They made a formidable team on the halfpipe Monday afternoon, but by that night they were back to normal ? just three laid-back guys doing what they love.
U.S. snowboarders Ross Powers, Danny Kass and J.J. Thomas took the stage Monday night at the Olympic Medals Plaza, the first time Americans have swept a sport since men's figure skating in the 1956 Winter Olympics.
"It was awesome, especially with these three guys. The U.S. guys just took over and I'm psyched," said Powers, the gold medalist. "When I saw all three flags go up and I saw my family on the side of the stage . . . it was amazing."
Powers won the bronze medal in 1998 in Nagano, the first time snowboarding was included in the Winter Olympics.
The three athletes spend a lot of time together and were excited to share the stage before 20,000 cheering, chanting, flag-waving fans.
"I was just thinking how great it was that we're all here together," Kass said.
On standing with his teammates, bronze medalist Thomas said, "It was different than anything I've ever done before. It was great. I'm thrilled."
As they were leaving the stage, each athlete removed his official Olympic ball cap and threw it into the crowd.
The three clowned around with reporters minutes after receiving their medals from the International Olympic Committee's Anita DeFrantz, biting on the hardware and smiling for the cameras.
Asked if winning the silver medal would change his life, 19-year-old Kass shrugged and said, "Nah. Probably just the next week or so."
The following athletes also received medals Monday night:
Luge, men's singles: Gold, Armin Zoeggeler, Italy; silver, Georg Hackl, Germany; bronze, Markus Prock, Austria.
Biathlon, women's 15K individual: Gold, Andrea Henkel, Germany; silver, Liv Grete Poiree, Norway; bronze, Magdalena Forsberg, bronze.
Biathlon, men's 20K individual: Gold, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Norway; silver, Frank Luck, Germany; bronze, Victor Maigourov, Russia.
Lengthy lines to get inside the Salt Lake Olympic Square, which houses the Medals Plaza and the Salt Lake Ice Center, as well as displays, interactive games and vendors, continued to be a complaint Monday night.
Waits of up to 45 minutes were common, making many impatient to get inside the area and others late to events. At least 50,000 people per night pass through the 10 metal detectors.
"There's got to be a better system," said Sam Lee, an Olympic visitor from Missouri, who missed the first part of the night's figure skating. "We tried to come as light as we could because we knew that we'd have to go through this, but it didn't seem to make any difference."j
A 47-year-old Minnesota woman whose underwire bra twice set off metal detectors was upset because security screeners had to touch the undergarment to verify it was indeed the culprit.
"I was very uncomfortable," said the women, who declined to give her name. "I think the intention is wonderful, because the intention is to keep us safe. (But) they need to add a little common sense to the process."
Others, though, took the wait in stride.
"I was all right with it," K.C. Vanleeuwen, Holladay, said. "I just don't want to be blown up."
Contributing: Derek Jensen
E-MAIL: awelling@desnews.com