Is The End Of The Olympics In Sight?

[Tugg Speedman]

Or they could just drape the signage with say, black curtains like the NCAA does to all of the beer advertising at the Bradley Center during the tournaments.

Nope!  This is the Olympics, not some two-bit event for the unwashed like the NCAA.  They want everything tailored to them because they believe the Olympics transcend sports and is one fo the most important events humans can do.  It comes down and their own sign, which probably costs more than the sign that comes down, goes up in its place.

Why so you think it costs $20 to $50 billion to host these things (see Bejing in 2008, Sochi in 2014, both were over $50 billion in costs).  This is why they economically cripple the host city (see Rio)?  These are the most expensive over-the-top events a city can do.

Again, like above, you think the IOC is a bunch of reasonable people.  They are not.

-------------

added ... how unreasonable is the IOC? 

They demand that roads are closed so IOC officials can be whisked around to and from events and cocktail parties, complete with police escorts.  It is like having 30 to 50 POTUS in your city at the same time.   It snarls and gridlocks cities and make commuting an unbelievable nightmare.

Why do you think we have stories every Olympics of athletes getting to venues late and missing their events?  They are not careless.  It is the IOC waiting to be treated like princes and emperors that cripple commuting for everyone.

Oh, and the IOC demands the host Olympic committee do everything in their power to prevent the press covering the Olympics from these stories from getting out.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/olympics-games-lanes-cause-rush-hour-traffic-jams-in-london-7975858.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9419914/London-2012-Olympics-IOC-President-Jacques-Rogge-insists-he-is-working-class-despite-VIP-treatment.html

http://www.aol.co.uk/cars/2012/05/14/london-traffic-lights-rigged-to-make-sure-city-got-olympics/
One of the biggest hindrances to the London bid was congestion in the City, so to counteract it, every car that contained a visiting IOC member was fitted with a GPS tracker.

By coordinating with the London Traffic Control Centre, which is based near Victoria Station and controls hundreds of traffic surveillance cameras, it was ensured that the IOC officials never hit a red light.

Yes the IOC made London spend millions to make sure they personally did not have the inconvenience of waiting at so much as one red light in the middle of the biggest traffic jam on the planet.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I thought the Boston bid was unique.  They planned to use mostly existing facilities at all the area colleges.  The Athletes village for housing was going to become dormitories for one of the area public universities.  For sports facilities that were missing, they were banking on making a bunch of low cost temporary structures that would all come down after the games.  Scaffolding stadium on Boston Common for beach volleyball. 
In the end, even this was more than they wanted to spend.

[GGGG]

Wasn't Madison rumored to be the target site for cycling?

The road race at one point was going to be out in the Blue Mounds area.

[tower912]

The end game is that there will be a few venues that are relatively permanent.    Like the Big East always going to MSG.   

[Tugg Speedman]

The end game is that there will be a few venues that are relatively permanent.    Like the Big East always going to MSG.

Will all countries contribute funds for these venues?  And if they pick China, how will it go down here that taxpayer money go to upkeep Olympic venues in China.  If they pick the US, will China and the Middle East contribute?

If the host country shoulders the financial burden alone, how will that go down?  Will taxpayers here be happy with subsidizing billions in world class sports venues in the United States so countries from around the world get to "free ride" athletes into the US for medals and glory?  When your train breaks down on your commute to work because of a lack of funding, you cool with billions going to sports stadiums in LA?  Or are you cool with sitting in traffic 60 to 90 minutes to get home because the highway funding is now going to a swimming complex for the Olympics?

And is everyone for it.  Look at how Boston balked at the Olympics.  Imagine your city was chosen and one summer every four years your home and place of work are essentially unlivable.  Curfews, mind blogging traffic, guys with automatic weapons stopping you every day as part of the security.  Wealthy tourist in for the games disrupting the daily routine.  Do you want this to happen to you regularly? 

And how about the politics?  When the cousin of a Syrian fencer blows himself up in downtown LA a few weeks before the Olympics, and that fencer expresses support for his cousin, you must allow him into the country and protect him so he can compete.  This is part of being the permanent venue leaving you with no choice on these matters.  You think everyone is ok with this?  Don't think this is possible?  Many world class distance runners are from African/Muslim countries and some have made anti-American statements.  So far this issue has not come up but we are getting closer every day.

