(June 20, 2004)      The 2004 Olympic Games took place at Athens Greece. The place where it all began. The date of the summer olympic begins friday, August 13, 2004 and ended on August 29, 2004.     There was something new and a first. The 2004 Torch Relay went around the world. Gone through 33 cities and 26 countries. There was a total of 3,600 torchbearers carrying the Olympic Torch. It reached the United States in the middle of June 2004. The cities where the Olympic Torch gone through in the United States was Los Angeles on June 16th, Saint Louis on June 17th, Atlanta on June 18th and New York City on June 19, 2004.     Here is one link you can check out. It is the Athens 2004 website. Websites about the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic and might still have info on the 2004 Torch Relay.     Big Mike was selected as a 2004 alternate torchbearer. There are 3 alternate torchbearer per major city around the world. Big Mike was one of three alternates for New York City. Big Mike might not have helped carry the torch for 2004. But is honored to be picked as an alternate.     Now for Big Mike words....It is not my half sisters or her husband fault. I was invited to the torchbearer reception party at Gracie Mansion in New York City. The event was from 5:30pm to 7pm on friday, June 18th. My half sister did not know the traffic was going to be that bad to enter New York City. Because her husband told her not to leave two and a half hour early. Then she had bumper to bumper traffic coming to me. Then we got caught in an hour long traffic to enter the Lincoln Tunnel. Then traffic in New York City. We did not reach Gracie Mansion till 7:05pm. We missed everything that happened in the back of Gracie Mansion. We did get a goodie bag, my uniform and then eat. The goodie bag had a limited edition torch relay Greek version Coca-Cola bottle, A special torch relay pin and a blue torch relay T shirt. My half sister and I did get a photo with Donald Trump and a New Jersey Nets player number 55. I forgot the Nets Player name. Donald Trump was with his wonderful girlfriend. She was wearing a one piece pink outfit. Then we left after looking around taking pictures. After reaching home. I had the cell phone and the house phone by me that friday night and all day saturday. Did not go anyplace what so ever. Becuase they can call at anytime. Each time the phone rang. I think it is from the torch relay office in New York City. My heart was thumping away. But it be family and friends calling. Nothing happened all day!! I knew I was really not needed when it hit 4 to 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Watched the torch relay on the news. It looked like New Years Eve at Times Sqaure on the news. Wow!!     Big Mike did take pictures with Donald Trump and the Nets player. The photos from June 18th is up in the photo section of the main "Torchbearer Mike" page.