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In Addition To Swimming In Feces, Olympians Will Have To Pay For AC In Brazil

Tyler Durden's picture




 

In late July we said Brazil was sliding into a depression.

We based that assessment, in part anyway, on the following graphic from Goldman:

It would only take the bank four months to agree with our summary of their own analysis (Alberto Ramos called it a “depression” on Tuesday after a decidedly abysmal GDP print). 

Accompanying our depression call was the following assessment of Brazil’s preparations for the upcoming Olympic games in Rio: 

The Brazilian economy hit its metaphorical, and literal, bottom earlier today when AP reported that, with the Brazil Olympics of 2016 just about 1 year away,"athletes in next year's Summer Olympics here will be swimming and boating in waters so contaminated with human feces that they risk becoming violently ill and unable to compete in the games." 

 

In other words, competitors in Brazil's olympic games will be swimming in shit.

Brazil was, and still is, literally up shit creek without a paddle. 

Well as you might have surmised based on the release of a series of economic data so bad that analysts are having trouble coming up with new ways to describe the situation, the outlook for next year’s summer games hasn’t improved. In fact, things have worsened materially to the point that now, athletes will be asked to pay for their own air conditioning. 

As Bloomberg reports, “following a new round of cost-cutting by the Rio 2016 organizers, athletes will be asked to pay for the air conditioning in their dorm rooms, stadium backdrops will be stripped to their bare essentials, and fancy cars and gourmet food for VIPs are out.”


In short, organizers can no longer depend on the government (and who knows what the government will look like by the time the games commence) to fund cost overruns. That means spending only as much as Brazil expects to take in from sponsorships, ticket sales, and a grant from the International Olympic Committee. 

Apparently, the games were already some $520 million over budget. The government was supposed to cover that (and more) but obviously that’s out of the question given Brazil’s worsening fiscal crisis. “By the time the Games begin, the committee plans to have 500 fewer paid staff than the 5,000 it originally expected,” Bloomberg notes, adding that “the deepest cuts will probably come from operational areas like catering, transportation and cleaning services.”

As for the athletes, well obviously they’re a bit concerned. 

“The world wants to tune in and watch the world’s greatest athletes compete at the absolute highest level," Nick Symmonds, a two-time Olympic runner said. "If you don’t provide them with good food, a good place to sleep and comfortable temperature, they won’t be able to recover and bring the A-plus product that the world is demanding. To cut the budget on athletes’ hospitality and comfort, that’s just going to cheapen the games.”

Brazil has also abandoned a plan to put TVs in Olympic Village rooms. 

Meanwhile, there was no respite on Thursday from still more abysmal economic data. Industrial production contracted by 0.7% M/M in October (-11.2% Y/Y). That's the fifth consecutive monthly decline. "The industrial sector (which has been reducing headcount at an increasingly fast pace) contracted 0.9% in 2014 and is expected to contract at a much higher rate in 2015 as it continues to face strong headwinds from high levels of inventories, record low confidence indicators, a high and rising tax burden, rising energy costs, and weak external demand (particularly from Argentina for durable goods)," Goldman writes.

Oh, and for anyone still holding out hope that the central bank might throw caution to the wind - pass through inflation be damned - and cut to save the economy, well, you probably shouldn't read the Copom minutes. Here's one passage from Goldman that pretty much sums it up: "Specifically, the Copom is now committed to adopt the necessary measures to keep inflation under the 6.50% upper limit of the inflation target band by end-2016, and to make inflation converge to the 4.50% target in 2017. Hence, based purely on a strict interpretation of the new guidance, the probability of a rate hike at the January meeting rose significantly."

There is, however, a silver lining. Rich NBA players will not be affected by the Olympic cutbacks (via Bloomberg): 

Others worry that the cuts will further underscore the chasm between athletes from wealthy countries and those from poorer ones. (Already some top athletes, including the NBA players who join the USA Basketball squad, choose luxury hotels over accommodations in the Olympic Village.) Those who can afford extra for air conditioning or who travel with laptops or iPads will have it; others may not.


