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 It was kind of yucky the day we left Copenhagen and boarded a chartered United Airlines flight back to Chicago. Folks were drawing analogies to how it must feel to be on the plane with the losing SuperBowl team. The week certainly had that kind of appeal. Great parties and camaraderie for days before the big game.

As Bart Conner told me as we waited to board the plane... "We got shellacked!" Still we found ways to laugh and enjoy each other's company for the nine hour flight. Tim Smithe relayed a story to me of NBC 5's Larry Wert telling basketball great David Robinson that even though he was sitting 10 rows behind Larry, David's feet were still under his seat.

People have been asking me what the moment was like when we heard them say the city of Chicago has been eliminated. I can only repeat what you have either read or experienced yourself. It was utter disbelief. Every mouth in the room dropped open with a gasp.

There were occasional tears from those who had the reality set in quickly but most of us stood silent, looking for some sense in what we perceived to be a surreal situation. After all, the entire week we had been told it was between Chicago and Rio. That very morning I had read that "Tokyo was out..." whatever that meant.

As you recall, the IOC completed a second vote at that point and upon its conclusion and the announcement of the two finalists our projection screen went silent.

Still a quiet room, it felt like a wake at that point, one gentleman climbed upon the stage. His name is John Vincent and he is a singer at Ditka's Restaurant. He had performed for us just the night before.

John started to sing a very impromptu and A cappella version of The Star Spangled Banner. Every person in the room joined in with full voice. By the end of the song, there were tears in many eyes.

It took about another hour before we started to look back on all of the good things that had been done in this process for Chicago. I noticed watching television over there that they don't even have Chicago on their weather maps when they show the United States. It seems their interest and understanding of the US lies on both coasts.

Chicago has a global publicity problem. Still known for gangsters and sometimes as a cow-town. We took full advantage of the chance to show the world that Chicago is so much more. We competed with 3 other world class cities and we took another stride in making Chicago a first tier destination.

I'd like to thank all of the people who spent so much time on this project to move or area forward in such a good way. Our company played a role, but it was definitely as supporting cast.

There is a legacy to this project called World Sport Chicago which will carry on the vision of engaging youth in sports programs for the good of each community.

Thanks to Jay Lieser for a couple of the photos you see in the album.

This was an amazing life experience. I would go back to Copenhagen in a minute on a family vacation and ride bikes all over that great city. I made some great new friendships and shared a moment in Chicago's history.

The "I Will" spirit of Chicago tells me that we will reconvene in some time to find the next big thing. I truly hope to be a part of it when we do.

Thanks for reading.  JC/

Fittingly, today is the first day in Copenhagen that the weather is gloomy and rainy. It was a tough day yesterday for all of the people who worked so hard on the bid.

The moment that the IOC announced Chicago would be removed from the contest was entirely unexpected. It left our crowd in complete stunned silence.

This was an amazing trip and I feel so lucky to have been around this process. There were certainly some lifetime memories made here this week.

I am packing my bags and hopping on a plane home soon. I will offer some further closing thoughts this weekend...

Good morning friends back home. As you may be just waking up, we have seen much so far today.

Airforce One arrived early this morning and President Obama joined his wife Michelle, Mayor Daley, Pat Ryan and the rest of the presentation team.

We gathered about 200+ delegates here in the Copenhagen Admiral Hotel to watch the action on a live feed from the IOC. Cheers erupted several times as our team expressed our desire to host the Games and why Chicago is the perfect location.

Michelle Obama was very, very good. I think that if this goes our way, she will get a great deal of credit for making such an impassioned presentation. She talked about her childhood and what sports meant to her and her family. Everyone seemed to hang on her every word.

After the presentations, I hopped on a bicycle and rode over to the Parliament Building where a very large crowd of Danes had gathered to catch a glimpse of the Obamas. There was an incredible amount of police presence there including about 60 motorcycle police. Of course, the motorcade passed in a flash and they saw more flashing lights than flashing smiles but they all left with some sense of satisfaction.

