leagues.
We had some veterans who were
there to provide leadership.
It was just a great mix of people
and in North Carolina the players
brought their families with children
or wives or their parents because
they were not able to travel to
Japan to watch the games in person.
So we got to know people a little
bit better in that first week
and by the time we took off for
Tokyo we felt like we were a team.
But it was a battle, you know,
that the difference is our manager,
Mike Socia alluded to his.
The difference between playing in a
7 game World Series and a an Olympic
tournament is that every game is
a knockout in the Olympics, right?
So if you lose a game,
it could be your last game and
in a 7 game World Series you mean
you may have the next game to go.
Everything is a game seven when
you're in Tokyo or at an Olympic game.
So these guys played under a lot of pressure.
I was really proud of the way they
came together and the way they performed.
And don't forget we were playing Japan.
In Japan, seriously,
there were more fans at the last
game that we anticipated.
UM and it gave it a different feel as well,
you know,
but you know no excuses.
But the Japanese professionally shut down,
put their best players on the field and
we we had certainly had an exceptional team,
but we could not shut down
the major leagues obviously,
and we gave them every bit they could handle.
I wish we had a little bit more because
I think we would have won the gold,
but nothing to be ashamed that
we performed exceptionally well.
In our outcome,
obviously silver medalists nothing
to hang their heads about.
It certainly is not
a silver for you guys.
Congratulations of gold in our eyes.
We are so proud of you.
Jim, thank you so much for
joining us here on the Fox
61 Morning News. Thanks for
having me and we appreciate your
support all the way. Absolutely
will see it the next games.