olympic medals - does anyone else finding it embarassing to take so many

[2Design]

we walk in with a 'crowd' and then seem surprised to get so many - it would be nice if some of the other 240 counties that are smaller got some - it always seems like a gang shows up when we walk in and then so many have to say USA USA - I mean - I just find it like the 'gang' is here and we are taking over - what are your thoughts? I know republics like the gangs and bullies to take over everything so they like being king of the mountain all the time - I just feel like others should get a turn more often

[Wetzelbill]

1. I know I got sick of winning all of mine that's for sure.

[2Design]

2. lol

[Wetzelbill]

17. funny thing, I once had aspirations to compete

They eliminated my wrestling weight class so I had no choice but to retire. :) I almost went to a school in Australia too. Could've been a dual citizen, lol. I would have made their Olympic team.

[treestar]

160. And they are heavy if you wear them all at once

Like Mark Spitz, if you're old enough to remember him!

:hi:

[seabeyond]

3. no. i like winning. and i like winning in olypmics. sorry. n/t

[DU9598]

4. No

I don't find it to be like a gang showing up and just taking medals. They must still be won through a lot of hard work and dedication by the athletes. We are a populus nation and it is not surprising. If the total population was the sole factor then China and India would dominate the medal rounds. That obviously does not occur.

[Sidney J Mussburger]

31. Actually China is supposed to be pretty good this year

I never really follow the Olympics that closely so I don't know how good China's been in the recent past, but I do know that they are the favorite to win the most medals this year. I guess i could just use wikipedia to check the history but, ehhh, just don't feel like it. Americans like me would dominate the metal round for laziness if that were a category. Fingers crossed for that event in 2016 Chicago!

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. So the American athletes should run slower...

swim slower, not jump as high or far, row slower, etc. out of a sense of giving others a "turn more often"?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

6. I agree...

...and this is why I always supported the idea of sending ONLY collegiate competitors from the U.S. to participate. We try to turn it into a celebration of U.S. dominance in the world and we are rightly resented for it. I find it hard to root for the U.S. in any olympic competition.

[Indenturedebtor]

8. Bah we should celebrate one of the few things we're still good at

The US produces some truly exceptional atheletes. There is no shame in that. And Sport is competition. May the best win.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

12. Yes, the Olympics should be a celebration...

...a celebration of good clean spirited international competition and camaraderie. Not an effort on the part of the U.S. to take advantage of its relative size and dominance in so many sports to carry off a gargantuan medal haul every four years. This could be achieved by sending collegiate athletes instead of professionals.

[Sidney J Mussburger]

33. What professionals do we send besides Basketball

and if you haven't noticed the NBA has been globalized with players from all over world who are playing for their home countrys. Not to mention that Basketball is just one metal. What other sports do we have pros in? Football, nope. Baseball, nope. Guess what, that it. Those are the pro sports. Take your head out of your ass.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

41. What part of "collegiate athletes" do you not understand, Sidney?

And what kind of belligerent jackass gets worked up over a topic like this?

The American empire is dying in case you hadn't noticed, genius. Don't guess that matters though -- as long as we can stomp Panama in thumb wrestling and pull down the gold. USA NUMBER ONE!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!

[Codeine]

45. But everybody sends pros.

Why shouldn't we?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

50. I think we have a sufficiently large pool of good talent...

...to pull from for most events from our colleges and universities.

Not all other countries do. I think this would set a good example for other countries with lot's of collegiate talent.

[Sidney J Mussburger]

60. Think this over Jefferson

For example, once a swimmer graduates from college, he or she should just give up their Olympic dream and quit swimming and join the work force of the (as you put it) dying American Empire. They should just give up their dreams and any money from sponserships earned from all their hard work and sacrifices put in as they went through high school and college. Money that would set them up for life in this dying American Empire. Now tell me this Jefferson, what the fuck is wrong with you?

[Codeine]

62. In the sports where they can send pros

and where they actually have pros in those sports, yes they do. Why should we, or any nation, artificially handicap themselves by not competing on the same level. It's not as though our pro athletes are unbeatable compared to theirs; watch the soccer games to see that.

Are you bothered by countries, such as China, who enroll young athletes in total immersion programs and build their entire lives around a sport in order to win medals? If not, then why should the fact that we send pro basketball players to compete with other pro basketball players bother you?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

69. For the same reason ...

...they break high schools up into different athletic conferences based on enrollment size -- levels the playing field.

The U.S. is a very large country of some 260 million plus people, with sophisticated athletic training facilities in all kinds of sports at colleges and universities all over the country.

Where did I say our sending pro basketball playeres bothers me? I'm just saying I think we could be respectable and plenty competitive with our collegiate athletes and I'd prefer to have them representing us. Why does my expressing this opinion bother you?

