The Death of The American Sports Empire?
By Athletes' Acceleration | August 19th, 2008
It hurts to say it, believe me. But the American
Sports Empire has cracked. And it’s crumbling all
around us.
What’s the proof you ask?
The influx of European players to the NBA. The
number of Latino players in Major League Baseball.
USA basketball refers to itself as the ‘Redeem Team’
Redemption for its abysmal showing on the world stage
over the past 4 years. And basketball should be the
sport we clean up in no matter what.
Have you seen how many Gold Medals the Chinese have
won? As of this writing it is:
China: 40
USA: 25
Ok, OK we still have a 5 medal overall lead….
But let’s be real for a second. It’s about winning
GOLD medals for the USA, not scrapping up on the
bronze.
And China is wiping the floor with us when it comes
to the medals the count.
At least we can have the ever reliable USA Track
and Field athletes to do what they always do.
Nope. The Caribbean went 1-2 on us in the Men’s 100
(with a ridiculous world record to boot).
And the women? Swept by the Jamaicans.
(I’m sure someone will upset Usain Bolt in the
200……)
That sweep in the men’s shot put? In the end that
ended up being just one medal. And it wasn’t the
Gold.
Even our best 1500m runner didn’t make the final.
And he wasn’t even born here!
At least the 400 hurdlers took care of business.
And if they made track posters, Lolo Jones would
be on my wall. For sure.
If your best rebuttal is Michael Phelps, just hold
on a second.
Sure the guy is a freak of nature. But take him
out of the equation and our gold medal count is even
more embarassing. If that’s possible.
It’s true, China has 20% of the world’s population.
And that is a staggering statistic. But is that what
we’re going to start using as an excuse?
I know we have a few more people than Jamaica does.
That didn’t stop them from wiping us off the track
in the sports most famous event (sorry milers).
So why is the American sports machine sliding back?
And how does it get fixed?
I think there are a couple of reasons.
And in the coming days I’m going to lay them out.
I’m going to detail the biggest reasons why
American athletics are no longer the overwhelming
force we once were. And what we can do about it.
Some of you will disagree. I know how testy some
people get when you imply that America isn’t perfect
in all ways, shapes and forms. Some of you really
sensitive people will suggest I’m being un-American.
(Trust me those are the kinds of emails I get)
I think it’s exactly the opposite.
So let me know if you agree that we’re witnessing
an Olympic sized choke job from the US delegation.
Or if I’m being ridiculous.
And keep an eye out for my next email.
To your success,
Latif Thomas
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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 at 5:49 am and is filed under Speed Training . You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:20 am
OK ok. before you get all critical on the U.S. team (which isn’t anti-American at all, it’s good to have opposition) let’s look at it this way:
With all the new world records being broken in so many events by athletes should right away stand as an indication that these Olympics are showing the world a new breed of Athletes.
Perhaps it’s not that the U.S. is falling behind as just the rest of the world is catching up. For one, when you look at the overwhelming Gold Medal count by China (which is the only one that counts no matter which way you look at it) that can only be attributed to the last 7 years of preparation that the Chinese people have spent and focused completely with one goal in mind: “To show the world…”
It’s no accident that China spent so much money for the opening ceremonies “to show the world…” It’s no accident they have anti-aircraft missiles to ensure safety. It’s no accident they spent thousands and thousands of hours, just on preparation for half-time shows, ticket vending, training their taxi drivers to speak english, turning the WHOLE country upside down. 1.3 billion people, unified with one goal in mind. “To show the world…”
So it is not that the U.S. has dropped, and that the U.S. team just is losing, it’s that we have a competitor whose focus and determination for success was the only thing that stood in their mind for the past 7 years.
Latif, you know all about success, being quite a succesful coach yourself. Let me ask you, what do you think would happen if you had 7 years to train the best athletes you could find, find the top talent out of all the U.S. and train them with one goal in mind for those 7 years. You coached them with the best principles in sports training, but also coached them in the best nutrition, and psychological aspects money could buy?
You would have one helluvan athlete.