If they pick a middle eastern country than bans gays (or Russia, which does the same), we ok with sending our athletes telling them to keep quiet about their sexual orientation?  They are a permanent venue now, we no longer have a choice in the matter.

So while this makes sense, in theory, implementing such a scheme will be difficult to impossible.

[warriorchick]

  Imagine your city was chosen and one summer every four years your home and place of work are essentially unlivable.  Curfews, mind blogging traffic, guys with automatic weapons stopping you every day as part of the security.  Wealthy tourist in for the games disrupting the daily routine.  Do you want this to happen to you regularly? 

Absolutely.  I would rent out my place for a crapload of money and get the hell out of town for those two weeks.

[jficke13]

Will all countries contribute funds for these venues?  And if they pick China, how will it go down here that taxpayer money go to upkeep Olympic venues in China.  If they pick the US, will China and the Middle East contribute?

If the host country shoulders the financial burden alone, how will that go down?  Will taxpayers here be happy with subsidizing billions in world class sports venues in the United States so countries from around the world get to "free ride" athletes into the US for medals and glory?  When your train breaks down on your commute to work because of a lack of funding, you cool with billions going to sports stadiums in LA?  Or are you cool with sitting in traffic 60 to 90 minutes to get home because the highway funding is now going to a swimming complex for the Olympics?

And is everyone for it.  Look at how Boston balked at the Olympics.  Imagine your city was chosen and one summer every four years your home and place of work are essentially unlivable.  Curfews, mind blogging traffic, guys with automatic weapons stopping you every day as part of the security.  Wealthy tourist in for the games disrupting the daily routine.  Do you want this to happen to you regularly? 

And how about the politics?  When the cousin of a Syrian fencer blows himself up in downtown LA a few weeks before the Olympics, and that fencer expresses support for his cousin, you must allow him into the country and protect him so he can compete.  This is part of being the permanent venue leaving you with no choice on these matters.  You think everyone is ok with this?  Don't think this is possible?  Many world class distance runners are from African/Muslim countries and some have made anti-American statements.  So far this issue has not come up but we are getting closer every day.

If they pick a middle eastern country than bans gays (or Russia, which does the same), we ok with sending our athletes telling them to keep quiet about their sexual orientation?  They are a permanent venue now, we no longer have a choice in the matter.

So while this makes sense, in theory, implementing such a scheme will be difficult to impossible.

Heisy:

Any chance you might indulge me by telling me why you engage in disaster fantasies involving the Olympics, muse that the "end of the Olympics is in sight" and then dismiss any suggestions of possible reforms as unthinkable because it will be business as usual forever by engaging in another disaster fantasy?

I can only assume your daily internet routine goes a little like this: Post thread with vaguely discernible position -> wait for someone to disagree -> drink sweet, sweet, life-sustaining internet conflict -> disagree with that person /repeat ad infitum.

Everyone Else:

Want to try an experiment? When Heisy creates some thread, just comment "I agree with this analysis" and see how long it takes before he melts down?

[warriorchick]

Nope!  This is the Olympics, not some two-bit event for the unwashed like the NCAA.  They want everything tailored to them because they believe the Olympics transcend sports and is one fo the most important events humans can do.  It comes down and their own sign, which probably costs more than the sign that comes down, goes up in its place.

Why so you think it costs $20 to $50 billion to host these things (see Bejing in 2008, Sochi in 2014, both were over $50 billion in costs).  This is why they economically cripple the host city (see Rio)?  These are the most expensive over-the-top events a city can do.

Again, like above, you think the IOC is a bunch of reasonable people.  They are not.

-------------

added ... how unreasonable is the IOC? 

They demand that roads are closed so IOC officials can be whisked around to and from events and cocktail parties, complete with police escorts.  It is like having 30 to 50 POTUS in your city at the same time.   It snarls and gridlocks cities and make commuting an unbelievable nightmare.

Why do you think we have stories every Olympics of athletes getting to venues late and missing their events?  They are not careless.  It is the IOC waiting to be treated like princes and emperors that cripple commuting for everyone.