[Codeine]

75. It doesn't bother me.

Why does my disagreeing with that opinion bother you? That's the essence of communication and exchange of thought.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

78. Doesn't bother me at all.

[Fla Dem]

124. So all those Kenyans that win all the marathons and are

hugely endorsed should also stop running because they have the wide open African Savannah's to train on? Give me a break. It an athletic competition. The best athletes should compete against one another. Many of the athletes from less affluent countries actually train in countries that do have the facilities. It is a level playing field. In fact it's only been in the last 10-20 years that the US Olympic committee allowed our athletes to get endorsements. So many of the other countries either allowed endorsements, or the athletes were state financed. So our athletes were actually at a disadvantage.

[sentelle]

156. lets show them what american sports are all about

Like Marion jones, floyd landis, roger clemens, etc. Yes, let's send the best althletes money can buy, all 'roided up for years, so that they have every advantage.

Collegiate: hah. Most money in collegiate sports go to basketball and football. Hell they sometimes have budgets bigger than the rest of the university, and university degrees just for players.

And the players, well they just want to be in the pro's, to the point of 'roid use in highschool. And let's not forget the frankenfood we all eat to make us all bigger than when everyone was au naturale.

[snooper2]

163. 305-310 million

just to get your numbers right :)

[Bake]

177. So we just send collegiate amateurs, but everyone else can send pros, right?

Is that what you're suggesting? Yao Ming of the NBA played for the Chinese basketball team, and that's OK. But you're saying Kobe, Lebron, and Duane shouldn't play for our team. That's bullshit.

Why SHOULDN'T we win in events we dominate? We don't dominate in everything. I know; let's bar the Russians and Canadians from winning the gold in hockey in the winter games. Just because.

Bake

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

71. What other sports?

Beach volleyball.

Tennis.

I don't know about others.

Anyway, I try to watch Olympic events that aren't full of professionals. I just don't care to see the same old names. I liked it better when the Olympics pretended to be amateur competition. At least we saw new faces in b'ball and tennis.

[Sidney J Mussburger]

100. Beach Volleyball?

Ha! Ok. What do you think their Super Bowl is? How often do you watch it on a non Olympic year? Not to mention that it wasn't an Olympic sport until 4 years ago.

Since when has this been an amateur competition? I want to see the best in the world compete against each other, otherwise when will we see that? Isn't there an Junior Olympics specifically for the athletes that aren't yet at the top of their respective sports? Please, spare everyone this crap about amateurs, that's not at all what the Olympics are about. It's about the best in the world competing against each other.

[RNdaSilva]

115. Yeah, beside the U.S. women's beach volleyball players are...

hot.

Ask GWB.

[Bake]

178. That's just it ... the Games only PRETENDED to be amateur.

Bake

[MillieJo]

181. I prefer that people can honestly earn money and compete...

Instead of them having to join a professional circuit like they used to which was ignored.
Even the top gymnasts earn money on the Grand Priz circuit, money that helps them raise children and
pay for university, etc.

[Codeine]

36. Other countries send professionals.

Why shouldn't we? The young pros in the soccer tournament are often far better than the young men we can send, for example.

[2Design]

9. I guess that is the part I feel - it isn't just a competition of athletes but the attitude

of dominance - I do root for the people and yes I like to see how someone acts when they win - some are more gracious than others - I am not saying we should run slower, etc as someone else mentioned but we seem to have the funds to send more - some of these countries have good athletes but not the training facilities or opportunities - doing their best is nice - but it is that American arrogance - I remember when I traveled in europe I stayed away from some Americans because it was embarrassing the way they acted - that holier than thou stuff - I find that same thing with republics - they act like they are holy and great and yet so many are in the closet or infidelity but you would think the dems were the only ones when in actuality - those most against something are usually guilty -

anyway - thanks for putting your finger on it - it is the attitude that SOME display and when anyone is in a group they seem to have more of that 'swagger' than when they are a small group or an individual - so it plays out

[cherokeeprogressive]

27. What if I only graduated high school but ran a 9.0 100 meters? n/t

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

66. I think someone who runs 100 meters in 9.0 flat...

...could probably get a scholarship to attend a college or university somewhere.

That said, I don't necessarily think we couldn't have any exceptions. I just think we have enough talent at the collegiate level to pull from and still be plenty respectable enough competing in the Olympics.

[Codeine]

67. So now you want exceptions?

That's what created this whole mess to begin with.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

70. I didn't say I wanted exceptions.

[Codeine]

74. You most certainly did.

Post #66:

"That said, I don't necessarily think we couldn't have any exceptions."

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

76. And you're using this quote to support your claim that I said...

...I want exceptions?

Seriously?

[Codeine]

82. Yes.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

83. So you're not serious -- that's what I thought.

[Codeine]

85. Now hold on a sec.

If

"That said, I don't necessarily think we couldn't have any exceptions."

doesn't mean that you are willing to make exceptions, then what DOES it mean? :shrug:

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

86. Hey, you said you weren't serious.

[Codeine]

89. Ah, I see we've descended to non-sequiters now.

You made an unsupportable assertion and now you're backing down. That's fine.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

91. You said you weren't serious -- you just want to joke around. That's fine.

[Codeine]

92. When did I say I wasn't serious?

You said that.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

94. When did I say you said I said you weren't serious?

I didn't say nuthin, man, I didn't say nuthin.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

191. Actually you said he wasn't serious.

[Bonobo]

126. Yes, and we are one of the most unfit and obese countries in the world.

Isn't it odd/ironic that we are in such a position of dominance in "athletics" given that fact?

