LILLEHAMMER: ’94 WINTER OLYMPICS : Jones Puts Brakes on Attempt by Shimer to Replace Him

Randy Jones, a former Duke football captain who has been Brian Shimer’s pusher and brakeman for the last two years, will remain in that capacity when two-man bobsled competition begins today.

In the second of two training runs Thursday, Shimer, dissatisfied with his start times this season, had switched to former UCLA football player Jeff Woodard, the pusher for driver Randy Will.

Will was eliminated in a race-off for the two U.S. berths in two-man by Shimer and Jim Herberich, leaving Woodard available. Under the federation’s selection criteria, however, Jones had the right to veto the change and did so.

“Even if Brian and the coaches felt a change was in order, we couldn’t do it,” said David Kurtz, assistant coach.

Did they feel a change was in order? Obviously. Woodard had already been registered as Shimer’s brakeman and the U.S. federation could only change back to Jones if Woodard had an injury. Now, conveniently, he does.

“We’re calling it a strained quad(riceps),” said Kurtz, who added that Shimer has to use Jones in next week’s race-off for four-man because Woodard is part of Will’s crew.

“Brian has been distracted through all of this because he wanted to assemble the best two-man team he can,” Kurtz said. “However, he’s also putting a positive spin on it. He just wants to do the best he can.”