just visiting

Very proud on my fellow countryman....My son who is an avid sports fanatic, saw you reporting for the last olympics in Bejing along with our entire family, saw your name in Trinidad on the Highway and came back very excited....i am proud of you and your achievements.

Loved your coverage on NBC.Keep it up.

What happened to Vivian Millington?? I worked with him years ago in montreal. Janet Regan

Hearing about you from people, and then finding your website and reading the premise about you really made a difference in my opinions. Thank God I found this site.

well done

Continued Success, you did a great job in Beijing,may the ancestors always guide you..ASE

Ato,

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your passionate and insightful commentary of the track and field event at the Olympics. I watched you compete with class and you comment the same way. Great show.

A big fan,
Steve Poteat

Ato, I remarked to my wife at how good you were during the Games. The clinching moment for me was when, during the pre-race introductions, you noted that Walter Dix always over-achieves on the big day...so said so done. I appreciate talent when I see it...proud that you are from the Caribbean. One advice is to look at the "Trini'ness"criticism as part of Caribbean charm.

Enjoyed your piece on Michael Vick. I'm mixed race and seen it from booth sides.
Take care, continued success, and God Bless.
Alex the CairoKid.

PS. You're my new hero. Great job in Beijing on NBC.

Great job in Beijing Ato...bravo!!!! Keep up the good work.

Hi Ato,
This is your QRC partner, not bad at all for a Fatima boy. To tell you the truth boy you were fantastic.

Hey Ato,

Love the site. Unfortunately in Aus we didn't get any of the NBC coverage of the Olympics, but thoroughly enjoyed reading your articles on the NBC website and also your blog here (esp the one on the 2006 World Cup). Just wanted to leave a message in appreciation, admired you on the track and now admire you off of it too.

Much respect,
Tolga, Sydney Aus.

P.S - at home and at work, when I visit your site with Mozilla, the black background doesn't fill properly. Probably a simple fix, might want to get your webmaster to check it out.

You are and always will be the greatest

Ato, we have all seen the camaraderie that exists between Bolt and the other sprinters; we have witnessed time and again the tremendous respect that he has for Tyson, Asafa and Wallace, all of whom have nothing but praises for him, so to chastise him for celebrating in the manner that he did, was unwarranted. That may not have been the manner in which you or I may have celebrated, but I can totally understand why he did-he had just acheived a tremendous feat at the age of twenty two!!! I saw a person who was enjoying a moment in time, not a bad sportsman and certainly not a bad example for high school kids. In fact, quite the opposite is true. The fact that he is not on steroids makes him a perfect example for future athletes.

Wow...wow and WOW! Ato you really represented the West Indies in your coverage of the Olympics would be an understatement. I love the Summer Olympics, and make every effort to watch the track and field events. As a Jamaican who has been in the US for several years, I was thrilled with the expertise and enthusiasm you brought to the track and field coverage.
Fabulous job from beginninng to end...I think some of your fellow commentators were left in the dust (forgive the pun), at your commentary.
Big Up Ato!!!

I absolutely loved your commentary at the Olympics. You were informative, credible, compelling and thoroughly enjoyable. I almost think that you are better in the booth than on the track...almost. I think that you are a natural and quite impressive. Please continue in this arena because you will continue to excel. Well done.

- ATO BOLDON -

A = Amazing, Articulate, Adventurous, Athlete
T = Talented, Thinker, Top Notched, .... A Talker :)
O = Outspoken, On-Track

J = Jina's description (Oh! ... "JABARI" ... Your middle name :) .... YOU ARE .....

B = Brilliant, Balanced, Born 2 Do It! ... That's ATO "BOLDON!" .....
O = Outstanding, Olympian .... A
L = Leader, with Lofty goals ... And Liked By Many
D = Dedicated, Disciplined, Determined .... An
O = Origional .... Orator .... There's
N = NO ONE LIKE YOU! ...... ;)

"THANKS" for making my visit to your website worthwhile, ATO. You are outstanding in all that you do ....

GOD'S BEST TO YOU ALWAYS!

Jina
(Cols, OH)


"And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things at alll times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
(2 Cor 9:8)

Congratulations on a job well done and the wonderful article in last Saturday's NYT! As a fellow Trinidadian I was very impressed with your commentary at the games and my husband, kids and I looked forward to hearing your voice and pearls of track wisdom. Not having been much of a track fan before these Olympics, I personally relied a lot on your commentary, including track stats and spot-on predictions. Once more, you have made us proud on the worldwide stage and we look forward to hearing more from you. You truly brought home the gold and the "Golden voice" and by living your dream, you continue to inspire our youth that anything is possible with hard work and perserverance!

Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed watching the Olympics this year. The track and field team was the best that I can recall. I hope NBC brings you, Tom Hammond and the rest of the team back in 2012. Great job!

