I kind of wish all the people who didnt support Chicago would move to Rio. Its such a joke to sell out your own city, I just cant stand disloyalty.

 

I dont care if you hate Daley, hate the Olympics, you should represent for your home no matter what. Its shameful and now Chicago looks like an international joke.

 

International joke? I don't think 99% of the world cares.

The whole "not wanting the Olympics" pre-vote opinion is just a shock to me. Sure, they'll be taxes, but you're going to pay more taxes for repairing stuff later anyway.

 

Why not want the world's greatest athletic spectacle in your backyard just once in your lifetime? The opportunity may never come again.

Do you pay chicago and cook county taxes?

I kind of wish all the people who didnt support Chicago would move to Rio. Its such a joke to sell out your own city, I just cant stand disloyalty.

 

I dont care if you hate Daley, hate the Olympics, you should represent for your home no matter what. Its shameful and now Chicago looks like an international joke.

Oh please. Spare me the "if you aren't with us, you're against us" crap. It's not "disloyal" to think bringing the Olympics to Chicago would result in massive debt and buildings that would be largely unused once the Olympics are over. Remember, no one voted on this. It was Daley and his buddies shoving this down our throats.

Do you pay chicago and cook county taxes?

I pay them every time I visit.

I pay them every time I visit.

So you dont live here, yet are condemning folks for being upset about the taxes that you wont pay?

So this gets more interesting. According to this article on the Trib site, the word they are hearing from IOC folks over there is that two big reasons for the shaft of Chicago are not about Chicago at all: one is IOC being pissed at the USOC, the other is Rio manuevering to convince people in an "anybody but Chicago" campaign. So, Chicago got screwed by politics they can't control on one hand, but also got out electioned on the other.

 

Also of note, many of the IOC members were themselves shocked to see Chicago go out in the first round.

 

Interesting.

 

You gotta love the IOC... they want our money, but they don't want us. Hopefully the USOC doesn't give them a damned penny.

 

Exactly. I hope we find a way to really stick it to them. Hit them where it hurts, in the penis...I mean wallet.

Last I checked Knight pays federal taxes and federal funds would have been used for a variety of the projects.

 

I pay cook county taxes, I pay Chicago taxes and I pay Illinois taxes.

 

But Im not about to belittle Knight's opinion just because I may have had a slightly higher financial burden.

 

As expressed previously in this thread, even if the games resulted in a 1billion liability for the tax payers, thats the equivalent of $1,000 for 1mil people.

 

You can be against the Olympics, but actively rooting for another country to get it over the US is disloyal.

 

Basically you are saying that $1,000 is more important than being a world class city and having international recognition.

 

I guess as some one who has paid more than $1,000 in parking meters last year ($8 a day for 200 days), it really is very little money compared to how much free press and international recognition Chicago would get.

 

Guess you've never heard the stories about how Kennedy made sure he flew to Chicago as to not upset the older Mayor Daley.

The Kennedy's are another story. They have a bit of a family history too.

 

So you dont live here, yet are condemning folks for being upset about the taxes that you wont pay?

I'm not condemning anyone. I'm just saying that you'll be paying taxes on stuff whether you have the Olympics or not, so why not have them?

I'm not condemning anyone. I'm just saying that you'll be paying taxes on stuff whether you have the Olympics or not, so why not have them?

For me, it's because I don't like amateur sports or tourists.

My wife was hoping Chicago got the Olympics because I kept saying I was going to get out of town while they were here - ironically becoming the very tourist I would be trying to avoid!

 

The win/win for me is: no 2016 Olympics cluttering up Chicago, and Dick says he doesn't envision Chicago trying for any future Olympics.

Last I checked Knight pays federal taxes and federal funds would have been used for a variety of the projects.

 

I pay cook county taxes, I pay Chicago taxes and I pay Illinois taxes.

 

But Im not about to belittle Knight's opinion just because I may have had a slightly higher financial burden.

 

As expressed previously in this thread, even if the games resulted in a 1billion liability for the tax payers, thats the equivalent of $1,000 for 1mil people.

 

You can be against the Olympics, but actively rooting for another country to get it over the US is disloyal.

 

Basically you are saying that $1,000 is more important than being a world class city and having international recognition.

 

I guess as some one who has paid more than $1,000 in parking meters last year ($8 a day for 200 days), it really is very little money compared to how much free press and international recognition Chicago would get.

 

Chicago is not a world class city right now??? Chicago is not internationally recognized??? Is Atlanta more world class and does it have more international recognition because they have had the Olympics??? If I were an Asian or African tourist, would I rather visit Atlanta than Chicago because they had the Olympics???

 

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Thats not what Im saying at all.

 

Im saying to be a world class city, the citizens some times have to foot the bill for international projects.

 

If Chicagoans are unwilling to pay $1,000 a person to hold the Olympics, what future international events do you think Chicago will be in the running for?

 

Read international comments about Chicago, many people do not think very highly of it. This was a chance for Chicago to show the world who we are and why we matter.

 

But Im proud of being from Chicago, I think that Chicago is one of the best cities in the world and was the best representative. Im just saddened that there are other people who live in the same city and dont feel the same pride. When you say "Go Rio" you are saying that Rio is greater than Chicago.

 

So if Rio is so great, go ahead and move there.

Edited October 3, 200916 yr by Soxbadger

So this gets more interesting. According to this article on the Trib site, the word they are hearing from IOC folks over there is that two big reasons for the shaft of Chicago are not about Chicago at all: one is IOC being pissed at the USOC, the other is Rio manuevering to convince people in an "anybody but Chicago" campaign. So, Chicago got screwed by politics they can't control on one hand, but also got out electioned on the other.