We could tell where Obama was this morning because there was a police helicopter above the motorcade and then also the building they were in for the meeting.

Our fingers are crossed. I'm not sure that we know any more than you do at this point about the potential outcome. While we can see the TV coverage here it is in Danish so we can really only see the images.

Now we wait. Perhaps another bike ride is a good idea. Nervous energy well spent! Biking really is the way to see Copenhagen. I have enjoyed it greatly. There are usually nice paths along the roadside.

Everyone seems to ride here. They are in really good physical shape too. When we look at a crowd of Americans back home we see a good deal of obesity. Not here, they are a very fit culture.

We will begin to shuttle over to Axelborg at 4:15 PM and expect the Host City announcement near 6:00 PM. They begin voting at 5:10 PM. There is a big post-decision party planned for tonight and either way we will be part of a fabulous evening.

We are hopeful!

Today was an easy day in Copenhagen. Very light on activities - probably due to the extraordinary events thrown last evening which began with a dinner reception for all delegates and our presentation team. We followed that event with a tremendous dance-club event with great live entertainment.

So, todays post will be short but you will see that I've posted lots more photos and captions today.

The buzz here is still really good in relation to our chances to bring home the gold. I am having so much fun meeting local residents and people from the other competing nations. I spent some time with some reporters from Madrid last night who have us neck-and-neck with Rio for the prize... they are very complementary of our country.

We have these great blue jackets that we wear everywhere we go and it seems we are the only delegation in "uniform" so we really stand out in town. The running, biking and special events we have hosted also seem to be dominating the local media coverage. I mean sure the King of Spain is probably a great guy but we have Oprah here!

She got a really big round of applause as she exited her car today at the palace. The heads of each delegation met with the Danish queen today. Oprah arrived with Mayor Daley and Michelle arrived soon afterward.

We have a really powerful presentation team and are excited to see them in action. That begins at 8:40 AM in Copenhagen, 1:40 AM in Chicago. Set your alarm. :)

Chicago is the first of the four to present. In sales, you typically want to be first or last in this situation. Being first is good because they will compare all other presentations to that of Chicago's. Rio, by the way, goes third.

I like our chances. Stay tuned on Friday and we will hear an announcement around the 6:00 PM hour in Copenhagen, 11 AMish in Chicago.

I feel the crescendo building...

It just keeps getting better and better!

What a fabulous day in Denmark. Sunny and crisp this morning as many members of the delegation, including yours truly, set out on a motorcoach across town for a Fun Run through the streets of Copenhagen. I’ll bet there were 100 of us including about a dozen Olympic and Paralympic champions on the run. The world’s fastest man, Michael Johnson led the way along side Nastia Liukin, Brandi Chastain, Paralympian April Holmes, and others.

What fun it was to jog just over 2 miles with this bunch passing the Parliament, the IOC Committee hotel, and the hotels of the other delegations. Wearing bright orange shirts, Chicago really made an impact.

Surely the Chicago press corps was out in force to cover the action. Channel 2’s Jay Levine even ran alongside Michael Johnson for a time to huff out a couple of interview questions.

After a quick shower and change of clothes we hopped on another motorcoach and headed to lunch in rural Denmark. The countryside is lovely, largely flat landscape and a beautiful waterfront facing the Swedish border.

I had met Olympic medalist and former WBC Lightweight champion David Diaz before during our participation in the IABC World Boxing Championships in Chicago a couple years ago. David joined us at the table for lunch and talked a great deal about how amatuer boxing helped shape his life and gave him opportunities that he otherwise would not have seen growing up in a tougher area of Chicago. David just had a comeback bout, which he won, at UIC Pavilion Saturday night and is still sporting two blackened eyes and some stiches near his brow. He said he told the Chicago 2016 folks that he would be available to support them on Sunday, bruises and all because he feels so strongly about the impact The Games would bring to shaping young people’s dreams in the area.

