Will America concede defeat
Roar Rookie By Mohammed Patel, 21 Aug 2008 Mohammed Patel is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- America, Beijing 2008, Beijing Olympic Games, China, gold, gold medals, medal tally, Olympic ladder, Olympic Standings, Olympics, overall medal tally, USA
America, like the rest of the world, has traditionally measured the Olympic standings according to the most gold medals attained.
But as they appear increasingly unlikely to win enough gold medals to depose China from the top, America has taken to a different way of judging the leaderboard.
The new system takes into account the overall medal tally to judge the leader, and has been adopted throughout the American media.
Using this method, which can be seen on NBC.com and on The New York Times website, the US would be first with 82 medals, while China’s 79 medals (at the time of writing) would put them in second place.
But the official way of calculation, set by the IOC and which is adopted by the rest of the world, is developed according to the number of gold medals attained, followed by silver and then bronze.
It could be argued that the overall medal tally is a perfectly reasonable (or fair) way of measurement. However USA has never used this system in the past and shouldn’t start now just because it suits them.
With three days of competition remaining, it is highly unlikely that they will pick up enough gold medals to surpass China.
America has won every Summer Olympics since Barcelona in 1992, although it looks like their 16-year reign is about to come to an end.
But whether they (the Americans) have the balls to concede defeat, is another question.
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August 21st 2008 @ 8:33pm
netrug said | August 21st 2008 @ 8:33pm | Report comment
Maybe the best wayis to introduce a points system, say 3 points for a gold, 2 for a silver and 1 for a bronze.
Some would say the gold is t6he pinnacle and should be worth moree, so 5 for a gold, 2 for a silver and 1 for a bronze
To others, the gold is all that matters. Just ask a certain Swedish wrestler.
August 21st 2008 @ 9:50pm
matta said | August 21st 2008 @ 9:50pm | Report comment
mate – our media changes its mind all the time too…
August 21st 2008 @ 10:53pm
netrug said | August 21st 2008 @ 10:53pm | Report comment
Netrug,
That would, in my opinion be a fair way of counting score. And if it was counted that way (3-2-1) China would still be on top of the US with 186 points v 174.
There is a lot of talk and voting polls in America about the way the system is and should be calculated. But why is it that these issues only come up when they aren’t winning? Your points idea, which is quite valid and fair, seems to be disregarded in the States.
August 21st 2008 @ 10:55pm
westy said | August 21st 2008 @ 10:55pm | Report comment
Look I am far from pro American but if anyone seriously thinks an overall individual gold madal for rhythmic gymnastics, team gold medal for rhythmic gymnastics, then individual gold medals for ribbon /hoop/etetera,ecetera does not makes a mockery of gold medal tallies. Richer countries including Australia often win more technical or equipment orientated sports , as some Asian countries win more artistic orientated sports. I appreciate allthese achievements.
BUT please not all gold medals are equal. Who wins my gold medal tally ………….a very small country in the West Indies called Jamaica…………they win not on subjective evaluation or technical equipment but simply on athletic ability. If a gold medal for ribbon gymnastics or syncronised diving is worth 3 points the 100 metre sprint should be worth 100 points.
As some would say only my opinion but in pure athletics you compete against everyone who can run. You do not need a pool, boat,bicycle, or BMX bike. All you have got is what you were born with.Go Jamaica.
August 21st 2008 @ 11:57pm
ohtani's jacket said | August 21st 2008 @ 11:57pm | Report comment
Please, Bolt is a professional athlete with major sponsorship
August 22nd 2008 @ 9:54pm
Ace said | August 22nd 2008 @ 9:54pm | Report comment
I absolutely think that not all golds are created equally.
More people run than any other sport in the history of mankind, both past and present. The marathon gold is surely more valuable than a 50 meter freestyle swim which is all of a couple of seconds.
Duration and exertion are for me the Olympic imperatives.
Gold = 100
Silver = 25
Bronze = 10
It’s all too subjective, but I definitely think a gold is worth 4 silvers or 10 bronzes (at least).
August 23rd 2008 @ 10:51am
MarkR said | August 23rd 2008 @ 10:51am | Report comment
The question was will they admit defeat….you’re kidding right, thy’ll change the rules (count total medals) or just ignore the olympics. Same as most other countries would do……
August 23rd 2008 @ 11:28am
stuff happens said | August 23rd 2008 @ 11:28am | Report comment
‘Will they admit defeat?” I agree with MarkR – you’re kidding.They’ll wait for their next brianwave – like blowing up Iran. You’re talking about a country whose major contribution to the world in the last 8 years has been blowing things up and killing people.