A (belated) last word on the awarding of the 2016 games

I tried a round-by-round analysis to try to get a feel for how the games landed in Rio de Jainero for 2016. I opened it with the words "it seems to indicate that Rio had it in the bag from the beginning."

The folks at the Rio bid certainly felt so...and I think this says how little impact Obama could have had one way or the other. From the head of the Rio 2016 bid a few days ago:

"On September 28 ... we made a final list ... of the votes, and our strategy. The result that we have - it's on paper, we can show, final round; Rio 67, Madrid 33 and we missed two members."

The actual vote was Rio 66, Madrid 32.

When it is set in stone to this degree, I don't think Obama and Oprah really had a chance to change the vote.

PS: The 2016 Rio de Jainero games will feature rugby for the first time, and will bring back golf, which had been part of early Olympics. Baseball and softball remain locked out.