COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Billy Crystal live trumped Robin Williams on tape.
Given that many U.S. Olympic Committee voters likely made up their minds based on yesterday's presentations, Crystal's appearance before the USOC board of directors epitomized the star-studded show New York used to beat San Francisco in the contest to become U.S. bid city for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
New York's production trumped San Francisco's in every way, including the appearance of Donald Trump himself in an ingenious film created to show its Olympic bid was supported by everyone from real estate tycoons to taxi drivers.
In a Byzantine voting system weighted to ensure a majority belongs to the national sports federations whose athletes compete in the Olympics, New York won, 132-91.
"The battle has just begun," said former USOC vice president George Steinbrenner, referring to the competition with several foreign cities that will be decided by an International Olympic Committee vote in July 2005.
The other bidders will include Moscow, a Spanish city, a German city and possibly Paris, Rome and Rio de Janeiro.
New York's hourlong presentation was a deft mix of sophistication and specifics, of emotional appeals to idealism and substantive detail about where the sports will be played and how athletes and spectators will navigate the city's atmosphere.
"They pulled out all the stops," said voter Herb Perez, a San Franciscan who grew up in New York.
New York had video appearances by violinist Itzhak Perlman, actor Robert De Niro and comedian Jerry Seinfeld. A clincher, though, was the live appearance of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who stood for the spirit that has helped the city recover from the 9/11 attacks.
Giuliani was given a standing ovation by the USOC audience at a hotel conference center. Crystal hung around for the vote after drawing laughs for his monologue that poked fun at the city while promoting it.
"I wanted to show what the city is about," Crystal said, "to bring New York's different kind of energy to the presentation. I hoped to be funny and make points at the same time."
New York scored biggest by underlining its international influence in commerce, financial affairs and the media, and by showing exactly how its compact venue plan would work. The bid called New York "the world's second home," noting its multi-ethnic population.
San Francisco relied heavily on its attractive weather and natural beauty.
Williams' video role was that of a TV weatherman extolling temperate San Francisco as a nice break after what are expected to be uncomfortably hot conditions at the next two Summer Games in Athens and Beijing.
"San Francisco is athlete-friendly; New York is IOC-friendly," said voter Gale Tanger, a director from U.S. figure skating. "It does come down to winning the IOC vote. That's the bottom line."
Californian Bob Ctvrtlik, one of the three IOC members from the United States, agreed that international clout weighed heavily for New York.
"The personnel involved in New York's bid came across as very charismatic and capable of selling the bid at the next level," Ctvrtlik said.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg emphasized 93 percent of the competition venues are to be in one municipality, meaning New York could avoid possible disputes over issues like policing and venue location that may have plagued San Francisco's far-flung plans.
"The compactness of the New York bid was a big attraction," said USOC president Marty Mankamyer.
Philip Hersh is a reporter for the Chicago Tribune.