Wonder what THAT means....

[deaniac21]

176. What you me "we", kemosabe?

[nadinbrzezinski]

128. You should root in things like fencing

where we swept, second time in a hundred years,

We got a gold in Athens for the first time in a hundred years


And if you did not see it much on the teevee don't be too shocked, fencing is not sexy enough I guess

[LibDemAlways]

169. We now send a bunch of NBA stars to compete in

basketball. What a joke.

I remember back in the 80 winter games when our scrappy amateur hockey team beat the USSR in the finals. That was thrilling and really what the Olympics should be about. Watching a bunch of professionals inevitably win their medals diminishes it for me.

[renie408]

7. Latvia just kicked the US's ass in Men's Beach Volleyball. n/t

[Sidney J Mussburger]

34. I wouldn't call it an ass kicking

they lost in two sets, but by just 2 points in each set. Not really an ass kicking.

[Fuzz]

10. No, be the best athlete you can be for goodness sake.

[conspirator]

11. I don't care who wins. I just want a good show nt

[lame54]

13. As Stephen Colbert said...

it's our job to go to China and bring home as many gold medals as we can get - so we can then melt them down and pay back our debt to China

[JNelson6563]

40. haha I love Colbert.

:toast:

[Art_from_Ark]

200. An olympic gold medal contains 6 grams of gold

Less than 1/5 of an ounce. Worth about $160 at today's prices (which are falling).

[sniffa]

14. In 1980 we won zero

[2Design]

18. that was really too bad for the athletes - used politics in the wrong way

I liked carter but that I did not like

[JVS]

23. Jimmy Carter made them wear sweaters to save energy and they were slowed down by it!

[2Design]

59. the boycott was tough on the athletes who were aged especiatlly

a different boycott would have been better - this was an example of shooting yourself in the foot or the other saying - cutting off your nose to spite your face

[ZenKitty]

107. yes we did...I along with 1000's of competitors were dropped in the grease

[On the Road]

15. I Know What You Mean,

but what's the solution other than the US handicapping itself. If I were an athlete, I wouldn't want to win against a diluted field.

Collegiate competition has its own unfairness built in. I think the best solution is prosperity and equality for the rest of the world.

[muriel_volestrangler]

16. I don't know why any American whould be surprised - it's a big sports-obsessed country

that gives out university scholarships just for being good at a sport. Of course you'd get a lot of medals.

[aikoaiko]

19. I am not embarassed when our athletes do well.

[Codeine]

20. That is literally

the stupidest fucking thing I've read all day, and there are about 600 Edwards threads competing for that title.

Every country is free to send athletes. We just have a lot of people who do well at sports.

[JVS]

24. LOL!

:thumbsup:

[Sulawesi]

21. China has a national strategy to compete in sports wherea a lot

of medals are awarded. Now THAT is lame, and sooo reminiscent of eastern Europe.

[snooper2]

164. China finds somebody who's good at Ping Pong at 10

and has them do nothing but Ping Pong for the next decade... :rofl:

[pansypoo53219]

22. i'm certainly sick of the america america

at all times. i want to HEAR other anthems. i want to see different sports and PLEASE can the bios. the chick olypics just pissed me off. I MISS JIM MCKAY and ABC olympics.

[2Design]

49. that is so true - we get very little information about all the others

that are there - it would be nice to get more information on other countries and see them win and on the podiums

[Bake]

179. Hmmm. You must've missed the piece about the German gymnast

whose sone has leukemia (nowe in remission). She was born in one of the Balkan states, and previously competed for the USSR. She moved to Germany so her son could get treatment. Oh, and she's 33. That's like ancient in gymnast years.

Bake

[MillieJo]

183. She's from Uzebeckistan

She was able to pay for the treatment because of her earnings on the Grand Priz and because she has always been a top gymnast won World Championships on floor and bars in 1991 and she just made the Olympic final for vault in 2008.

[Baclava]

25. No - this isn't pre-school games where the little fat kids get ribbons too

Winner takes all.

To the victor go the spoils.

I don't see anybody crying when Norway wins all the winter game medals.

[snooper2]

165. Thank you

:rofl:

:rofl:

:rofl:

:rofl:




GOBAMA!

[PVnRT]

175. Yeah, but Norway isn't the US, so that's OK

[tammywammy]

26. No

[Wilber_Stool]

28. The New York Times

map of Olymic medals. Interactive map from 1896 to present.

[2Design]

55. thanks for that link - that is nice to be able to see each year and who

won - this is great

[cynatnite]

29. Good idea...we should give half of all the medals back that's won...

:sarcasm:

[Retrograde]

30. we're one of the more populous countries

300 million plus. Most of the competing countries are a lot smaller - some of them would have problems filling that stadium! Proportionally, the US should get a lot, as should China, and India if they competed in more events.

[proud patriot]

32. Nope ..not in any way

:hi: we have a rainbow of people here in this country .
Each ethnicity brings it's own talents . I'm a firm believer
in the rainbow bringing strength to our country . Especially
when it comes to competition sports ..