There’s no secret to success. It’s all hard-focused work, with smart coaching.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:25 am
I agree with you 100% concerning the American Sports empire cracking. One point is this as I listen the the results of track and field most of the Athletes train and attend college right here in the USA. The “American” athletes are now competing with foreign athletes for scholarships and coaching.
Another point is maybe us Americans have become complacent.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:27 am
The US team is not choking, I think there is something else going on here. First of all, a hamstring injury that took way to long to fix. Maybe the USA team should have called Dick Hartzell his ideas about that recover seem very sound and we use them on our football team. Also maybe Latif should be a USA team track and field coach. I see to many of our athletes that appear to be over trained. And not hitting there best at the right time. As for the speed of the Jamacan team something does not seem right about that speed that he was running. Maybe we need to find out what he was eating, drinking, and what trainging he was doing to run that time.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:28 am
Marco
Then what have we been doing the past 7 years?
The answer, my friend, is part of the problem.
Mike Herring:
I can’t disagree with apathy toward track. But the governing body of track in this country is beyond useless. So that isn’t going to change, even if the leadership at the top has.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:29 am
It’s a general apathy towards track & field, the same as in the UK. Most of our medals have come in Cycling, Rowing and Yachting, so the infrastructure must be ok. Funding is available, so that just leaves a willingness to take part and UK and USA track & field have been going downhill since the 1980’s. Even when Michael Johnson was supreme he was more famous in England than he was in America. Athletics needs to be marketed to the up-coming generation…maybe Usain Bolt is the guy to do it..let’s hope so!
August 19th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Latif, American athletics is certainly not the force it once was. You would know better than I if it’s really crumbling all around us or if we just don’t have the dominant athletes bringing home gold this time around. I agree that there are many great athletes from other countries invading US sports but there are also great athletes that become elite after coming to the US, and then compete for their home country. The US remains one of the constant gold or total metal count leader Olympics after Olympics as other challengers’ come and go. We’ll see how the Chinese hold on over time.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:53 am
I coached track and field at a local high school until I was fired for my religious belief and coaching philosophy. I wanted to win, I trained my athletes to aspire to be winners by work and dedication. The high school wa only interested in mediocrity. The athletic director was only interested in a coach who would kiss his butt. I had a 6′8″ high jump all-state athlete, the AD left him off the sectional roster to make me look bad. If the rest of the country has such garbage at this level I can understand why our sports empire is failing. I believe our sports efforts is a mirror image of why our public schools are.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:06 am
If you really think about it….How many of those athletes are being trained on american soil for the majority of their careers before they run for their native country? 100m men’s silver (LSU), 100m Womens bronze (Auburn). come on man!! the proof is in the pudding!!
August 19th, 2008 at 7:07 am
So the Usa isn’t cleaning up. Well I was going to write a long missive but really it’s all down to focus. China has been focused for 7 years on this one goal and all the athletes have had unwavering support from their government. That doesn’t mean a pack on the back, it means money. Success whether of a group or an individual comes from A) Personal Effort and B) National support and help, from government and people, from grassroots and up.. The idea that the individual is alone responsible for his own rise or fall is nonsense. Look I’m not American, I’m English and I love America, the USA is our best friend. Look how well the UK is doing at the moment. We are a small island nation. Why? I bet is because we are hosting the Olympics in 2012. It’s that thing focus again. If the USA was hosting it, with all the support that means, the USA would clean up. Hey guys you are still riding high and have the most medals. Cheer up.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Relax. Why be so surprised? Acknowledge that the world is a big place and it’s learning its lessons well. America has always been open and generous with its expertise and I hope it will continue that way. We all love our sport. Maybe it’s America’s turn to listen and learn from the rest of the world. The great Carl Lewis played the mind game of thanking the opposition for coming before the event. Well this time they didn’t just turn up! The one thing about USA is it’s not afraid of change if it means doing it better, As far as China goes..it’s their money and well they have the home ground advantage this time. Let’s see how things go in London. And as far as Usain Bolt goes I wouldn’t recommend his pre race day breakfast to any aspiring sprinter. The truth always comes out eventually.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:25 am
I don’t agree with the statement that the American sports empire has cracked. I do believe that some of our athletes have cracked under the pressure of the biggest world stage, the Olympics.