Oh, and the IOC demands the host Olympic committee do everything in their power to prevent the press covering the Olympics from these stories from getting out.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/olympics-games-lanes-cause-rush-hour-traffic-jams-in-london-7975858.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9419914/London-2012-Olympics-IOC-President-Jacques-Rogge-insists-he-is-working-class-despite-VIP-treatment.html

http://www.aol.co.uk/cars/2012/05/14/london-traffic-lights-rigged-to-make-sure-city-got-olympics/
One of the biggest hindrances to the London bid was congestion in the City, so to counteract it, every car that contained a visiting IOC member was fitted with a GPS tracker.

By coordinating with the London Traffic Control Centre, which is based near Victoria Station and controls hundreds of traffic surveillance cameras, it was ensured that the IOC officials never hit a red light.

Yes the IOC made London spend millions to make sure they personally did not have the inconvenience of waiting at so much as one red light in the middle of the biggest traffic jam on the planet.

And let's not even mention the unbelievable human rights violations that took place in China and Russia during the construction of facilities, etc. that the IOC turned a blind eye to.

[Tugg Speedman]

Absolutely.  I would rent out my place for a crapload of money and get the hell out of town for those two weeks.

You and 7 million other people trying to do the same.  And its not two weeks.  It is the two weeks before and the week after.  That's five weeks.  Then a month later they have the para-Olympic games in the same venues.  So now we are at seven weeks.

[#UnleashSean]

You and 7 million other people trying to do the same.  And its not two weeks.  It is the two weeks before and the week after.  That's five weeks.  Then a month later they have the para-Olympic games in the same venues.  So now we are at seven weeks.

I know this is an anti 2017 statement. But the Para Olympic games draw no where near the same numbers

[Tugg Speedman]

I know this is an anti 2017 statement. But the Para Olympic games draw no where near the same numbers

True but they still keep the venues open and make commuting /living within your routine difficult while the event is ongoing.

[warriorchick]

True but they still keep the venues open and make commuting /living within your routine difficult while the event is ongoing.

Plus all the good parking spots are taken.

[tower912]

Will all countries contribute funds for these venues?  And if they pick China, how will it go down here that taxpayer money go to upkeep Olympic venues in China.  If they pick the US, will China and the Middle East contribute?

If the host country shoulders the financial burden alone, how will that go down?  Will taxpayers here be happy with subsidizing billions in world class sports venues in the United States so countries from around the world get to "free ride" athletes into the US for medals and glory?  When your train breaks down on your commute to work because of a lack of funding, you cool with billions going to sports stadiums in LA?  Or are you cool with sitting in traffic 60 to 90 minutes to get home because the highway funding is now going to a swimming complex for the Olympics?

And is everyone for it.  Look at how Boston balked at the Olympics.  Imagine your city was chosen and one summer every four years your home and place of work are essentially unlivable.  Curfews, mind blogging traffic, guys with automatic weapons stopping you every day as part of the security.  Wealthy tourist in for the games disrupting the daily routine.  Do you want this to happen to you regularly? 

And how about the politics?  When the cousin of a Syrian fencer blows himself up in downtown LA a few weeks before the Olympics, and that fencer expresses support for his cousin, you must allow him into the country and protect him so he can compete.  This is part of being the permanent venue leaving you with no choice on these matters.  You think everyone is ok with this?  Don't think this is possible?  Many world class distance runners are from African/Muslim countries and some have made anti-American statements.  So far this issue has not come up but we are getting closer every day.

If they pick a middle eastern country than bans gays (or Russia, which does the same), we ok with sending our athletes telling them to keep quiet about their sexual orientation?  They are a permanent venue now, we no longer have a choice in the matter.

So while this makes sense, in theory, implementing such a scheme will be difficult to impossible.

And  you said to sell Apple.    You thrive on panic.     You make your money off of gloom.   Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Los Angeles is one of the 3 permanent rotating sites.     How many large outdoor stadiums already exist in Los Angeles?    How many universities already have facilities that can be adapted?    If a new venue for, say, swimming and diving, needs to be built, how many other people are going to be able to use it to train for the olympics, how many PAC 1? championships will be held there, etc.   Yes, it will need to be subsidized, but it will be subsidized by UCLA, USC, the PAC 1?, the US Olympic committee, and the IOC, knowing that every 12 years, there is going to be an inconvenient month.   
   Same with a permanent kayaking venue.    You don't think it will be at least partially subsidized by year round use?     Track and field.  The new football stadium going up.    The Rose Bowl.          Do the same with one sports-crazy area in Europe and one in Asia.     Done.   