:patriot:

[Sidney J Mussburger]

39. Well said

just look at the flag bearer Lopez Lomong. He's a one of the 'Lost Boys' of Sudan and came to the US when he was 16. Now he's living a dream competing in the Olympics. I watched a good feature on ESPN's E:60 about what he went through as child and his journey to the US, his success as a track athlete and then his his emotional trip home to his family years later. It was really good stuff. I couldn't find the video but did find this story on him.
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/columns/story?id=3468567&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos2

[proud patriot]

44. Thanks for the link

:)

[Sidney J Mussburger]

61. You're quite welcome

Thanks for the Smiley face. ;)

[alphafemale]

134. Why the fuck should I be embarrassed?

Those kids have worked their whole lives for this and in many cases sacrificed much of their childhood to stand on that podium.

I'm also not the one to be chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!"

THAT is an incredibly asinine thing to do.

[woo me with science]

35. Every country should get the SAME number of medals.

Come to think of it, everyone who participates should get a gold medal.

And a cupcake!

And a pony!

[AlCzervik]

42. Cup cakes? I want in.

[2Design]

51. i like that idea

[Codeine]

63. Good lord I do believe you're serious.

Why even have an Olympiad, then?

[Wednesdays]

37. The haul of medals don't bother me so much...

It's the whole corporate love-fest that gets me! :mad:

[Codeine]

43. That's universal, however.

Nobody complains because it can't be laid at the feet of the US.

[Obamanaut]

38. You mean some sort of "medal redistribution" plan so that

everyone can feel good about themselves because everyone gets the same number of medals? Perhaps stop keeping score at Little League baseball games or no more Tag games so that Johnny won't feel left out - that sort of thing? Oh, and stop grading papers in school with red ink.

[Occam Bandage]

153. Yes. What the fuck kind of living Rush strawman feels guilty about Americans winning gold medals?

[AlCzervik]

46. No. How did you feel about the 1976 East German Olympic Swim team?

[bicentennial_baby]

47. How many did they win?

I wasn't born yet... :yoiks:

[AlCzervik]

52. hmmmmm. Ok here's the link

steroid scandal btw, that's why i'm asking, look at the women's medals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_at_the_1976_Summer_Olympics

[LostinVA]

132. Some of the East German female athletes were literally turned into males

Some of the female Chinese swimmers lately have looked the same way.

Check the winners' rosters AFTER the fall of the Wall: most of the East German swimmers and track athletes no longer appear.

[NeedleCast]

48. Nope, I like it That we Win

Our athletes train (often from a very young age) hard. If they're the best in their competitions, they deserve the medals they bring home.

[dysfunctional press]

54. which of our athletes would you like to see lose...?

we enter most if not all the events- many countries don't. and many times more than one of our athletes qualify for each event.

and- many of our athletes are immigrants themselves or children of immigrants- and they are proud to compete under our flag.

[2Design]

57. you miss my point - that is ok - some people don't look at lots of views

I am just glad all these countries show up or we would have no one to beat - they are pretty good sports to allow us to continue to trounce them and spend the money to come back and get beat over and over

[Codeine]

64. We don't "trounce" them.

Believe it or not the rest of the world does fairly well against us in most events.

[dysfunctional press]

103. you must not view much in the way of olympic results, either.

we tend to get "trounced" ourselves just as much as we "trounce" the others.

[ThatsMyBarack]

56. As an AMATEUR figure skater....

I prefer NOT to have to compete against pros, but I often do anyway--and go home empty-handed as a result. :(

[2Design]

58. I was thinking it takes more courage to show up time and time again

knowing you are outnumbered and still just do their best - takes a lot more courage and teanacity, I would think, to show up knowing you do not have a chance but just want to do it - to do it

[Codeine]

65. It sure does.

But it takes just plain being better to win a medal.

[Sidney J Mussburger]

102. Maybe you shouldn't suck so much

hahaha, just kidding:hi:

[JI7]

68. it's not just the United States, it's true of many other nations also

which have either large population or are wealthy enough that many in their nation have a chance at it.

the nations with few people are either small or either odn't have or put much into athletics.

i see nothing wrong with it. i remember during Greece when it was time for their own member to play they got a huge response also.

[HEyHEY]

72. It's relative to populaiton - that's just the facts

[INDIA]

93. Tell that to India, Malaysia, etc. n/t

[HEyHEY]

96. Not our fault they suck!

[JI7]

112. India doesn't invest in sports for the country , they could if they wanted to

but the politicians are too corrupt and only care about themselves.

[MillieJo]

185. They have great Cricket teams though.....

And they have a couple of tennis players around like Sania Mirza.


Australia are hugely into their sports though, they have a national sports centre in Brisbane which is where their great
swimmers are trained.

[2Design]

99. good to see you and your bears around again lately n/t

[MillieJo]

186. Australia has a small population and look at their team...

It depends on the national importance. In Australia, sporting success in hugely important...They have top swimmers, rugby players, tennis players, cricket players, divers, track and field, cyclists etc, they always get a good place on the medals tables at the Summer Olympics and normally win the Commonwealth Games medal tally. Unlike America they don't do well at the Winter Games.

