Comments on: Rio Gets Olympics

By: Jeeter

Jeeter — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:23:55 +0000

Then it got blowd up too.

By: JM

JM — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:28:06 +0000

One word: Atlanta

I don’t think many Americans are aware of how badly that grated on the rest of the world – first the US gets the Olympics for the second time in 20 odd years and then they completely stuff it up.*

Or think about what Samaranch said when asked (by Rogge I think on the second or third day when the scale of the disaster was completely apparent) “Why did we give these people the Games?”:- “They lied” was Samaranch’s response.

* The phrase used by the US press “logistical problems” whitewashes the whole thing. When even some competitors can’t make it to their own events you *know* you’ve got a transportation problem

By: Phil

Phil — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 05:13:02 +0000

Hey I don’t know about you guys. But where would you rather go for two weeks if you were an Olympic official, Rio or Chicago? Think carefully now….hmm….

By: mxh

mxh — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:57:15 +0000

Rio deserves it, South America has never hosted the olympics. The US has hosted it 8 times.

By: llewelly

llewelly — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:44:23 +0000

It is generally thought that Chicago’s best chance was to get the African votes, and these votes didn’t come through at least in part as a reaction from 8 years of being treated like crap by the US.

I’m relieved to hear they only remember the last 8 years of it. I guess 8 years of really shitty treatment can wipe out memories of a decades of slightly less shitty treatment? (Not to mention centuries of truly abominable treatment?)

By: chris

chris — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:00:29 +0000

I love samba, and the dancing and parading that goes with it. I think these may be the most rhythmic and swaying opening ceremonies in history. Should be pretty awesome, actually.

By: Bill James

Bill James — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:55:14 +0000

As the world rejoices we are left with yet another sign the United States did not escape the Bush (UU) era unscathed. It was a good decision.

By: davem

davem — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:25:27 +0000

Bush’s fault? While he didn’t help, he’s in a long line of presidents who asked of African countries: Do they have oil? Can we put a base there? Yes – then let’s support the local right-wing fascist dictator. No? – let’s leave them to rot instead.

As to tourists coming into the States, last time I tried that, the old lady next to me was arrested and frog-marched off by four policemen, all because she had an orange in her possession. Welcome to America, indeed. I believe that it has got much worse since.

By: jake

jake — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:34:02 +0000

It should be pointed out, that the right and the GOP is going absolutely nuts over this. Because……..

By: NoAstronomer

NoAstronomer — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:22:26 +0000

Rio is a good pick, definitely would have been my choice.

Having an extremely vociferous anti-olympic-bid team there from Chicago probably didn’t help their effort. Chicago was the first city voted out.