The Windy City's torch gets blown out first round

For many people, 2016 is a distant thought.

Yesterday, the city of Chicago wasn't thinking about anything other than 2016.

Plastered on the walls of subway stations, coffee shops, and museums were posters sporting the idea the 2016 Olympic Games being brought to Chicago.

Those signs are now being ripped down as the city of Rio was victorious while the city of Chicago lost in the first round of voting yesterday. It only makes sense that the clouds cried so many tears yesterday in downtown Chicago, because sadness could be felt all around.

When Medill Newsroom students were asked what angle they were going at the story from, on responded, "disappointment."

What a perfect word to describe the feeling that overwhelmed so many people yesterday. For Chicago people, it meant work on their subways and trains wouldn't be done. For athletes, it meant no automatic bid in 2016, and for the rest of the country it meant losing the opportunity to see their athletes perform at the top level in a relatively close and affordable venue.

Disappointment.

As the announcement was made, I reached for my phone and texted two national team field hockey members. Both of their responses were "So sad," and one included an unhappy emoticon.

The United States will have to hope that the voting process of the 2020 Olympic games brings a better outcome. But for now, the Chicago residents will have to go back to their daily life, and the athletes will have to keep their eyes on the upcoming 2012 Olympics before worrying about how they will qualify for the following one.