[World Citizen]

73. medal schmedal... country schmountry

It's the competition. Competing against the best make some people dig down and reach the pinacle of what they are capable of. That's the beauty. Humans doing better than they have done before. Remember Olga and Nadia?

[crimsonblue]

77. call the wahhhhbulance....

what's wrong with supporting the best athletes in the world?

[crimsonblue]

79. Another thing...

This isn't the Kumbayalympics. It is an athletic competition meant to pit the best athletes in the world against one another. It isn't our fault that we have so many talented athletes in this country or that we support athletics. "other should get a turn more often"-- what complete bullshit. Why not just have a lottery to decide to contestants? fucking ridiculous.

[NYC Liberal]

80. A lottery for contestants? Hell, let's get rid of the contest and

everyone can get a gold medal! :sarcasm:

[crimsonblue]

81. But what would we call it?

Special Olympics is already taken....

[NYC Liberal]

109. Well...I like your "Kumbayalympics"!

[Mike Daniels]

84. Not at all

If you're the better team why shouldn't you be taking home as many medals as you're capable of winning?

[Sanctified]

87. The United States has 636 Athletes at the Olympics and the little island of Cuba has...

165 athletes. I don't see a problem with the number of athletes we send, if they are the worlds best they deserve to be there.

[Canuckistanian]

88. No. You must CRUSH your opponent. No mercy.

Anything else is weakness. This country wasn't built on wimpy ideas like "cooperation" and "compromise".

Hit 'em hard.

It's the only language they understand.

[Codeine]

90. I'm assuming Canada

will be donating it's medals this time? ;)

[Canuckistanian]

95. Might as well

We've got a major push to be rated #16 or better. I just heard it on the news today.

I couldn't be prouder.

[Codeine]

97. We're Number 1. . . 6! nt

[Marrah_G]

130. I have a friend through work who has a won a bronze in Hockey for Canada

:toast:

[2Design]

98. roflmao n/t

[Mike Daniels]

104. You don't go to the Olympics to give other teams a sporting chance

You go to win and if you crush the opponent in the process of winning that's the way it goes.

I don't think people who lose their event get their feelings hurt proportionally by the margin of defeat.

[Canuckistanian]

105. Damn straight, amigo

When your opponent hits the floor in a puddle of blood, you know you've done the right thing.

And don't stop hitting until they stop breathing.

Hey, nobody said Rhythmic Gymnastics was pretty.

[Mike Daniels]

170. Yeah, because every other team ramps down their competitive spirit at the Olympics

What the f... does compromise have to do with competing at the Olympics anyway?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

101. Hey, a South Korean just won the men's 400 freestyle

It does happen.

[ZenKitty]

106. Are you nuts?

You obviously do not understand amateur sports nor do you appreciate what it takes to reach for the gold. Trust me, the USA doesn't dominate the games. Do some research and check the medal counts.

[NYC Liberal]

110. Ok:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-time_Olympic_Games_medal_count

[ZenKitty]

144. This is not "Fun Fair Positive Olympics"

Study the history of the games.

[Dreamer Tatum]

108. If there was ever a post that validates the RW stereotype of liberals, this is it

Good god. Just mind-boggling.

Yes, let's insult the athletes of other countries and violate the spirit of competition and sportsmanship by DOGGING it. After all, it's someone's else's "turn."

[2Design]

117. yes I am a liberal and no I am not insulting other countries by

wanting them to be able to stand up on the podium with great big smiles - all those little countries or little contingents of 3 to 5 people or one alone - I do like the link someone posted that shows the medals for the countries over the years -

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/08/04/sports/olympics/20080804_MEDALCOUNT_MAP.html

It is really kool to see all the little dots and how there are so many more little dots than there used to be - I like my fairness, idealism, it fits me well - I like being kind to others - that is just they way I am - not a mean bone in my body - I wish I could say that about everyone - yes - I believe in what we learned in kindergarten - hold hands and look out for each other -

Just makes it hard for the smaller groups when they are over powered by the larger groups - but I like that they come anyway and show up and have the courage to go out there and do it and for many they finish the race - they told a story of a guy swimming years ago who could barely swim but he finished the race

when I used to race swimming - I was not the fastest - sometimes the depth of the water scared me because I thought what if I get tired and I am over deep water (must have drown in a previous life) - but the team put me in the races where there weren't enough swimmers - I just had to finish and I got a third place ribbon - I loved my ribbons even though they weren't for my speed but for my willingness to finish without being disqualified - I showed up on 'meet' day and they told me where I was needed. Butterfly was the hardest to learn and to do the 50 yards. Eventually I got better and actually earned some of the ribbons for my speed

[pipoman]

111. Is there any representation of this country which doesn't

embarrass you?

[2Design]

116. a few of the posters here have embarassed themselves n/t

[Indenturedebtor]

120. It's sport, it's not a singalong.

The whole point is competition. Did it ever occur to you that America has the hardest working people on the planet? I hate being one of them but by the numbers we are the hardest working, and we're probably also the most personally aggressive. Those two factors combined probably go a long way towards winning medals.

