having a large population is no guarentee of having the best talent,training facilities or support for those athletes.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Colorado and California have more combined ski resorts than any European country, our pro skiiers are better paid and equipped, yet they'll be lucky to win gold (or any medals) at these events. Maybe it's the American work mentality. It's like the pro german triathletes - their level of motivation and training is matched by only a few in the world.

Or the belgians for that matter. (Watch out for 3 top ten finishes in Kona next time)

But Europeans essentially grow up on skiis in some countries...A ald friend of mine who was from Yugoslavia (at the time) used to take a ski lift to his school and ski home...from the time he was about 3 years old. Just like our kids grow up playing little league, basketball, football...other countries in the world pick up other sports early. Why is Canada the best hockey country in the world? Cause kids here learn to skate before they learn to walk!

Didn't we do this thread 2 years ago for the summer olympics?

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Steve Perkins

With a population of over 200 million

The population is approaching 300 million.

the best training facilities, and unlimited amounts of funds, the real question is how it is possible for anyone else to win any medals at all.

There are good athletes outside of the U.S despite what we may think. The best training facilities do not always equate to the best athletes and the Kenyan runners should have proven this point.

Really, not trying to belittle other nations or athletes since there are many great ones outside of the US, but it seems to me that the US should be able to find and train athletes to win every event.

There are also lots of sports where U.S athletes focus their attention like football (and until recently) baseball, with no Olympic involvement. If you take a sport like Basektball, with the thousands of excellent athletes, yet it only represents 1 sport in the Olympics (thinking only of men). If you compare that with a sport like Gymnastics where they offer a gold in each individual event and a team event, so a strong gymnast could win 6 gold medals, but the entire basketball team, with thousands in the College/Pro ranks, will only get 1 gold medal.

Take for example baseball - how in the world we didn't win gold in the summer olympics is beyond me.

The U.S does not have the best baseball players in the world, and the upcoming World Cup will show that we have fallen behind. If you look at the Dominican line-up, you will see where a lot of the best players are coming from.

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You sir, are my new hero! - Trifan 11/13/2008

Casey, you are a wise man - blueraider_mike 11/13/2008

Casey, This is an astute observation. - Slowbern 11/17/2008

I bet in a lot of countries, medalists are treated like kings/queens for a good long time. I know several medalists, some gold, and the best they can do with it is take time off from their office job and give a speech and hand out medals at an elementary school's reading olympics award ceremony. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I bet they had higher hopes post Olympics.

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Proud member of FISHTWITCH: doing a bit more than fish exercise now.

The U.S. won't win jack squat in Turin.




/'cause everyone else will be competing in Torino.

I agree. I don't usually watch the Winter Olympics anyway. I dunno...I guess it just leaves me cold ;-)

T.

Winning Jack Squat is a terrible goal. Jack stinks and he never shuts up. We should pick the medals instead.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

Jack Squat is a much nicer guy than Jack Schitt, I hear. But, then again.....nobody really knows Jack Schitt. Least of all, me ;-)

T.

I don't know why, but I find this whole thread kind of sad. Is the US not successful unless they win most of the medals? Can you not compete for the sake of competition?

I can't wait to watch the Olympics. The Canadians are way-underfunded, but they still astound and inspire me. Who can't love Becky Scott and the rest of the Canadian cross-country team? Just the fact that Canada *might* win some medals is exciting.

Dawn

Becky who? And what's "cross-country"? ;-))

Us plebians in the U.S. only get excited about summer Olympic sports once every 4 years. Then it's back to the NFL, televised "wrasslin' matches" and stock car racing. Hell, I think the last time we paid attention to a winter Olympics was when that Harding girl had the other girl kneecapped to try prevent her from competing.

T.

It's always struck me that being an American watching the Olympics would be a tad dull. Tons of medals, a few gold silver bronze sweeps - I mean, the yanks are getting medals every day. Here in Canada everyone goes crazy for every medal we win. Seems it's usually bronze. Or the 'Canada' medal, which is for fourth place.

Simon Whitfield, cheechako. Single greatest moment for Canada in the last 2 or 3 Olympics. I thought it was great. I grew up right across the river from Windsor, Ontario, and rooting for Canada....or just being a fan of most things Canadian, was in my blood.

T.

Us plebians in the U.S. only get excited about summer Olympic sports once every 4 years.

Besides, it's the only other opportunity to chant U...S...A, U...S...A . . . .

(Although I will admit that it does not translate very well when applied to downhill skiing, it's the thought that counts.)

And let's not forget that whole "Miracle on Ice" thing either (oops! am I dating myself?)

Not saying we don't have our moments, they're just a little more rare... (Whitfield's gold was my personal fave olympic moment too)