It's time the Olympic torch got fired
Scott Ostler, SF Cronicle
Sunday, April 13, 2008

The Olympic torch has its own customized jumbo jet, a huge corporate staff, more roadies than the Rolling Stones, better endorsement deals than Tiger Woods, fleets of busses and customized vehicles, a supporting cast of back-up flames, and, as it passes through cities where thousands of people live in the street, the Torch bunks down in luxury hotels.

Has success spoiled the Torch?

We can debate Gavin Newsom's strategy all day, but I think we all agree that last Wednesday's torching of San Francisco fell a little flat for everyone. It was like starting off your day with a cup of decaf and an unsalted rice cake.

I'm all for anything that gains Willie Brown a little attention, but the Secret Torch Relay cost San Francisco a ton of money and made us all look befuddled, at best. For all we know, there are still Torch runners trapped inside waterfront warehouses, staying alive by flame-roasting rodents.

At least we all had a good laugh. But when the Flame gets to Tibet, the giggles stop. I'm wondering what the overs-unders will be on the number on human deaths that will cause a cola company or the Chinese Olympics people to stub out the torch in a sand-filled ashtray.

So the protestors will have won? Whoop-tee-do. The Olympics will go on without the torch relay. If the torch's plug is pulled soon, thousands of lives will be saved, and San Francisco will be credited with an assist.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K