[Spliff]

My girlfriend joked that there are actually four Olympic medals:

Gold
Silver
Bronze
Canadian

When we're not being screwed by questionable judging (in Men's gymnastics), we're choking under pressure (Perdita Felicien).
'This is my worst nightmare come true': Felicien

It's a poor showing so far from Canada. Australia, with around half the population of Canada, is kicking our asses. I'm not sure that throwing money into amateur sports will help that much. I'm beginning to think that Canadians don't have the competitive spirit, the killer confidence, that is needed to do well in summer Olympic sports.

[Eug Wanker]

Sure, more money will help. The Canadian system really doesn't support the athletes very well monetarily, unless you happen to be top of the game and get corporate sponsors. Also, Canada should push hard for more corporate sponsorship. Compared to other countries we have very little. ie. Double whammy.

And poor Perdita. I kinda feel worse for the Russian though. Perdita took her out too.



Kudos to the Australians though.

[gorickey]

At least your best actor enjoys the gold...

[Spliff]

Originally posted by gorickey:
At least your best actor enjoys the gold...

lol

[Spliff]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
And poor Perdita.

Yeah, I felt really bad for her. She didn't even get to finish.

[dtriska]

1) Australia has more than half of Canada's population. Australia's at roughly 20 million, while Canada is just over 30 million. On the world stage, our populations are essentially the same.

2) Australia spends roughly four times as much on its athletes than Canada (source is CTV News). The medal count shows that.

3) Canada is a winter nation. We do better in winter sports than summer sports, so relax; the Winter Olympics aren't that far away.

[angaq0k]

Anyhow, they get to participate, and that is better than most of us.

Go Kanada!

[adam1185]

Oh well, at least we have good TV coverage of the games, not like the US.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by adam1185:
Oh well, at least we have good TV coverage of the games, not like the US.

Yeah, the US coverage sux, unless you like watching nothing but the USA. Obviously the Canadian coverage focuses on Canada, but there seems to be a LOT more coverage of the other countries.

[Sealobo]

Go Canada~!

[Captain Obvious]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
but there seems to be a LOT more coverage of the other countries.

That's what happens when your athletes aren't worth watching and the American TV shows you import are on hiatus for the summer.

[Agasthya]

what more do we need really?

[vmpaul]

Originally posted by Spliff:
Australia, with around half the population of Canada, is kicking our asses.

I'm sure some of it is the wake from the 2000 Sydney Games. Whenever a country hosts an Olympics there's a surge of participation and money invested in sports. I've heard that China is putting all sorts of money into sports that they normally don't do well in for the 2008 Beijing games.

[ReggieX]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
Yeah, the US coverage sux, unless you like watching nothing but the USA. Obviously the Canadian coverage focuses on Canada, but there seems to be a LOT more coverage of the other countries.

From TV Guide:
Number of broadcast hours:
TSN: 150
CBC: 294.5
CBC Newsworld: 115
NBC: 226
CNBC: 111


Crew Size:
TSN: 22
CBC Sports: 193
NBC: 3,000

[JHromadka]

Originally posted by ReggieX:
From TV Guide:
Number of broadcast hours:
TSN: 150
CBC: 294.5
CBC Newsworld: 115
NBC: 226
CNBC: 111


Crew Size:
TSN: 22
CBC Sports: 193
NBC: 3,000

And that has what do do with how much NBC covers other countries? Unless it was the Iraq soccer team, they didn't seem to show that much non-US events unless it was the Gold medal games.

[GoGoReggieXPowars]

Originally posted by JHromadka:
And that has what do do with how much NBC covers other countries?

Nothing really, just showing the difference in number of broadcast hours we get.

[Patrick]

Alexandre Despatie wins Olympic silver in three-metre springboard final

Tue Aug 24, 5:22 PM ET


ATHENS (CP) - Canadian diver Alexandre Despatie won silver in the Olympic three-metre springboard Tuesday, reeling off a spectacular final dive to edge Russian Dmitri Sautin...

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...springboard_22

[ryju]

Did we have any 100m sprinters? I didn't see any, or any 200m/400m sprinters which we usually have.

I watched Perdita's final and I totally cringed seeing what happened, I've competed in track since I was 8 and there's certainly a lot of pressure involved. Can't imagine how much at the olympics.

[Daracle]

Originally posted by Agasthya:


what more do we need really?

You couldnt be more right.

EDIT: Although, If Stanley could make its way home, then really.....Need I say more.

[Luca Rescigno]

It's frustrating that here in the US, on broadcast TV at least, they only show a few different events that have Americans. Why do they have to show every damn swimming or track & field quarterfinal but not show the finals for the more obscure sports, like archery, judo, equestrian, handball, and so on?