Let me step back for a moment. In some instances, I believe the Olympic trials are our downfall. We have athletes representing our country that peaked at the Olympic Trials. Instead of selecting the athletes that were the most consistent all year, we have the ones that put it all together at the trials.
I am truly appalled at our showing in Track & Field. I think we have the largest pool of sprinters in Men’s and Women’s. This makes for very competitive trials, but are we getting the best of the best.
Sure, our collegiate talent pool is being watered down with the addition of foreign born athletes, but this is not new. The best male and female sprinters on the collegiate level were from Trinidad & Tobago, think 100m Men’s Silver Medalist Richard Thompson. They both went to LSU in the SEC. I think the SEC has the best Track & Field Athletes.
Think about our shot put contingent, with the U.S. Champion not even placing.
I think a number of our athletes are mistakenly believeing that because they are the best in the US, that automatically qualifies them to be the best in the world.
Anyway, I’m looking for some redemption in the relays, but we will have to have great exchanges to pull through.
I have nothing bad to say about China. They are emerging as a world super power and are our stiffest competition at this point. This is similar to the US and Russia competition in years past.
I still believe that we have the greatest raw talent pool, we just need to get the air of superiority out of our system and go out and prove our superiority.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Latiff you are correct that we are not what we once were, but to label it as crumbling is a bit much in my opinion. I think that the technologies and innovative training methods that we once kept to ourselves, are now available to everyone because of the internet. I think the state of the art facilities and training methods are available to everyone because of sponsorship, as well as the numerous amounts of Olympians that our colleges train, only to go back to their home countries and crush us, but overall we are still in the lead and our sprinters look good, There is nothing we can do about Usain Bolt being Jamaican, he is just a freak of nature. makes me wonder if what he could’ve done against Justin Gatlin, with the pace that he was on (what a tragic story). I believe (i hope) wallace spearmon can challenge him for the Gold. We are not what we once were but we are far from chopped sui.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:58 am
One of the reasons I think that the world is doing so much better than they had in past Olympics, is many of them are coming to America to learn and train. Colleges throughout the US are training and teaching so many of the athletes that are then competing for another nation. America has the best training methods, the best facilities, and has the best focus and drive. We just can’t seem to get the athletes to stay here where they learned it all. Could you imagine if you all of the athletes that trained in the US, then competed for the US?! The USA gold medal count would be absolutely through the roof. Almost every medal podium would stand three USA athletes for track and field, swimming, etc. American athletics isn’t crumbling, we are just letting too many people eat out of the good ‘ol American apple pie.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:11 am
If you think American sport is down the tubes, what must we in South Africa say
August 19th, 2008 at 8:38 am
One small issue.. in the US athelites do what they do because they love it. It’s how they start and finish.. That is not the case in China. How many US boys and girls are taken from their families at the age of 3 and never have the opportunity to just be kids…. EVER. That is the difference. In the competitions where passion and heart are displayed US wins gold. There is no Michael Phelps in China. He would never have made it to the first base in their program. How about we count blessings instead of medals
August 19th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Latif, American sports should not be judged or evaluated on Olympic performance. No other country offers as many professional sports thereby distracting its athletes. If we were to take the current Chinese model, which is the same as the old USSR and PDRG models of identifying athletes by body type and placing them in training centers (gulags for kids) and systematically use whatever chemical necessary, we would have to be as totalitarian as PRC. The success of the Jamacan sprinters is impressive but understandable. It is a poor nation which has a history of sprinting success. Its heroes are accessable and can play an active role as role models. My middle boy is fast but we would need to travel atleast one day if not two by car to see elite track athletes compete. And do you think that they would have time to encourage him to work hard and get faster? Just an hour plus from home, he can attend a football camp with D1 and D2 coaches and even meet players. Where do you think his interests are gravitating? About B-Ball, the last cycle our players did not know how to play the international game and suffered