 

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Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:34 | 6872504 Bunghole
Bunghole's picture

Basketball Americans

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:49 | 6872567 SILVERGEDDON
SILVERGEDDON's picture

They gonna score TPM in all the swimming events this year.

Turds Per Meter. Gold medal for the 1000 meters is gonna be a bitch to win.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:58 | 6872620 City_Of_Champyinz
City_Of_Champyinz's picture

Ready made theme song for the Olympics...All you have to do is change the words to 'swimming in feces, wooah'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUmE-tne5U

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:15 | 6872708 MalteseFalcon
MalteseFalcon's picture

NBC will foot the bill.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:30 | 6872760 Stuck on Zero
Stuck on Zero's picture

Will there be a Syrian team this year?

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:09 | 6872893 The Pope
The Pope's picture

Well ~ at least NOW we can say that the Russians are laughing their asses off now that they're BANNED from the 'LIMPics'

 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:28 | 6872939 Save_America1st
Save_America1st's picture

"If you don’t provide them with good food, a good place to sleep and comfortable temperature, they won’t be able to recover and bring the A-plus product that the world is demanding."

 

Hmmmmm....sounds like the perfect scenario to start allowing all the illegal performance enhancing drugs they can possibly come up with and just have a free for all.  Let's see what they can really do all jacked up.  They won't need great food or A/C.  Just some shots of "stuff" and whatever else and soon we'll have 7.5 second 100m sprinters and 45 foot long jumpers!!!

I'd pay to see that some of that action. But I still wouldn't travel to Brasil though.  Shitty food and water, and no A/C!  lol  ;-)


Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:28 | 6872946 SafelyGraze
SafelyGraze's picture

free hookers

the games have now been saved

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:34 | 6872968 Save_America1st
Save_America1st's picture

I hear the ISIS basketball team is really going to be "killer". ;-) 

 

They're all 7 feet tall and already have NIKE shoe deals.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2963039/Does-Isis-really-army-se...

Hashtag:  #BestOlympicsEver

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:39 | 6872985 The Pope
The Pope's picture

Well peeps, all I have to say is this...

 

I was 'on the team' to compete in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, which ended up being BOYCOTTED by Jimmy Carter because of the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan...

 

I kinda hated it then, but later assumed the [desired] position that it was ALL 4 GOOD because we were fighting EVIL SOVIET AGRESSION...

 

TICK - TOCK... time goes by... & NOW only do I realize that Afghanistan is simply about OPIUM profits accrued to the standing army...

 

I guess I FUCKING SUCK  (in life) then... Over & out... (but at least it doesn't negate that I could run a sub 46 second quarter 'in the day')

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:56 | 6873068 GhostOfDiogenes
GhostOfDiogenes's picture

Fucking props bro!

Running is one of my favorite things to do, after walking.
I used to be freakin' fast in the day on short runs and it is fun to do.

Running fast is just fun to do.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:12 | 6873127 The Pope
The Pope's picture

In 1976-77, I didn't even understand how fast I was... I didn't even run track... Then, one day in gym class, the phys ed teacher made us all run the quarter...

 

He was like "Holy fucking sh**" white boy!

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:16 | 6873155 GhostOfDiogenes
GhostOfDiogenes's picture

'You run like you got niggas after you'

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:18 | 6873163 The Pope
The Pope's picture

& wait... That's not even the end... I also qualified for the 1980 Olympics in another sport that had nothing to do with running... I was also a friend of 'Snipes' Nehemiah... He had it worse than I did cause he would have WON... I would have only been an 'also ran'...

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 21:37 | 6873640 cheeseheader
cheeseheader's picture

Kudos, Pope on your athleticism.  I had a similar experience the first day of gym class as a freshman.   You boys go out and run around the track...it became a race between me and another--which I won (wish my competitiveness transferred to the golf course).  After gym class the teacher said to me to report to the cross country coach after school which I did.   I was lousy compared to the other guys which had already 'passed' the CC requirements.  But I thought I was cool (and my parents) for maybe 48 hours.

