Sochi Olympics Thread

[jesmu84]

So.. Bob Costas seems to have pinkeye... maybe the hotel condition in Sochi weren't exaggerated?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I used to love Bill Costas. Now I think hes just a d**k

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Saw him at the airport once... One of the shortest people I have ever seen.

[jesmu84]

Conditions...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bennyjohnson/proof-that-sochi-is-a-godforsaken-hellscape-right-now

http://thechive.com/2014/02/06/conditions-at-the-sochi-olympics-are-badhilarious-32-photos/

[tower912]

Trying to care about them, failing.  I know I will end up watching more than I intend to, I always do.   I just don't look forward with anticipation.  

[MUeng]

parade of nations is always awesome in my opinion.  Feels like the world is actually coming together in peace and all that sappy stuff

[GGGG]

parade of nations is always awesome in my opinion.  Feels like the world is actually coming together in peace and all that sappy stuff

In a stadium built by corruption and unpaid labor.

[Eldon]

I used to love Bill Costas. Now I think hes just a d**k

+1

[jesmu84]

In a stadium built by corruption and unpaid labor.

isn't that like 99% of olympic and world cup stadiums?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I used to love Bill Costas. Now I think hes just a d**k

The ultimate beta-male.

[GGGG]

isn't that like 99% of olympic and world cup stadiums?

Yep.

The IOC and FIFA used to award their events to places that actually an an infrastructure in place, but now they like to put them in places that require an infrastructure to build...South Africa...Rio...Sochi...Qatar...

Makes the graft easier I guess.

Perhaps putting the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo is a step back from that.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Yep.

The IOC and FIFA used to award their events to places that actually an an infrastructure in place, but now they like to put them in places that require an infrastructure to build...South Africa...Rio...Sochi...Qatar...

Makes the graft easier I guess.

Perhaps putting the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo is a step back from that.

Im still bitter about Chicago losing out to Rio. I was all ready to volunteer for the games.

[GGGG]

Im still bitter about Chicago losing out to Rio. I was all ready to volunteer for the games.

It really was for the best. 

[Coleman]

http://abcnews.go.com/news/t/blogEntry?id=22399431&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DRussia%2Bshower%26go%3D%26qs%3Dn%26form%3DQBLH%26pq%3Drussia%2Bshower%26sc%3D1-13%26sp%3D-1%26sk%3D%26cvid%3Dfdfd769fc4434d5ea0339236997d44de


In Soviet Russia, mirror looks at you

[jesmu84]

It really was for the best. 

Yes. Any city/cities that have to build new arena/stadiums/whatever and don't already have the infrastructure drastically suffer financially and economically. Especially in more recent years. Look at Salt Lake City, Vancouver, hell even Beijing. Empty/unused buildings. Money down the drain.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Didn't Romney turn SLC around?  They made money unlike most

[Hards Alumni]

Im still bitter about Chicago losing out to Rio. I was all ready to volunteer for the games.

Depending on how the World Cup goes this summer, you still might see the games.

I've heard nothing but bad things out of Rio/Brazil about stadium construction etc.

[Tugg Speedman]

Yes. Any city/cities that have to build new arena/stadiums/whatever and don't already have the infrastructure drastically suffer financially and economically. Especially in more recent years. Look at Salt Lake City, Vancouver, hell even Beijing. Empty/unused buildings. Money down the drain.

In Beijing the bird's is now an unused dilapidated stadium.  In 2008 it was the marvel of the world at nearly $1 billion.  Today it is an eye soar.

How is that a good idea that others want to repeat?

Glad Chicago did not get them.

[mu03eng]

In Beijing the bird's is now an unused dilapidated stadium.  In 2008 it was the marvel of the world at nearly $1 billion.  Today it is an eye soar.

How is that a good idea that others want to repeat?

Glad Chicago did not get them.

Keep in mind a large number of the venues in say Chicago already exist as opposed to something like Bejing.  Look at 1994 World Cup, US made a ton of money on that and it wasn't nearly as popular a sport as it is now.  Chicago actually could have done something with the majority of olympic venues after the fact.  Though I do think it's insane how there is an arms race to make everything the latest and greatest and basically a single purpose venue.

Besides if your a Keynesian that wasn't wasted money 

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Depending on how the World Cup goes this summer, you still might see the games.

I've heard nothing but bad things out of Rio/Brazil about stadium construction etc.

Nah, even if the world cup is a complete tire fire Chicago wont see it. That was gonna be Mayor Daleys crown jewel. Rahm would never put in for another bid.

[TallTitan34]

57% chance of a terrorist attack.  Experts believe once Sochi got the bid terrorist began entering the city to get construction and volunteer jobs at the Olympics. Four suicide bombers are somewhere in the city.

Unfortunately I see absolutely no good coming from these games. Hope everyone comes back safe but I doubt it.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

@sochiproblems.

great twitter feed.

[muwarrior69]

Im still bitter about Chicago losing out to Rio. I was all ready to volunteer for the games.

Ah yes, the corrupt politicians in Chicago got out corrupted by the the corrupt politicians in Rio.

[GGGG]

Keep in mind a large number of the venues in say Chicago already exist as opposed to something like Bejing.  Look at 1994 World Cup, US made a ton of money on that and it wasn't nearly as popular a sport as it is now.  Chicago actually could have done something with the majority of olympic venues after the fact.  Though I do think it's insane how there is an arms race to make everything the latest and greatest and basically a single purpose venue.

Besides if your a Keynesian that wasn't wasted money 

1994 made so much money because, outside of a few renovations like the Rose Bowl, the US already had infrastructure in place.  The WC should be in the US in 2022, but because of graft is going to be held in a country where it is too hot to play in the summer, where no quality stadiums existed when the bid was announced, and one projection is that *thousands* of workers will die.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/04/world-cup-2022-fifa-sepp-blatter-qatar-worker-deaths

And of course FIFA claims no responsibility.  It really is reprehensible. 

[Coleman]

57% chance of a terrorist attack.

According to who?

How do you even calculate something like that?