Also of note, many of the IOC members were themselves shocked to see Chicago go out in the first round.

Interesting.

I'm sure we could interview every committee member and they'd all say they were shocked Chicago was eliminated in the 1st round. A secret ballot allows you to be on everyone's good graces afterward.

Edited October 3, 200916 yr by Flash Tizzle

Thats not what Im saying at all.

 

Im saying to be a world class city, the citizens some times have to foot the bill for international projects.

 

If Chicagoans are unwilling to pay $1,000 a person to hold the Olympics, what future international events do you think Chicago will be in the running for?

 

Read international comments about Chicago, many people do not think very highly of it. This was a chance for Chicago to show the world who we are and why we matter.

 

But Im proud of being from Chicago, I think that Chicago is one of the best cities in the world and was the best representative. Im just saddened that there are other people who live in the same city and dont feel the same pride. When you say "Go Rio" you are saying that Rio is greater than Chicago.

 

So if Rio is so great, go ahead and move there.

So, you are saying to be a proud Chicagoan, you had to have wanted the Olympics? Now THATS funny.

Considering the financial losses Olympics have had recently (I had read some horror stories on how overbudget London already is for instance), losing today might be all bad and I see why the Olympics had it's opponents. But anybody who thinks that this loss will result in improved schools or a balanced budget or a drop in crime or less political corruption is just being ignorant. Today's loss will change absolutely none of that at all. In hinsight, Obama really has to regret going over there because as much as the Olympics aren't overwhelming relevant, he made a fool of himself today. Not so much here in America I don't think (he's not going to lose any votes over this), but moreso in the international community, where he was thought to be invinsible until today.

Edited October 3, 200916 yr by whitesoxfan101

I'm disappointed that this happened, not necessarily for me, but for my young son. I was really looking forward to going to the swimming events with him (my wife was a Division 1 scholarship swimmer). And whatever other events we could get tickets for. He's going to be 8 in 2016 and I think that's a great age. There is a .01 percent chance that I would go to Rio. At least, not with him.

 

I hope the USOC sits out of the next few Olympic host city competitions. Not as a major statement, but as a, "we see what you are doing and we are going to just sit back and watch for awhile."

 

Disappointing...but not heartbreaking for me.

But Im proud of being from Chicago, I think that Chicago is one of the best cities in the world

I feel the same way and don't need the Olympics to somehow prove it to the rest of the world.

Oh please. Spare me the "if you aren't with us, you're against us" crap. It's not "disloyal" to think bringing the Olympics to Chicago would result in massive debt and buildings that would be largely unused once the Olympics are over. Remember, no one voted on this. It was Daley and his buddies shoving this down our throats.

 

And the vast majority of this debt is going to happen anyway, because if you don't you are going to have a rust pile of a transit system, and dirt roads for interstates. It would have been nicer for everything to be under the eyes of the world, so it would have had to be done the right way. Instead it is all going to happen anyway, and it will still all be done in a backroom somewhere.

 

As for the olympic debt, it has been pretty well proven that there wasn't going to be some huge debt left over. The Olympics in the US don't lose money.

Thats not what Im saying at all.

 

Im saying to be a world class city, the citizens some times have to foot the bill for international projects.

 

If Chicagoans are unwilling to pay $1,000 a person to hold the Olympics, what future international events do you think Chicago will be in the running for?

 

Read international comments about Chicago, many people do not think very highly of it. This was a chance for Chicago to show the world who we are and why we matter.

 

But Im proud of being from Chicago, I think that Chicago is one of the best cities in the world and was the best representative. Im just saddened that there are other people who live in the same city and dont feel the same pride. When you say "Go Rio" you are saying that Rio is greater than Chicago.

 

So if Rio is so great, go ahead and move there.

 

I've spent my whole life in Chicago, and plan to spend the rest of it here too. i think its the best damn city in the world, and i dont need the Olympics here to prove it to me or anyone else. "Go Rio" means let them deal with the Olympics, not they are better than us. I'd say "Go Detroit" if they were running too, and we all know Detroit isnt better than anything.

I know there is literally no chance of it happening, but it would be cool for the US to completely boycott the next couple of Olympic games. That'd hurt them a lot, I'd imagine.

Edited October 3, 200916 yr by Milkman delivers

I know there is literally no chance of it happening, but it would be cool for the US to completely boycott the next couple of Olympic games. That'd hurt them a lot, I'd imagine.

And would add more fuel to the fire when it comes to most of the world hating us.

And would add more fuel to the fire when it comes to most of the world hating us.

+1

And the vast majority of this debt is going to happen anyway, because if you don't you are going to have a rust pile of a transit system, and dirt roads for interstates. It would have been nicer for everything to be under the eyes of the world, so it would have had to be done the right way. Instead it is all going to happen anyway, and it will still all be done in a backroom somewhere.

 

As for the olympic debt, it has been pretty well proven that there wasn't going to be some huge debt left over. The Olympics in the US don't lose money.

 

That's crazy talk. Now that we didn't get the Olympics, we won't have increased taxes, our infrastructure will still be improved such as roads and public transit, more affordable housing will still be built and now our education system will improve as well as our crime rate because our city won't have to be under the watchful eye of the world!

 

Btw, I live in Chicago.

And would add more fuel to the fire when it comes to most of the world hating us.

 

This sure isn't helping this American's feeling about the rest of the world right now either. It isn't worth being the world's sugar daddy just so someone will like us. Maybe they should put on a couple of their own olympics and then think about how much America helps teh rest of the world.