Like a prayer

As part of DaTech Guy tryouts, Christopher Harper looks at what NBC misses at the Olympics - religion.
After Usain Bolt of Jamaica, the fastest man in the world, won his third gold medal in the 100-meter sprint, he fell to his knees to pray. The NBC commentators apparently couldn’t bring themselves to utter the word “prayer.”
Many other examples exist, but NBC and other mainstream media have focused on less significant details of athletes’ lives rather than their trust in God. Fortunately, faith-based news organizations have chronicled what the athletes themselves consider their most important characteristic: their belief in God.

Two week commercial for Romney

Just a few days until the Summer Olympics start in London.
Mitt Romney led the successful Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002.
President Obama tried to get the 2016 Summer Olympics awarded to Chicago.
He failed.
Like the Olympics? So does Romney.

Where are the 2012 Summer Olympics?

When pundits look at President Obama's two-year poll numbers - compared to Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton - they can feel Obama has a good chance at re-election also.
They forget an advantage Reagan and Clinton had - the Summer Olympics in the United States right before the election season.
Surely, you remember the pride of the U.S. winning so many medals in Los Angeles in 1984. It's morning in America, right there on the sports pages.
I remember watching the opening ceremonies in Atlanta in 1996, and thinking it would give Clinton a boost. You feel good about your country when the Olympics come, and the president basks in some of the glow.
Why do you think the Obama administration fought so hard for the 2016 Olympics to be in Chicago? He could close out his term with a patriotic boost for his chosen successor.
Unfortunately for that plan, the 2012 Summer Olympics are in London. The United States will do well, but Obama won't be the leader of the host country.

We're all Brazilians now

So are Republicans being anti-American in enjoying President Obama's failure to bring the Olympics to Chicago?
Nah. Anytime someone learns a lesson, it's good. We just hope President Obama learns a lesson from this trip.
Besides, it's great for Rio to get the Olympic Games. I spent two weeks in Brazil in 1989 on a missions trip, helping build a dining hall at a Christian missions school just outside the Federal University of Vicosa. It's a beautiful and big country. Like the United States, it's diverse in its people and rich in its resources.
If President Obama had not been involved, I'm sure almost all Americans would be cheering the Olympics going to Rio. So let's celebrate their win.

And the winner is...

...a few hours away. ESPN's Jim Caple is not impressed by the Olympic bidding process.
The good news if Chicago wins... no U.S. city needs think about another Summer Olympics until 2032 at the earliest.

Rio vs. Chicago

Rio

Chicago

Any questions?

UPDATE: Linked on Don Surber's new and improved site.

Blame Tony Blair

Why's President Obama jetting over to Copenhagen to make a pitch for Chicago hosting the 2016 Olympics? Blame Tony Blair.
I thought Wikipedia might be helpful on this. I read this about the selection process for the 2012 games.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair was the only leader of the five candidate cities' countries to make a personal lobby (he had also been the only one to attend the 2004 Olympics).
London edged out the favorite - Paris - by four votes.
Brazil's leader has been pushing Rio hard and planned to attend the selection meetings. He even talked to Obama about who's going to win after the G20 meetings last week.
So Obama's trapped. Don't go, and if Chicago loses it's his fault.
Go, and it's bad if Chicago still loses. If Chicago wins, he may get some credit but also catch some grief for his time management.