From NYC 2012 to Bids for 2024

Has everyone heard that there's officially a short list of potential American bid cities for the 2024 Olympics? Because there is. And I am ALL OF THE EXCITED!

Me and American Olympic bids go way back. I can't really say I had much attachment to the Chicago 2016 campaign -- though I do remember where I was and what I was doing when I found out that Rio won -- but I was very attached to ye olde NYC 2012 campaign. In fact, there was a support rally in Rockefeller Center on my birthday in 2005. So guess where my mom, brother and I were to ring in my 14th year of life!

image source -- Any photos that my mom and I may or may not have taken have since disappeared into the void of time.

All I remember is a ridiculous amount of people and being way too short to be able to see anything happening. My mom just informed me that Oksana Baiul skated during the rally, and I'll believe her. But what sticks in my mind is being crammed in a crowd with thousands of people, the freezing, dreary gray weather and my uncontrollable excitement that neither of those things could dampen. And we still have those flags displayed in our dining room.

I was pretty thrilled when New York City randomly (and belatedly) decided it would look into potentially bidding for 2024... but that interest was then withdrawn about a week later. Womp womp. I was all ready to break out the Sharpies and self-edit these flags to say 2024 instead of 2012. But NYC and Philly bowed out early, and Dallas and San Diego were eliminated by the USOC, which leaves us with the final four: Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Woohoo! I have to say that I'd absolutely love for an east coast city to win it, but my extremely early prediction is Los Angeles. They've already hosted the Olympics twice (and the Games in 1984 forever changed the face of the Olympics), and they're probably the safe option. Considering Tokyo won the 2020 Games as the safe option, safe is a pretty attractive look right now. And please, look at this logo and tell me it's not BEAUTIFUL!

But at the same time, Boston is a huge sports city, and Washington, D.C. is no slouch either, so I think it's really anybody's game at this point. I know nothing about any city's proposal or anything -- literally, I know nothing -- but my gut right now is going with L.A.

In other, unrelated Team USA news, how 'bout that World Cup? There's a watch party/spirit day going on at work tomorrow in honor of USA vs. Ghana, and I'm trying to figure out how to work my American flag socks into the equation. I'm feelin' the American spirit right now.

I'm just really excited to get this 2024 show on the road. I was 11 the last time the Olympics were held in America. We need to fix that situation!

Which city would you like to see move forward in the bidding process? :)