The International Olympic Committee voted on Friday to reinstate golf and rugby as Olympic events and the two sports will make their return in the 2016 Olympics in Rio di Janeiro. Golf was approved 63-27 and rugby was voted in 81-8, a reversal of when the IOC voted four years ago to not allow golf and rugby in the 2012 Olympic Games. Suck on that, Chicago!
Several members of the IOC were upset how golf and rugby were essentially rammed down their throats by the executive board, specifically Canadian representative Dick Pound.
The selection process angered some IOC members, who wanted all seven sports put to a vote by the entire assembly. Senior Canadian member Dick Pound complained before the vote that the members were never told why the two sports were selected over the other five.
“It is not fair to the other five sports,” Pound said. “Because you decided the way you did, it is not a transparent process.”
Heh. Dick Pound. I wish that was my name. Do you think he actually is proud of it? Is it possible that he has partnered up with Dick Armey to lead a secret society of Dicks?
Rugby was last included as an Olympic event in 1924 and the last time golf was included in the Olympics was at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis.
Golf will stage a 72-hole stroke-play tournament for men and women, with 60 players in each field. Rugby will organize a four-day seven-a-side tournament - instead of the more traditional 15-a-side game - for 12 men’s and women’s teams. Golf will stage a 72-hole stroke-play tournament for men and women, with 60 players in each field. via.
That all sounds well and good, but there is only one problem: Rio has only two golf courses, and my guess is they aren’t in the condition that world-class golfers have grown accustomed to. So good luck with all that, Rio. My guess is they have about a good a chance at working out this clusterbang as I do understanding what in the hell is going on in a game of rubgy. Seriously, I’ve tried many times and I’m still lost. Granted, I find the rules of Twister confusing. It doesn’t help that I’m colorblind, but still.
Take one last look at Abraham Lupus Frohman III, because he’s going into the mothballs. You know what that means: despite Barack Obama’s pandering to the Danish, Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics was finally put to sleep.
In fact, between the four remaining cities [Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, and Madrid were the others], Chicago was the first city to be eliminated in the initial voting. Sorry Chicago, the tribe has spoken.
Also eliminated: Tokyo. Sayonara, amigos…I’m actually pulling for Rio now, since they’re only one hour ahead of North America’s east coast and avoiding the internet during the summer will only be more annoying seven years from now.
I’d like to thank Mr. Frohman for his service to With Leather and wish him a warm and happy retirement, preferably in a well-lubricated locale. Godspeed, sir.
I wouldn’t have such disdain for children if their parents would simply adopt the attitude that they raise their kids, and not the other way around. But this little seedling here was raised all proper-like. Here’s Rizzo, as he’s called on the YouTube page, reciting Herb Brooks’ pregame speech before Team USA took on the Russians, as told by the film Miracle. And it’s awesome, from the way he slaps the air hockey table when he walks into the room to the way he screams, “Screw ‘em!” If all kids were like this, I’d probably have like 12 of them by now. via. Read the rest of this entry »
Unlike Barack Obama’s ceremonial first pitch in St. Louis this past summer, America’s 44th president put his pitch for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The International Olympic Committee will announce its decision on Friday. It’s pretty much the standard Obama stump address: we are the world, can’t we all just get along, so on and so forth. And I’m kinda hoping that Chicago actually does get the Olympics, if only so I can keep using this photoshop. Oh, and for the goodwill of the world and all that crap. via.
The International Olympic Committee has reviewed the four final candidate cities for the 2016 Summer Olympics. And if you were looking for a front-runner to rise from the pack, keep looking.
The IOC evaluation report gives generally high marks to Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. The report was released Wednesday, exactly a month ahead of the Oct. 2 vote in Copenhagen.
Among concerns, the report cites the absence of financial guarantees from Chicago, low public support in Tokyo, a lack of understanding of different roles in Madrid, and need for careful monitoring of urban projects and accommodation in Rio. via.
I really don’t see what the big deal is with having the Olympics in your city. Most urban centers can’t even accommodate the traffic they already have, and the idea that sporting events like these help the overall economy hasn’t been proven conclusively. Plus it seems a little disingenuous to promote yourself as a vehicle of goodwill and humility and then turn around and whore yourself out to the highest bidder. Not that I have a big issue when strippers dressed up as Catholic school girls do it…
Olympic swimmer and noted marijuana connoisseur Michael Phelps crashed his SUV in Baltimore yesterday. A woman drove through a red light and collided with Phelps’ black Cadillac Escalade last night, around 9 pm. Police have apparently cleared Phelps of any fault in the accident.
It was not clear whether the woman, whom police have not named, would be charged with any traffic offenses. She suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Phelps and his two passengers were not hurt, police said. via.
Police described Phelps’ state after the crash as “coherent” and did not give him a Breathalyzer test. Wow, I guess we’re just presuming that Phelps is either drunk or high every time he leaves the house now. The woman, by the way, was driving a Honda Accord, which is about as good a match for the Escalade as you’d expect–she was admitted to the hospital with neck and arm injuries. I smell lawsuit! Wait, no, I think that’s actually pot. Read the rest of this entry »