for that in a one and done tourney. This time the coaching is better and the players understand the game better. They can still have an off night and be out of the medals in one and done format. But the prelim scores show who plays the best game. Yes more euros are playing in the NBA but that reflects the growth of the game in Europe where many Americans go to play as well. Maybe you should look at some other trends. What about the success of Americans in skiing where we took the overall titles for both men and women. This is a season long series not just a two week period like the Olympics. One factor is that our kids ahve many more distractions than other places. No where else is upward mobility as attainable. Lee Evans, after setting 400m record, when asked about why Black athletes did better than White sprinters said that there were faster white kids but they were carrying briefcases and making millions on Wallstreet. Our schools are failing our young athletes as well. PE has been cut or even dropped because our schools can not teach Academics very well. Because kids can’t learn to read and write in the time it took forty years ago, schools need to take time from physical activity for academics. Sorry, I should apologize to the kids. Because teacher can’t teach in the same amount of time… kids can still learn as well as ever. Enogh for now. Keep up the good work. Encourage kids to be active, to play and to desire to be there best.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Wow, the American Sports Empire is dying? Latif, I know you have a point to make over the next several articles you print, so you had to grab our attention, and perhaps you even believe your heading. But, I don’t believe silver and bronze can ever be referenced as “scrapping” along! What a terrible disservice you do to those athletes who have worked so hard to reach the absolute top of their sport. Also, the Chinese have planned and prepared to explode on the medal scene since the Olympics were awarded to Beijing. This is their “arrival” on the international sports scene, with all of the world watching. Given these circumstances, our nation of 300 million still leads the nation of billions in medals. Yes, there may be a sentiment among some Americans that America should win all gold, but, given the accessibility of the top training techniques and information to the rest of the world, I think it is an amazing accomplishment by our country’s athletes that they have WON so many medals, whatever the color.
A quick history lesson supports what Rodney said in his comments. When the Soviet Union made it their mission to defeat the United States, our gold medal count dropped. We outlasted them. When the East Germans loaded up on steroids and other drugs and joined the Soviets in their quest to defeat the West, they surpassed our gold medal count in swimming. Our swimmers outlasted them.
I agree with Rodney, it is cyclical. Will China last, only time will tell. Over time, I think they will encounter the same ups and downs that the United States has experienced. Past history makes this the logical conclusion.
I am sure Latif will bring up valid points regarding training practices, nutrition and sleep patterns in his subsequent posts. I am sure there are things going on in the hierarchy of some of our governing sports bodies that need to be corrected and Latif would be privy to this knowledge given his visibility.
His knowledge certainly lends itself to him having valid points in these areas and I want to listen. But, please don’t disparage the overwhelming success of our Olympic team in the process of exposing areas where we, as a nation, can improve.
August 19th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Well, it is indeed a sad day when you ONLY equate success with a gold medal. When you consider silver and bronze losing. I feel for the american athletes who worked extremely hard over their life spans to acheive a podium finish only to discover they have failed if they did not step on the highest level. I also feel sorry for your clients, may they find another coach who will train them to reach their potential, not some idealized form of perfection. Yeah China!
August 19th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Latif,
How much do you attribute the improved track performances to the surface design? It just seems that world reconds are dropping like fly’s! Have you heard about pool water density changes leading to faster times? I am interested in any reseach you are aware of.
Tom
August 19th, 2008 at 11:06 am
The government of China made a goal for their athletes and supported it with proper funding to accomplish the goal. We can argue whether any given race or nationality has physical advantages or disadvantages, but the point is that with proper training (spelled $$$$) you can win. But that alone isn’t the answer, especially when you see the generation of ‘could be’ athletes sitting inside playing video games all day or updating their face book. The USA, unfortunately, just has a different priority than other countries and we are seeing a little of how that is manifesting itself in the Olympics.. I am glad there are exceptions to this!! Thank you Michael Phelps!
