Read the opposing arguments from Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan.
As the Vancouver Olympics close, competitors are presented with a great deal of time for reflection. For athletes like the delusional Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko, the next four years offer time to come to grips with the fact that he was bested by American Evan Lysacek. The experience of introspection figures to be significantly sweeter for the Canadian Men’s hockey team, which will surely count their epic overtime gold medal victory – in arguably the premier event of the Winter Games – as one of the defining moments of their lives. The Olympics, however, do not just present individual athletes and teams with opportunities to establish enduring memories, but nations as well. Now in the wake of the Winter Olympics, TSD debates who earned the title of ‘Biggest Winner’ at the Vancouver Games. Unquestionably, the biggest winner has to be the USA.
The United States won an amazing 37 medals—9 gold, 15 silver, and 13 bronze. One might say that the US left Canada with so much gold, silver, and bronze the Canadian precious medal markets dropped.
Before frequent TSD followers call shenanigans on the fact that I argued that the quality of medals means more than the quantity last week, I would like to say I still stand behind that statement. And for the record I tip my proverbial cap to Canada for winning a Winter Games record 14 gold medals (I’ll forgo the “home field advantage” talk, and just say congratulations, I did not think they had it in them). I am simply pointing out that the Americans were dominant in terms of both quantity and quality at the Winter Games.
While domination usually comes easy for the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, this has not always been the case for America during the Winter Olympic Games. This year at the Vancouver Games the United States finished on top of the medal count leader board with 37 medals. Four years before that at the Turin Games the US finished 2nd in the overall medal count with 25 medals also with 9 gold. But you might be surprised to know that in1994 at Lillehammer, the US was not as strong, finishing 5th overall with just 13 medals, and only 6 gold. Even more shocking perhaps, is the fact that during last Winter Games held in Canada, the 1988 Calgary Games, the US finished 9th in the overall medal count with just 6 medals and only 2 gold. So considering the past, you can see the US has come a long way. The Vancouver Olympics signified a milestone for the US by demonstrating that they can compete at the upper echelon with the elite nations of the Winter Games.
The games were also a huge success because of key victories for the US. Hannah Kearney set the tone for the US by pulling off an upset over Canadian favorite Jenn Heil. Kearney’s performance in Women’s Moguls gave the US its first gold medal, and kept the Canadian drought of 1st place finishes on home soil intact. Her victory showed that America was not going to lay down for the hometown heroes, and let everyone know that the US was there for one reason only—to win. Likewise, Evan Lysacek’s upset in Men’s Figure Skating was also another declaration that the US could and would hang with the best in the world, even in sports we were not favored to win.
The gold medal performances of Seth Wescott and Shaun White let the world know that the US was still the king of extreme winter events. It was a thrill to watch Shaun White set the bar so high in his first run in Men’s Halfpipe that he even considered just riding down the middle for his second run. Instead he decided to unleash a run that improved on his already Gold Medal-worthy score. Victories like these make fans of the casual follower, and that is exactly what they did for me.
The Olympics had many great moments that will leave the world wanting more, but if you ask me, the best moments always involved the Red, White, and Blue.
