Chicago's Got No Games

This is Kim Dunbar reporting live from Chicago, where the city has just found out that they will NOT be hosting the 2016 Olympic Games. Gasps fell across the crowd gathered at Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago this morning as they watched the IOC oust the city's Olympic bid in the first round. A wave of disappointment followed...

So I hear. I abandoned the idea of heading downtown this morning and opted to watch the announcement of the winner in the comfort of my pajamas and warm apartment. I hate big crowds.

I'm not sure if the city's disappointment was a result of this giant letdown or if people were bummed that the city wouldn't be able to throw the celebratory party planned for this afternoon. Chicago's Olympic bid has been clogging the news and has been the topic of conversation everywhere one goes in the city. DePaul even offered a special class about the Olympics this fall. I am glad it is over, but am amazed at the uneventful and screeching-halt manner in which it all ended.

Image above right: My roommate took this photo downtown yesterday of the Daley Plaza getting ready for the viewing party. This Picasso statue is wearing a medal around its neck and what looks to be a crown.

It is safe to say that while there were some against the Games coming here, the majority of Chicagoans did want them and their moods now match this cloudy, gray weather. Ironically, we didn't need Mother Nature to rain on our parade today, the IOC did it for us. People on Twitter are suggest that perhaps Kanye West should have shown up, or maybe Oprah should have bought the members of the IOC committee Pontiacs. I suspect for the next several days we will continue to hear about the reasons Chicago lost, including a nasty flurry of political accusations which will no doubt intensify the already rocky relationship we have with the IOC and harm the country's chances of hosting the Games in America anytime soon. There are already several articles being published which blame Obama.

Most disappointed Chicagoans probably didn't hear what the IOC president said before opening the winning envelope, as they were probably already headed home, heads hanging. He said that "in every competition there is a winner and there is a loser." Today, Rio was the winner and we should embrace the heart-warming story of a continent which has never hosted the Olympic Games before. We would expect the same respect and congratulations if Chicago had won. It is okay to be disappointed, but people should just remember that we still live in the great city of Chicago, and therefore we are all winners. Now go eat some pizza and feel better!