TAKING SHOTS AT THE MESSENGER

Bob Brennan, press chief for ACOG, the Atlanta organizing committee putting on these Games, is under siege, having to answer for all sorts of problems not of his making: transportation, heat, crowds, heat, inefficiency, heat, the subway system, heat, slow ambulances, heat. . . .

A couple of excerpts from a morning press mugging, er . . . briefing:

Question: “Can you clarify the situation regarding the ambulance and the judo athlete who was injured yesterday?”

Brennan: “I can’t explain that at this time.”

Question: “Can you elaborate on the lighting problem at the Georgia Dome last night?”

Brennan: “It was caused as a TV boom was being moved. In order to ensure the safety of the operator, a circuit-breaker was thrown, and it turned out to be the wrong circuit-breaker. It was not an overload, but an error on the part of the operator.”

Question: “How hot was it yesterday? Is this normal for Atlanta in the summertime?”

Brennan: “As I understand, the temperature was slightly above average yesterday.”

Footnote: The heat index Saturday, a measurement of the combined effect of temperature and humidity, was between 100 and 105 degrees.