US faces disappointing finish in Beijing

[Popeye]

The US gold medal haul has indeed been a disappointment. One person, Michael Phelps, has won 25% of the golds all by himself. Even with Phelps, questions of possible doping have arisen and then there was that mysterious finish in the butterfly.

Take a look at some of the "sports" accounting for US golds;

Beach Volley Ball-1
Fencing-1
Tennis-1
Sailing (one person dinghy)-1
Equestrian (team jumping)-1

With just two days left before the end of the Olympic Games, some U.S. sports officials were fretting Friday about a likely U.S. second-place finish in the gold-medal count, far behind China, and wondering what went wrong this month

U.S. athletes have suffered bitter disappointments in events such as track and field competitions and boxing, while top-ranked U.S. teams in softball, women's water polo and other sports have lost to upstart underdogs in gold medal matches.

Making matters worse, the beleaguered Americans have been powerless to stop Chinese athletes, who have pulled far ahead in the gold-medal tally, even in the games' second week when U.S. athletes were supposed to tighten the gap.

By the end of Friday, the U.S. team had won 31 gold medals behind the 47 earned by the Chinese delegation. Another 44 gold medals will be awarded in the last two days of the Olympics this weekend, including eight in track-and-field events where U.S. athletes have traditionally been strong. This year, however, U.S. track and fielders have struggled, and the chances of a come-from-behind win in total gold medals are slim.

A second-place U.S. gold-medal finish in Beijing would mark a first for the Americans since the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta

http://www.kansascity.com/495/story/761592.html

 

[Libsmasher]

The US gold medal haul has indeed been a disappointment. One person, Michael Phelps, has won 25% of the golds all by himself. Even with Phelps, questions of possible doping have arisen and then there was that mysterious finish in the butterfly.

The "mysterious finish" was that the US won because the serbian swimmer, the guy who has gotten kicked out of swim meets, made a stupid error. As for the doping canard - stick with your Mccain lies and slurs.

As for the sports you mention, they're all sports - the US doesn't get golds for such as chinese checkers.

 

[BigRob]

The US gold medal haul has indeed been a disappointment. One person, Michael Phelps, has won 25% of the golds all by himself. Even with Phelps, questions of possible doping have arisen and then there was that mysterious finish in the butterfly.

Take a look at some of the "sports" accounting for US golds;

Beach Volley Ball-1
Fencing-1
Tennis-1
Sailing (one person dinghy)-1
Equestrian (team jumping)-1




http://www.kansascity.com/495/story/761592.html

Let us look at some of the "sports" that the Chinese have golds in as well.

Badminton - 3
Table Tennis - 3
Fencing - 1
Sailing - 1
Shooting - 5 (including 10m Air Pistol, which is quite the sport) (They won for both Men and Women in that "event")

 

[The Scotsman]

I think the USA can be very proud! Certainly us Brits are over the friggin moon at our guys an gals!!

See you in 2012 - anyone wants to come over let me know the stadia are 45 minutes drive away!

 

[GenSeneca]

Popeye... Is there anything about America you do take pride in?? (Besides the Messiah)

 

[Popeye]

Popeye... Is there anything about America you do take pride in?? (Besides the Messiah)

Yep, but I don't go around with red white and blue blinders on. You might try taking yours off..oh, I forgot, you're a Republican...yours are on permanently.

 

[BigRob]

Yep, but I don't go around with red white and blue blinders on. You might try taking yours off..oh, I forgot, you're a Republican...yours are on permanently.

Any comment on the medals that China has won in their "sports"? Or is it just bad when Americans do it?

 

[Mr.Dysfunctional]

Yep, but I don't go around with red white and blue blinders on. You might try taking yours off..oh, I forgot, you're a Republican...yours are on permanently.

Personally I find it funny that people are pointing out National achievement in medals when the olympics in itself has always been about Indivudual and team-based achievements. Even news reporters themselves say typically before showing the over all national standings for medals that it is not the goal but obvious an intrest of each nation.

The Olympics in general should be consider a push for humanity in itself to better and further itself in athelitic achievements... Since these are not partial to a particular country or culture.. it could be expected that bleeding over is going to happen that will completely obscure the lines of nationality to little more then a "place to train"

For instance... a particular nation does extremely well within a sport.. it would seem that coaches from all other nations would examine their achievements , training styles and form and incorparate it into their own regiment.

Shawn Johnson who won silver on the floor exercises this 2008 had a chinese coach who immigrated to America... Does that make Shawn Johnsons less American because of her coach? Or will her students be learning an "American style" of gymnastics.. of course not.. it is only a blend of skills learned from varying nations thru the years.

So to place any serious inquiry via a disappointment to a particular nation should really be viewed as individual achievements or disappointments. and not a nation as a whole. Simply as it stands.. they won the medals.. and not particularlly their country. The National view for medals is ONLY a pride issue and nothing else... Of course pride in all forms .. should be done with moderation.

