Chicago Picked to be U.S. City That Loses Bid for Olympics!!!

Yesterday, the U.S. Olympic Committee board of directors selected Chicago over two-time Olympic host Los Angeles as the U.S. candidate for the 2016 Summer Games.

Chicago focused on the compact, athlete-friendly nature of its plans, which would center the Games in or near downtown, minimizing travel times for the athletes.

But Chicago had to overcome questions about the financial viability of its plans, as the $366 million Olympic Stadium, $1.1 billion Olympic Village and $80 million aquatics center must be built. Chicago 2016 came up with what could be $1.15 billion in guarantees against shortfalls in a projected $2.9 billion operating budget. That includes $500 million approved by the city council, a proposed $150 million in state funds and a $500 million private guarantee.

Here's my favorite part. To sweeten the pot, The Windy City has added a scholarship program for Olympic athletes.

A consortium of Chicago-area colleges and universities has agreed to pay for 120 years worth of scholarships to athletes who compete in a 2016 Chicago Olympics... The idea... "is to help athletes whose education has been interrupted by dedication to sport."

What about, I dunno, scholarships to all the local kids whose education has been interrupted by the Chicago public school system?

It's not enough that we'd have to underwrite billions of dollars worth of buildings, suffer cosmic-sized traffic jams and endure security restrictions that will make Mossad look like Mister Rogers.

Now our universities are going to educate javelin throwers from Latvia.

Finally, a reason to be happy George Bush is President. Given our standing in the world community, a US city doesn't stand a chance of being chosen.

So good luck, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Rome, Tokyo and Prague! May you kick our asses in this competition!