People ask me often, “what will it mean to us in the Region or Chicagoland if we get the Games?” The answer is usually jobs, economic impact and infrastructure improvements to things such as transportation. I hadn’t really thought about the emotional impact this would have on kids and their dreams. David Diaz is exactly right… The Games come with a liberal helping of hope for the future and will motivate young people to be better. Tell me you didn’t run around he block when Bruce Jenner won the decathalon in 1976, shoot pucks at the garage door when the hockey team beat the Russians in 1980, or think you could do the uneven paralell bars like Nadia when she scored her perfect 10.

There is a magical part of this proposition that we have not yet examined.

From lunch we explored the castle of Christian IV in Frederiksborg. Denmark is the oldest monarchy in the world and there are some extraordinary artworks in this collection.

Upon returning to the hotel we noticed that it was now surrounded by media, police, dogs, and workers scurrying to put a red carpet in place for tonight’s event. Tonight was the official welcome dinner for the delegation. I would say there are about 300 people here participating.

I found myself sitting across the table from former US Commerce Secretary Bill Daley who regaled us in stories about the Clinton White House years. He said that Bill Clinton has such a good memory that he could read a speech once and walk onto the stage and deliver it almost word-for-word. In the midst of a storied career, Mr. Daley is quite a fascinating man.

The program was presented by Pat Ryan, Mayor Richard M. Daley, Oprah, and Michelle Obama. Each was extraordinary in their remarks. Each focused on the amazing sense of team spirit that has come forth from the community.

The energy coming forth from each of them was palpable and the room was really electric.

After the program we all sort of came together in the room and exchanged pleasantries with all involved. I caught a nice photo of NBA legend David Robinson with some fellow Munster residents, John and Kelli Rowady, and Jack (Jay) and Andrea Lieser who are part of the Chicago delegation as well.

In fact, there are a bunch of new photos posted with captions so check them out!

Could this get any better??? Check in again to see...

Folks ran in some different directions here yesterday and all of them seemed to be the right way. Many of the athletes did programs in the local schools. Former NFL placekicker and all-time NFL point total leader, Morton Anderson is part of the delegation. A native of Copenhagen, he and some of the other delegates put on an American Football clinic for kids.

At night, many explored the social scene here in town. The pubs were filled with locals enjoying the “other” futbol. Cozy small spaces down a few steps from cobblestone sidewalks… we found these taverns quite charming.

My group took to a place called the Ice Bar. Located in the Hotel 27, it is exactly what it sounds like… We arrived and paid a small cover charge (which included a drink). The staff person threw a large insulated pancho with a fur lined collar over my head and we were escorted into the bar area through an air-lock room. The bar felt about 20 degrees farenheit and featured a bar, tables and benches made of solid ice. Thankfully, the pancho included gloves so we could hold our drinks - presented to us each in a solid ice glass. 30 minutes is about the longest you can spend in an Ice Bar but that was long enough to create a fun memory.

The city streets are charming at night. Very quiet. Bikes line the sidewalks waiting to be used by commuters the following day. Not one of the hundreds of bikes we saw resting on the sidewalks last night had a lock. This is a very clean city and seems very safe.

A curiousity called to our attention last night was the fact that the Danish Government does not allow the legal sale of “Red Bull” type products. Not that we needed any of course… ;) Although if you really want some it is said that you can obtain it on the black market (seriously). We found that amusing.

Sleep is still a bit elusive as my body adjusts to the time difference. It is about midnight at home but 7:00AM here in Copenhagen and the day is about to begin.

This morning we have a fun run with the US Olympians. Then I plan to do a little sightseeing in the countryside including a tour of two Danish Castles.

The folks working on the bid here are conveying great energy as we build toward Friday.

Wow! What great energy surrounds this trip...

I arrived at O'Hare last night and went through a very well executed check-in process in the terminal. I arrived about the same time as many of the members of the television media who will be covering the events here in Copenhagen.

It was scheduled as United Airlines flight 9890 but they apparently had the call number changed to United 2016 for this special trip.

