Auf Wiedersehen, Chicago Olympics 2016
October 2, 2009 Posted in Buzz
Look who's on top of the world now, Oprah!
The International Olympic Committee’s votes are in, and despite the best efforts of Americans—including Oprah and President Obama—Chicago will not be hosting the summer games in 2016. Instead, that honor is going to Rio de Janeiro.
Let me repeat that: the International Olympic Committee snubbed Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama, probably the two most powerful people in the United States—maybe even the world. Chi-town got knocked out in the very first round of voting. What the hell, IOC? Who turns down Oprahbama? (On the flip side – why didn’t Oprah give the entire committee “A NEW CARRRRR!!” to sway their votes?) Unless Rio somehow hypnotized the judges by having a bevy of hot Brazilian models stun them into submission, I cry shenanigans on this whole thing.
Okay, maybe it’s a little ridiculous that the Olympics have never taken place in a South American city. And I guess it hasn’t been very long since the US last hosted an Olympics in 2002. But come on. Salt Lake City, home of approximately four zillion Mormons and not much else, gets the Winter Games, but Chicago, the third-largest city in the nation and the birthplace of life-changing inventions like softball and deep dish pizza, gets the shaft? And for Rio de Janeiro, land of perpetual Carnival? The athletes are going to be too hung over to even compete!
On a more serious note, the city is also notorious for drug trafficking and violence: in 2007, there were nearly 30 homicides a week in Rio. The Olympics have already been a lightning rod for danger—think about the bombings in Atlanta in 1996, or the massacre in Munich in 1972—and holding the games in a city that’s already volatile just seems like a recipe for disaster. Wouldn’t Chicago, where the winds are strong but the people are mild mannered and stuffed to the gills with hot dogs, have been a safer choice?
Enjoy Rio, people. Just hold onto your purses.
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H says:
Fri, 2nd Oct 200910:14 am
"Wouldn’t Chicago, where the winds are strong but the people are mild mannered and stuffed to the gills with hot dogs, have been a safer choice?"
Are you serious? Chicago is a dangerous city and the last thing they need to be focusing on is the Olympics. They have much more important things to worry about like gang violence and the amount of teens and others that have been killed in the past few years because of it. Just over a week ago a 16 year old honor student walking home from school was beaten to death by a bunch of hoodlums on the street while dozens of people watched (and videotaped).
Zoey says:
Fri, 2nd Oct 200910:48 am
Holy cow! I hope this was a joke article.
"Let me repeat that: the International Olympic Committee snubbed Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama, probably the two most powerful people in the United States—maybe even the world."
Maybe it's just me, but I find that a little sad. Heck, I love Obama! But Oprah… she's a television personality and what does she have to do with sports??
"Chicago, the third-largest city in the nation"
From Wikipedia: "the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America"
So just because Chicago is the third largest city in the states, it therefore trumps everywhere else in the world? Okay…
Casey says:
Fri, 2nd Oct 200911:37 am
H, you took the words right out of my mouth!
Hillary, the fact that you're using violence in the cities that host the Olympics as your argument, completely defeats your argument all together, considering Chicago has one of the highest crime rates in the entire country, I'm pretty sire it's top 5 if not number 1.
Hosting the Olympics would have been great for our economy, but considering we JUST hosted them within the past ten years, I totally understand why we weren't even considered for the 2016's. Everyone needs to get an equal opportunity to host, it would just be unfair if we got it three times in 3 decades. We have an entire world of countries hoping to get a chance to host. We can't be selfish.
Jo Morgan says:
Fri, 2nd Oct 20091:37 pm
I'm not surprised that Chicago didn't get the Olympics. It seems that Pres. Obama broke all kinds of "protocal" with the Olympic Committee by even attending. (I'm not agreeing or disagree with him going…its just what I heard). Also, it was fantastic when SLC had the Olympics and Mitt Romney came in a busted wide open the horrible corruption that took place during the Olympics. Chicago is notorious for its corruption and crime and it is Pres. Obama's city. I can see why he would want Chicago to have it, but I am glad that South America got it. I'm sick of the political corruption.
Claire says:
Fri, 2nd Oct 20093:54 pm
Why such a sour grapes-ish article?
Its highly possible that Rio's Olympic pitch was better than Chicagos and as far as crime goes, pretty sure the IOC would've assessed that before even considering sending thousands of athletes to compete there. I'd write more, but the above comments pretty much sum it up.
João says:
Sat, 3rd Oct 20092:22 am
Hi,
I'm from Brazil (but already lived in the US also) and so I can tell some stuff about Rio
Well, I really can't get why there were no Olympics in South America. And I'm not only talking about Brazil this time. There are lots of great place in which te Olympics could be held. However, talking about security and diversity, Brazil is the best choice.
Rio… I myself don't like the city. I know a lot of people who love the place, but I wouldn't live there. However, for an event, vacations or anything like that, it's great.
As of the violence, both Chicago and Rio are violent cities. The crime rates are high in both of them. In my opinion, what led the guys decide for Rio was the project. No one was really impressed after Chicago's presentation, the oposite of what happened with Rio's.
In my opinion, there's a great chance of having amazing games in Rio. The project is good indeed (specially against the violence) and the place is great (unless you hate beaches, hot weather and that kinda stuff haha). So, let's give the city a chance
Congrats, Rio!
Cya!
Sarah says:
Sat, 3rd Oct 20094:54 am
Wow…College Candy…how…ethnocentric of you.
Who cares that Oprah was involved? Believe it or not, I think there are people in the world that haven't heard of her– maybe even some Olympic athletes.
It was nice of Obama to make the push for it and that's what counts is that he tried. Not once in the eight years that Bush was President did he ever stand up to the plate and beg the Olympic committee to consider some city in Texas. We tried. We failed. Get over it. And were you really that surprised that Chicago didn't get it? I'm not at all. Salt Lake City was only seven years ago.
We can't think like this. An article like this is why everyone hates the United States. Let's get involved with other countries. Let's promote unity. That's what the Olympics are about. So stop your complaining and get excited that the Olympics will be played out in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Rio de Janeiro.
Note to the Author
Also, please keep your religious comments about Mormons to yourself. It's inappropriate to criticize another person's religion, and I'm not even Mormon. And work on the structure of this article. (By the way, the title is off. Why a German phrase instead of a Portuguese one?) Surely that Ivy League educational institution you attend has a writing class you could take, no?
Alex says:
Sat, 3rd Oct 20095:40 pm
I dunno, it seems to me like this was just meant as a lighthearted post. And mentioning that Mormons live in Utah isn't a "criticism," it's just an observation.
Sarah, here is a Portuguese phrase, if you're desperate for one: Acalme-se.