Most of the Olympic events will take place at three key areas. Barra da Tijuca, the American style western suburb of Rio, will hold the swimming, water polo and the diving competition at the Aquatic Center. Barra will contain also the site of the Olympic Village itself. The Joao Havelange Stadium, north-west of the downtown, will stage the track and flied events. And the most famous soccer stadium of Brazil, the Maracana, one of the largest stadiums in the world, will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympic Games. Along with the Deodoro Park, the third cluster of Olympic sites, where the modern pentathlon, white water events and mountain bike events will take place, is as Maracana in the northern zone of Rio.

Although the major competition venues are located in the above three neighborhoods, the legendary south coast beach areas will be included in the staging grounds of the Olympic events as well. Copacabana beach will host the Olympic volleyball, as it should. Copacabana waterfront and Flamengo Park will also be the site of triathlon and road cycling.

Rio de Janiero tried to bid for the games three times before but always failed, in 1936, 2004 and last in 2008 when it hoped to hold the games of 2012 eventually awarded to London, it is not new to hosting prominent sporting events, notably Soccer World Cup, Formula One races and Pan American Games. Having persevered and finally won will no doubt repay the effort. The Olympic Games 2016 in Rio promise to be a grand occasion not to miss indeed.

Then when I go to the Y I see the opposite crowd, the fervent hot young, middle age and old crowd that work out so hard to keep in shape. Made me wonder if there is an association between fat people in this country and interest in the Olympic Sports?

So I googled the topic and here comes the first site and the headlines are astounding. The first is USA Field Hockey Weekly Report. Next is about Ryan Millar writing a blog for Mizuno, a key USA Volleyball sponsor and partner – who the hell has a clue about any of it. But at least volleyball is a popular and well understood sport. Then I read “Hasta luego…” something about I wish there was a way to thank each and everyone of you who has shared some aspect of team handball with me in the past 3+ years, presumably by USA Team Handball Blog.

Good God, how many average Americans know or even hear of Field Hockey!? Do the Spanish speakers in this country really understand Team Handball? What does it mean” Hasta luego,” anyway? I sweat in the Y, pump some iron, then go into sauna, more fat people there, none of them really exercised today, nor any other day, they just come to the Y to soak in sauna and shower, I guess too fat to even try to shad some pounds. After shower, one of them munchies on potato chips in front of his locker, still half naked.

I am disgusted with all and leave. I had a bad day, but that is another topic.

Conclusion? Seems that lack of interest in Olympic sports is one damn good reason why there are indeed so many fat people in America. Argue with me, if you wish, I had a rough day and I just felt like unloading on all these fat slobs all around me. I will never allow myself to become just like them!

Needless to say, when there is World Cup to be played, the euphoria of the country escalates, and having won the World Cup five-times already that’s understandable.

I arrived in Brazil on June 9, which was Wednesday; the World Cup 2010 in South Africa was starting on Friday with Mexico playing the home team of South Africa. The game ended in a tie and Mexicans considered that a success as South Africa has not lost in two years and fans were more than hopeful of their team advancing beyond the group play round robin.

Walking down Copacabana Beach boardwalk I came across last minute preparations of a large outdoor screen and bleachers set up so the local fans could watch Brazil’s matches. As soon as the first matches in South Africa got under way, the TV channels were telecasting from the locker rooms, the practice field, the hotel, everywhere and anywhere the Brazilian team and their superstars stayed or happened to be. All were in fine fettle, confident, and the country even more so, expecting nothing less than their team would bring home the big trophy.

The first matches brought two surprises. Uruguay tied France 0:0, beat Mexico 1: nil, routed South Africa 3: zip, and suddenly the world, including Brazil, took a notice as that’s their little neighbor to the south.

Of course the loss of the home team to Uruguay was a shocker and immediately diminished their chances of so much expected success. Their consolation was they beat France 2:1, which was the first nail in the coffin for the French, the big time world champs just a few years ago.

In a Group B Argentina ruled and Maradona was cocky. Brazilians hated that as they would anything Argentinean and course was being set for a likely showdown with Brazil.

Brazil played in Group G and their first mach was against the communist amateurs from North Korea. The Brazilian media had to analyze the opponent, pondered some respect but of course their super stars the likes of Kaka, Maicon, Robinho or Elano would toy around with these guys who have some four teams in their first division, the only division, and half dozen of what could pass for an actual stadium in the country. Whatever the stats for North Korea’s soccer facilities, they were in fact pretty good match for the Brazilian footballers.

The entire Brazil shut down for this game and some 200,000 million Brazilians were at their sets to witness this spectacle. Brazil won 2:1, though they were a lot more in control than the score suggests. Of course the Koreans showed they could play with Brazil and that’s what they wanted to prove and did. When they later played Portugal, they got swept off the flied 7:0 and suddenly Brazil feared the worst – getting beat by Portugal, their former colonialists.