[Pakuni]

It's no coincidence that the only Olympics to turn a profit in the past 20 years took place in North America (Atlanta, Salt Lake City and Vancouver ... London purportedly broke even).
Not to sound like a jingoistic snob, but the fact is some of these locations being awarded Olympics (looking at you Rio and Athens) lack the political, infrastructural and economic wherewithal to put on and support an Olympics, and they had no business winning bids.
(Side note: This, of course, matters little to the IOC. They award bids based on best bribes, not a city's actual ability to pull of the event).

I have little doubt that a Chicago Olympics would have succeeded, and I have little doubt an LA Olympics will succeed, as it did in '84. I do very much doubt the IOC's ability to recognize this and choose cities based on their ability to host as opposed to other con$ideration$.

[dgies9156]

True but they still keep the venues open and make commuting /living within your routine difficult while the event is ongoing.

In Chicago, the master plan called for closing multiple lanes of the Kennedy Expressway from O'Hare International Airport to the proposed Olympic venues. The closed lanes would be available for members of the International Olympic Committee and such other designees as the IOC and the OOC in Chicago might designate.

If that wasn't bad enough, Chicago being Chicago would have had a cost overrun second to none in the developed world. We would ahve been paying for the improvements into the next Millennium.

[Tugg Speedman]

And  you said to sell Apple.    You thrive on panic.     You make your money off of gloom.   Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Los Angeles is one of the 3 permanent rotating sites.     How many large outdoor stadiums already exist in Los Angeles?    How many universities already have facilities that can be adapted?    If a new venue for, say, swimming and diving, needs to be built, how many other people are going to be able to use it to train for the olympics, how many PAC 1? championships will be held there, etc.   Yes, it will need to be subsidized, but it will be subsidized by UCLA, USC, the PAC 1?, the US Olympic committee, and the IOC, knowing that every 12 years, there is going to be an inconvenient month.   
   Same with a permanent kayaking venue.    You don't think it will be at least partially subsidized by year round use?     Track and field.  The new football stadium going up.    The Rose Bowl.          Do the same with one sports-crazy area in Europe and one in Asia.     Done.

Does the IOC have underpaid people in windowless rooms workling on this?

[tower912]

Yup.   Sending out panic laden messages to sell Apple. 

[Tugg Speedman]

Yup.   Sending out panic laden messages to sell Apple.

Good luck with that ... strong uptrend.  You should be long like me and make good coin.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I have found those that boast that they are long are often not.

We're talking about penis size right?

[Eldon]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/XFjYkrq5JU4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/XFjYkrq5JU4</a>

The only journalism that I miss in print is the Onion. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I know this is an anti 2017 statement. But the Para Olympic games draw no where near the same numbers

New Haven hosted the 1995 Special Olympics (obviously no where near the same scale as the Olympics) where everyone predicted doom & gloom traffic.  There turned out to be none at all, other than opening ceremony night at Yale Bowl where President Clinton and some celebrities attended and Hootie & the Blowfish at their peak played.

[Tugg Speedman]

IOC earmarks Paris and LA to host 2024 and 2028 summer Olympics
June 8, 2017

https://www.ft.com/content/f683076e-4c67-11e7-919a-1e14ce4af89b

Plan to award events in unprecedented double vote as cost fears deter other bidders

[muwarrior69]

I understand wanting the best athletes competing, but I think the Olympics lost their way when they allowed professionals to compete. I am sure Baron de Coubertin is rolling in his grave and his heart buried in Greece broken by how corrupt the games have become..

[warriorchick]

I understand wanting the best athletes competing, but I think the Olympics lost their way when they allowed professionals to compete. I am sure Baron de Coubertin is rolling in his grave and his heart buried in Greece broken by how corrupt the games have become..

The "amateur' Olympics were a joke.  American athletes forced to live in near poverty in order to remain eligible, while the Soviet athletes were all members of the "military" whose assigned duties were to train in their sport full-time.

Allowing professional athletes substantially leveled the playing field, as it were.

[Tugg Speedman]

The "amateur' Olympics were a joke.  American athletes forced to live in near poverty in order to remain eligible, while the Soviet athletes were all members of the "military" whose assigned duties were to train in their sport full-time.

Allowing professional athletes substantially leveled the playing field, as it were.

I agree .... amateur status was a borderline human rights violation.