August 19th, 2008 at 11:06 am
While we as a country are definitely not the force that we were in the past, we also to take a look at where china is winning a lot of its medals, namely in diving, gymnastics, and weightlifting. Two of these sports are largely subjective, and the other comes down to who has the most brute strength. I definitely have to agree with marco and what he firsts says, and add that in general a lot of these gymnasts and divers are taken from their homes and families very young, and then spend the next 10+ years training in their specific sport. I know that you are a great nay-sayer of sports specific training, but couldn’t this be a strong statement of what you can do if you train an athlete for hours a day in one specific sport? They also have a number of shooting and badminton medals, sports that are neither highly publicized nor endorsed here in the states, but again china has been preparing for this ever since it was announced as the host of these games. So to recap, yes we are not as great as we once were, but maybe if we systematically trained athletes from kindergarden, taking them away from their friends, family, and eight hours of school a day and instead worked them to the bone for ten hours a day, maybe we could rival the chinese. Or is that considered child abuse here in the states?
August 19th, 2008 at 11:30 am
I wish our nation USA would only support our athletes in a way the com-mie nation way!!! Although they exploit them by taking them from their families at a young age of three and making them super genetic freaks like you see…I guess you call that commitment to a sports program. Unlike the good old USA which worries about how our kids feel about themselves instead of instilling the values of hard work,discipline,courage we have just pussified our youth with our touchy feely attitudes and guess what it is catching up with us..But other nation also have taken advantage of us with our pussicifacted ways by send their athletes to train with us at our university levels. Guess what they are not stupid, they know that if they get the best trainning here they will win…they can care less how they feel they are there to win!!!Until we get back to our morals,values,discipline,and coc ky you can not beat me ways…close and protect our boarders and stop all the idoitic liberals viewpoints we will continue to keep getting our butts whipped..
August 19th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Latif, I agree with you 100%. I coach football and see a huge change in our young athletes. Once upon a time play stations were for rich kids but now it seems to be a house hold fixture in most homes in America! I’ll be willing to bet you that in Jamaica young people are still out running and playing instead of sitting in front of the play station! I know that we still field some of the greatest athletes in the world but I’m thirty-eight and a huge track and field fan, but I’ve never seen U.S sprinters dominated with such ease. When it comes to team sports we’ve become selfish and like everything else our athletes need the lime light. This is why the U.S. men’s basketball team did not just shoot for talent this year. Of coarse they have great individual talent but look at the team defense being played this year! I could ramble on for ever but as a country if we don’t get our young people from in front of the TV and reward team effort and not the individual effort we’ll see the the damage years down the road! PS I know that surfaces have improve and I also know that there are freaks of nature, such as Usain Bolt and Mike Phelps, but all of these atheletes are running on the same track and swimming in the same pool!
August 19th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Basketball, football and baseball siphons off a tremendous amount of track and field talent in the U.S. In Jamaica there’s no football or basketball to take away the speedy athletes. I think the main lack of U.S. depth of high jumpers, long jumpers and triple jumpers is that they are playing basketball at some level. A lot of average-talent basketball players could be elite track and field athletes if they were “cross-trained’. The kids play basketball all year now and aren’t recruited into T&F. Can you imagine Lebron James in the TJ? For example the U.S. women’s pole vault champ was a former basketball player. Yeah, the rest of the world is catching up but that’s just progress.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Dear Latif:
I can certainly understand your frustration as a Track and Field Coach, and as a patriot, who desires to see the USA dominate in the Olympics and on the international stage. I don’t agree with the opinion that the US is crumbling with respect to perfomance. Let’s face it, archery, badminton, and other related sports are not our strong suit. As alluded to in the other comments, the USA does not conscript (press into service) kids into lifetime training for these kinds of sports. In other words, there’s little interest and financial support by americans to perform well with respect to these “minor” sports. China’s interest and approach is the polar opposite. Also, does anybody really believe that China’s Womans (Girls) Gymnastics meet the minimum age (16) requirement? I believe the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams are dominant, in fact, they are in a class by themselves. With respect to Track and Field, it has been a mediocare performance by the Americans with the exception of the Mens 100 M hurdles and I believe we took a silver medal in the Womans Pole Vault. The womens 100m is an example: Our best sprinter took fifth place and she didn’t even break 11.00. Why? Poor Coaching and poor training. It’s obvious that the Americans have not been properly prepared for peak performance. Perhaps they can learn from Phelps’ coaches on how to train for peak performance. With respect to Tyson Gay, there’s no doubt that the hamstring injury that he suffered at the Trials was way more severe than a “hamstring strain”, which was originally reported. He’s fortunate that he didn’t reinjure his leg at this venue. Unfortunately added to this mix is the shadow of performance enhancing drugs, blood doping, i.e, Marion Jones et al, which will cast US Track and Field athletes at best in a shroud of suspicion. Sometimes, you need an old fashioned “butt” kicking to get back on track (punn intended). All is not over for the US Track & Field team, I believe we will do well in the Men’s 400m hurdles, and I am looking forward to seeing how Alycia Felix will perform in the 200 M dash, and how Ryan Hall will perform in the Men’s Marathon.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I have no problem with it. Foreign athletes get the benefit of the American sport experience, whether professionally or in college, and go back home and perform to American standards and beyond. The outcome — better performances on the world stage — is to be expected. American professional sports and the “semi-pro” collegiate sports programs get the benefit of having elite Foreign athletes compete here in the United States. The globalization of excellence in sports that is the direct result of the Foreign athlete participating in American sports should not be bemoaned — rather, it should be applauded, since it is essentially the American “product” that is being exported abroad for the benefit of all sport!
