KEARNS — The next Apolo Anton Ohno — or the first Jeff Simon, depending on perspective — was slightly bummed at the end of the first day of the Samsung ISU World Cup short track speedskating races, Friday.
"Not a good day for me," he said.
He had wiped out in a preliminary round of the 500 meters and failed to qualify in the 1,500 meters. He didn't compete in the 1,000 meters. Still, as part of the 5,000-meter relay, he advanced to the next round, along with teammates Charles Ryan Leveille, Jordan Malone and — who else? — Apolo Anton Ohno.
So his day wasn't a total loss.
On Saturday afternoon things were looking up as he qualified for the quarterfinals of the 500 and 1,500 meters.
"I just want to do well," said Simon.
Just how well?
Apolo well, naturally.
Isn't that how everyone wants to do?
"He's the man," said Simon. "This guy has done it all. He's still the main guy. I just want to be the first Jeff Simon."
Exactly how the first Jeff Simon and the made-for-TV Ohno comparisons came about were entirely my fault. I contacted U.S. Speedskating officials and told them I didn't want to do another AAO column; I'd been doing them since 2001. I wanted to do a column on the next Ohno, which, admittedly, is like asking to do a story on the next Aretha Franklin.
There may be only one.
Not only should he have the talent, I added, but I also wanted to see America's rock star speedskater-in-waiting.
Soon I was sitting across a table in the Utah Olympic Oval press room with Simon.
One of the first things I asked was whether he was tired of hearing about Ohno.
"No, not at all. He deserves it for all he's done for the sport," said Simon, "and he deserves all the things that go along with it. He's a man. He's done everything."
Truth is, though Simon is a promising 18-year-old, making the leap to the magazine covers and TV stardom is a ways off. Simon, a Las Vegas native, does have talent. In this year's World Cup competition he finished an impressive fourth once. He is ranked 26th in the world.
That may not seem like much in a country where first place seems the only option, but consider this: In Korea, short track speedskating is all.
In America, speedskating is an entertaining diversion. Yet the USA's short track team is still among the world's best, thanks in large part to the talent and profile of Ohno.
There are, of course, other differences. Ohno is bigger, in both height and weight than Simon. The man who recently won on "Dancing with the Stars" continues to be the face of the sport in America.
Simon doesn't have the layered rock-star hair of Ohno, in part because he was trying to cut his own hair in August, and a slip caused him to shave a swath up the middle. He ended up shaving his head.
There went one possible comparison to Ohno.
Then there's Ohno's trademark soul patch. Simon has none.
"That's not my style," he said.
But the big question I had to know was this: Can the man dance?
"I can dance ... but not really ballroom," he said.
He claims he can bust a few hip-hop moves when necessary.
Note to "Dancing with the Stars" producers: You know where to find him.
Oh, and one other thing.
There are no swarms of females sending fan mail or getting sweaty when Simon enters a room.
"I wish," he said.
Nonetheless, Ohno, now 25, pondered retiring after the 2006 Olympics. Due to his TV and celebrity schedule, he didn't compete or train for a couple of years. When he returned for the World Cup this year, he was just getting back in the groove. Going into this weekend's event at the Utah Olympic Oval, he was ranked just 56th in the world.
At some point, probably after the 2010 Olympics, U.S. Speedskating is going to need a new face. Maybe it will be Simon's.
If he can dance, act and model, all the better.
"They've got to be a well-rounded person," said Simon.
For the time being, though, he is hearing none of it. He's still in the happy-to-be-here stage.
"Until someone breaks out and does what Apolo's done," Simon said, "he's the man."
Everyone else will just have to settle for being himself.
E-mail: rock@desnews.com