There may have been a "few glitches," but as the Games enter its final weekend, "by-and-large, none of the things we feared about an Olympics in Rio have come to pass," according to NBC's Bob Costas. Rio officials have "done a good job hosting," and the people "have been wonderful." From a competition standpoint, "many historic things ... happened here." Costas: "We’ve all had a good experience, and we come away with dozens and dozens of indelible memories of great sports events and people we met and interacted with." While the situation involving the four U.S. swimmers has dominated headlines in recent days, Costas predicted that may be a "little bit more than a footnote" to the lasting legacy of the Games. He said, "It's not going to be a dominant story" ("Today," NBC, 8/19). In Phoenix, Dan Bickley writes the Rio Games "haven't been perfect," but they have "exceeded expectations." Bickley: "Hastily assembled venues are not aesthetic marvels, like they were in Beijing, but they are still standing. Transportation has been sufficient, while most fans and athletes seem pleased with their experience." With just a couple days left, Rio "has done a surprisingly good job, especially considering the ominous forecasts" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/19).
BEST FOOT FORWARD: SI's Alexander Wolff examines L.A.'s bid for the '24 Games and writes the "effort to land an Olympics is essentially a political campaign with an electorate of roughly 90 voters and no bad-mouthing of rivals allowed." L.A. is going against Paris, Rome and Budapest, and Wolff writes cities win votes by "advancing your best arguments and tugging at heartstrings while hoping that random events break your way." L.A. is "catching just such a break during these Olympics," as no city among the four bidders has "flattered more than Los Angeles in contrast to Rio." Wolff: "For almost every one of Rio's troublesome zigs, L.A. is proposing a corrective zag." That includes an athletes' village that uses UCLA dorms and the fact that "all but one of the permanent venues already exists, and transport infrastructure is paid for and largely built." L.A. would be the "safest choice" for the IOC, though a potential election of Donald Trump "would surely strike a blow against the bid" (SI, 8/22 issue).
