Ex-USOC spokesman Mike Moran dead at 78 after short illness

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (AP) — Former US Olympic Committee spokesman Mike Moran died Tuesday after a short illness at age 78, according to the University of Colorado.

Moran served as the Buffaloes’ sports information director for 11 years before his stint as chief communications officer and principal spokesman for the USOC from 1978-2003.

He spent the last 17 years as senior media consultant for the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation as well as serving as a keynote speaker and emcee for numerous sports events.

In 2002, Moran received the USOC’s highest honor, the General Douglas MacArthur Award, and was inducted into the College Sports Information Director’s Hall of Fame.

Born in 1942 in Omaha, Nebraska, Moran played college basketball and baseball at South Dakota University and the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he graduated in 1966.

After spending two years as Nebraska-Omaha’s sports information director, he took a similar job at Colorado, replacing Fred Casotti in 1968.

Moran’s time with the USOC included the 1980 gold medal in hockey, America’s boycott of the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow and the Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding drama in 1994.

“Mike’s passing just left a huge void in the Olympic movement,” said Bob Condron, retired USOC director of media services and operations. “He was ‘The Library’ when it came to what has happened in the history of the U.S. Olympic Committee and that knowledge will go with Mike.”

“I am where I am today 100 percent due to Mike,” said David Plati, associate athletic director/sports information at Colorado since 1984.

Services are pending.

Sadly, suggested Steve Hatchell, president and CEO of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame, “the best emcee for Mike’s services would be Mike Moran.”