U.S olympic team
- Thread starter gypsyluver
- Start date
I think the Americans will come out loose, and Canada may be tight to start the game, what with all the pressures on them.I hope they loose tonight
Or perhaps you meant lose.
Of course so!
All athletes have two goals in mind - Win and reap the benefits from a personal standpoint.
Benefits can be a number of things - Money, power, prestige, better living conditions...No matter the country, the successful athlete will enjoy a better life style.
As for the USA - Good for them! They found a formula that works for their country and athletes.
Kinda jealous of the fact the the Americans who are projected to win always seem to win or at least podium. Most of our world champions or overall leaders or medal threats or projected winners seem to always fail when it comes to the Olympics. Of course, there are always exceptions but it seems to happen over and over again. I cheer for our athletes at every chance but it does get dis-heartening coming up short all the time. It's like being a Leaf fan. I guess that's why when one of our guys or girls does make it to the top, the country goes nuts as it doesn't happen very often.
I heard on Sat. night that (as of then) US athletics had 31 top 5 finishes at the Olympics and converted those into 23 medals. Canada had 26 top 5 finishes and converted those into 8 medals. We are right there but cannot seem to close the deal. Are we a nation of "choke artists"? I'd like to think not but year in and year out the Olympics seem to point that way. This "Own the Podium" crap had me believing that our athletes had a chance to do just that but in the end its the same old story, a plethora of copper and tin medals. If I knew then what I know now, I'd vote for all the "own the podium" money to go to better health care, better infrastructure, more jobs. Less money got spent and the results are the same. I guess I wouldn't be so disappointed if less money had been spent and I hadn't been given such false hope.
Australia did the same thing back in 2000 and they were extrordinarily successful and if I am not mistaken China geared everything up for 2008 and were successful as well.
As Ali once said " it ain't bragging if you can back it up". "Own the Podium" is bragging and we're just not able to back it up.
Congratulations US, you're having a fantastic Olympics.
signed ......... a disappointed Canadian supporter.
I heard on Sat. night that (as of then) US athletics had 31 top 5 finishes at the Olympics and converted those into 23 medals. Canada had 26 top 5 finishes and converted those into 8 medals. We are right there but cannot seem to close the deal. Are we a nation of "choke artists"? I'd like to think not but year in and year out the Olympics seem to point that way. This "Own the Podium" crap had me believing that our athletes had a chance to do just that but in the end its the same old story, a plethora of copper and tin medals. If I knew then what I know now, I'd vote for all the "own the podium" money to go to better health care, better infrastructure, more jobs. Less money got spent and the results are the same. I guess I wouldn't be so disappointed if less money had been spent and I hadn't been given such false hope.
Australia did the same thing back in 2000 and they were extrordinarily successful and if I am not mistaken China geared everything up for 2008 and were successful as well.
As Ali once said " it ain't bragging if you can back it up". "Own the Podium" is bragging and we're just not able to back it up.
Congratulations US, you're having a fantastic Olympics.
signed ......... a disappointed Canadian supporter.
The "Own the Podium" thing put great pressure on Canadian athletes this Olympics because of all the promises they made in trying to raise money. Saying that Canada would finish ahead of the US in the standings was completely unrealistic to begin with, which created expectations which were almost impossible to meet. It's no wonder everyone is feeling a little disappointed.
However, it is not that the Canadian athletes aren't trying hard. It doesn't seem they were just happy to cash their paychecks. Take Melissa Holingsworth for example. I believe she was genuinely sorry for not getting a medal in the skeleton event, but people make mistakes, just like the bobsled team last night.
However, it is not that the Canadian athletes aren't trying hard. It doesn't seem they were just happy to cash their paychecks. Take Melissa Holingsworth for example. I believe she was genuinely sorry for not getting a medal in the skeleton event, but people make mistakes, just like the bobsled team last night.
O
OnTheWayOut
Really.
Well, I'm sure that Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, North and South Dakota will never be mistaken for the South of France. Now will they ???
Unfortunately, living so close to the US, Canada often suffers from "little brother" syndrome and tries to beat the US at their own game.
There wasn't much chance of Canada being shut out of gold medals in Vancouver. The results in Torino were proof of that.
Yet the Canadian press couldn't help itself and cranked up the "Believe" promotion machine. Now everyone is disappointed when some of the names drummed into your head came up short.
Canada is a great little country and we should be proud of the fact that athetes representing our country are right there with the best in the world.
4ths, 5ths & 6ths don't make for as great a broadcast as gold, silver & bronze do, but, then again that's CTV's problem not mine nor the athletes.
O
OnTheWayOut
Compare the population of those states to California, Texas, Florida, etc ......
Get it now?
This post is late, but at the end of the Olympics, Canada had won 14 gold medals (the most number of gold medals in the history of the Winter Olympics) and I believe Canada won 26 medals overall (placing third after the US at 37 medals and Germany at 30). At least in my opinion, these are very impressive results, hardly involving "choke artists". Compare Canada's results to that of Russia, long a powerhouse of the Winter Olympics -- they won 15 medals overall, which was deemed a failure by the Russian state-controlled media. The results were deemed to be so embarrassing (following their spectacular loss to Canada in quarterfinals hockey) that the Russian president Medvedev didn't even bother showing up to the closing ceremonies!
The simple truth is that all of the Olympians are there because they are the best in the world at their sport, so competition is incredibly stiff. Sometimes the factors involved in which athlete wins or loses depends on a combination of preparation, attitude, and simple pure luck. I believe that Canadians overall are simply too hard on our athletes.
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for what it's worth, the NBC coverage was much better than the Canadian media consortium coverage of the Olympics, too... better HD, far less commercials, and more accurate real-time broadcasting. Not to mention, their commentators are pro-grade.
I loved what Team USA put forth. It was a class act by all.
I loved what Team USA put forth. It was a class act by all.