 

D3 Basketball was my game.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 21:26 | 6873608 claytonmoore50
claytonmoore50's picture

Yeah, I used to be a runner too!

I had to quit, though...

I kept spilling my beer!

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 20:08 | 6873358 Praeda2
Praeda2's picture

The national soccer team is still playing so I imagine there will be a few here and there.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:17 | 6872720 mkkby
mkkby's picture

It's just another god damned TV show, only with nearly non stop commercials.  The only ones who give a damn arethe corps who advertise on it.

Have a coke and watch the shit swim.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:51 | 6872832 BarnacleBill
BarnacleBill's picture

Yeah, spot on, mkk!  Just before the last Olympics - in 2012 - I reckoned that they might be the last of their kind. There was terrorism-hype, to the point where the British Army mounted serious weaponry on the roofs of residential apartments, for goodness sake! In the event, I was wrong, of course; but I was correct in ridiculing the whole damn foolishness. What I wrote then is still relevant. Fingers crossed this time, eh?

http://barlowscayman.blogspot.com/2012/07/could-these-be-last-olympic-ga...

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 20:08 | 6873361 Praeda2
Praeda2's picture

You're just jelly because you have a fat ass.

Fri, 12/04/2015 - 13:26 | 6876246 markpower49
markpower49's picture

White NBA fans are pathetic cucks who fantasize about mandingos raping their wives and daughters.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:34 | 6872507 KnuckleDragger-X
KnuckleDragger-X's picture

Tsk and all that. We might have an event called 'government collapse' this games......

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:36 | 6872517 saratogaprepper
saratogaprepper's picture

Does anyone really still watch that shit?

 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 22:10 | 6873096 GhostOfDiogenes
GhostOfDiogenes's picture

I watch the womens vollyball because you can gauge the character of the feminism of the women of their respective nations, and can tell how far they have sunk to the lowest depths of hell.

The Italian lassies were the most feminine in the west. No teeth whitening and fake blondeness. Looked alive in the eyes and no thousand cock stare. Italians chicks got it going on.

The Other eastern euro women were so bad I thought they were going to break down and cry (bless their pure hearts). Pure feminity and a blessing to watch.

The 'merican 'women's team looked so manly you think in a roid rage they might rip some chicks arm off, like a wookie, and beat her with it.

A lot of kids get into it, man.
You heartless wench.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:48 | 6873278 hairball48
hairball48's picture

Not me

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:36 | 6872518 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

Yeah I guess -- but those Brazilian women ...

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:39 | 6872527 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

What difference does it make? Does anyone here really believe we are going to make it that far?

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:45 | 6872553 Philo Beddoe
Philo Beddoe's picture

I wonder if anyone will be left to carry the Syrian flag. 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:10 | 6872676 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

The Syrian gang rape/infidel shooting team is a shoo-in for gold.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:46 | 6872556 BandGap
BandGap's picture

Nope.

Watch the cancellations of soccer matches to pick up, as well.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:26 | 6872751 Dugald
Dugald's picture

Only loonies would have given them the games in the first place,

so that just leaves bribery, again.............!

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:44 | 6872815 graneros
graneros's picture

Yea Doc there will be something resembling a high school track meet for the oligarchs and elitist's amusement. We will see the same tired "celebrities" strutting for the cameras but you are correct in that there will be no real substance.  The olympics are just another politically correct ho-down anymore. I personally haven't watched the Olympics since 1980 when I accidentally saw the famous USA VS USSR Hockey game(was in a bar that had the TV on).