Ato Jabari Boldon- My eternal inspiration:)

As we say, "People don't pelt stone at empty Mango tree", and it's inspiring to see how you handle the critics...(and as we know, our OWN people, can be some of the most critical, not to mention hypocritical)

It was almost amusing, to hear comments about "Ato's "fake" yankee accent"...lol Amazing, cuz I thought your accent to be quite AUTHENTIC! You did after all, grow up in the States.

They're so quick to slam you for that, yet so many of OUR radio DJ's / Broadcaters, have either a Fresh water Yankee, or British accent, and many don't cut the mustard.

You had a job to do..you did it WELL!

For those unclear on the concept, It's called PROFESSIONALISM.

NBC recognised TALENT when they saw it.

Merci Mon Ami...Dieu vous bénisse;) Proverb 18:16

Excellent job on your Olympic track commentary.

PE teacher at Piedmont Hills HS. Hope to hear from you soon.

Ato,
As a former collegiate runner, I am typically disappointed with televised track and field commentating. Often announcers will "dumb down" the sport in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience, while others, though informative, are just marginal commentators. You, on the other hand, combined concise explanations with colorful commentary, bringing experience, enthusiasm and well informed opinions to the broadcasts in Beijing. I wanted to commend and thank you for your efforts. You were far and away the best track commentator there. I hope to hear more from you in the booth in the future. Thanks again.

Atto:

Thanks for your forthright criticism of Usain Bolt's behaviour during his remarkable 100 m run. i totally agree with you. I also thank you for speaking directly to him. I think your talk probbly had a lot to do with his run in the 200m. As a Jamaican I was unhappy with his churlish behaviour. I was also exceedingly proud of his run in the 200 and of his joy after making the record. thanks Ato for speaking from your heart.

fred

when i was in school and all d projects came up every body was doing a project on Ato

Ato,
I really enjoyed your commentating at the Olympics. Living in the US and being stuck with the minimal and delayed NBC coverage was frustrating, but you did a great job on the mic. Your enthusiasm and understanding of the sport comes across very well.

Dear Ato,

Just read this morning's NY Times story. I agree with the writer--you have had a wonderful Olympics and I hope to hear you in the future in track and field.

You bring a great combination of enthusiasm and expertise.

I'm sorry to hear of the criticism from the Caribbean. I suppose this comes with the territory.

Keep on giving us your unvarnished opinion.

You are the brightest spot of the NBC Olympics coverage. Thank you for being there.

Ato: I was so mad at you for some of the things you said about Bolt, but my Jamaican fiancé told me, "everyone has the right to an opinion." I came to your site out of curiosity, and you're SO funny with your stories and some of your comments on this guest page, I can't stay mad any longer! My mom who is visiting me in the US thinks that you are doing a fantastic job with commentary on NBC and says so several times a night, EVERYTIME she hears you! She's right. You’re doing a great job. You speak passionately you got your facts and some of your statements during these Olympics have been truly classic. I also read your story about the accident on the PBR. Whenever I hear other Trinbagonians expressing the anguish I feel about why and how our country needs to change, I always feel better because I know I am not alone. Anyways lemme just say EXCELLENT JOB. I don't agree with all you say, BUT I give you massive respect. Keep flying the flags of track and field and Trinidad and Tobago HIGH

Dear Mr. Boldon,
Thank you for covering the historic Olympic games. It is refreshing to listen to someone who is not biased. I am a proud Jamaican, and I have lived in the U.S. for over 37 years and will always call Jamaica home. In Jamaica, most people are not blessed with material wealth, but we are blessed with determination, ambition and pride. I know you are able to identify with this as my many Trini friends have the same values. It saddens me to hear the U.S. athletes not be able to accept their performance results when it is not a gold medal. A typical example of this is the sly remarks of the female athlete who ran the fourth leg of the women's 4x100 relay. Her repeated Olympic performance (2004) of her inability to pass/receive the baton significantly contributed to the past and present results. She needs to look at the tapes and do a self-analysis, and accept the responsibility instead of her remarks about 'voodoo' - which was directed towards the Jamaican team.

Ato, I've never Googled a broadcaster before, but I've been so impressed with your Olympics coverage that I had to find out more about you. Your thoughtful analysis and infectious enthusiasm for track and field have definitely been the highlight of the Games for me. Hope to see and hear you for many years to come.

Ato,

We ran Track together at Jamaica H.S. in Queens NY and I must say I've being looking forward to your commentary of these Olympics. Honestly, I'm not sure what the ratings have been so far but by far you might be one of the better analysis for the entire Olympics. I know you definitely called it on Usain Bolt breaking the 200m record. Great job. Dude you are a natural in front of the camera after watching your interview with Bob Costas on Usian Bolt. Jamaica Queens is proud of you. Keep up the good work.

P.S. The critics are there to make you better so let them keep hating on you. God has definitely blessed you and No Man can take it away.

You guys need to leave Ato alone, the man had an opinion and he said what was on his mind.......so tell me, what happen to free speech?. You people too bright to come play you want to chase off on Bolden's name. When he bigging up Usain nobody saying anything, now he said something millions of us thought, you all want to crucify him. Gwaan Ato, speak your darn mind, let them eat up themselves ..... after all, you not a now come, you been around for years.