But that first win, narrow as it was against measly North Korea set off the Brazilian media on a frenzy. That first goal by Maicon, shot right between the Korean goalie and his goal post, from a right side and practically parallel to the goal line, was replayed on the Brazilian television good one billion times over the next few days. Maicon dropped to his knees, kissed his finger, clearly in heaven. Brazilian flags sold like hot cakes and everyone had one hung off his window. The streets decorated with flags and confetti bearing Brazil’s colors were being set for the ultimate street party that was to come.

Needless to say the hopes were high, mood elated, Brazil was winning. I was somewhat dismayed at seeing that these champs were so enthused over their narrow win over North Korea. But Brazil loved what they were seeing. The whole country wore yellow jerseys of their team and bars were full, for any game broadcast from the South Africa.

In the other groups, England was showing mediocre results. They tied US which were a great result for US but the English footballers were starting to get roasted by their press. They did not last long and lost to Germany in the round of 16 and were sent packing going home embarrassed.

US had a good run, after their game with England ended in a draw they also tied Slovenia and having beaten Algeria they moved on from the base group, though lost narrowly to Ghana 2:1 in a first match after that.

Germany was solid and advanced along with Ghana from the Group D. Holland and Japan advanced from group E., Paraguay and Slovakia from Group F, which was a bit time for Slovakia, their first ever getting to the World Cup and right on to the round of 16s. That left Italy, the reigning World Champions, packing. They lost to Slovakia 3:2 which was actually a very good game, and after a draw against New Zealand and losing to Paraguay they were done, having shown very little to deserve the esteem in which they had been held since the last World Cup.

In Group H Spain was quietly advancing along with Chile. Brazil had a so so game against Ivory Coast showing little but at least winning by 3:1, which made for more goals to be replayed over and over on Brazilian TV, along with countless interviews and analysis by all experts and non experts. Mind you the country would shut down for each game, literally, shops and offices, everything, as the entire population was expected to go into a bar or home to watch the game on the tube.

Showdown with Portugal was set as final game in the group but as it mattered little who won, both teams were already advancing, the game finished nil: nil. Brazilians were content though apologetic for their team’s tie on account of the non-importance of the game.

In the round of 16, Uruguay showed they were solid and routed South Korea 3:0. US were edged by Ghana 2:1. Holland beat Slovakia narrowly 2:1 in a pretty decent game. Brazil beat Chile 3:0 in a best performance of their tournament play so far and so expectations were growing higher for the ultimate cup win. TV stations were showing nothing else but soccer, all channels, literally, 24/7 it seemed.

Germany sent England packing, Paraguay did same to the Japanese, Argentina to the Mexicans and Spain halted the hopes of Portugal in the Iberian Peninsula showdown. All matches were by narrow margin, usually by a single goal only, only Argentina beating Mexico 4:1 was showing they were at their peak and ready to defeat anybody. Brazilians were bit worried but did not show it. Maradona was giving interviews and talking it up.

Quarterfinals were the judgment day for Brazil. Holland beat them convincingly 2:1 and the whole country took on a somber mood instantly. TV programming was beginning to get back to normal, though some analysis continued. Suddenly yellow jerseys were no longer worn nor sold all over as they were prior to the loss. No more goal replays on TV. The gigantic outdoor screens were all being disassembled all over Brazil.

The only satisfaction Brazilians felt at that point was when Germany shocked Argentina 4:0. The Brazilians cherished those goals and their screams of approval were nearly as load as when their team scored when they were still winning.

Uruguay continued their streak playing excellent football, beating Ghana 2:1. Paraguay, another of Brazil’s neighbors, narrowly lost to Spain in a game that could had gone either way. It was sad to see as even most Brazilians seemed were hoping for a showdown with Uruguay, or at least for having two South American teams in the semifinals.

In the semis Holland powered over Uruguay though most Brazilians were hoping for Uruguay to avenge their loss to Holland. It did not happen, the Dutch was pretty keen and won 3:2 in a tight win. Much the same happened in the other match, someone had to lose, and it was Germany, losing to Spain 1:0, but both matches were excellent and anyone could had won.

So the final showdown was between Holland and Spain and the Spaniards won. Nothing spectacular but a 1:0 win and that’s all it mattered. Not a convincing win but so it goes. By then Brazilians hardly watched the game and actually ever since their loss in the quarters the Brazilian TV channels went back into broadcasting their national football league matches despite the bleachers on all stadiums everywhere being visibly empty. But still the matches were on TV, as if to make the Brazilians forget that the World Cup was still going on.

Of course the next World Cup will be in Brazil, in 2014 and two years after that Rio will host the Olympic Games, so the Brazilians are already getting pumped for those events. And the World Cup 2010 in South Africa is already forgotten. The soccer is played everywhere in Brazil, the enthusiasm for the game is ever present and obviously resilient to any loss. They know they can win next time and they probably will!