This thread is ripe for flaming.

<Edit>

But I would point out that the teams fielded by China and Russia, to name but only an obvious two, are equally gigantic and is intended to take in as many medals as possible too. I don't understand the point of your singling out the US.

The counterpoint to all this, of course, is Australia, which came in 4th in total golds.


Edited by - Indy11 on 8/29/2004 5:50:49 PM

I think a lot of people do take that into account regardless. Australians usually bring this up a lot. We have a population of 20 million yet we still managed to finish fourth in the medal tally amoungst countries with 10 times our numbers.

and no doubt about it, australia has done a very good job in a lot of the sports in athens, no question. And i'm singling out the US because the last time I read somewhere, The US had the highest amount of medals, which isn't to say other countries suck. Its to say that although yes, the US has good athletes, the fact we have the most medals is also because we enter in so many categories, odds are we're gonna end up with something. thats the point of this whole topic is


--Shroomie

***WE LOVE EH! STEVE!!!***



It is often merely an excuse that we say things are impossible.
--Francois de La Rouchefoucauld

I don't think there is a limit. But there are standards.

Most countries will only send athelets who are 16th in the world or better. Canada chose this year to send athelets who are 14th in the world or better.

Life: No one gets out alive.

so then the US just has a lot of athletes and a lot of good ones
hmm...makes sense.


--Shroomie

***WE LOVE EH! STEVE!!!***



It is often merely an excuse that we say things are impossible.
--Francois de La Rouchefoucauld

As a sidebar, the host country is allowed to enter atheletes in every sport without having to go through any olympic "trials." Part of the honor of hosting.

Rob "Stinger" Lordier
Creator of the original Privateer FAQ
3+ years here and still lovin' every minute!
Favorite saying - Life is a journey, not a destination

I have read somewere that thereis a limit in the number of athletes a country can send. The government of the country has to give enough funds to help the athletes. Alot of the countries [encluding mine don't give nearly enough.

Why not?......................AZAR

I must admit to finding it fascinating that three of the "super powers", The US, China, and Russia ended up in the top three. Interesting...

America, China and Russia are huge countries. With so much people, it's almost certain you'll have some excellent athletes who can pass the trials. So if you have 20 who pass, 20 will go. If 400 pass, 400 will go. I don't know wether there's a maximum amount of athletes you can send to the Olympics.

I'm proud of The Netherlands. Sixteen million people live here in a very small country but we still are number seventeen in the overall medal standings with 22 medals (4 gold, 9 silver and 9 bronze). We have more medals that Brasil, Spain and Argentina. We did well did year

@Azar,

Ya, we didn't do too well this year. I'm waiting for 2006 and hockey. I hope its a repeat of 2002.

Life: No one gets out alive.

As a matter of comparison, the past few Olympics total medal count/points winner used to be the ol' USSR.

1980 - Moscow Olympics, boycotted by US and others because of Afghanistan.

USSR - 80 Golds, 424 total medal points
E. Ger. - 47 G, 257 tmp
Bulgaria - 8 G, 73 tmp
Hungary - 7 G, 56 tmp.

1984 - Los Angeles Olympics boycotted by USSR and others of the Eastern Bloc more or less in retaliation of the 1980 US led boycott.

USA - 83 G, 401 tmp
W. Ger. - 17 G, 112
Romania - 20 G, 109 tmp
Canada - 10 G, 82 tmp


1988 - Seoul Olympics

USSR - 55 G, 273 tmp
E. Ger. - 37 G, 211 tmp
USA - 36 G, 197
W. Ger. - 11 G, 76 tmp

1992 - Barcelona - This is the first Olympics after the dissolution of the USSR but during a time in which the Russian olympics sports program was still in fairly good shape. Playing as the "Unified Team" they won again. Also, this is the first time that all of Germany fielded one team. And notice the emergence of China in the final four.

Unified Team - 45 G, 240 tmp
USA - 37 G, 216 tmp
Ger - 33 G, 169 tmp
China - 16 G, 108

1996 - Atlanta - No longer as unified as before the former USSR and its hold over, the Unified Team are no more.

USA - 44 G, 221 tmp
Russia - 26 G, 136 tmp
China - 16 G, 104 tmp
France - 15 G, 74 G

2000 - Sydney

USA - 40 G, 201 tmp
Rus - 32 G, 180 tmp
Chi - 28 G, 131 tmp
Aus - 16 G, 115 tmp


<Edit>

The reason why total medal points are not in perfect synchronization with the total gold count is because the tmps also include, of course, silver and bronze medal wins as well. Thus the bigger tmp count for the USSR in 1980 even thought they won fewer golds than the US did in 1984.


Edited by - Indy11 on 8/30/2004 6:58:34 AM


<Edit2>

@shrooms.....

Why the name change Eh Steve?

Edited by - Indy11 on 8/30/2004 8:00:57 AM

but now adays, USSR hasn't been winning as many, right? or has it? *wow..they won over400 medals? holy cow*

--Shroomie

***WE LOVE EH! STEVE!!!***



It is often merely an excuse that we say things are impossible.
--Francois de La Rouchefoucauld

@shroomie,

In as much as there is no USSR, hasn't been for a while now, no. They are not winning all those medals any more.

ok fine, in what was ONCE the USSR, is anybody in that area winning as many medals as they used to?
~you knew what i meant, Indy11!~

--Shroomie



***WE LOVE EH! STEVE!!!***

It is often merely an excuse that we say things are impossible.
--Francois de La Rouchefoucauld