Ato use to rip off his shirt but the difference is, he did it at the completion of the race, not during the race. This vincy gal ah say, FREE SPEECH FOR ATO!

Ato,

The only bright spot in the US Olympic Track & Field showing has been YOU and your coverage of the events for NBC!

You are very well spoken, have a polished on-air appearance, and your commentary is insightful, honest, and accurate without hyperbole.

This is the first time I've seen you as a TV commentator, so I don't know how long you've been doing this, but I can't say enough... GREAT JOB!

I hope to see you more in the future, perhaps in sports other than track & field.

Ryan Green
Phoenix, AZ
UCLA School of Medicine 1996-2004 ;-)

Your doing a great job. Fantastic analysis of the races. As a South Carolina grad, I have been tracking our men & women. Do you know what happened to Terrence Trammell? I wish you well.

LITTLE SAD THAT YOU WHILE COMMENTATING ON THE US BROADCAST YOU DID NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE THAT THE TRINIDAD WOMEN DROPPED THE BATTON. COOOOOOOME ON..THE USA DIDNT HAVE A GOOD NIGHT....THINGS HAPPEN...AND ON THIS NIGHT THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO YOUR PEOPLE.

Ato, I live in the States and have THOROUGHLY enjoyed your color commentary during the Beijing Games in Track and Field. Your passion and enthusiasm, coupled with your knowledge, is outstanding and you're really doing an A-1 job of wrapping it all together concisely for an exciting experience as a viewer!

Hopefully you'll be called on to do the same in London in 2012

All the best

Stew
stewcarson@hotmail.com

I don't see what the big deal is.. is Bolt the FIRST person to celebrate a win.. or start to celebrate when you KNOWINGLY got it in the bag. If it were me i would have done the same.. years of practice and training, hell let him celebrate

Ato u very well had your times too

Very proud to see you covering the Beijing Olympics. I met you once a long time ago when you were awarded the Chaconia Gold, along with my father, Christoher R. Thomas. Keep up the good work!

Isnt this the same Ato Boldon who used to be the cockiest guy on di field? beat him chest and strip off him shirt and alla that?( yes i enjoyed you shirtless) but ummmm Pot calling Kettle Black much?

Plus babes, you didnt set a RIDONKULOUS worlds record, so i say Usain's celebrations are proportional to his achievment.

I love you too Ato, so stop badmind mind di young bwoy and start live good wid we, cuz right about now JA throwin some serious hatin ur way.

Jay, I distinctly saw the young man look around for his competion before celebrating...so it seems that he knew he had won. And he has been proven to be correct. SO yeah..it appears that there was cause to celebrate...Also I was embarassed by Oto not stepping up and explaining to poor Costas that he was missing the point.

And in answer to your question, Jay, about what there is to hate on .....Count up the Jamaican medals this olympics and the trini medals .....and then continue your hatin' It only makes us stronger.

TO THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ato you're doing a spectacular job, some people may be a critic but it takes a professional to point out when someone is wrong even thought they may be from your region, because you're from a place does not mean you can't have an opinion about someone from you region.

Some people say it's hating on jamaica, who the hell want to hate on jamaica? there doing a good job doing that to themself, usain bolt is a good sprinter but he still have a long way to go when you're 21 you still two steps back from being a teenager and he still have that type of mental playful thinking, everyone celebrates after a win "after" is the key word.

Again blessings and guidance on your journey Ato and even when the haters come upon you they shall stumble and fall.

Lesson to Usain and the jamaican massive: let another man praise thee, a stranger and not thine own lips, celebrate after know you won the lotto not before.

YOU DAMN ROAST BREADFRUIT!!! SELLOUT BAND MIND!!!! JAMAICA TO THE WORLD!!!! YOU WISH YOU WERE USAIN BOLT!!!!

Let's see here...add perspective, insight, balanced enthusiasm and intellect to a respectful, well spoken gentleman and you get Ato Bolton. Reeeeeeeeeally enjoyed your work in covering the Olympic 100 and 200 meter races. It helped myself and millions of others truly realize the greatness of what will go down as a once-in-a-lifetime performance...and for that I thank you!

Be well and congratulations,

Thomas Allard
Walnut Creek, CA

Congratulations on your successful career at athletics, you inspired many. You do a solid job substantiating your analysis on NBC, I look forward to hearing you at future games.

Oh, please. Tell everyone to shut it with what you SHOULD and should not be doing on NBC.

But, hello. You are doing an awesome job. Your analysis is spirited, yet cogent. Rock on.

You're doing an excellent job commentating for NBC! Your best line so far HAS to be after Bolt ran that 9.69 and you said that "we have now entered into the realm of VIDEO GAME times"!!! Classic!

hi ato, i am joshua, i am 4 years old. i like how you run speed.

this is angel here, i just wanted to say that i think you are very talented. you do trinidad and tobago proud.
have fun in beijing horse