August 19th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Latif;
While as a country we have not won some events that we have in the past by no means have we cracked. If I did my math correctly over the past 10 olympics, exclude 1980 because we didn’t go and 1984 because Russia did’t go we average just under 101 medals in the other 8 summer olympic games. We are at 79 medals. In the 2004 olympics we had 35 gold medals and we are at 26 gold medals and have 5 days left.
August 19th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
1. if you notice the majority of those athlete,train and go to school here and go back and repesent their county.
2. most of those country support the athlete more than ours.
3. there is no more pride for country, everyone is chasing the money and their life style.
4. the powers that be is using this country like a cheap prostitute,take,take,take and don’t give back. that’s a shame.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
LOOK AT OUR CHILDREN, OT OF SHAPE, RECESS CUT, AND GYM CLASS CUT, NO ONE PLAYS PIK UP SPORTS ANY MORE SO HERE IT IS. WE HAVE A FEW KIDS SPECIALIZING IN ONE SPORT, THEY HAE GREAT REPS, BUT NEVER BATTLE TESTED. IN MY NEIGHBOROOD THERE ARE EMPTY IELDS AND COURTS EVERYWHERE. YOU CAN GET A VIDEO GAME TOURNAMENT QUICKER THAN A FIVE ON FIVE BASKETBALL GAME. JUMPING ROPE, RACES, TAG, GREAT SKILL DEVELOPERS. NOW YOU NEED $400 FOR SOME TRAELING TEAM THAT WINS, BUT TEACHES NO SKILLS. THEY DO NOT EVEN TRAIN PROPERLY. LAST BUT NOT LEAST THERE IS NO HUNGER. THESE ATHLETES FROM OTHER LANDS HAVE A HUNGER, OURS THINK OF $$ OR ENDORSEMENTS OR CLUBBING.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Hey, you guys have a problem? what about Australia? If it wasn’t for family supporting our athletes we wouldn’t have anybody their!!
August 20th, 2008 at 4:01 am
Hey, there are only two sports that are played in every country in the world. Athletics and Football (Soccer) The other sports to paraphrase Hemingway are, merely games. Now take swimming, they have a 200 metre race in four different strokes, including one where you travel backwards, then you have a couple of 4 x200 metre relay races. Then you do it all over again for the women. Guess, which is Phelp’s pet distance. Hockey players, for example, get one womens and one mens gold medal, The end. Track and Field is about 13 different sports in one, and cannot be compared to Swimming. A hammer thrower looks nothing like a 10k runner, right? Right! It is the centrepiece of the Olympic games. Every country competes, unlike swimming. Sudan, Panama, New Zealand, Lesotho , and they all do great. They all compete, fraternise, learn from each other, and are the greatest of all sports people. England, with an eye on London 2012, has an army of full time professional athletes , who are employed by the people of England, not like the NBA basketballers who are employed by the NBA s clubs.
China has thrown the national mint at their athletes, and good luck to them.