I know what you are saying but barring a nuclear holocaust there will be something broadcast from Brazil.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:42 | 6872538 Bangin7GramRocks
Bangin7GramRocks's picture

With all that fucking that goes on in an Olympic village. And now without AC in Brazil. Can you imagine the smell? Two words; Bums Nutsack.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:07 | 6873108 GhostOfDiogenes
GhostOfDiogenes's picture

Haha boom

"Two words; Bums Nutsack."

Isn't this a perfume de toilet from Sao Paulo?

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 20:10 | 6873365 Praeda2
Praeda2's picture

No, his only childhood memory of his father.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:45 | 6872546 smacker
smacker's picture

Don't ignore that August in Rio is mid-winter and is one of the coldest months. I've known daily temps down at 14C in Rio. They can rise a lot higher but not for long. Low-mid 20s is typical. It can also rain a lot from the West SW.

Generally it's not like the scorching summer days between Nov-Mar.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:44 | 6872549 DontFollowMyAdv...
DontFollowMyAdviceImaDummy's picture

so does this mean things are going to go like greece and we'll get athlete's hooking around the village to pay their A/C bills?

i call dibs on the divers & gymnasts.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:10 | 6873116 GhostOfDiogenes
GhostOfDiogenes's picture

"i call dibs on the divers & gymnasts."

Some of those girls in the latter are young.
That is kind of sick, man.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:11 | 6873117 GhostOfDiogenes
GhostOfDiogenes's picture

Dupe

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:13 | 6873118 GhostOfDiogenes
GhostOfDiogenes's picture

Dupe

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:12 | 6873120 GhostOfDiogenes
GhostOfDiogenes's picture

Dupe

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 21:41 | 6873655 cheeseheader
cheeseheader's picture

I used to call dibs on Peggy Fleming, when I was, um, not in the know...you know?

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:44 | 6872550 post turtle saver
post turtle saver's picture

yes, there is a chasm between first world countries and third world shit holes (in this case, literally shit holes)... boo fucking hoo... if this isn't the walking talking definition of a country acting "hood rich" I don't know what is, they have no business hosting the games...

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:45 | 6872816 Fod
Fod's picture

Do you know of a first world country that can host the Olympic games without financial ruin?

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:50 | 6872828 post turtle saver
post turtle saver's picture

I can think of several that won't have you swimming in shit and waving a fan to keep cool afterwards...

Fri, 12/04/2015 - 02:04 | 6874421 Kobe Beef
Kobe Beef's picture

But so vibrant!

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:51 | 6872578 Berspankme
Berspankme's picture

Who cares? It's the Olympics sponsored the One worlder's. Fuck all of them

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:02 | 6873087 August
August's picture

My hat's off to those athletes who, without chemical afterburners, can perform at world-class levels.

But as to "The Olympics", fuck 'em.  They're just another corrupt, flag-laden multibillion-dollar recurring boondoggle, like America's wars.  Current photos of the 2004 Greek olympic venues are pitiful / ludicrous; take your pick.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:56 | 6872607 FrankieGoesToHo...
FrankieGoesToHollywood's picture

"pay for their own air conditioning"

Is that such a big deal?  I say they should pay all of their own expenses...

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:46 | 6872820 Fod
Fod's picture

As most people around here say: stop living with other people's money, right?

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:58 | 6872617 The Greek horse
The Greek horse's picture

Every country that hosted the Olympics over the last few decades has fallen into economic crisis.. It's great hosting them but once the party is over the citizens feel the wrath!    

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:27 | 6872941 Peter Pan
Peter Pan's picture

With the exception of Australia in 2000. Although no doubt they have the Chinese to thank for that so far.

 

 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:01 | 6872632 farflungstar
farflungstar's picture

I'd pay to see LeBro swimming in feces.

 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 20:11 | 6873368 Praeda2
Praeda2's picture

Just use the blur tool in Photoshop. Make it look like he's melting xD.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:04 | 6872640 HardHatBanker
HardHatBanker's picture

Should have just had the games in Chicago.  

