2010 Vancouver Olympic & Paralympic Super-Thread - Page 122

twoNeurons · #**2421** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 4:26 AM**

The Soviet Union in 1976 won 13 Gold medals and 27 overall. Don't know how many of those were "Russia" medals though. There were fewer medals to win ( fewer events overall ) back then so it could be argued that it was more difficult however, there were also far fewer nations competing as well.

2002 Salt Lake, Norway Norway, 13 Gold medals. The US finished 3rd behind Germany.

The thing is... if you spend enough money on enough athletes you're more likely to have more podium finishes. Overall medal counts can arguably be easier to "buy".

Gold medal winners are much more difficult to nurture. It's much more difficult to nurture a spirit of championship.

The thing with Silver and and Bronze as they are arbitrary cut-off points. In some sports, the top 10 finishers are Champion caliber.

Look at Hockey. There are probably 4 fantastic teams this year that deserve recognition.

Women's Figure skating there are 3 or 4 champion-level skaters. ( Though it could be argued that it was really a battle between Asada, the technically more difficult overall program and Yuna with her clean and effortless style in an almost as difficult program ).

Gold medallists are unique in that they sit on the top of the pile. Usually ( not always ) the best athlete who can also not crack under pressure does win.

Any opinions on what it is easier to "buy"? Gold medals or Overall medals?

The problem is that we can't do a Gold medal + honorable mentions ( which change depending on the results ) because it would be completely subjective.

Remember the look on the American Women's faces when they won Silver?
Remember Plushenko's face with Silver?
Mao Asada?
etc. etc.

adam · #**2422** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 4:47 AM**

Is it really fair to compare medal counts for a country like USA with over 300 million people and Norway with under 5 million?

And so I present to you the medals / 1 million people column as of Feb 27th...

Code:

	G	S	B	Total	Pop	        Medals per 1 million	
USA	9	14	13	36	304059724	0.12	
GER	10	12	7	29	82140043	0.35	
CAN	12	7	5	24	33311389	0.72	
NOR	8	7	6	21	4769274	        4.4	
AUT	4	6	6	16	8344319	        1.92

Norway has the most medals per capita BY FAR!

johnjimbc · #**2423** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 4:54 AM**

Certainly being the gold medal champion is a distinguished accomplishment.

But I'd suggest being careful about going as far as to diminish the accomplishments of silver and bronze. All of these athletes here represent the best in their sport the world over. Being here is a major accomplishment, and achieving that silver or bronze is a mark of distinction.

I am so proud of the Canadian team, but then again I was a week ago as well. I'm sure most people were. But I now sense this sudden embracing of the Gold medal standard (no pun intended) seems convenient. The need to convince everyone on the matter reinforces a similar insecurity as when the team favourites appeared to be struggling. A week ago, when the medal count was in single digits, I think most Canadians would have been thrilled at the prospect of gaining 15 or 16 medals of any metal type.

Can't we all just embrace the achievements of these wonderful athletes for a day or two without dissecting the relative "value" of their efforts?

Except for Hockey, that is

.

Yume-sama · #**2424** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 7:38 AM**

lol the "Investigate 9/11" people are standing behind the CTV people again. Quite a few of them.

nname · #**2425** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 8:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam

Is it really fair to compare medal counts for a country like USA with over 300 million people and Norway with under 5 million?

And so I present to you the medals / 1 million people column as of Feb 27th...

Norway has the most medals per capita BY FAR!

One of the flaw of using medals per capita is that even though the population is higher, but there is still a limited amount of atheletes that a nation can sent into an olympic event. Take curling as an example, if there's 1 good team in Norway and there are 64 teams in USA (by population) that's as good as the Norwegian team, does the chance for USA winning a gold medal 64 times higher compared to Norway? No, since the event is limited to 1 team per nation, the chances is about equal.

Yume-sama · #**2426** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 8:14 AM**

Plus the Norweigans are like Olympic robots. Somehow they win win win!