I don't personally give a damn if some island nation with 300,000 people wins a gold medal or not. If they do, that's great good for them! I was happy to see S. Korea win it's first swimming medal last night! But holy crap man have you missed the entire purpose of sport?

[Fountain79]

121. Amen n/t

[Mike Daniels]

136. Speaking of yourself?

You obviously don't understand that the Olympics is a competition and not some hold hands, feel good camp sing-a-long. Ideally, in a competition the stronger/better team triumphs over the other teams.

The fact that they qualified to appear in the Olympics is victory enough for some athletes from the smaller countries. I seriously doubt they share your feelings as expressed in this thread.

[treestar]

168. They are to a degree supposed to be a singalong

We take them way too seriously. Not that other countries don't. The Soviets used to go out of their way - somehow they seemed to think if they or the Eastern bloc beat the West at sports it would prove that communism was better. We took that attitude up and ever since, the Olympics have been treated way too seriously.

[RNdaSilva]

113. The medal haul should be between the U.S. and China...

Hopefully the U.S. prevails. Period.

[marmar]

114. Don't be surprised if the USA is not king of the mountain this time.....

.... the 20th century was the American century, in just about every measure. The 21st will not be, in just about every measure.

[MrSlayer]

118. No. This is competition, fuck em.

If they want to win the medals they need to be better than our athletes. I'm not embarassed nor do I feel sorry for anyone else.

[Fountain79]

119. By your logic.....

China should come away from this year's Olympics with the most medals, since they have not only the largest population but also the home field advantage. Honestly it's threads like these that really make Democrats look silly. Would any other country in the world honestly feel guilty if their country was winning the most medals? No! They would rightly be proud of such a fact. We should be too. It's perfectly ok to be proud of one's country.

[2Design]

123. I have gotten a laugh out of the silly comments here - thanks for your part n/t

[Fountain79]

125. Well....start a stupid thread....and you get...

"silly" comments.

[Codeine]

143. Just admit

it was a stupid fucking statement and move on.

[distantearlywarning]

162. I agree with this post. n/t

[gmudem]

122. If American athletes are the best, they deserve to win medals.

It's not as if we are sending subpar athlethes to the games, they are great at what they do and are in the olympics for a reason. If other countries had more talent they would win more medals, its that simple.

[MellowDem]

127. I'm sorry, this is the stupidest thing I've read all day nt

[sammythecat]

129. I know what you mean.

I get sick of all the jingoistic nationalism displayed in the Olympics. And some displayed in this thread as well.

I remember the last Olypics I paid attention to was in '88 or '92. NBC covered it and their almost exclusive attention to the American athletes was big turn off for me. It rose to the level of sickening. I got to learn about every detail from birth of every American and almost nothing of the other athletes. They were the focus even if they weren't expected to medal. It didn't matter, the were our American athletes and thus the only ones deserving of our attention.

We're one of the most populous countries and definitely the wealthiest. We have wealthy sponsors to nurture and support our athletes. India's population is 4 times bigger than ours but they have 10 times the problems. For a lot of these people, and others in the third world, just living past middle age is a gold medal event. They usually don't have the luxury of devoting their summers and after school hours (if they go to school at all) playing in well equipped gymnasiums and attending expensive sports camps. I know there are exceptions, but I'm speaking in general terms, and, in general, American athletes have every advantage known to mankind. The fact that we come away from every Olympic event loaded with medals should'nt be any surprise. Yay, here's a golf clap. My eyes are tearing up and my chest is heaving with pride. We dominated their asses. We're #1. Again. As usual.

The Olympics is about amateur athletics about as much as big time college football is about local student-athletes. I don't boycott the Olympics, I just don't buy the story that this is some kind of pure amateur competition where sportsmanship is the goal. It's all about money. For a number of reasons, a poor country is not going to win a lot of medals. They're just not. We're a rich country, we have any and all advantage, and we win a lot of medals. Ho-hum.

[geek_sabre]

135. perhaps we should add a "living beyond national life expectancy" event. nt

[EvolveOrConvolve]

131. This is the dumbest post I've read in 2008

And I read a LOT of terrible posts in GDP before the nomination was sealed up.

How about:
"Hey Michael Phelps, so we don't hurt the other competitors feelings, we're going to tie a ten pound weight onto your testicles during your races."
"Yo American Gymnastics - you're too good! We're going to make you wear blind folds while competing to even things out. Why? Because 28erl at this little website called Democratic Underground says your hard work doesn't mean anything because we win too much."
"Listen up U.S.A. Basketball - we're replacing you with high school kids because we don't think we should play our professionals against their professional athletes."

Really, what a dumb fucking idea. Talk about taking political correctness to a maniacal level. Jesus H. Christ, take some pride in our country. Just because the Republicans are a bunch of assholes and there have been some serious fuck ups over the last 7.5 years doesn't mean that Olympic athletes are related in any way whatsoever.

