A Year Ago, I Predicted a Rio De Jameiro Olympics

Right after the Beijing Games ended, I focused on the 2016 games. I was working for The Fanhouse then and was part of their Olympic Team. I wrote this about how I actually was rooting for Rio to win the '16 Olympic Games:

One of the things I've enjoyed about the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Games is that I saw a place I hadn't seen before. Those corners of the earth that deserve to have a huge spotlight on them. Not to say that Tokyo, Chicago or Madrid don't deserve that, but Rio would make the Olympics pop!

I mean, there aren't many cities that can throw a party like Rio!!!

South America has never held an Olympics and it is about time. The IOC has expressed interest in moving the games to South America and/or Africa. Rio's time zone is just two hours ahead of us, so we'd pretty much get everything live during our normal viewing slots.

One thing that may hurt them is the fact that the 2014 World Cup will also be in Brazil. I don't see that as being a huge problem. After all, the USA hosted the World Cup in 1994 then the 1996 Olympics ... West Germany held the 1972 Olympics and 1974 World Cup ... and Mexico the 1968 Olympics and 1970 World Cup.

Say what you want about China, but they threw a hell of a party. Just like Sydney and Athens, it was neat to see a different part of the world's take of the big stage. I think Rio de Janeiro deserves the same shot at it.

I meant it. Sure, I wanted Chicago to win (today and in that piece I wrote a year ago). But going to Rio wasn't a bad idea for the reasons mentioned above. While I am bummed that Chicago was dismissed rather quickly today and I won't get the pleasure of living five hours away from another Olympics (I was living in Charlotte during the 1996 Atlanta Games), it doesn't hurt too much that the Olympics will be in Brazil.

By the way, I also predicted that President Obama would make a big push for the games.