The (sports) Gospel According to Mark: Red, White, and Gold

[mark_chalifoux]

The Olympics are nearing their end, and as always, the US stands atop the medal leader board with a double digit lead. Americans expect dominance in sports, dominance like what Michael Phelps has done in swimming and what the women’s softball team has done to the rest of the softball world.
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[OneNine]

Originally Posted by mark_chalifoux

Now that I have a little more perspective and more appreciation for the freedoms in our country, I can go back to enjoying our country winning a lot of medals for a few more days. And, like they say, if it looks like a champion, and it smells like a champion, then by golly, it’s an American.

Very well said Mark... Very informative and insightful... I agree with you 100%...

[Ishkur]

Originally Posted by mark_chalifoux

The most notable reason is because of the freedoms which some, including myself at times, take for granted in our country. Part of the success of Americans, I think, comes from their confidence, that swagger, that “I am better than you and I’m going to show the world" attitude.

Nope. Complete and totally wrong, and rendering the rest of the article a string of misapplied tangents.

The reason why America is better than the rest of the world is two-fold.

The first and most important reason is money. Money and infrastructure. That America is the wealthiest nation on the planet already gives it a headstart, and the fact that Bob Costas kindly reminds us every chance he gets of other countries medal winners currently training or having trained in the past at prestigious American universities speaks well of what makes American athletics so dominant.

It is not cheap to send a few hundred athletes to the Olympics. It is not cheap to provide time, money, training, resources, instruction, coaching, world-class facilities and lucrative scholarships to every up-n-coming athlete with a modicum of natural talent. America is one of the few countries wealthy enough to allow its amateur athletes to train full-time while it provides for their needs (Australia is another, and look how good they do). Most other countries have their athletes working regular full-time jobs to support themselves to Olympic glory (Canada being one of them.....well, the Canadian athletes that aren't training in America).

The second reason is more obvious than the first: population. America is the most populated first-world country on earth, and the third most populated country ever. Considering over half of the countries on earth are troubled by more important things like civil wars and crushing poverty, this puts America in a very advantageous position.

Added to this is the fact that America is a country of immigrants. Having such a diverse range of people settled inside its borders gives it the ultimate advantage over any country with a relatively homogenous population base (Kenya, for instance, doesn't have a swimming program. Three guesses why).

So there you go: A country that has the largest, most diverse, educated affluent labour pool in the world to pick from, with the most opulent facilities to train them on, and an almost limitless supply of money to throw at any and all athletics programs......I'm actually surprised America isn't winning EVERYTHING.

So if you want to record, track and count what is the best country of the Games, you have to take into account inflation for population and money. You'd find that the REAL hero of the Games is Australia. A country that small (with a population 1/14 the size of the US) is surprisingly successful at athletics. And they do it without any swagger or machismo.

[Canuckle-Head]

[quote=Ishkur]Nope. Complete and totally wrong, and rendering the rest of the article a string of misapplied tangents.

The reason why America is better than the rest of the world is two-fold.

Here here Ishkur..very nice rebutle..

and how typically American in the Original Article..
If it looks like a champion, smells like a champion then by golly its and American. The arrogance just oozes from this statement..and supposedly this person writes for some magazine. A close minded writer to say the least.

If anyone wonders why most of the world has a bad taste towards the USA it is due to Americans like this Mark fellow who give you all a bad name. Glad he is just one voice..as you Americans deserve a better representitive then this guy.

[Natch]

Originally Posted by Ishkur

...

The second reason is more obvious than the first: population. America is the most populated first-world country on earth, and the third most populated country ever. Considering over half of the countries on earth are troubled by more important things like civil wars and crushing poverty, this puts America in a very advantageous position.

...

So there you go: A country that has the largest, most diverse, educated affluent labour pool in the world to pick from, with the most opulent facilities to train them on, and an almost limitless supply of money to throw at any and all athletics programs......I'm actually surprised America isn't winning EVERYTHING.

So if you want to record, track and count what is the best country of the Games, you have to take into account inflation for population and money. You'd find that the REAL hero of the Games is Australia. A country that small (with a population 1/14 the size of the US) is surprisingly successful at athletics. And they do it without any swagger or machismo.

Aussie Aussie Aussie

* Natch is a proud Australian

One thing that was referenced on a Olympics summary program on Aussie TV the other night was an adjusted Medal tally comparing Australia with the US if Australia had the population of the USA ... quite insightful

But I think our tally would be even more impressive if we had the population of China LOL - anyway - the reasons related to funding, quality coaching and training venues are probably the main reasons why the US tally is higher than the others consistently.

I do take offense to the comment

Originally Posted by mark_chalifoux

if it looks like a champion, and it smells like a champion, then by golly, it’s an American.

But I think that's because the author meant for everyone who has a brain to take offense - it's an offensive statement.

[adam_wizdom]

Originally Posted by Natch

Aussie Aussie Aussie

* Natch is a proud Australian

One thing that was referenced on a Olympics summary program on Aussie TV the other night was an adjusted Medal tally comparing Australia with the US if Australia had the population of the USA ... quite insightful

But I think our tally would be even more impressive if we had the population of China LOL - anyway - the reasons related to funding, quality coaching and training venues are probably the main reasons why the US tally is higher than the others consistently.

I do take offense to the comment But I think that's because the author meant for everyone who has a brain to take offense - it's an offensive statement.

OY! OY! OY!

Welcome to the Rant EH?

Shall I throw anotha Shrimp on the Barbie?

[Mike]

Man this board is becoming more and more canadian by the day, YEAH


Do me a favor though, dont think all americans are asshole, maybe smart asses, but not just all assholes

[Natch]

Originally Posted by adam_wizdom

OY! OY! OY!

Welcome to the Rant EH?

Shall I throw anotha Shrimp on the Barbie?

It's chuck another shrimp on the barbie, and yeah why not - I'll crack open a couple of stubbies (beers) and we'll have a yarn about the footy (Aussie Rules of course )