Did you know....

[Escher]

that, so far, one US olympian (Michael Phelps) more than equaled the output of the entire Canadian team.

Huh.

Phelps: 5 gold, 0 silver, 2 bronze
Canada: 2 Gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze

[Grace]

Bill O'Reilly did a piece on his show yesterday on this very subject:

USA Dominating at the Olympics
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
By Bill O'Reilly


The USA dominating at the Olympics, but why?

By airtime this evening, the USA (search) had won 71 Olympic medals, followed by China (search) with 51, and Russia (search) with 48. America is dominating the games. And I think I know the reason why.

Increasingly, the USA is becoming a nation of achievers and non-achievers. Those who are motivated and disciplined can succeed in a huge way.

We are the most powerful nation in the history of the world. And individual Americans are the reason why. Unlike China, which has five times as many people as America, all our Olympic training is privately funded. Our athletes are subjected to intense competition from a very young age, but that competition is voluntary. Nobody here is forced to do anything.

Totalitarian regimes are able to motivate athletes as we saw in the old Soviet Union. As long as you perform well, you live well. Fail, and it's back to the harsh life.

But here in the USA, our athletes have to motivate themselves. And that's why this country has been successful. Many Americans will suffer the pain of hard work to achieve their potential. And hard work always wins.

In other countries, the emphasis on self-reliance has been beaten down by nanny states and entitlement cultures. Just take a look at Australia and Canada, for example. The Aussies have 20 million people to draw from. Canada has 30 million. Yet the Aussies have 35 Olympic medals, Canada just five.

"Talking Points" believes this is reflective of the systems in those countries. Australia is a place where self-reliance is emphasized and competition is celebrated. Canada has become increasingly socialistic, as big government programs ensure everyone is marginally taken care of. I may be wrong here, but I see the entitlement culture as a force against self-discipline and motivation.

Americans should be very proud of our Olympic people, and we largely are. Politicians could learn a lot from the competitive forces that have resulted in our success. We are a great nation because individual Americans have worked insanely hard to develop their God-given abilities. I'm one of them, and you probably are as well.

Together, we the people have demonstrated to the world that freedom and achievement are a matched set. The USA dominates in technology, science, higher education, the arts, and in protecting the oppressed of the world. We are a strong country because of individual achievement.

We need to keep emphasizing personal responsibility and discipline. If we do, we'll get even stronger. If we don't, the specter of a decadent Western Europe beckons. Congratulations to our Olympic athletes. And that's the memo.

Not saying I agree with this piece, but it's interesting reading and food for thought, anyway.

[AndreaU]

While in Maine I was watching CBC coverage of the first few days of the games and the commentator was quite opinionated about some new selection procedure Canada put into place. Correct me if I'm wrong...
I thought he said something about athletes qualifying for/making the Canadian team only if they were ranked within the top 12 in the world. I can see that they'd want a higher caliber athlete but that severely limits the possibilities. It minimizes their chances to win medals... if no one is ranked high enough, no one goes, therefore no medal. Seems to me if you at least send a competitor, there's a chance to medal.

[kima]

So now Bill O'Reilly is an expert on sports????

that is laughable IMHO. If Russia was one united country it woulld be ahead of the United States in the standings. that whole eastern bloc gulag mentality is so 80's! Athletes in former Communist countires are now professionals and make alot of their own decisions- the centralized system of old is fast disappearing.

As far as Canada goes- I can't believe the old "complacent socialists" theory offered up by O'Reilly. That really is one of the funniest things I have ever heard! There are many possible reasons for our poor showing at these Olympics- but the idea that we as a people just aren't motivated to be the best we can is actually pretty offensive to me! Canada has produce many of the worlds greatest scientists, writers, singers, designers in the world. For such a small country our achievemts are remarkable and our standing in the world as a moderate and fair minded country is well known.
If we were indeed a socialist country then perhaps our athletes and coaches would receive more funding and government support.
I could go on and on about how Canada's sport system fails our hardworking and highly motivated athletes but that is for another thread I suppose. Australia has poured hundreds of millions into its sport program and actually recruited many top Canadian coaches to work for them. Australia is as "socialist" as Canada (which means not much) so that comparison is wrong.
Sorry to be so wordy here- I just can't let that kind of bullcrap by O'Reilly go unanswered.
Good on the United States to get so many medals- but the days where your standings in the medal count was good propoganda for your style of government went out with the fall of the Berlin Wall.:(

Oh yes and Andrea you are indeed right about the extremely high and harsh standards the COC set for our athltes. I know in track we left home people who would have made even your team. This is a very short sighted and ridiculous situation- one that all of us in sport here are very vocal about.

[Grace]

THERE YOU ARE!!! :D I haven't seen you in SOOOO long!!! I KNEW this one would pull you out of hiding! :D :D :D (big belly laugh by me - hopefully you're laughing too!!)

I told you I didn't necessarily believe it!! I watched his show again tonight and a guy from Denmark sent in a letter (he reads letters at the end of his show). The guy from Denmark basically debunked his theory - he said (and forgive me for not having this completely accurately - but you'll get the gist) that his country has like 2.9 million people and they've already won 6 gold medals, so that's one per 900,000 of population and the US has won only one per 2.6 million of population and they are one of the most socialist nations on the planet. So ha! So anyway, I just threw that out there as bait - like food for the bears! to get that Maureen out of her hiding place! :D :D

Sorry Maureen if I got you all riled up. That was never my intent - I only threw it out there because Escher brought up the subject, and I knew people would have opinions about "Mr. Opinion's" Opinion!! :D I hope you're still my friend.... :o ;) :) XO I can send you a peace offering - I have Joan Lunden's cookbook I know you'd like! Off to the post office.....

[kima]

Hi Grace!
Oh yeah- you know how to bring me out of hiding!:D
I am peeved at O'Reilly not you!
I mean does this guy ever travel? I go to the States I come back to anada. In both countries I see people working hard, striving for excellence (and I see people who don't do much of anything). :rolleyes:I just don't get the socialist label- besides health care we don't anything more than you guys from the gov't.

But I am not just trying to defend my country. I think it is dangerous when anyone uses standings at the Olympics as a propoganda tool. East Germany perfected that strategy in the 70's and look what happened to them. O'reilly doesn't seem to have much Olympic spirit but i know you do Grace!:) :)

Like an Olympic judge I too accept bribes!:D :o