As I sat up in my room last night, watching the final election returns come in, realizing that our country is falling apart and that I will now have to face the first years of my post-graduate life in a conservative and semi-fascist state, I began to think to myself what positives there are for a liberal New Yorker who will return home permanently for the first time in four years this May. “We’ll there’s always the pizza,” I thought to myself as I turned off the tube and began readying myself for bed. But all of a sudden, as if it was fate coming to help me in my lowly time of need, I picked up a paper sitting in my room from a few days ago, from before the world came crashing down, and I looked at the headline. It read, “New York Celebrates Olympic Bid.”
Yes, that’s right, in all of the commotion and political upheaval that had taken place over the last several days, in all of the craziness at school, with work and tests and parties, I, Matt Hopkins, New York sports nut, had overlooked the biggest vote of them all. New York is going to be America’s choice for the 2012 Olympics.
“This is awesome!” I yelled aloud, although I was the only one in the room. I hugged my childhood teddy bear. “East Coast Represent!” I proclaimed in mocking tone.
It was announced on Saturday night that New York will be America’s choice for the Summer Olympics in 2012, having beat out San Francisco in a close race that pitted the beauty of the California countryside against the bustling city streets of New York’s urban metropolis. The U.S Olympic Committee decided in favor of N.Y.C. because the city presented what it considered the best economic package for the world’s biggest sporting event. Not only did New York bring a $5 billion proposal to the board, which highlighted the city’s extensive transportation system for travel during the event, but New York organizers also promised that all of the competitions featured during the games would take place inside of a giant “X” comprised of the city’s five boroughs. It would make New York a more efficient place to hold the games. The bid will now be passed on to the International Olympic Committee, which will decide in three years between New York and other famous venues worldwide, including possible rivals Moscow, Paris, Toronto, Rome, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Berlin. While the next round of competition will be much more difficult, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was on hand for the decision, expressed the feeling of all New Yorkers when he said, “We have what it takes. We absolutely love big events and we will not fail you. We will do whatever it takes to bring the Olympics back to the United States.”
Not only does New York seem like a logical place to hold the games because of its size and vibrant intercultural community, but as a New Yorker I think following the events of Sept. 11 it would be great to bring some positive international attention back to the city which has dealt with so much heartache over the last few years.
Now I know you West Coasters are probably upset right now that San Francisco didn’t get the bid for the games, but Los Angeles already hosted the Olympics twice, in 1932 and 1984, so get over it. Besides, everyone knows that the East Coast knows how to party, and I’m sure that the Olympic village will be rocking come 2012. That said, there lies some tough competition ahead, and it will still be several years before we know if we will even get the games. If New York is successful, however, I think that we will make the United States and the world proud and I know I’ll be there to cheer our athletes on as the go for the gold.