 

[Pandora]

Let’s say the Americans only got bronze, or even lets say they came in 4th

Why is that disappointing? Out of all the various country’s participating, that we are in the top three is really a great thing, and if there are some gold’s and silvers in there that’s even better.

Have the Olympics always been this way, all this bickering? I thought it was about something else.....

And my gosh Popeye, I know a whole lot of people who will pounce on America for any given reason, but you are the first American I have ever met that seems to be happy or proud of anytime we screw up or don’t do well.

Don’t you think that is kind of strange?

 

[GenSeneca]

Yep, but I don't go around with red white and blue blinders on. You might try taking yours off..oh, I forgot, you're a Republican...yours are on permanently.

Wow... trying for a record on how many times you can be wrong in one sentence? You cannot even acknowledge the failing of Democrats, you pretend they are PERFECT and its only the "Other" side that has faults... and you say I have the blinders on.... I complain about the Right nearly as often as the Left - perhaps if you took your blinders off, you could see that.

Also, I am NOT a Republican - I am however a Conservative and unfortunately the only place where we have a home is in the Republican party... Democrats, like yourself, call people like me traitors for not marching in lock step with your group think ideology and have us kicked out... Proving once again how incredibly tolerant Liberals really are where opposing views are concerned.

Well, I would like to hear you say at least one nice thing about America that doesn't relate to Obama... Have yet to hear you say ANYTHING good about the country that has given you everything you have.

 

[Libsmasher]

Note: Popeye is not an american.

 

[Libsmasher]

Personally I find it funny that people are pointing out National achievement in medals when the olympics in itself has always been about Indivudual and team-based achievements. Even news reporters themselves say typically before showing the over all national standings for medals that it is not the goal but obvious an intrest of each nation.

The Olympics in general should be consider a push for humanity in itself to better and further itself in athelitic achievements... Since these are not partial to a particular country or culture.. it could be expected that bleeding over is going to happen that will completely obscure the lines of nationality to little more then a "place to train"

For instance... a particular nation does extremely well within a sport.. it would seem that coaches from all other nations would examine their achievements , training styles and form and incorparate it into their own regiment.

Shawn Johnson who won silver on the floor exercises this 2008 had a chinese coach who immigrated to America... Does that make Shawn Johnsons less American because of her coach? Or will her students be learning an "American style" of gymnastics.. of course not.. it is only a blend of skills learned from varying nations thru the years.

So to place any serious inquiry via a disappointment to a particular nation should really be viewed as individual achievements or disappointments. and not a nation as a whole. Simply as it stands.. they won the medals.. and not particularlly their country. The National view for medals is ONLY a pride issue and nothing else... Of course pride in all forms .. should be done with moderation.

The olympics has been politicized FOREVER, the IOC has aided that politicization in may ways, eg forcing the Republic of China to participate under the preposterous title invented by the PRC, viz "Chinese Taipei". Your comment about the Chinese coach is a hoot - MANY of the olympians have trained in the US - at Universities or professional teams, and some even are US citizens. Eg, Milorad Cavic, the guy on the Serbian team who lost to Michael Phelps in the butterfly relay is actually a US citizen who was born and raised in the US and swam on UC Berkley's swim team. (That his national identification lies elsewhere is an indicator of the progress of libs balkanization project for the US). For the top non-US track competitors, part of the introduction is usally what US university he attends, and for basketball players what US team he is on.

 

[Mr.Dysfunctional]

The olympics has been politicized FOREVER, the IOC has aided that politicization in may ways, eg forcing the Republic of China to participate under the preposterous title invented by the PRC, viz "Chinese Taipei". Your comment about the Chinese coach is a hoot - MANY of the olympians have trained in the US - at Universities or professional teams, and some even are US citizens. Eg, Milorad Cavic, the guy on the Serbian team who lost to Michael Phelps in the butterfly relay is actually a US citizen who was born and raised in the US and swam on UC Berkley's swim team. (That his national identification lies elsewhere is an indicator of the progress of libs balkanization project for the US). For the top non-US track competitors, part of the introduction is usally what US university he attends, and for basketball players what US team he is on.

I'm not sure how this somehow subtracts from my statement. All and all it still can be brought down to the individual performance and training methods. Thou U.S. might offer more places to train does not nessicarilly mean that U.S. has better atheletes then sdfkjsldjflkdjf in nowhereville. simply means U.S. faclitates better chances for atheletes to further their potential. Besides U.S. having people throughout the world spreading teachings they learned at U.S. Universities.. its the same in other countries as well.. meaning that no matter what.. the lines get blurred about nationality in performance.

Lets take my favorite Hero.. Goku he's alien crashed to earth and the world's strongest fighter. Could it be said that his grand prowless for fighting is simply because of his alien background?,... or that its from the training he recieved on earth? Neither because it is a combination... The fact that he choices earth as his home is a descion of his own and does not nessacary reflect his caliber as a fighter. So his nationality honestly can constitue only a portion in his winning of tournaments and ends up simply being a flag of pride.


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