Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
When he traveled to Copenhagen—along with President Obama, a slew of ex-Olympic stars, and other dignitaries—the director of USA Basketball, Jerry Colangelo, figured Chicago had the best chances of anyone to land the Olympics. Not so, as we all found out. And Colangelo is NOT happy.
He spoke to a Phoenix radio station recently and Sports Radio Interviews provides a transcript:
I can only say to you that the money was on Chicago and that the safe selection was on Chicago. The most potential was Chicago. Probably the best presentation was Chicago and they got 18 votes out of 107 and it is pretty obvious what took place. It was a backlash. A little bit of anti-Americanism, a slap in the face at the President. That is the IOC for you. They have quite a reputation. That is not sour grapes that is just how I saw it.
Those are fightin’ words, there. And he’s right: it’s one thing to lose the bid, but to only get 18 votes? Come on. You’d think we were selling some unstable, poorly funded city like Rio de Janei—Oh, what’s that? They chose Rio?
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