导出博客文章NEW YORK -- Four years ago, an unexpected guest crashed a celebration in Manhattan so he could hang out with U. Air Max Goedkoop Online .S. Olympians who were on their way to the London Games.The guest: Donald Trump.The president-elect, who also carried the torch in the lead-up to the Athens Games, has been a longtime sports fan and admirer of the Olympics. He also likes winning, which is what has attracted him, over the years, to a U.S. team that routinely dominates the medals.It would be no stretch then to imagine Trump as a natural supporter of the effort to bring the Olympics back to Los Angeles in 2024.But Olympic bidding is a contest decided more by secret handshakes than a scoreboard. Though it claims to be above politics, the International Olympic Committee is teeming with them -- and many of its 98 members factor in geopolitical considerations when deciding which city to entrust with their most sacred and valuable property, the Olympic Games.No surprise then that Trumps election sent a ripple through Los Angeles bid leaders. They recognize that if the United States is viewed as an unsteady player on the global stage when the games are awarded next September, it will give IOC members -- not historically a pro-American group anyway -- one more reason to favor Paris or Budapest over LA.We just finished our presidential election and some of you may question Americas commitment to its founding principles, American sprinter Allyson Felix told IOC members last week at a Los Angeles bid presentation. I have one message for you: Please dont doubt us. Americas diversity is our greatest strength.The U.S. government will not bankroll an LA Olympics, which makes it more of a side player when it comes to bidding.But every bid needs some amount of buy-in from the top, and for a long time, a direct appeal from a head of state was thought to be a key way to bolster a bid. Convinced this was the case, President Barack Obama flew to the IOCs final bid meeting in Copenhagen in 2009 to support Chicago in its attempt to land the 2016 Olympics. He got burned when his home city was the first one eliminated in the voting.Reflecting on that last month, Obama told New York Magazine, I think weve learned that the IOCs decisions are similar to FIFAs decisions: a little bit cooked.Trump has no apparent baggage with the IOC, and, in fact, an IOC member -- American hockey player Angela Ruggiero -- is one of a handful of Olympians to appear on Trumps reality TV show The Apprentice back in the day. She got fired.But if theres any real fence-mending to be done, it might be between Trump and the LA bid itself.Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a Democrat with ties to Hillary Clinton, said over the summer that a Trump victory could turn off voters.I think for some of the IOC members, they would say, `Wait a second, can we go to a country like that, where weve heard things that we take offense to? Garcetti said.Trump won, and operatives in the LA bid have had what theyve described as preliminary discussions with the incoming administration. They have not offered details.Assuming Trump doesnt impede LAs progress, the IOC could be faced with a choice between two leaders whose populist, nationalist messages have won over voters, while causing some international discomfort: LAs biggest challenger is Paris, and French polling shows far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has a reasonable chance in that countrys election next spring. (Budapest, meanwhile, is considered a long shot.)In considering how much weight to throw behind the Olympic bid, Trump will have to decide which vision of the movement he believes in more.The IOC, after all, has been long been portrayed as an of out-of-touch, privileged group of backroom deal-cutters not all that different from the swamp of overpaid lobbyists and career politicians that Trump said he wants to drain out of Washington.But for a candidate who won by promising to Make America Great Again, the chance to surround himself with a group of red-white-and-blue winners and bring the Summer Games back to U.S. soil for the first time since 1996 might seem like too good an opportunity to turn down.---Follow Eddie Pells on Twitter at https://twitter.com/epells Air Max Nederland . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. Air Max Goedkoop Dames .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.goedkopeairmaxnederland.com/ . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. NEW YORK -- Tyson Ross, an All-Star pitcher for San Diego two years ago, was among 35 players who became free agents when their teams declined to offer them 2017 contracts on Friday.Washington outfielder Ben Revere and Philadelphia outfielder Cody Asche also were cut loose, along with Arizona catcher Welington Castillo and pitcher Rubby De La Rosa; Baltimore pitcher Vance Worley; and Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Louis Coleman.Milwaukee first baseman Chris Carter and Pittsburgh pitcher Jeff Locke were non-tendered as well; their teams had already designated them for assignment earlier this week.Teams cut players at the tender deadline to avoid committing to salary arbitration, in which about one-sixth of next seasons salary is guaranteed.Ross, a 29-year-old right-hander, was 13-14 with a 2.81 ERA in 2014 and 10-12 with a 3.26 ERA the following season. He was limited to one major league appearance this year and had surgery in October for thoracic outlet syndrome. Recovery time was expected to be four to six months, and the Padres deemed him too pricy for arbitration after he earned $9,625,000 this year.Asche, 26, was designated for assignment earlier Friday to clear a roster spot for left-hander David Rollins, claimed off waivers from Texas. Asche hit .240 with 31 homers and 125 RBI for the Phillies during 371 games in the past four seasons and would have been eligible for arbitration for the first time.The 28-year-old Revere was acquired from Toronto in January for reliever Drew Storen but strained his right oblique in his first at-bat of the seasoon, left after four innings and went on the disabled list. Air Max Nederland Bestellen. Revere returned May 6, hit just .217 with two homers and 24 RBI in 103 games and would have been on track for a raise from his $6.25 million salary.Castillo batted .264 with 14 homers and 68 RBI and would have gotten a big raise from his $3.7 million salary.Thirteen players agreed to deals ahead of the deadline, including Colorado reliever Jake McGee ($5.9 million), Oakland first baseman Yonder Alonso ($4 million), Chicago White Sox second baseman Brett Lawrie ($3.5 million) and outfielder Avisail Garcia ($3 million), Minnesota infielder Eduardo Escobar ($2.6 million) and New York Mets catcher Rene Rivera ($1.75 million).Milwaukee reached deals with second baseman Scooter Gennett ($2,525,000) and outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis ($900,000 in majors, $257,000 in minors).Pittsburgh agreed to an $800,000, one-year contract with left-hander Wade LeBlanc that includes a $750,000 salary next year and a $1.25 million team option for 2018 with a $50,000 buyout.San Francisco struck deals with right-hander Cory Gearrin ($1.05 million) and infielder Ehire Adrianza ($600,000 in majors and $300,000 in minors).Atlanta agreed to contracts with catcher Anthony Recker ($800,000) and left-hander Paco Rodriguez ($637,500).Among players who were already free agents, left-hander Brian Duensing agreed to a $2 million, one-year deal with the World Series champion Chicago Cubs. 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