[Mr. Blonde]

139. I'm not 100% sure

that a 10 lb weight is enough to stop Phelps in some events.

[hiaasenrocks]

133. LMAO. They don't "take" medals. They win competitions.

Good grief.

You do understand how competition works, don't you? Or is there some giant, evil conspiracy here?

[llort51ra]

137. I disagree

Why should we be ashamed of winning? It's a competition and we're playing by the rules.

We're winning because evidently our athletes are better. Since no nationality of people is inheritly superior to another, our athletes must be working harder than others. So, why do they NOT deserve to win?

[ZenKitty]

145. Playing by the rules, unlike other countries....

http://www.nbcolympics.com/gymnastics/news/newsid=190870.html

[RNdaSilva]

138. The more the merrier.

[AllentownJake]

140. Its a sporting competition and we have alot of athletes

in America. We have the luxary of having leisure time and one of the things we do with that leisure time is engage in alot of athletic competition and training. Our athletes train for a variety of reason but I doubt the people playing water polo are doing it for fame and fortune. Other than the Dream Team I don't see your point. They go to the olympics its a once and a lifetime opportunity and they work hard to get there. If someone who worked hard and trained hard is getting an olympic medal happens to be from the US because they were the best amatuer athlete that Olympics they deserve it. How is this a bad thing?

The GOP forms gangs of people who don't work hard to take from people who do...I don't see the comparison.

[kwenu]

141. It's a competition. The winner gets the medal and there is honor in playing fairly even if you don't

win.

[onenote]

142. I think the idea that in an international competition you don't want the best to win is embarassing

We don't win because we have more competitors, we win because our best competitors beat other nations best competitors. We have a lot of competitors who don't end up winning. But they qualify because they are better than most in the world.

[Occam Bandage]

154. Not to mention patronizing. "Oh, it's okay, lesser peoples of the Earth.

We know we'll win them all, so we'll self-handicap."

:eyes:

[silverojo]

146. Please, I just suffered Bush's "interview" during the women's gymnastics

Do you have to add another mind-numbingly stupid remark to the ones that have been giving me an Excedrin headache all night?

You should be PROUD of the athletes who have won medals!

[Evoman]

147. It's no fun winning if your getting a handicap.

As a Canadian, beating the U.S. is fun because they send their best. If they are sending their third-stringers, where is the fun?




(Although, really, I don't even care about the olympics.)

[ourbluenation]

148. Ask the Norweigians. They own the winter games in overall medal count. n/t

[brettdale]

149. Yeah

You guys should give New Zealand some!!!

[slackmaster]

150. It seems reasonable that a large, affluent country could produce winning athletes in some sports

Am I missing something here?

:shrug:

[Occam Bandage]

151. No. Countries don't win them; athletes do. This isn't an ego-boost carnival,

it's a fucking competition between the best athletes in the world. If America is producing better swimmers and fencers than anyone else, then those swimmers and fencers get gold medals. They shouldn't be stripped of them because another American ran 100 meters faster than anyone else in the world.

Besides, China might very well beat us in the gold-medal count. Which would be interesting.

[madeline_con]

152. To the victor go the spoils.

That's the original idea behind the Olympics.

[supernova]

155. The OP says more about your self-esteem

than it does about the relative merits of the medal count.

It's OK to be the best at something. It really is.

edit: And besides, we will not get all gold medals or even a medal in every event for which we have an athlete competing. We are better in certain sports and some other countries are better than us at other sports. That's what makes it fun to watch.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

157. I Love When We Win Them. You're Embarrassed? Too Bad.

Your premise is laughable. I'm amazed someone could actually post a thread this dumb with serious intent.

[treestar]

158. The Olympics are inherently unfair that way

We, China, Russia, have so many more people to pick from, and with a larger population, can make up a team that a smaller country could not. The up side for the smaller countries might be that as an athlete, you have a better chance of getting to the Olympics, making the team. Then you might just enjoy that experience. And not a lot of pressure to win, and if you do, insta-celebrity at home.

It almost doesn't matter who wins - that's only in the mind of obsessed Americans and our stupid media that makes such a drama of it all. I'll never forget them referring to a silver medal winner as "losing." So stupid.

[onenote]

190. right. its just a matter of population. Which is why U of Minnesota kicks Duke's ass in BBall

U of Minnesota -- close to 30,000 undergrads
Duke -- around 6000 undergrads

No wonder those dukies struggle in basketball. Not enough people to choose from.

And, in case you haven't noticed, a lot of top college and, increasingly, pro players are coming from outside the US.

China has four times the population of the US. So I guess they'll win four times the medals.

Or maybe its more complicated than that.

[treestar]

193. I noticed that too in the last Olympics, that many of the athletes

from other countries trained in the U.S. or went to college in the U.S. and had connections to the other country that allowed them to make the team for that country! So often the supposed non-Americans were really Americans, too. That famous Jamaican bobsled team, if I remember correctly, existed because its members were in college in some cold part of the U.S.

The Chinese may be at a disadvantage when it comes to the Olympics in that the games are culturally Western.