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:09 | 6872650 The Ram
The Ram's picture

Well, this is what happens when selections for Olympic countries are made for  political correct reasons in lieu of common sense.  Expect things to get far worse as everyone tries to cover their mistakes.  The MSM propaganda will have us believing that conditions in Brazil during the Olympics are simply wonderful and the reports of contaminated water are 'overblown.'  

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:14 | 6872701 jakesdad
jakesdad's picture

can't wait to hear about medals being stripped for atheletes testing positive for  vancomycin & interferon!

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:13 | 6872906 Peter Pan
Peter Pan's picture

Only the Indian swimmers who have been training in the Ganges will be game enough to compete.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:31 | 6872767 ali-ali-al-qomfri
ali-ali-al-qomfri's picture

will there be a tribute for Duke "The Dukey" Kahanamoku....

the Fecal 50m sprint,

just closed your mouth and swim like hell, cause this is gonna be darn close to it.

(and peeing the pool is considered a local custom, so go right ahead).

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:32 | 6872770 GIABO
GIABO's picture

Fucing "Shit Show"

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:37 | 6872790 MalteseFalcon
MalteseFalcon's picture

Maybe Rio will be the end of this shitshow.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 17:54 | 6872847 orangegeek
orangegeek's picture

Can't remember when I last watched the "once every four years" shit show - it's been decades.

 

Who really gives a shit??

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:15 | 6872910 Lucky Leprachaun
Lucky Leprachaun's picture

+100

 

Last time I watched Serena Williams won the Men's Gold Medal for weightlifting.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 23:02 | 6873946 Junerberno
Junerberno's picture

Later DQ'd for excessive T-levels.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:05 | 6872881 Peter Pan
Peter Pan's picture

The US Open is held in the US.

The Australian Open is held in Australia.

It's time for the Olympics to be held in Greece....permanently.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:00 | 6873080 Bazza McKenzie
Bazza McKenzie's picture

How many times do you think the Greeks can be plucked?

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:27 | 6873200 Peter Pan
Peter Pan's picture

The facilities are there already. They may as well use them.

By the way, Greece has not been plucked. It's the world that has been fucked because the Greeks won't be paying anything back. 

What they are doing to Greece at the moment is just for punishment and what foreign powers don't understand is that this sort of punishment will eventually strengthen their resolve to throw off the yoke.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:07 | 6872887 Make_Mine_A_Double
Make_Mine_A_Double's picture

If Brazil keeps going turbo toilet I'm taking bets they cancel this whole fucking corruption fest.

 

So our dude from Tokyo was here in the office and I said 'Japan economy is near death, anything to look forward to?'.

Answer - oh yes, we have Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

I'm like dude that's 5 years down the road.

Sad...

 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:16 | 6872912 o r c k
o r c k's picture

Sorry, Not survivable without a good AC.  Same as summer in Florida.  (yeah, but it's a DRY heat!!) (Aliens)

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:30 | 6872952 DadzMad
DadzMad's picture

Wow! A lot of haters on sport here.  Must be a lot of people picked last on the playground when they were young. 

 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 22:26 | 6873838 uhland62
uhland62's picture

It's just too expensive for the hosts and nothing else but a taxpayer paid outlet for the big sponsoring mega-corporations. London was to cost 2 billion plus, ended up 8 billion plus - taxpayer pays, not the companies who use the advertising outlet. Then add the taxpayer money that athletes in the various countries cost while being trained up. 

That's one very expensive segment of show business and needs to be gazumped. Just wait when the FIFA investigators move on to the Olympic movement, so said a FIFA sponsor last night on TV. . 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:39 | 6873001 Allen_H
Allen_H's picture

The gay jigaboo olympics, who watches this sheite ?

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 18:50 | 6873052 Monetas
Monetas's picture

Fece laden water and no air .... that gives an unfair advantage .... to third world affletes .... dat's rayciss ?

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:03 | 6873092 Bruce Gender
Bruce Gender's picture

Olympics! Ah, those were the glory days!

