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It is also not like other bids which haven't spiraled out of support.

Wait. That's in my shower!!

At least with the Baron around, he's not ronery.

Rio 2016While it doesn’t appear in full... another little piece of the ‪#‎Rio2016Torch‬!

Canada - hosted 3 Olympics, including 1 Summer Olympics Azerbaijan - 2 attempts to host the Olympics, both times they failed to make the short-list No please, tell us more about how Azerbaijan is better suited to host an Olympics than Canada, who has hosted 3 of them. The funny thing is.. I CAN believe you just typed that. Shows how out of touch with reality you are. No, I take that back. THIS shows how out of touch with reality you are. Western countries are smart not to spend absurd amounts of money to inflate their ego to show themselves off to the world. China is an exception. It's a nation of more than a billion people and was hosting the Summer Olympics, not a continental multi-sport competition that virtually no one outside of Europe (or this forum) gives a damn about. Good for Baku that they put on a wonderful opening ceremony. Good for the love of their country and their enormous national pride. Are people going to be flocking to Baku as a result? Not a chance. Is the IOC any more likely to award them a Summer Olympics than they were before? Doubtful. What exactly is a deficit in excellence? Does that mean we're not getting this?.. A very hefty price will be paid? What price? Again, China showed themselves off to the WORLD and yes, the 2008 Olympics may be a watershed moment in their history. Not for Baku. Not for a European games. Western countries do not like pride or excellence because we don't put on opulent expensive ceremonies. If anything, kudos to such nations for knowing how better to spend their money and resources and not giving in to the temptation to flaunt themselves for little reason other than pride.

I was never sold on the Chicago bid as everybody here seems to be. I have a cousin who swears by CHicago (altho she was a No Olympics gal).. And I visited her last summer; and I thought Chicago is an OK city--but no New York. But on Chicago v. Boston, Chicago has bigger mass than Boston. I happen to like Boston; and if there were NO Paris this time, I think Boston could stage a great and beautiful Games. But whether a majority of the Bostonians can come on board or not, that's for them to decide.

On the whole I always felt that Chicago's bid from its marketing and actual plan was much friendlier and warmer than Boston's. Despite the problems with Chicago's bid their logo seemed more warm and inspirinng to me. It was approachable, relatable, and inspiring. For Chicago they did not market that the games would make Chicago a global city, but instead that the games would make Chicago better and bring the world together. Whether you think those goals were realistic or not, you can not deny that the way Chicago marketed those goals was fantastic. Boston on the other hand has a very cold, shaddy, and shallow approach and feeling. Their logo is a cold, uninspiring thing, and the campaign lacks overall cohession and an inspiring motto. Their organization is shaddy AF and their reasons for wanting to host all stem from wanting to prove Boston is a global city.

On the topic of repeat bidding, look at Sydney 2000. Sydney was the third Australian city to submit a consecutive bid, so while Sydney itself had never previously hosted or bidded they utilized experience and knowledge gained from Brisbane '92 and Melbourne '96 and the nations desire to host to their advantage. The USOC does not have to put up the same city three or four times to win as the USOC has access to a wealth of cities capable of hosting. The USOC can bid with a different city and still gain experience from those bids and prove even more so I think that the whole nation wants the games, and not just one city or region. With regards to the kind of longterm planning a good Olympics require, Paris is already onboard. Next year or later this year (hopefully a local can correct the date) Paris will begin work on the Grand Paris plan. This massive infrastructure project will increase housing, improve roads, expand the metro to connect the Ile de France better, and improve the existing metro, not to mention countless other projects that will have the French Capital looking its best in 2024 with or without the games. This is a plan already approved and being implemented by the city, and it's the kind of plan that marries well with an Olympic Bid. Paris can easily bundle all of it up and come 2024 be an amazing host. It's that kind of longterm planning that any future US city must have. The games should be something that can easily bunddled up with a greater plan for the city. Not only because you can then group public funds not under the Olympic banner, but the civic improvement one, but also because it itself becomes an insurance policy that there is a post games plan that will only continue to improve the city.

So... They should have considered to use another stage, instead... But regional Games are having an increasing way to present them to the worls (specially considering that all ceremonies can be seen on YouTube anytime anywhere) Look at these examples: Rio, Guangzhou, Doha (both Asiad and Pan Arabic Games), Mersin, Singapore, Baku, Kazan... etc etc etc.. Why not Toronto....????? In some cases, the regional Games ceremonies have been even better than Olympic ones (Kazan better than Sochi, Baku better than London) Otherwise, we have to wait 4 years time something big for Lima in 2019. Peruvians surely will make a big effort to present the country to the world as best as possible.... Sure, they will....

Then go move to Baku if it is so wonderful, just don't come crying to us to bail you out after you've been imprisoned for being too opinionated. You've clearly fallen for a charade perpetuated by a totalitarian regime. BTW, "bitch-slapped," I do believe Throne's façade of pretentiousness is crumbling.

I didn't see it but that's not a great sign. It's a shame as I kind of love the idea of the NE Olympics in the US. But since I'm now in the Paris 24 camp (I think), I hope the US can come back stronger. Still hoping NYC might feel the temptation to bid again.

The USOC is being incredibly delirious & defiant here. Unwilling to accept their mistake & unwilling to cut their losses & move on. Not heeding any of the words of some senior IOC members a couple of weeks ago in their Lausaunne exercises. This seems to be more of a matter now of "we made the right decision from the start, & we'll show you!" Is 65% approval rating possible between now & Sept 2017. Sure, anything's possible. But it's extremely unlikely. Even getting the numbers to over 50% by this Sept, when the 2024 application deadline is due, is going to be a herculan task. As a matter a fact, weren't the latest poll numbers last month showed the numbers still going backwards, already dipping into dangerous levels of just 39%. It's starting to look like the USOC is dead-set to go on a suicide mission. But I guess it really doesn't matter anyway. No matter what they do, they ain't getting 2024 regardless, not with the line-up that's likely emerging. And maybe that's part of the USOC's strange thinking at this point.