The 2014 Winter Olympics - Sochi

[VOLatile]

Dutch coach with some real good criticism of the US and heir speed skating program. Essentially, we shouldn't expect success from a program that gets the scraps of our football/basketball/baseball teams. That we dump a lot of money in sports meant to "kill" each other. I find that last part a bit excessive, but I truly do find individual sports more exciting than team sports.

 

[GAVol]

Dutch coach with some real good criticism of the US and heir speed skating program. Essentially, we shouldn't expect success from a program that gets the scraps of our football/basketball/baseball teams. That we dump a lot of money in sports meant to "kill" each other. I find that last part a bit excessive, but I truly do find individual sports more exciting than team sports.

His comments about football are no less idiotic sounding than when rednecks talk about soccer.

 

[Velo Vol]

Dutch coach with some real good criticism of the US and heir speed skating program. Essentially, we shouldn't expect success from a program that gets the scraps of our football/basketball/baseball teams.

A country of 300,000,000 should have enough "scraps" to compete with the Dutch, Scandinavians, and the like.

Florida has more people than the Netherlands.

Whatever the reason, the US was terrible at speed skating this year.

 

[volprof]

A country of 300,000,000 should have enough "scraps" to compete with the Dutch, Scandinavians, and the like.

Florida has more people than the Netherlands.

Whatever the reason, the US was terrible at speed skating this year.

That's 315,000,000, so get it right! ha!

You're right, but I've been giving a lot of thought to this same conversation as I lie in bed at night with nothing better to do. The US constantly gets criticized for its Olympic performances (Summer and Winter). Basically that while we typically win the medal count (or close to it), we're so much more populous than other countries, and per capita, these other countries actually kick our butts. Okay, fair enough.

However, when you think about things in terms of the Dutch coach above, it's actually a far more level playing field than we're led to believe. The truth is that our elite athletes simply don't care about Olympic sports. Maybe track and field, but that's about it. Other countries are only distracted by one or two sports. Typically soccer. We're distracted by far more. When you take this into consideration, I think we do pretty damn well. And the playing field is much more level than it would first appear.

 

[volprof]

Well, looks like Russia will probably take the medal count. I don't see any way that USA can get back ahead. Oh well! Anyhow, it was a good Olympics.

And I've heard that our Olympic committee is only going to support a bid for either 2024 Summer or 2026 Winter. Honestly, I hope we go for the Winter bid. I know it isn't as big a deal, but I'd love to see a city like Anchorage, Bozeman, or Denver get our Winter bid. Would be great Winter Olympic venues.

 

[vol4eva]

The 300 million population is a bit misleading considering that the majority of our athletes live out near the Rockies, midwest, and northeast. We don't produce many winter athletes from the southern half of the US. The smaller countries tend to concentrate on just a couple sports, for instance the Dutch with speedskating and Norway with the Nordic events. Our athletes are spread out over many sports. Also think about the thousands of football players that will never get to compete for the US internationally.

 

[volprof]

The 300 million population is a bit misleading considering that the majority of our athletes live out near the Rockies, midwest, and northeast. We don't produce many winter athletes from the southern half of the US. The smaller countries tend to concentrate on just a couple sports, for instance the Dutch with speedskating and Norway with the Nordic events. Our athletes are spread out over many sports. Also think about the thousands of football players that will never get to compete for the US internationally.

Precisely. Despite our population, it's a much more level playing field than it appears.

And on the same note, I've heard that China is basically subsidizing its Summer athletes, particularly in the events that will gain them the most medals. Talk about pathetic! But a totalitarian country will be a totalitarian country, I suppose. All about projecting some power to the world. Fortunately, we're not all dumbasses, and we realize the charade.

 

[Velo Vol]

The truth is that our elite athletes simply don't care about Olympic sports. Maybe track and field, but that's about it.

That's true. It's a largely matter of priorities. I wonder how much about money?

If more people thought they could financially survive ski jumping, would it draw better athletes?

Honestly, I hope we go for the Winter bid. I know it isn't as big a deal, but I'd love to see a city like Anchorage, Bozeman, or Denver get our Winter bid.

wut

I'd rather see summer games here. Sports I actually relate to.

The 300 million population is a bit misleading considering that the majority of our athletes live out near the Rockies, midwest, and northeast. We don't produce many winter athletes from the southern half of the US.

That's certainly an issue for many sports--e.g., ski jumping, bobsled, and the like--where you need special facilities to practice. Even cross-country skiing, I suppose.

But not all of them. You can do speed skating anywhere.

NBC is showing this meaningless ice skating gala. #Facepalm

 

[volprof]

That's true. It's a largely matter of priorities. I wonder how much about money?

If more people thought they could financially survive ski jumping, would it draw better athletes?



wut

I'd rather see summer games here. Sports I actually relate to.



