1.   America is downright prudish next to Australia, the Olympic host with the most athletes au natural.

2.   Americans can rest assured that as Olympic hosts go, Salt Lake has been the anti-Atlanta.

3.   Before the Olympics, as fears of U.S. jingoism surfaced, I wrote that Americans were no better than other Olympic hosts, and no worse.

4.   All Olympic hosts have something to prove, to justify the selection.

5.   All expressed nothing but the upbeat optimism and blithe enthusiasm expected of Olympic hosts.

6.   But even most of the harshest critics acknowledge that Sydney has done something remarkable, going far beyond the achievements of previous Olympic hosts.

7.   Chinese bid officials have waged a shameless and relentless public relations campaign in an effort to show the world that China would make an affable Olympic host.

8.   Even during the five minutes that CBS showed the performance, Olympic host Jim Nantz talked over it as if it were simply background music at a nightclub.

9.   He cut financial corners, mostly in terms of the banners and decorations that usually cover an Olympic host city.

10.   His reputation, however, was tarnished with revelations that Salt Lake City officials paid money to IOC members in efforts to win their bids as Olympic hosts.