Americans Catch Up With World In Winter

[PatsFans.com Article]

Things happened here that either hadn?t happened in a long while, or never happened before.

More...

 

[Nikolai]

Interestingly, the Canadian press has been spinning Canada's performance to say that it did indeed meet the goals of "OTP". Then again, 14 Golds is great. So is 37 medals. Both accomplishments were great. A top showing for North America overall and a not-so-great one for the Russians.

 

[Patjew]

Canada is cute.

 

[ausbacker]

Interestingly, the Canadian press has been spinning Canada's performance to say that it did indeed meet the goals of "OTP". Then again, 14 Golds is great. So is 37 medals. Both accomplishments were great. A top showing for North America overall and a not-so-great one for the Russians.

The Norwegians were the most impressive nation at the Winter Olympics. 9 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze for a total of 23 medals. Not bad for a country of 5 million or so.

I always thought gold medals were the best illustration of country success, not total medals won.

 

[dtwisyPat]

The Norwegians were the most impressive nation at the Winter Olympics. 9 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze for a total of 23 medals. Not bad for a country of 5 million or so.

I always thought gold medals were the best illustration of country success, not total medals won.

No one has claimed we won the Olympics but only instead pointed out it's unusual success. The Winter games are not to fond of us Yanks. As for the overall medal count, unless there are only three competitors in each event every medal should have some value. Norway was incredible and even Australia took a Gold away from Hana Teeter. Nice job by Tora Bright:singing:

 

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

Cold, Hard Football Facts.com: Big Government and all-time Olympic medal count


Very interesting article by the boys at CHFF. Never realized how dominant we are in the Olympics, owning 793 more medals all time than the next closest nation the dreaded Soviets/Russians. And we're the only one who uses zero public money to fund our Olympic team.

 

[Tunescribe]

Canada is cute.

Canada is America's hat.

 

[Kontradiction]

Canada is America's hat.

While Florida is America's ...

 

[Tunescribe]

The Norwegians were the most impressive nation at the Winter Olympics. 9 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze for a total of 23 medals. Not bad for a country of 5 million or so.

I always thought gold medals were the best illustration of country success, not total medals won.

I look at it this way: give a point value for each medal; say, 3 points for gold, 2 points for silver, 1 point for bronze. Add them up and you have a team's total performance. By that measure the U.S. "won" the winter Olympics quite handily.

The Norwegians, by the way, literally live in a winter climate, so winter sports are fundamental to their culture. They SHOULD do quite well. In the U.S., the only time we pay any attention to things like bobsledding and speed skating is during the Olympics, which makes the Americans' performance all the more impressive, IMHO.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

Canada is cute.

it the nicest of the Detroit suburbs

 

[tanked_as_usual]

I look at it this way: give a point value for each medal; say, 3 points for gold, 2 points for silver, 1 point for bronze. Add them up and you have a team's total performance. By that measure the U.S. "won" the winter Olympics quite handily.

The Norwegians, by the way, literally live in a winter climate, so winter sports are fundamental to their culture. They SHOULD do quite well. In the U.S., the only time we pay any attention to things like bobsledding and speed skating is during the Olympics, which makes the Americans' performance all the more impressive, IMHO.

many more americans live in winter climate than do norwegians.......there are plenty of americans who pay attention to bob-sledding and speed skating

 

[JFK]

Cold, Hard Football Facts.com: Big Government and all-time Olympic medal count


Very interesting article by the boys at CHFF. Never realized how dominant we are in the Olympics, owning 793 more medals all time than the next closest nation the dreaded Soviets/Russians. And we're the only one who uses zero public money to fund our Olympic team.

Yea but the USA usually sends one of the highest numbers of participants to the Olympics.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

All this Canuck is concerned with is the gold the mens and womens hockey teams won. The rest ...... blaw ..........

 

[Tunescribe]

many more americans live in winter climate than do norwegians.......

And athletically, most of them gravitate toward basketball, football and baseball, etc. In countries like Norway, winter sports are THEIR national sports.

there are plenty of americans who pay attention to bob-sledding and speed skating

Really? How many? What are the big American speed skating and bobsledding events outside the Olympic trials and Olympics? Sure haven't seen it on TV.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

just don't bust my neighbor's chops...the guy that broke your heart in the final...

I am one of those 'cute' Canadians that happens to think Americans are ok.

Your medal count is an accomplishment that you should be proud of, we did ok too.

And as far as hockey is concerned, both games could have gone either way. Both programs are developed at the same pace.

Congratulations to North America, and to Vancouver. It was a great Olympics.

Cheers...

 

[efin98]

Cold, Hard Football Facts.com: Big Government and all-time Olympic medal count


Very interesting article by the boys at CHFF. Never realized how dominant we are in the Olympics, owning 793 more medals all time than the next closest nation the dreaded Soviets/Russians. And we're the only one who uses zero public money to fund our Olympic team.

USA wasn't a factor in the Winter Olympics until 2002...normally total in the middle of the pack in medals and usually just in a couple of events(figure skating, skiing, and speed skating). This Olympics and the 1932 Olympics were the only times the USA ever had the most medals in the Winter Olympics.

One huge thing that the USA has that other countries does not is investment in the infrastructure to support the development of athletes in sports. I can think of only three sports that the USA is far behind the European countries despite all the investment in sports: Ski jumping(only medal came in 1924), biathlon(never won a medal), and cross country skiing(only medal came in 1976).

 

[ausbacker]

I look at it this way: give a point value for each medal; say, 3 points for gold, 2 points for silver, 1 point for bronze. Add them up and you have a team's total performance. By that measure the U.S. "won" the winter Olympics quite handily.