That's certainly an issue for many sports--e.g., ski jumping, bobsled, and the like--where you need special facilities to practice. Even cross-country skiing, I suppose.

But not all of them. You can do speed skating anywhere.

NBC is showing this meaningless ice skating gala. #Facepalm

I'd just like to see a Winter Olympics in one of those cities. That's more interesting to me than a Summer games in the States. The only Summer games venue we're vying for that interests me is NYC. Maybe Chicago as well. Anchorage, Bozeman, and Denver interest me more than those places simply because we hear about NYC and Chicago all the time in our media.

 

[vol4eva]

Precisely. Despite our population, it's a much more level playing field than it appears.

And on the same note, I've heard that China is basically subsidizing its Summer athletes, particularly in the events that will gain them the most medals. Talk about pathetic! But a totalitarian country will be a totalitarian country, I suppose. All about projecting some power to the world. Fortunately, we're not all dumbasses, and we realize the charade.

The Chinese strip kids from their parents at an early age and send them off to their "sports academies" where they train for years and then are sent off to the Olympics to bring "glory" to their nation. I know Li Na, their top women's tennis player, has spoken out against the Chinese system.

The Chinese win a bunch of medals in badminton and ping pong, which is hilarious.

 

[volprof]

The Chinese strip kids from their parents at an early age and send them off to their "sports academies" where they train for years and then are sent off to the Olympics to bring "glory" to their nation. I know Li Na, their top women's tennis player, has spoken out against the Chinese system.

The Chinese win a bunch of medals in badminton and ping pong, which is hilarious.

You're not a dumbass, I take it?

 

[TOP]

Watching this game makes me dislike hockey even more.

Sweden owned the 1st period and yet they're down 1-0.

Hockey relies on luck as much as skill. At least in other sports, you can consistently score and the better team usually wins. You only have to score once to win in hockey and soccer. Terrible sports.

Seriously... in sports where it's that hard to score, it's almost luck of the draw if you win. I'm not saying they're not talented and the sport isn't hard. I'm saying that when you're lucky to score 3 times in a game, the sport is decided by a lot of luck. What makes it worse is 5 on 4. 1-0 could be the game if you score that 1 goal when it's 5 on 4, yuck. The sport sucks because of how it's setup. I would like the sport if the goalie wasn't the size of the net and they didn't play uneven numbers of players. It's just such a bad setup though.

Power plays are as bad as no salary cap. I hate sports where playing fields are uneven. MLB sucks as long as New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles are allowed to spend more than double everyone else's payrolls. That set up is as terrible was 5 on 4. Why not just penalize the guy and make him sit while a worse player takes his place? Logical...

 

[bleedorange0037]

If you dislike hockey so much, why exactly are you watching, especially a game where the US isn't participating?

All your points about the limited scoring are understandable, but I almost completely disagree with them.

As for power plays, as long as you play within the rules, you never play shorthanded. That's the whole point, to put you at a significant disadvantage to breaking the rules.

 

[Velo Vol]

In 2010 the US won 37 medals.

In 2014 (despite there being almost 40 more available medals) it won 28.

#OlympicsFail

 

[BearCat204]

Watching this game makes me dislike hockey even more.

Sweden owned the 1st period and yet they're down 1-0.

Hockey relies on luck as much as skill. At least in other sports, you can consistently score and the better team usually wins. You only have to score once to win in hockey and soccer. Terrible sports.

Seriously... in sports where it's that hard to score, it's almost luck of the draw if you win. I'm not saying they're not talented and the sport isn't hard. I'm saying that when you're lucky to score 3 times in a game, the sport is decided by a lot of luck. What makes it worse is 5 on 4. 1-0 could be the game if you score that 1 goal when it's 5 on 4, yuck. The sport sucks because of how it's setup. I would like the sport if the goalie wasn't the size of the net and they didn't play uneven numbers of players. It's just such a bad setup though.

Power plays are as bad as no salary cap. I hate sports where playing fields are uneven. MLB sucks as long as New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles are allowed to spend more than double everyone else's payrolls. That set up is as terrible was 5 on 4. Why not just penalize the guy and make him sit while a worse player takes his place? Logical...

We get it, you hate hockey. Why are you watching again?

Relies on luck more than skill??? Couldn't possibly have made a more ignorant statement.

 

[volprof]

In 2010 the US won 37 medals.

In 2014 (despite there being almost 40 more available medals) it won 28.

#OlympicsFail

Yeah, it was pretty bad. We underachieved in speed skating (obviously) and even snow boarding, I would argue. I mean how does the US underachieve in a sport they invented? It would be like the Canadian hockey teams sucking it up in hockey.

 

[Velo Vol]

In 2010, Team USA won 14% of the medals. In 2014, 9%

 

[VOLatile]

I don't think this was that bad of a failure. Honestly, it happens. Down year. Etc. The Dutch presence in speed skating was incredible. People should talk about that more than the US' s failure to bring in a ton of medals.