2008 Olympic Summer Games... host city?

[lmanchur.]

Two days ago, the IOC released its final report on the applicants wanting to host the 2008 Olympic Summer Games. The top three are Toronto, Canada; Paris, France; and Beijing, China.

Obviously, I'm a bit biased, but I think Toronto deserves to host the Olympics... they're the most populated city in Canada, and two MUCH less populated cities, Montreal and Calgary, have hosted the Olympics before (1974 summer, 1988 winter, respecitvely). Also, having the Olympics in Toronto would be the best place for Americans, because with little interest in the Games to begin with down there, there's no way NBC wants to air live events happening at 3:00 AM in America!!

China has never hosted the Olympics... the most populous country in the world also deserves the Games, and would it not be for some human rights issues, they basically have this thing in the bag already... maybe, though, the IOC won't want to have the Games there, because they don't want another "Los Angeles" or "Moscow" thing happening like it did 20-30 years ago when Russia didn't attend the games in L.A., and then the US didn't attend the games in Russia the following year...

Paris... not too sure what they're situation is, but definitely great contenders...

Other cities that have about zero chance to get the games are Istanbul, Turkey and Osaka, Japan.

If you had the vote in the IOC, who would you choose?


"If you ask the IOC members, they'll say China; If you ask the wives of the IOC members, they'll say Paris; and if you ask the atheletes, they'll say Toronto."

[Wedge231]

I would say Toronto because I don't like China for that whole plane crisis. Also, I agree with the times issue. I'd rather watch the Olympics at a normal time. And more live events, no more taped stuff.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by Wedge231
I would say Toronto because I don't like China for that whole plane crisis. Also, I agree with the times issue. I'd rather watch the Olympics at a normal time. And more live events, no more taped stuff. Well, those are American issues... remember, what the "I" stands for in "IOC" -- International! :)

[Marc]

I agree that Toronto would be a good place to host the Olympics. Raptor fans are some of the best in the league.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by M. James
I agree that Toronto would be a good place to host the Olympics. Raptor fans are some of the best in the league. ...also Leaf fans... I'd say Toronto is about the #1 or #2 city for hockey... Lacrosse fans are great there, too... Blue Jay fans?... I didn't even know there were any!!! ;)

Anyways, anyone else have a prediction or a say as to where they'd like to see or where they think the 2008 Olympic Summer Games will be held???

[NickHammy]

I think Toronto would be a great place to hold the Olympics.

[icas]

toronto would be awesome.... maybe then NBC's coverage could be good.... THEY SUCK!!!!!! i seriously wish someone else would cover the olympics here in the states... and also another thing.... if you show a whole sprint race you should show a whole distance race!!!!!!!!!!! aggg nbc.... ok i need to stop

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by icas
...and also another thing.... if you show a whole sprint race you should show a whole distance race!!!!!!!!!!! aggg nbc.... ok i need to stop WHAT!?.... OK I could see if it was the marathon race or something... but they don't show all of, say, a 1000-M race!?...

..geez!... even CBC airs the WHOLE triathalon race!... that's, like, 10 km of biking... 5 km of swiming.... 5 km or running or something!!!! :)

[Kamikaze Kiel]

Toronto would probably be a good place...but then again China has NEVER hosted the olympics yet. So either one will work for me.:P

[lmanchur.]

IMO, it's most definitely down to Bejing or Toronto to host the 2008 Olympic Summer Games, but now, is it down to just Bejing?

Toronton mayor Mel Lastman
What the hell would I want to go to a place like Mombasa...I just see myself in a pot of boiling water with all these natives dancing around me.Mombasa is an African country..... There are 21 votes coming from the continent of Africa.

...Bejing lost by just TWO votes to host the 2000 Olympic Summer Games, which were held in Sydney.

Organizers, however, remain optimistic... "There are 22 days left in the race. We're going to do what we've successfully done to date and that's run an excellent campaign. We're very confident that the technical aspects of the bid are athlete-focused and our strong government and public support are what we need to bring the Games home."

Lastman apologized both through a written release and a press conference yesterday.

This will be a VERY intesting final month until we know who will hos the 2008 Olympic Summer Games, that's for sure!!!

[Marc]

Is it just me, or do Americans not have the slightest interest in this Olympic garbage? Excuse me, but we have our baseball, basketball, and football. This explains the terrible ratings the last Olympics got - Americans don't care. This seems to be more like an international event - people in Europe probably like it more. :rolleyes:

[NickHammy]

When they were in Atlanta, it was a big deal. But last year I did notice that many people didn't care and they didn't make a huge deal about it like in '96.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by mjames
Is it just me, or do Americans not have the slightest interest in this Olympic garbage? Excuse me, but we have our baseball, basketball, and football. This explains the terrible ratings the last Olympics got - Americans don't care. This seems to be more like an international event - people in Europe probably like it more. :rolleyes: "Olympic garbage," eh?...

Well no, it's not just you... as Nick said, and you said, "Americans don't care."

EVERYONE ELSE DOES.

If you want to have your "baseball, basketball, and football," and not pay attention to amateur atheltes -- probably of which only 5% are millionaires -- then go ahead!... but I think I like the Olympics because these are people fiercely dedicated to their sport... they don't make a millions of dollars per year (only the most elite DO, and only through sponsorships).. heck, they barely make $100,000 per year!, especially those in Canada (and, I'd imagine, many overseas). ...I mean, why do we watch pro sports?... they're multi-million dollar athletes, VERY well off... they show up to play whenever they feel like it, because they're going to get payed one way or the other... either through salary or through sponsorships.

