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London has done a fantastic job hosting the Olympics. Or at least it appears that way, because being on the West Coast means we can only follow the Games out here via "Today Show" spoilers. But it looks like a good time.
It even reminds me of when I was a young man and Los Angeles hosted the Olympics. Can you imagine? Los Angeles had two football teams and one Olympics in 1984!
So with that in mind, I wonder what other NFL cities would make good hosts for the Summer Olympics. No U.S. city has bid for 2020 (mistake), but here are some NFL cities I would recommend for 2024.
Considered:
If LeBron James could take his talents to South Beach, why not the world's greatest athletes? But I don't believe Olympic organizers would like all of the empty seats during the biggest events.
I love Green Bay. And sure, it doesn't have things like "facilities" or "infrastructure," but consider the tailgate parties! I still have your back, Green Bay.
And without further ado ...
Houston is the home to many Olympians, so this city should get a shot at hosting the Games. Houston did really well hosting the Super Bowl a few years back. A lot better job than another town in Texas that recently held a Super Bowl. (Psst … Dallas.)
Indianapolis should be put on the short list for every major sporting event from now on because of the way it crushed it during last year's Super Bowl. I'm talking every major sporting event from the Final Four (which it's already in the mix for) to the Super Bowl (bid again, please) to Wrestlemania. Indy would be awesome for the Olympics.
The Second City has been a bridesmaid in the Olympics too many times. Chicago was to host the 1904 Games, but it was moved to St. Louis to coincide with the world's fair. Chicago also had a solid bid for the 2016 Games -- backed by Oprah and President Barack Obama -- but lost out. The sting of that bid lessened because Rio de Janeiro is going to be an awesome host, but Chicago would be a great choice.
Has there ever been a true home-field advantage in the Olympics? Because Denver would certainly offer it with the high altitude. What's cool about Denver is it could double both as a Summer and Winter Olympics venue, but I would really like to see the Mile High City get a shot for the summer Games.
San Francisco is one of the greatest cities in the world, and it has enough space and facilities to really make this a top-notch event. The new San Francisco 49ers stadium would be the logical spot to host the opening ceremonies (Peter Frampton could come alive again, just saying) and there has to be a way to mix Alcatraz into the mix for some of the water events. Make this happen.
New York might have been a pipe dream for the 2012 Olympics when the New York Jets offered to build a stadium for the opening ceremonies (check out this great detailed account), but with a nice mix of facilities, the time has come for NYC to get a crack at the Summer Games.
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