I have to agree with you about Moir and Virtue, the Russian aboriginal dance, and Joannie Rochette (who I felt just the tiniest bit guilty supporting over the Americans, but that guilt lasted about a second).
I hadn't heard that about Elvis Stojko at all. I'm guessing the US media just ignored that (though OMG did they mention Plushenko saying he thought he should won) I remember being completely outraged originally at the Sale/Pelletier silver after their performance. I remember thinking they definitely deserved gold and felt really happy when they got the gold.
The entire world, with the exception of America, calculates Olympics medal tables on the basis of golds. I have noticed that we in the States tend to calculate Olympic medal tables on the basis of however the US looks closest to the top. Why? I have no idea
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I have noticed that we in the States tend to calculate Olympic medal tables on the basis of however the US looks closest to the top. Why? I have no idea.
That's a very humble thing to say! But really, America always does calculate based on total number of medals, regardless of what that does to your own standings. I remember noticing it when I saw there was a discrepancy between the British and American medals tables in Beijing.
I understand the split loyalty with Joannie and your own ladies in the women's figure-skating. I don't know if I'd have been as big as you were about it! Obviously I'd think a woman showing that courage, from any nation, was an amazing heroine. Yes, maybe I'd have managed to cheer for a non-Canadian in that situation (I mean, over a Canadian with a chance of medalling. Obviously I'd have cheered for her in the general sense either way). Hm. Maybe. I hope so!
Ah. I hadn't noticed it to always be based on the number of medals. I guess I remember in Bejing times early on the broadcaster would say something like, "well, if you look at it this way China's leading, but if you look at it this way the USA is leading
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And really, don't you just want to see great athletes, regardless of their country, do well? Or sometimes see someone no one had on their radar have the race/game/etc of their life and win beyond all odds? Isn't that the best part about the Olympics? IDK. Maybe it's just me.
Definitely! I loved the pairs competition for the same reason you did -- that comeback Chinese pair. It's just, when we have an athlete who's expected to medal, I really hope that they'll medal. But actually, I guess this year, your women's skaters were quite young, so perhaps there wasn't so much expectation that they would get on the podium. And in that situation, I'd definitely be cheering for the sentimental favourite. That was pretty much the situation with the Canadian pair team, after all.
It's unfortunate, but women's sport (with the possible exception of tennis) is generally a poor relation to the men's equivalent, likely because of a perception that women's competitions are of 'lower quality'.
Now, while the best women in the world are for the foreseeable future unlikely to be able to run as fast or jump as high as their male counterparts, there's no reason they can't play football or ice hockey as well.
The main problem, as I see it is that, with sponsors much more closely tied to the men's events for historical reasons, there is less money and thus opportunity for serious female athletes to train full-time. That has a knock-on effect of limiting the growth of women's sport, but I'm hopeful that, in time, the two sexes will have greater parity of interest in their events.
As for medals tables, most official Olympic rankings are done only by gold anyway, so if Canada gets more of those than anyone else, it will 'win' the Games.
Amy Williams' gold, eh? Very well-deserved, our Mellisa just didn't have her best race. GB should invest in winter sports more, there's no reason, if Germany's topping the medals' table (by both types of count just at the moment!) that GB shouldn't do well too.
The American couple was actually pretty respectful with how they approached the Indian dance.
That's what I figured. Cousins was vague, but I was hoping someone would comment with some more details! I still think the whole theme was a bit appropriative -- even the non-American teams doing country dancing and of course Virtue and Moir with their flamenco (as to my knowledge neither of them are Spanish) were, after all, appropriating something that wasn't their culture -- but I did want to make it clear I didn't think anything approached the horror of the Russian pair.
I'm upset that Apolo Ohno got disqualified in the 500 meter medal race. Boo!
Just read about that! I guess with an upset each in the long and short-track, we're North American even for the day. ;)
I haven't seen much of the olympics, but of the two times I've watched, I managed to catch the Scottish, Italian, and Russian ice dancing, which is most of what people have been talking about. It made a lot more sense that it was cultural appropriation night when I learned that the theme was folk dancing, but I thought some did it much more respectfully than others!
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I hadn't heard that about Elvis Stojko at all. I'm guessing the US media just ignored that (though OMG did they mention Plushenko saying he thought he should won) I remember being completely outraged originally at the Sale/Pelletier silver after their performance. I remember thinking they definitely deserved gold and felt really happy when they got the gold.
The entire world, with the exception of America, calculates Olympics medal tables on the basis of golds. I have noticed that we in the States tend to calculate Olympic medal tables on the basis of however the US looks closest to the top. Why? I have no idea ( ... )
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That's a very humble thing to say! But really, America always does calculate based on total number of medals, regardless of what that does to your own standings. I remember noticing it when I saw there was a discrepancy between the British and American medals tables in Beijing.
I understand the split loyalty with Joannie and your own ladies in the women's figure-skating. I don't know if I'd have been as big as you were about it! Obviously I'd think a woman showing that courage, from any nation, was an amazing heroine. Yes, maybe I'd have managed to cheer for a non-Canadian in that situation (I mean, over a Canadian with a chance of medalling. Obviously I'd have cheered for her in the general sense either way). Hm. Maybe. I hope so!
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Definitely! I loved the pairs competition for the same reason you did -- that comeback Chinese pair. It's just, when we have an athlete who's expected to medal, I really hope that they'll medal. But actually, I guess this year, your women's skaters were quite young, so perhaps there wasn't so much expectation that they would get on the podium. And in that situation, I'd definitely be cheering for the sentimental favourite. That was pretty much the situation with the Canadian pair team, after all.
Reply
Now, while the best women in the world are for the foreseeable future unlikely to be able to run as fast or jump as high as their male counterparts, there's no reason they can't play football or ice hockey as well.
The main problem, as I see it is that, with sponsors much more closely tied to the men's events for historical reasons, there is less money and thus opportunity for serious female athletes to train full-time. That has a knock-on effect of limiting the growth of women's sport, but I'm hopeful that, in time, the two sexes will have greater parity of interest in their events.
As for medals tables, most official Olympic rankings are done only by gold anyway, so if Canada gets more of those than anyone else, it will 'win' the Games.
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(The comment has been removed)
That's what I figured. Cousins was vague, but I was hoping someone would comment with some more details! I still think the whole theme was a bit appropriative -- even the non-American teams doing country dancing and of course Virtue and Moir with their flamenco (as to my knowledge neither of them are Spanish) were, after all, appropriating something that wasn't their culture -- but I did want to make it clear I didn't think anything approached the horror of the Russian pair.
I'm upset that Apolo Ohno got disqualified in the 500 meter medal race. Boo!
Just read about that! I guess with an upset each in the long and short-track, we're North American even for the day. ;)
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