For the diving competition, they of course had to show the guy who got last place in every dive because, of course, he's American. He had a back injury so even though he had absolutely no chance at all from the start, they have to give him plenty of attention. Our other diver had a bit of a better shot at a medal but given his competition, he really didn't stand much of a chance either.

Oh yeah, and the ONLY medals ceremonies they ever broadcast are ones where an American won the gold. That's great for them, but must they take time away from actual coverage to play the Star Spangled Banner at least once a day?

Well, I guess I don't have a huge reason to complain since I don't have cable. I know that the coverage on the cable networks is much better. Maybe I'll be able to afford it by the time the 2006 games come.

[villalobos]

Originally posted by Luca Rescigno:
It's frustrating that here in the US, on broadcast TV at least, they only show a few different events that have Americans. Why do they have to show every damn swimming or track & field quarterfinal but not show the finals for the more obscure sports, like archery, judo, equestrian, handball, and so on?

For the diving competition, they of course had to show the guy who got last place in every dive because, of course, he's American. He had a back injury so even though he had absolutely no chance at all from the start, they have to give him plenty of attention. Our other diver had a bit of a better shot at a medal but given his competition, he really didn't stand much of a chance either.

Oh yeah, and the ONLY medals ceremonies they ever broadcast are ones where an American won the gold. That's great for them, but must they take time away from actual coverage to play the Star Spangled Banner at least once a day?

Well, I guess I don't have a huge reason to complain since I don't have cable. I know that the coverage on the cable networks is much better. Maybe I'll be able to afford it by the time the 2006 games come.

Yeah the Olympics coverage on NBC is absolutely appalling. I stopped watching during the Atlanta games.

[mitchell_pgh]

Canada
- - - - - - - -
2 - Gold
4 - Silver
1 - Bronze

Not bad considering your national anthem has the word beer in it 11 times. <joke>

[GoGoReggieXPowars]

Originally posted by Agasthya:
what more do we need really?

You forgot the women's gold, the World Juniors, the upcoming World Cup...

Now, if we could only get Stanley back, I'd be really happy! Go Flames!

[vmpaul]

Originally posted by Luca Rescigno:
It's frustrating that here in the US, on broadcast TV at least, they only show a few different events that have Americans. Why do they have to show every damn swimming or track & field quarterfinal but not show the finals for the more obscure sports, like archery, judo, equestrian, handball, and so on?

For the diving competition, they of course had to show the guy who got last place in every dive because, of course, he's American. He had a back injury so even though he had absolutely no chance at all from the start, they have to give him plenty of attention. Our other diver had a bit of a better shot at a medal but given his competition, he really didn't stand much of a chance either.

Oh yeah, and the ONLY medals ceremonies they ever broadcast are ones where an American won the gold. That's great for them, but must they take time away from actual coverage to play the Star Spangled Banner at least once a day?

Well, I guess I don't have a huge reason to complain since I don't have cable. I know that the coverage on the cable networks is much better. Maybe I'll be able to afford it by the time the 2006 games come.

Last night they showed the ceremony for the Greek woman who won the 400m (or was it 200m?) final. it was pretty emotional seeing that she was greek and the stands were filled with her countrymen.

Overall, I agree with your assessment. It's too American-centric. We're seeing american athletes who have no chance instead of the non-US athlete winners in some of these events.

I wish NBC would cover the Games with the same frenzy that CBS covers the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Jump from game to game whenever something intriguing is happening.

[Agasthya]

Originally posted by Luca Rescigno:
It's frustrating that here in the US, on broadcast TV at least, they only show a few different events that have Americans. Why do they have to show every damn swimming or track & field quarterfinal but not show the finals for the more obscure sports, like archery, judo, equestrian, handball, and so on?

For the diving competition, they of course had to show the guy who got last place in every dive because, of course, he's American. He had a back injury so even though he had absolutely no chance at all from the start, they have to give him plenty of attention. Our other diver had a bit of a better shot at a medal but given his competition, he really didn't stand much of a chance either.

Oh yeah, and the ONLY medals ceremonies they ever broadcast are ones where an American won the gold. That's great for them, but must they take time away from actual coverage to play the Star Spangled Banner at least once a day?

Well, I guess I don't have a huge reason to complain since I don't have cable. I know that the coverage on the cable networks is much better. Maybe I'll be able to afford it by the time the 2006 games come.

Well I'd imagine that some of the sponsors of the athletes in question are also sponsors of the Olympic coverage so they need to be appeased.

[Agasthya]

Originally posted by GoGoReggieXPowars:
You forgot the women's gold, the World Juniors, the upcoming World Cup...

Now, if we could only get Stanley back, I'd be really happy! Go Flames!

Stupid M-A Fleury.