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:08 | 6873113 nmewn
nmewn's picture

lmao @ your avatar!

Well done kid ;-)

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:25 | 6873142 RichardParker
RichardParker's picture

Apparently, the games were already some $520 million over budget.

By the time the games are over, expect that number to be an order of msgnitude higher.  They only spent 3 billion dollars for their recently built world cup stadiums that are now sitting idle.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/sports/soccer/world-cup-stadiums-leave...

 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 20:46 | 6873259 SmedleyButlersGhost
SmedleyButlersGhost's picture

shit is very under valued in the modern Western world. Once in a place far far away called Afghanistan, there resided 50,000 plus troops and support. You can work the math per guy but that's a lot of shit. I once rode cover for a Camp Brass meet up with the locals who were starting to shoot at each other over - yes - shit - literally shit. 3 leaders were fighting over the rights to the camps shit. During a break in meet up, one of the interpreters is busting a gut telling us that the deal is being worked out and now they're arguing over the quality of certain sectors shit. Apparently - we'll call it curry 'product' is not as valuable as EU/US 'product'. All I can say is when we went out one gate for patrols no one was without a face mask. One man's shit is another's gold. So boys - that next kabob is on me but I'll pass on my share.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 19:56 | 6873310 hairball48
hairball48's picture

I'm thinking this could be the first Olympic Games to be cancelled due to "shitty conditions". If the athletes around the world agree to participate in the shitty water, etc. then they deserve to get sick. I mean how stupid is it to swim in that literally shitty water. Or is it "athletic hubris" knows no bounds?

Does anyone here believe that the Brazilian economy is going to improve between now and next summer? How will they pay?

So who then will bail them out?

Print? If they print, the whole fucking country will become a disaster with inflation spiking and all that goes with it.

Brazil is fucked.

 

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 20:22 | 6873400 insanelysane
insanelysane's picture

And Boston was stupid for rejecting the Olympics.  Somehow, every 4 years without fail, the Olympics goes over budget and the taxpayers of the host city pick up the tab; UNEXPECTEDLY.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 20:24 | 6873407 Tarshatha
Tarshatha's picture

Who cares.

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 20:44 | 6873470 NoWayJose
NoWayJose's picture

None of the athletes are being 'forced' to go... I'll watch again when the Olympic Committee takes away Jenner's gold medal - after all, she broke the rules by competing in a man's sport!

Thu, 12/03/2015 - 20:57 | 6873521 SmedleyButlersGhost
SmedleyButlersGhost's picture

'Male' Olympic swimmers shave themselves (not just a little polite manscaping to enhance the rudder), wear Brazilian banana hammocks and spend way to much time in the cabana. He/she/it can keep the medals - I'll never eat Wheaties. I wonder if that is a new LGT whatever the rest of that deal is - joke

Fri, 12/04/2015 - 03:16 | 6874509 ihatebarkingdogs
ihatebarkingdogs's picture

Los Angeles 1984 didn't cost the taxpayers a dime. Peter Uberoth managed it. He championed the idea of corporate sponsorship for various venues. The event was well thought out and budgets were kept. There were predictions of gridlocked traffic. For the two weeks of the games I could get to work in 20 minutes. It normally took an hour.

I attended women's volley ball because my GF at the time was a collegiate player, and was into it. I borrowed a 50' boat from a client and she and I went out and watched sailing as I'm a lifelong sailor, and personally knew some of the USA Sailors.

Things have changed. I don't think there's been an Olympics since where there was a financial surplus after they were over. But Los Angeles didn't suffer at all for having hosted the games. I was here, participated in my own little way and had a blast.

Because Jimma' Catah' felt compelled to punish the Russians by boycotting their games in 80, the Russians replied in kind for 84. That was too bad for everyone. It cast a pall over what otherwise was probably one of the best managed Olympic Games of the past Century. People diss Los Angeles all the time. But we hosted one hell of an Olympic Games.

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