The view from here

This week’s major news is the countdown to the announcement of the 2016 Summer Olympic host city on Friday. The four finalists are Madrid, Rio, Chicago and Tokyo. Here are my thoughts on how each city, I think, will do in the vote.

4. Madrid: Since 1952 the Summer Games have not been held on one continent back-to-back. The next Summer Olympics in 2012 will be held in London and the Winter Olympics in 2014 will be held in Sachi, Russia. The IOC is not going to change this just for King Juan Carlos. Sorry Madrid.

3. Chicago: You can call me un-American but I never thought Chicago was fit to host the Olympics. Chicago does not have a very good political history. That could hurt them here. Crime is also a big problem for the city. This Chicago organizing committee has it all wrong; its plan is to win the bid then start building stadiums and arenas for the games. I also think economics play a big role. Chicago and the US as a whole can’t afford the games. I think President Obama and First Lady Michelle’s presence in Copenhagen will help but the long-standing dispute the US Olympic Committee has with the IOC will hurt their chances. I hope Chicago doesn’t win and repeat what happen to Denver. In 1970 Denver was granted the 1976 Winter Games: The city had to give up the Games after Colorado voters rejected a $5 Million bond issue to finance the undertaking. Don’t let history repeat it’s self.

2. Tokyo: I think Tokyo has a good plan and would be a good host; they have not held the games since 1964. Tokyo could suffer from the fact that Beijing hosted the Games last year. It will not be the first time the games have been staged on the same continent within eight years. According to the BBC, of the 34 planned venues, 23 already exist with many venues used during the 1964 Games are set to be refurbished. As Japan is one of the first countries to come through the recession, the government has already put the budget for construction and infrastructure aside. The city has also successfully staged the 2002 World Cup Final and has a ton of experience hosting other worldwide championships, including the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.

1. Rio: I would love to see the Olympics for the first time in South America. Can you imagine Beach Volleyball on Copacabana Beach? Rio hosted the 2007 Pan-American Games, which was called the “best in history” it will also host the World Cup in 2014. According to the bid website, they plan to stage all the competitions inside the city that will make it easy to get to for fans and media alike. I think it would be fun to go to Brazil.

Sunday was week 3 of the NFL season and was one of two weeks that the NFC played teams in the AFC teams stadiums, because of this the Patriots played on the FOX network. Usually they are televised on CBS. FOX usually shows the New York Giants. This week the Pats and Giants played at the same time and according to Doug Stewart of FOX61 in CT the network in New York decided that the station got the Giants. This meant I don’t see the Pats beat the Atlanta Falcons. As you can expect, I was furious. Doug did say that they made every attempt to satisfy the wishes of their viewers and sometimes they have been successful, but, not this time. I should have caught that FOX61 was going with the Giants game earlier in the week, the schedule come out on Wednesday, I should have made alternate plans, like going to Massachusetts to my cousin’s house. This is the only time this situation will happen this season. Thank god.

This Weekend

This weekend the event I am looking forward to is the National Rugby League Grand Final from Australia @11 A.M. Sunday October 4 on Spike. I have watched a little of the first few weeks of the playoffs and I’ve got to tell you it put football to shame. Rugby League is one of the toughest sports in the world, the players don’t wear any protection. I don’t understand all the rules yet but it is a very exciting sport. Check it out, I know I will.

See you next week, if not before

Jamie Lazaroff