Then there is India. One gold medal, (and only medal) in air rifle. Population 1.1 billion. Now, none of us think any less of India because of this, because we know where her priorities lie.
If America is nothing without all her Olympic medals, then she is nothing with them. It does not define that country, nor any country.
So their is not so much a changing of the guard, more like an adjustment, before the status quo is restored. The UnitedStates of America has been embarrased by the 4×400 DQ at Sydney and Marion Jones, but essentially the US sportsman is still the greatest sportsman and is certainly one that we as AUstralians always love to beat. We always bring our best game, when we play the Americans, God bless them! Finally a certain Grantlan Rice said,”When the great scorer comes to write against your name, he will not write whether you won or lost, but HOW you played the game.”
Now that Grantland Rice, he must have been a top chap, don’t you think. An American I believe!
August 20th, 2008 at 4:23 am
Ha Ha Ha - the fact that you Americans are making such a fuss about finishing second in the medals table clearly shows you have a winning mentality despite some of the problems you are experiencing. Look forward to seeing you all in London in 2012 where I am sure you will be back on top!
August 20th, 2008 at 9:48 am
I certainly agree with you. Our young people are overweight and spend too much time in front of the TV.
I am in my 70’s and will be competing in the North/CentralAmerican & Carribean WMA Championships in Clermont Fl. Aug. 28-31 and we will see how many Americans participate and win.
MBR
August 20th, 2008 at 11:35 am
why be sorry for what you said? a lot of it is true. the average american has decided to turn every individual sport into a casual sport. they don’t want to commit to year round play. they don’t want to put the time in to excel. and yes they are all caught up in the BIG 3 team sports. then you add all the beer and alcohol consumption that goes on in the “beer leagues”. the result? a lot of out of shape wannabe HACKS.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:53 am
America is offiicially said to be the world’s most obese nation.
In that you are number one. When two combatants take to the playing field, say a Boston basketball team against a Los Angeles one, you know somebody is going to win and somebody doesn’t win. Both their is no reason why both teams cannot show CHARACTER. Possibly America is not the best Judo nation, nor number one in rowing or cycling, or boxing, or any number of sports, but that doesn’t make them easy. Far from it, the US always contest with CHARACTER, and that is all you can expect. Latif, thinks he has the formula guaranteed for victory. He is deluding himself. Even Muhamid Ali got sat on his backside. The word sport is synonomous with “uncertainty of outcome”.
That’ s why people love to bet on it, speculate, ponder, argue, and reflect, It is after all the wonderful world of sport.
August 21st, 2008 at 10:20 am
Overall the U.S. isn’t doing that bad, they’re still surprisingly leading the overall medal count. In track and field I think the rest of the world has just gotten much better. I also think it’s really hard for sprinters to have that “ultimate Olympic peak performance” when have to prime for U.S. Olympic trials where the competition is just as fierce. Although jamaicans have some depth, I know they don’t face the fierce competition like American sprinters do in their trials-and that’s where Gay was injured. The Jamaicans are “hungrier” and even though they have won gold, won’t get the $$ in U.S. endorsements that American will get-so thas actually will fuel their competiveness.
But there’s no excuse for blowing handoffs in 4X100 relay preliminaries. Every one knows “safe” passes are called for at this point when you know you have the required talent to advance. I can only blame poor coaching for this to happen on the Olympic stage. Just say slow down and get the exchange right!
The American men sprinters actually did OK despite being “Bolted” down.
What gets me is the U.S. recent inability to develope middle distant runners. We still have competive sprinters- not so in the 800/1500. I think this starts in high school when they start preparing for the cross county season right after the track season instead of continuing speed work and competition on the track. This is where the competition heats up worldwide while young Americans are out doing road work. Yes, I think cross county is hurting the development of track savvy middle distant runners.
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Bolt turned pro @ 17 and is a freak of nature, Powell is gifted also. Two out of 20? I Still the say the Jamaicans come here more readily to exceed at track than Americans do. Look at Bolts other sports choices; cricket, and bowling! Tell that to a guy who can run 4.3 in the forrty in the US, look how many choices he has.
Vince
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I agree Allan, the US cleaned up in Atlanta.