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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.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.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.
Canada is cute.
Canada is America's hat.
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.
Canada is cute.
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.
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.
many more americans live in winter climate than do norwegians.......
there are plenty of americans who pay attention to bob-sledding and speed skating
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.
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.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.
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.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.
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....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.