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Is New York nuts?

16 comments on Is New York nuts?

Is New York nuts?

There’s a dash of irony in the announcement today that New York has passed the next hurdle to play host to the 2012 Olympics — on the same day that the 9/11 Commission is here to investigate the tragedy of that day. It’s fine for us to move on with life, but do we have to invite trouble and hassle with the Olympics? And are the Olympics worth it? There’s little magic left to the event, following drug scandals and chronic politicization. The expense is great and the return minimal at best. I don’t think we want to win this contest.

16 responses to “Is New York nuts?”

  1. anne.elk Avatar
    anne.elk

    If you do it right (LA 1984), if you can do it right post 9/11, then the Olympics are a wonderful event.
    Sides which by 2012, surely we will be celebrating the liberation of Iran, Iraq, NK, Syria, Libya, and California, so apart from the Saudis we really won’t have much to fear.

  2. John Irving Avatar
    John Irving

    California was liberated last year, anne, you really need to get caught up.

  3. MK Avatar
    MK

    Just say “NO” to the Olympic games ever again in the USA. They have become a total sham of a sporting event, and wind up costing taxpayers while enriching a few insiders.

  4. Moira Avatar
    Moira

    I agree with MK. They are a total waste. Doesn’t the UN suck up enough of our money? Do we need another corrupt group to throw money at?

  5. jeremy Avatar
    jeremy

    Frankly, I don’t even care if they’re in the US. Great. Fine. I just don’t want them here. Call it NIMBY if you want, but I think New York has enough going on to be a pretty busy, tourist-drawing place without throwing the Olympics into the mix. I don’t need the crowds, the increased threat levels, the extra policemen…shoot, I don’t even want to be here for the Republican Convention, with a fraction of the people.
    [/rant]

  6. weimdog Avatar
    weimdog

    The Olympics have officially “jumped the shark” –
    “The IOC has announced that men who undergo sex change operations will be allowed to compete in the Olympics as women”
    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120175,00.html

  7. ronbo Avatar
    ronbo

    I’d love to see the Olympics in NYC, just to see whether it could be done. But financially the Olympics are always a train wreck. Even LA ’84 – the best Games in modern history – only broke even, and the Montreal games were a disaster.
    Let Paris have it.

  8. Sydney Carton Avatar
    Sydney Carton

    I’ve never cared for the Olympics. I don’t give a crap. And I don’t want them in NY either. The Olympics jumped the shark long ago.

  9. Bryan C Avatar
    Bryan C

    For the sake of New Yorkers I hope not. The financial mess and tattered reputation aside, I’ve heard far too many stories of regular people getting run over by local bureaucrats anxious to curry favor with the Olympic committee.

  10. peter Avatar
    peter

    Ohmygod, no! Can you imagine the hassle, the expense. Then, how about decades of spending to keep North America’s greatest velodrome and archery facility in top shape. That’s what we need and want.
    Been to Montreals Olympic village? Its a wasteland.

  11. Otter Avatar
    Otter

    There is not the slightest possibility of the US getting them anyway, in the current political climate. The Vancouver pick was driven partly to insure that.

  12. Tim Avatar
    Tim

    Absolutely – let Paris, Berlin, Moscow and everyone one else who opposed us in the UN have the Olympics – they deserve the crushing public debt, the attention of any surviving terrorist groups and, not least of all, Katie Couric and Where in the World is Matt Lauer’s brain? and other NBC nematodes…
    And, to seal the deal, let’s send them Martha Burke to protest “athletes formerly known as male” winning gold in female events. Hell, Howard Stern can even interview them and ask them if losing their penises was worth the gold… Sounds like a hat trick, eh?

  13. jaed Avatar
    jaed

    The horror… the horror.
    Although I think Otter is right that the US will not be permitted to host the Olympics anytime soon.
    For that matter, I’m not looking forward to this year’s Olympics, after the foreign commentary I read on the SLC games – I think the American athletes this year will be very lucky if hearing resounding boos every time they compete is the worst thing that happens. The world may surprise me and exhibit common decency, willingness to set differences aside, mutual love of sport overcoming politics, etc., but as of now I expect it to be a thoroughly disheartening spectacle.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    I hope NY does get the games or failing that Paris, Morscow or Rio. This means London will not get it which as a Londoner suits me fine. Transprot is bad enough woithout adding another couple of hundred thousand a day to an already overcrowed and decaying system. Plus it will also put at least

  15. peter Avatar
    peter

    The Summer Olympics are for second rate cities or countries looking to feel big league. Do NYC, London, or Paris really need this, no. My sympathies to any citizen and taxpayer who has to endure the hassle and expense.
    Winter is a different story. It can build a lot of name recognition and first class facilities in the heavily competitive ski resort business. Maybe now more people come to Park City to ski. Will more people come to NYC pole vault or swim a relay? Don’t think so.

  16. Angelos Avatar
    Angelos

    The Olympics are great, as long as you don’t have to watch them on American television.
    And having been to Athens 3 times since the award was made and the work “started”, I agree that it is a burden more than an honor. After everyone goes away, Greece will have nothing left but empty brand new hotels, great new highways, and crushing debt.
    I live upstate from NYC, so I’m not worried for me, but I feel your fear, NYCers. I’d agree this should be lobbied against.