Is it possible to win the World Cup hosting rights playing by the rules? I doubt it. At the very least you have to venture into the gray areas to have a chance, and U.S. bid chair Sunil Gulati proudly proclaimed that the U.S. bid didn't even enter those gray areas.

it's bad enough that not being corrupt is something you have to be proud about, when it should be... well, the normal thing to do. but I don't know. FIFA not being ~transparent is not news and I somehow sadly don't see it changing in the close future.