NetMapel · #**2427** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 8:18 AM**

because I'm pretty sure Norwegians love cross country, whereas here in Canada we love hockey. Therefore, their best young talents go into that field and win a ton of medals. We only get two medals in hockey

SpongeG · #**2428** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 8:28 AM**

do these 9/11 people exist elsewhere?

i've seen 9/11 stickers all over the city for years and teh bus that goes around...

it was insane downtown tonight even in the rain - granville street still had cars on it at 7 and the sidewalks were hard to walk on because they also had parking - why couldn't they have just shut that all down this afternoon? it was so messy

anyway at one point a group of guys started to chant f**K USA and people in the crowd started sayiong NO NO stop that and they slowly stopped their chanting

I saw the police harass some guy about what was in his cup and he said cofffee and the police was like i don;t know let me see and i don't know what happenned but the couple looked like a couple of do gooder squares checking the scene out

at some point someone lit off a roman candle in the crowd on granville street - pretty cazy at least they shot it straight up

Yume-sama · #**2429** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 8:30 AM**

I don't understand the 9/11 people, or why they're even in Vancouver... now I guess I could understand, but in the past?

Like, really, you couldn't find another silly pet cause? In VANCOUVER?! Score for for individuality, I guess.

As for anti-USA chants, that is immature

In the Canada Women's game, after the USA lost everyone chanted "USA! USA!" and cheered the girls on, in the spirit of the Olympics.

It moved them to tears to have that standing ovation. Canada is awesome like that

GeeCee · #**2430** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 8:47 AM**

Apparently there's going to be a big protest downtown tomorrow. I guess they want the Olympics to stay forever instead of holding the closing ceremony?

SpongeG · #**2431** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 9:06 AM**

the camera work at the skating exhibition is awful

and wondering will that synchro skating ever become an olympic event? Canada does pretty well in it

Spork · #**2432** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 9:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeeCee

Apparently there's going to be a big protest downtown tomorrow. I guess they want the Olympics to stay forever instead of holding the closing ceremony?

Protesting at this point is batshit insane. The crowds will be nuts, and the Olympic fever is still as hot as ever. I wouldn't be surprised if they get harrassed by people enjoying the atmosphere - I sure would if I were downtown tomorrow.

cabotp · #**2433** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 9:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spork

Protesting at this point is batshit insane. The crowds will be nuts, and the Olympic fever is still as hot as ever. I wouldn't be surprised if they get harrassed by people enjoying the atmosphere - I sure would if I were downtown tomorrow.

Headline news

"Protesters protest against the protesters"

Yume-sama · #**2434** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 9:43 AM**

It has been very quiet, protest-wise. I wonder what happened?

Protesting now is stupid. But, hey, at least they'll get their way. The Olympics will stop IMMEDIATELY.

Victory!

It just might be the first protest that has ever resulted in them getting what they want.

CLC · #**2435** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 10:43 AM**

Quote:

I'm just saying that there really is no right or wrong way to do a medal table. Personally, I use the more common international method (golds), but counting by total medals is by no means incorrect.

Completely agree. Though it is pretty clear that much of the world will see Canada successfully owned the podium, not the US (if otherwise counted by total medal). At least more than 13b population from the East would agree

From China official propanganda (the Xinhua):
Canada unbeatable in medal standing at Vancouver Winteer Olympics
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/special/vancouver2010/2010-02/28/c_13191420.htm

SpongeG · #**2436** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 11:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

It has been very quiet, protest-wise. I wonder what happened?

Protesting now is stupid. But, hey, at least they'll get their way. The Olympics will stop IMMEDIATELY.

Victory!

It just might be the first protest that has ever resulted in them getting what they want.

they did it quietly everyday

i pass the VAG a few times and saw people with signs nothing much else - like once it was people standing there with anti-seal hunting signs, another time it was something about Iran

those kind of causes I can get behind as most people probably could and probably don't garner much media attention

Yume-sama · #**2437** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 6:54 PM**

Apparently Joannie is the flagbearer tonight.

vancityrox · #**2438** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 7:21 PM**

GO CANADA GOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our Father, who art in GM Place, hockey be thy name, thy will be done, GOLD to be WON on ICE as well as IN THE STANDS. Give us this day, our hockey sticks and forgive us our penalties, as we forgive those who crosscheck against us. Lead us not into elimination but deliver us to victory, in the name of the fans, CANADA ...and the HOLY PUCK. AMEN!

GeeCee · #**2439** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 9:08 PM**

SpongeG · #**2440** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 10:32 PM**

hehe ^^^

with seconds left to go we are now going to lose

its not going to pretty