We arrived at the gate and were greeted by at least 20 TV cameras and lots of other reporters and photographers. There were several past Olympic and Paralympic champions chatting with the reporters and the supporters.

There was a stage with a live band playing - right at the gate! Jake and Elwood Blues made an appearance. A very nice bar and passed hors d'oeuvres made for a very comfortable reception.

Just prior to departure, Olympian Bart Conner took the stage and introduced the athletes who would be traveling with us on the aircraft. At that point, I thought I'd snap a few photos... so I was out in front with my little camera and this really nice guy (also snapping photos) says "You just need to act like the media and get right in there for your shots."

He kind of moved around and we laughed a bit... then Bart Conner introduced him... it was Edwin Moses. So, I have now received photography advice from one of the greatest Olympic athletes of all time.

The athletes were all so nice to us. Bart Conner shared a video on his phone of his 3 year old son on a trampoline. This trip is the first time he and wife Nadia Comaneci have been away more than a couple nights. Typical parents. Extremely down to earth. Very refreshing.

We boarded the plane and I was pleased to learn a couple of things. United was providing Business Class service throughout the entire plane and the service was wonderful. Beautiful meals with polished silverware and linen napkins, They really did this right.

I was also pleased to find there was nobody in the center seat of my row. My neighbor was a tremendously nice guy named Timothy Smithe and we hit it off right away. Tim has a business on Route 30 in Hobart and 12 other stores in Chicagoland called Walter E. Smithe Custom Furniture. And yes, as it shows in their commercials, he is a very creative guy.

Not a great deal of sleep was had on this "red-eye" but we arrived full of enthusiam none-the-less. The folks on the charter flight received blue jackets (very nice) that we will wear around Copenhagen to show our support for Chicago's bid.

I'm off on a canal tour of the city in a few minutes to get a quick look around. Tomorrow's agenda includes a castle tour and then the welcome dinner with all of the delegates.

Having fun.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m excited.

On Monday night I’ll board a chartered United Airlines jet bound for Copenhagen, Denmark to take part in the selection process for the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee will decide on Friday, October 2^nd whether Tokyo, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro or Chicago will host the world’s largest sporting event.

As an on-going student of history, I have some sense of what I think the experience might be like. I know that bringing the Olympic Games to Chicago would be one of the great moments in the city’s history. I know there would be a significant economic impact throughout the entire region; the lasting tourism benefit is quite impressive.

I also know that if I had the chance to witness Daniel Burnham’s pitch to the 1893 World’s Fair committee… selling the prospect of a rebuilt, but at the time largely unbuilt, Chicago… I would have wanted to be in that room. Burnham succeeded. I believe this is a similar moment in time and that is the simple reason as to why I am going to Copenhagen.

I am an event guy. I have worked on hundreds of events in my life. From professional tennis and golf events, beauty pageants, major parades, conventions, and even working under the direction of the secret service on Obama’s Election Night Rally in Grant Park, I get great energy from being part of big events.

I have the perfect job for that since Chicago Trolley & Double Decker is involved in so many of the area’s major events. Just in the past month we provided service for the Air and Water Show, Lollapalooza and helped Oprah create a special TV studio on top of one of our double decker buses for her 24^th Season Kickoff Party held on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.

Events are in my blood.

What’s nice about this trip to Copenhagen is that I was invited to attend by the Chicago 2016 Bid Committee as a supporter and member of the delegation because of my involvement from the beginning. I will tell you about those activities along the way. Just to be clear, I won’t be co-presenting with anyone named Obama, Daley, Ryan or Winfrey, but I will be there to watch as this part of history unfolds.

It’s been fun this week to read the papers and see who would be the latest additions to the guest list! I’ll bet there will be some surprises before we are through.

So I will be in the room, in the cheering section, talking up the benefits of Chicago to anyone who will listen. I plan to file some notes here each day.  And I hope to make this a reasonably entertaining look at who’s involved, places we are exploring in our free time, and what the real buzz is from the front lines.

I have a feeling this trip will be something truly special and I’m excited.