Who cares if ratings in America are poor?... I sure don't. The IOC sure doesn't, although I'm sure they'd like to generate more interest in the States. It's not a concern, because the Olympics are going to stay around for ever whether you like it or not.

And.. ugh... Marc.... "This seems to be more like an international event" .... it's SUSPOSE TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT.... in fact, the ACTUAL DEFINITION of "Olympic Games" says it's suspose to be "consisting of international athletic games!!!" You get over 200 countries participating in the summer games.... 100 countries in the winter games... that would make it INTERNATIONAL.

[lmanchur.]

By now, the 105-plus IOC members have all gathered in Moscow, Russia, and will make their decision as to who will host the 2008 Olympic Summer Games at approximately 9:45 AM, Eastern Time.

Voting goes in an elimination round process until one city receives a majority number of votes so, for example, if there's 110 IOC members, an 56 of them vote for Toronto in the first round, Toronto wins the bid... but if 54 of them vote Toronto in the first round, then the city with the least number of votes is dropped, and they go to round two, etc., until a majority is found.

It is rare that a city is voted in the first round, but some say it could happen this year, with Bejing.

Two of three sport stations in Canada are airing the event.... however, I can't even watch ONE of them, because I will be at work :( ...oh well, at 10:00, I'm looking it up on the internet!! I can't wait!!!

[lmanchur.]

Well, it's taken me a while to update you all on this because I'm still "recovering," but Bejing was awarded the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.

It really sucks for Toronto, because they should've won the 1996 Olympic Summer games that ended up in Atlanta, Georgia, and the only reason they were there instead of Toronto was because Atlanta bought votes... for these games, 2008, it was almost 99% decided before it even happened, and now the "Olympic waterfront" in Toronto will be used for commercial purposes instead of the Olympic village and sporting venues, so the dream of having 90% of all Olympic facilities within 6 kilometers of each other is shot dead... the 2012 Olympic Summer Games will probably be in either Dallas or New York City, and, although Toronto could still bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, it's unlikely they would win it against those two cities; especially if Vancouver wins the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Toronto has no chance, because the IOC would never give Canada two Olympics in a row... the next time Toronto could even attempt to successfully bid for the Summer Games, at this point it seems, is 2024!!!

The final vote was Bejing 56, Toronto 22, and the other two cities split the other 30+ votes almost evenly.

[Wedge231]

This is disappointing to hear. Now Olympic coverage will suck again.

[NickHammy]

That's true, nothing will be live, all taped, which is never exciting b/c you always hear the results before it's shown...:(ah well

[Ross]

I hope Vancouver gets punked in 2010 voting, to have the 2012 games in America, and hopefully in Dallas. IOC never gives the same contentinet back to back Olympics.

I think these are the American cities in contention for 2012:
Dallas:D
New York City
Tampa
Los Angeles
Baltimore/Washington

The USOC decides their rep next year.

[NickHammy]

I thought I heard somewhere awhile back that Cincinati might try hold the Olympics...not sure when though

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by Ross in Big D
I hope Vancouver gets punked in 2010 voting, to have the 2012 games in America, and hopefully in Dallas. IOC never gives the same contentinet back to back Olympics.Yeah, actually, they do allow it in the same continent in back-to-back years.... the 2004 Olympic Summer Games are in Athens, Greece, EUROPE, and the 2006 Olympic Winter Games are in Torino, Italy, EUROPE.

Also, Atlanta, USA, N.AMERICA were bidding for the 1996 Olympic Summer Games the same time that Salt Lake City, USA, N.AMERICA were bidding for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, and it ended up that both won (though, of course, those two events were 6 years apart).

If Vancouver does NOT host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, though, the States -- NYC or Dallas or whoever represents the USA -- is most certainly going to win the 2012 Olympic Summer Games... no doubt about it. ...especially since the NBC deal will be up by then, they'd be a major factor in putting the games back in the States, because the IOC would be pressured to that the TV deal is re-newed.

Also, the time zone in Bejing is two hours CLOSER to the States than Sydney was, and I remember watching some live events during the Sydney games at decent hours, so there would be slightly more live events for the 2008 games in Bejing.

[Marc]

How about hosting The Games in Australia? I think there are a lot of good people and things down there, such as Sydney. Weren't the Olympics there recently, though?

[Ross]

Originally posted by mjames
How about hosting The Games in Australia? I think there are a lot of good people and things down there, such as Sydney. Weren't the Olympics there recently, though?

LOL! They were there last year! Are us Americans that incompetent about the Olympics?

[Marc]

Originally posted by Ross in Big D


LOL! They were there last year! Are us Americans that incompetent about the Olympics?
Forgive me, I knew they were held there last year, but I don't pay attention. Even if I wanted to, I'd have to stay up all night watching it as a result of NBC's pitiful coverage. I like my football and basketball. I could care less about anything else. :P

[Wedge231]

I was in Sydney last year right before the Olympics started. I think the stadium was the 2nd biggest in the world....

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by Wedge231
I think the stadium was the 2nd biggest in the world.... ...did you go to that stadium???..... I'm not sure how it ranks overall in the world, but in Olympic history, it seated the most EVER.... over 100,000!!!!!!

[Wedge231]

I went there and I got on the field and stuff. I also went to the indoor arena area where they have basketball and stuff...