Why is the US so far ahead in Olympiad medals?

[Anonymous]

It's all money. Money for training, parents with money for lessons early on, money for good facilities. There is of course natural talent but you need resources to bring that out. Plus now that athletes are not really amateurs and do endorsements etc then it's not an even field at all. Of course an athlete here can get a Wheaties box and that'll pay for stuff as opposed to Cameroon or where ever where they don't have such large companies to sponsor things.

[Anonymous]

Pp again. And money can be commercial or state. Hence China does well since they identify the kids really young and then all they do is train at state facilities and some of them make it to the Olympics. It's their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More $ and resources for training. More personal incentive to win cause the commercials and companies will call them to represent them. That means more wealth. The wealth and fame makes them want to try harder.
Other countries? "I do this for my country." or "I love the sport."

So the US and maybe a few individuals training in US or getting paid in other countries "dope" with cash. Seems like the olympics should be held to a more pure standard. Maybe there should be another ranking of best results with minimum money spent. i don't know if the data is publicly available some viewer could to do that kind of ranking.

[Anonymous]

So much dis-information here. If you fools had to live on the budgets of most US athletes, you would starve to death. Don't mistake a few stars for the majority of the pack.

And, don't forget the winter Olympics. The US never has the most medals in that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More $ and resources for training. More personal incentive to win cause the commercials and companies will call them to represent them. That means more wealth. The wealth and fame makes them want to try harder.
Other countries? "I do this for my country." or "I love the sport."

So the US and maybe a few individuals training in US or getting paid in other countries "dope" with cash. Seems like the olympics should be held to a more pure standard. Maybe there should be another ranking of best results with minimum money spent. i don't know if the data is publicly available some viewer could to do that kind of ranking.

That PP was me, the OP. I guess I'm looking to see some handicapped ranking system, and how the athletes stack up. If Phelps spent 100 times more money, than say the 5th place finisher, I think the 5th place may be the more compelling story.

The Olympics results are like American election outcomes (amid some other counties?). Yes, I've become jaded on both topics, and that bothers me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much dis-information here. If you fools had to live on the budgets of most US athletes, you would starve to death. Don't mistake a few stars for the majority of the pack.

And, don't forget the winter Olympics. The US never has the most medals in that.

Op again -- so what do you attribute American success to? Adjusted for cost of living do you think/know if us athletes spending is on par with those from countries with fewer medals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much dis-information here. If you fools had to live on the budgets of most US athletes, you would starve to death. Don't mistake a few stars for the majority of the pack.

And, don't forget the winter Olympics. The US never has the most medals in that.

Pp here. I didn't mean that the athletes have money. But they do have access to facilities and coaches etc. and those gymnastics classes for little girls are expensive. Someone has to drive to those classes and go to meets etc. it's not that athletes are living like kings. They are working very hard yes, but with far better equipment and support than other countries for the most part.

[Anonymous]

We are the best country in the world. We have the most resources and we want to win the most. We also have a large population of athletes and a diverse genetic makeup which helps a lot.

No reason to be ashamed by it - it's a great thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are the best country in the world. We have the most resources and we want to win the most. We also have a large population of athletes and a diverse genetic makeup which helps a lot.

No reason to be ashamed by it - it's a great thing.

Op here, I might agree with everything you said, except the "we want to win the most." Also, not ashamed, mostly bored with the media coverage we have. It is not broad or deep.

[Anonymous]

If you did research, you would find that many countries give their athletes who win gold a lot more than the US does. I read that the US comes in 9th in that regard. OP, I strongly encourage you to research things before making generalizations. The US has 300 million people. So the odds are we will have more winners.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much dis-information here. If you fools had to live on the budgets of most US athletes, you would starve to death. Don't mistake a few stars for the majority of the pack.

And, don't forget the winter Olympics. The US never has the most medals in that.

Pp here. I didn't mean that the athletes have money. But they do have access to facilities and coaches etc. and those gymnastics classes for little girls are expensive. Someone has to drive to those classes and go to meets etc. it's not that athletes are living like kings. They are working very hard yes, but with far better equipment and support than other countries for the most part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much dis-information here. If you fools had to live on the budgets of most US athletes, you would starve to death. Don't mistake a few stars for the majority of the pack.

And, don't forget the winter Olympics. The US never has the most medals in that.

Huh? The U.S. earned the most medals as recently as the 2010 Winter Olympics. You don't know what you are talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you did research, you would find that many countries give their athletes who win gold a lot more than the US does. I read that the US comes in 9th in that regard. OP, I strongly encourage you to research things before making generalizations. The US has 300 million people. So the odds are we will have more winners.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much dis-information here. If you fools had to live on the budgets of most US athletes, you would starve to death. Don't mistake a few stars for the majority of the pack.

And, don't forget the winter Olympics. The US never has the most medals in that.

Pp here. I didn't mean that the athletes have money. But they do have access to facilities and coaches etc. and those gymnastics classes for little girls are expensive. Someone has to drive to those classes and go to meets etc. it's not that athletes are living like kings. They are working very hard yes, but with far better equipment and support than other countries for the most part.

The Singaporean swimmer who beat Phelps gets nearly $1 million for his gold, while Phelps gets $25,000. Phelps obviously gets some of his commercial power back after he was dropped by a few sponsors after his DUI. But Schooling may do well in endorsements as well.

[Anonymous]

We have a large population and are a wealthy nation with access to great training, equipment, coaches, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much dis-information here. If you fools had to live on the budgets of most US athletes, you would starve to death. Don't mistake a few stars for the majority of the pack.

And, don't forget the winter Olympics. The US never has the most medals in that.

Pp here. I didn't mean that the athletes have money. But they do have access to facilities and coaches etc. and those gymnastics classes for little girls are expensive. Someone has to drive to those classes and go to meets etc. it's not that athletes are living like kings. They are working very hard yes, but with far better equipment and support than other countries for the most part.

I think, too that perhaps there is more dedication, or there "can be". Not on a personal level but the ability to attend the practices, the therapy sessions etc. Parents who can be available to drive the kids and make it a priority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you did research, you would find that many countries give their athletes who win gold a lot more than the US does. I read that the US comes in 9th in that regard. OP, I strongly encourage you to research things before making generalizations. The US has 300 million people. So the odds are we will have more winners.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much dis-information here. If you fools had to live on the budgets of most US athletes, you would starve to death. Don't mistake a few stars for the majority of the pack.

And, don't forget the winter Olympics. The US never has the most medals in that.

Pp here. I didn't mean that the athletes have money. But they do have access to facilities and coaches etc. and those gymnastics classes for little girls are expensive. Someone has to drive to those classes and go to meets etc. it's not that athletes are living like kings. They are working very hard yes, but with far better equipment and support than other countries for the most part.

So you're assertion is that it's just due to numbers? China has a larger population, fewer medals. I am just asking the question about the source of the US success, PP.