1 HOT DOG, WE HAVE A WIENER … OH SNAP … The feed from CNN when Chicago was taken off the ballot. Jingoism much?
2 ON THE SIDE OF THE ANGELS … Dave Zirin (Edge of Sports) is one of a rare breed – a sportswriter with a sense of social justice. Which is why I, originally, was surprised that he didn't care for Chicago's bid for the Olympics. (The Nation). Then again, his reasons were based in experience and the impact games such as these have on the economy – benefitting the rich at the expense of the poor. But opposing Chicago's bid lumps him, on the surface, with these bunch (Huffington Post) of numbskulls (Washington Monthly) let loose in public (Talking Points Memo) … who Rachel Maddow (Crooks and Liars) and Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman (New York Times) call out.
3 JACK BAUER SAID 'SHUT UP, I'M WATCHING BEACH VOLLEYBALL …' One reason why Chicago's bid went south is because of the United States' hostility to visitors. During the review process, a Pakistani IOC official asked Obama why he should vote to hold the Olympics in a country where the athletes, coaches, officials, and fans would be treated like criminals for coming into the country. Obama couldn't give him a straight answer. (New York Times). The problems with getting into the United States – some of it in the wake of 9/11, but mostly caused by a Border Patrol mentality that's more akin to the mindset of correction officers at San Quentin – has meant there's been no major scientific conferences Stateside since that ugly day, and it also spells trouble for the U.S. bid to host the World Cup of Soccer in 2018 or 2022. (Wikipedia) It's also impacted tourism. Not that Americans care much – apart from the Grey Lady, no other media outlet has touched that issue with a ten foot pole.
4 DICK CHENEY WOULD HAVE SAID THERE WERE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION HIDDEN IN THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA'S BIKINI … Yeah, with this guy's help, what could have gone wrong with Chicago's bid? (The White House).
5 SO WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? The propensity for IOC members for self-aggrandizement (not to mention bribery) aside, it's clear that the United States – and to a lesser extent Europe – doesn't hold sway over the Olympic movement the way it once did. Rio was a pretty good compromise – it's in the all-important Eastern time zone, so most of the 2016 games can be seen during prime time. And South America has never hosted the Olympics before. There's a few other places where the Olympics have never been, either – Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and in the Moslem world. Dubai has entered the 2020 sweepstakes (GamesBids.com), Istanbul has made a few bids (BBC), Durban, South Africa is contemplating a bid for 2020 (insidethegames.com), and Mumbai organizer of the 2012 Commonwealth Games want to do the same thing that Rio did with the 2007 Pan American Games – use it as a springboard to bigger and better things. (GamesBids.com)If I were a betting man, I wouldn't put money on a summer Olympics being held in North America within the next 30 years. So these guys (GamesBids.com) may as well give up now.
6 OBLIGATORY MONTY PYTHON VIDEOS ... In honor of the Olympics ...
and the Paralympics ....
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