(LEX 18) — As the 2026 Milan-Cortino Winter Olympics begins, LEX 18's Larry Smith is reflecting on his unforgettable experience covering the 2006 Torino Games in Italy as a CNN Sports correspondent.
"Covering an Olympics is NOT a glamour assignment," Smith said. "The days are long and the work is immense, but it was three weeks I wouldn't trade for anything."
Smith's Olympic adventure began right after covering Super Bowl XL in Detroit, taking him from America's automotive hub to Italy's car capital - Torino, home to Fiat and other Italian automotive brands.
Smith's dorm-style room had tile floors and a bathroom with no shower curtain or rod. The hot water heaters couldn't handle demand, meaning cold showers became the daily norm.
Media access required creativity. While NBC had exclusive deals with top athletes, other networks like CNN found ways around restrictions by attending sponsor events at "Puma House," "Visa Club," and "Bud Light Plaza," where gold medalists would appear and talk to visiting media.
The Italian dining schedule created challenges too. After finishing morning live shots at around 4 p.m. local time, restaurants were closed until dinner - too late for the media schedule. Smith and colleagues solved this by bribing a museum chef to stay late and prepare homemade pasta.
Smith handled up to six live shots per hour for different CNN platforms, using a complex system of notepads to stay organized while broadcasting against the backdrop of Torino's iconic Mole museum and the Italian Alps.
Despite the challenges, Smith found beauty in industrial Torino, particularly during walks along the River Po, capturing photos that told a different story than the city's reputation suggested.
"No matter the location, the Olympic Games remain one of the most special sporting events of our times," Smith said. "To be a part of the machine to report and analyze the competition will always be a highlight of my career."