The Norwegians, by the way, literally live in a winter climate, so winter sports are fundamental to their culture. They SHOULD do quite well. In the U.S., the only time we pay any attention to things like bobsledding and speed skating is during the Olympics, which makes the Americans' performance all the more impressive, IMHO.

Nobody goes there with the intention of winning anything less than the Gold Medal. As for your Norway comparison, quite frankly that's ridiculous. Yes they live in a cold climate, but so do many other countries. 300 million versus 5 million. You do the match on the talent pool.

Regarding the international sports domination of American athletes, don't even get me started on the systematic abuse of performance enhancing drugs in your olympic programs historically. Sure "everyone" does it, but it's always the Europeans who are painted as the bad guys.

Sometimes, you Americans are too blinded by national pride in having to be considered the best or win everything. It's your most endearing and annoying features at the same time.

As for us Aussies, well we're light weights when it comes to the winter games but punch way above our weight division in the summer games.

 

[efin98]

Nobody goes there with the intention of winning anything less than the Gold Medal. As for your Norway comparison, quite frankly that's ridiculous. Yes they live in a cold climate, but so do many other countries. 300 million versus 5 million. You do the match on the talent pool.

If that were true then more than five of the top 20 countries would have had medalled let alone sent significant numbers to the games.

Funny, the 2nd most populated country sent all of THREE ATHLETES to these games. They sent 58 athletes to the last summer games...Norway sent 85.

Difference between these countries and many of the ones that did not medal: they have built up infrastructure to support the development of athletes. Many countries have to send their athletes to other countries to train, look in at the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center and you see athletes from across Europe and Asia training alongside those from the USA.

Regarding the international sports domination of American athletes, don't even get me started on the systematic abuse of performance enhancing drugs in your olympic programs historically. Sure "everyone" does it, but it's always the Europeans who are painted as the bad guys.

Ever seen the list of those who have been caught using? IT'S OVERWHELMINGLY EUROPEAN!

But please, don't hurt yourself carrying that grudge around.

Sometimes, you Americans are too blinded by national pride in having to be considered the best or win everything. It's your most endearing and annoying features at the same time. As for us Aussies, well we're light weights when it comes to the winter games but punch way above our weight division in the summer games.

Your country is ninth all time in medals in the Summer Olympics despite having a four decade head start by most of the countries ahead of your country in that list...your country has sent some of the largest contingents in the world the last four Olympics: your country isn't a light weight.

 

[Nikolai]

Weird, most athletes seem pretty damned happy with their silver and bronze medals.

Population isn't everything, but an Olympic structure is definitely important. Consider that the vast majority of American athletic talent and sport infrastructure is geared toward two sports (baseball and football) that have no Olympic presence, I think it's an achievement to be competitive in a high percentage of Olympic sports. I'm sure someone will be along to bash me for promoting anything American in this post-Bush era, but oh well, **** em.

Anyway, who cares about a pissing match? My favorite parts of the Olympics are watching athletes from poorer countries who barely scratched their way to the games do their best to compete.

 

[ausbacker]

If that were true then more than five of the top 20 countries would have had medalled let alone sent significant numbers to the games.

Funny, the 2nd most populated country sent all of THREE ATHLETES to these games. They sent 58 athletes to the last summer games...Norway sent 85.

Difference between these countries and many of the ones that did not medal: they have built up infrastructure to support the development of athletes. Many countries have to send their athletes to other countries to train, look in at the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center and you see athletes from across Europe and Asia training alongside those from the USA.

Ever seen the list of those who have been caught using? IT'S OVERWHELMINGLY EUROPEAN!

But please, don't hurt yourself carrying that grudge around.

Your country is ninth all time in medals in the Summer Olympics despite having a four decade head start by most of the countries ahead of your country in that list...your country has sent some of the largest contingents in the world the last four Olympics: your country isn't a light weight.

It's interesting that for some bizarre reason you've locked on to the winter Olympics. We're talking summer and winter games here mate, not winter anymore.

What part of summer olympics did you not grasp? Australia is an absolute lightweight when it comes to Winter Olympics and fund them accordingly. Summer olympics, well that's a different kettle of fish all together. Don't begin to start me on our funding issues leading into London 2012, as it's been topical discussion amongst Olympic programs here since Beijing.

As for the drug testing, you would do well to research the cover up jobs your Olympic committee has been doing for quite some time and the lack of transparency in your systems. One of your most famous track and field athletes is one of the greatest drug cheats of all time and that's widely known through track and field circles. It's amazing when a few strings are pulled what can be accomplished.

There's no grudge on my behalf. I amaze at what athletes do, especially the US ones. I don't condone PED's, I just believe the field of accusations is unfairly directed at other nations and that a deflective "head in the sand" mentality is simply not good enough.

The rest of your post makes little sense and I have no idea what you are trying to say being blatantly honest.

Weird, most athletes seem pretty damned happy with their silver and bronze medals.

Population isn't everything, but an Olympic structure is definitely important. Consider that the vast majority of American athletic talent and sport infrastructure is geared toward two sports (baseball and football) that have no Olympic presence, I think it's an achievement to be competitive in a high percentage of Olympic sports. I'm sure someone will be along to bash me for promoting anything American in this post-Bush era, but oh well, **** em.

Anyway, who cares about a pissing match? My favorite parts of the Olympics are watching athletes from poorer countries who barely scratched their way to the games do their best to compete.

Of course an athlete is going to tell you they are happy with silver or bronze, when in reality everyone knows they didn't compete to come second or third. Isn't that what America is based on? Winning at all costs....

Structures and funding are crucially important, but you also need the talent levels to draw on.

I am with you in that achieving at Olympic level sports are higher achievements than domestic level sports, the US domestic sports included bar Association Football on a global scale.