Then there are the advantages traditional to the fact of the sport needing certain weather: we have disproportionate Canadian/Russian/Swiss/Scandinavian/German winning at the winter Olympics, for obvious reasons.

[entanglement]

199. Years ago, I felt rather offended when a friend called them the "White Olympics"

(the winter games, I mean). I now find that description apt (if not humorous) in many ways.

[LeftinOH]

159. When the games are over, add all the medals won by Russia and the other 14

former Soviet republics; chances are, the medal count will be higher than ours -it usually is. Yes, they are 15 different countries now, but they still dominate the games, just not under the same flag.

[distantearlywarning]

161. Um, no.

Sometimes the world isn't fair, and some people run faster than others. Get over it.

I have to say, this is one of the most exceedingly stupid posts I think I've ever seen on DU. Way to live up to one of the worst stereotypes about liberals, OP.

[jakefrep]

166. Not in the slightest.

I enjoy watching the Olympics, and I enjoy seeing our athletes compete, even in the sports we aren't very good at.

[jody]

167. I don't find it embarrassing for any athlete to take an Olympic medal. I have several friends who

won medals in previous Olympics, others who participated, and many who tried to make the Olympic Team but failed.

They are all outstanding individuals.

An Olympic competitor's country can be criticized but the participants do not deserve criticism for the sins of their country.

[blondeatlast]

171. You are discounting what competing in the Olympics means; it's a TREMENDOUS honor even for those

who don't medal. Even athletes from the smallest countries have to compete against hundreds, maybe thousands, of athletes to get there. This isn't about countries, it's about a tremendous dedication to one's self and one's goals.

As an ex-competitive athlete, I know the glory of giving it my all and still losing--and it is a sad sort of glory, but gratifying in it's own way.

Why should find it "embarrassing" when the absolute best of the best win a medal, regardless where they come from?

These are the very best among the best, a level I gave my all to acheiving and alas, didn't make it. But if you think the journey wasn't worth it, you are mistaken.

[jody]

172. You and I have similar memories. It was still better to have tried and lost than never to have tried

:hi:

[Freddie Stubbs]

173. No one takes medals. The athletes earn them

[Throd]

174. I agree, give all the medals to Andorra

[Bake]

180. How about the French relay swimmers who trash-talked our guys?

And then lost by .08 seconds to the US relay swimmers? Should we just give it to the Frenchies?

HA!

Bake

[Obamanaut]

182. It should also be embarrassing for the students who earn all A's.

They should give some of their grade points to the lesser gifted students, or to the ones who aren't as studious, or even to the ones who partied their asses off. A little grade redistribution should be ok, don't you think?

[MillieJo]

184. Then you too must be pleased for Rebecca Adlington

who beat Katie Hoff too Gold in the 200 freestyle.... Giving my country our second gold medal of the games...:woohoo:

[Xenocrates]

188. Kudos to Rebecca and Joanne (nm)

[Arugula Latte]

192. That was cool ... She was so excited. And Jackson got bronze.

:thumbsup:

[Xenocrates]

187. NBCs coverage is embarrasing...

Naturally, what we see on the telly is tailored for the U.S. viewing audience. I would hope that if NBC is providing coverage to France, that they didn't keep showing the US Swim Team celebrating, while the French team was in shock.

I've been mostly watching the late night coverage on MSNBC which has been more action, less talk.

[MillieJo]

196. NBC bought the schedule for US primetime so

It was about 5 am in France, because NBC paid for the finals to be swam in the morning Chinese time....

[Dukkha]

189. they are? I haven't watched in a long time

but I thought Germany & Russia always topped the US in medal count. I also assume the Olympics test for steroids and other performance enhancement drugs, so the US team isn't doping like many of our "pro" athletes do.

[DangerDave921]

194. Why be embarrassed by America?

That is clearly your feeling. I don't get it. I can understand not wanting to be a rude rah-rah American idiot, but come on -- what is there to feel embarrassed about? Winning in sports is about who does the best, not about sharing medals with less deserving athletes. If you want sharing, then join a youth soccer league where they don't keep score and everyone gets a medal.

Sports is the last meritocracy we have. That's what I like about sports. Doesn't matter what race, religion, color, political viewpoint, etc. It's about who does the best. Period.

[Peacetrain]

195. Nope not a bit..We are a populous country

So it would only make sense, we would take a lot of medals.

[muryan]

197. When told this thread existed

I didnt believe it.

But I was proven wrong. This is by far the dumbest thread I've seen in a very long time. The olympics is in the spirit of competition, and it makes sense that the more developed countries have better athletes.

So no, I don't feel bad we are taking a lot of the medals. I'm not going to tell Michael Phelps or Shawn Johnson they have to stay home in 2012 so someone from canada can win a medal. Thats dishonest

[entanglement]

198. I really admire athletes from impoverished nations; that they even make it to the Olympics

in the face of innumerable obstacles is quite inspiring. But there is no embarrassment in winning, per se. I do wish people would be more aware that there is an element of inequity in these games because we live in an unequal world, though.

[grantcart]

201. They should had a fourth medal category and limit each country to two

competitors in each event to spread the medals to other countries.