Why do Americans continue to believe that American Athletes are the greatest and win the most Olympic medals?

Question

This is only true if you don't know anything about statistics. If you took each American State individually and compared them to the rest of the countries in the world, the number of olympic medals would be much greater in many other countries. For example, if you compare Belgium and Rhode Island, Belgium would win. If you compared Germany and California, Germany would win. It is only if you compared Germany with the whole US that US would win.
Arrogance?

I don't mean to belittle the performance of any olympic athlete. I just want to point out that it is easier to find great athletes in a rich country with a population of 300 millions, than in a smaller country (let's say Germany with 82 millions). Note that US got 36 gold medal in 2004, Germany got 17. This difference in scale is even greater if you consider small, 3rd world countries.
So we can be proud of our athletes, without disregard other countries accomplishments.

Okay all of your who answered and refused to think logically about this.
Let's look at this issue another way: Let's compare United States of America (50 States) with European Community (27 States/Countries).
In 2004 Summer Olympic Games this is what happened:
Gold Medals: US 36 EU 82
Silver: US 39 EU 101
Bronze: US 27 EU 103
Total: US 102 EU 286
If we refused to even consider that we may be losing ground in sports, we won't do anything to improve our chances. We are great, not perfect. There is plenty of room for improvement, but we won't improve if we think we are already at the top.

Answer 1

Ok first off, the way that you are looking at this is completely wrong. You need to realize that it just so happens that the US happens to be a very populated and rich country. You can't compare countries with states-France and Canada have many provinces-I don't know about Belgium or other countries, but I'm sure that they are not just single countries.
2ndly, Americans believe that they win the most medals because there is a medal count...and the US has typically been at the top. Some countries dominate in certain sports, but the US might be the most well rounded.

Answer 2

What? I'm having difficulty following your logic. Belgium vs. Rhode Island or Long Island; what the heck are you talking about? What don't you understand about the word "united" in United States, or "Union" in The Union of Soviet Socialists Republics?
You mention finding good athletes in a rich country like the US should be easy. Up until the recent olympics,US athletes got very little financial support to pursue their dreams. Most had to make financial sacrifices and balance employment with training. And depite this, most, obviously, succeeded . American amateurs were competing with "professionals" from other countries, and still prevailed. I listened with amusement as athletes from behind the "iron curtain" were introduced as being soldiers. Their military assignment was to train for their respective sport; training backed and financed by the government. Such a deal. I can imagine the chastisement they must have endured from their country when beaten by a bunch of college kids from the USA who juggled training with schoolwork and maybe a part-time job. Maybe the American athletes have a right to add a little arrogance along with their pride.

Answer 3

I believe your question goes way beyond Olympic medals and the number of medals won per certain areas of the globe. I believe your question has a great deal to do with your total dislike of the United States in general. This has nothing to do with sports. You want statistics, here's some for you. There are 300 million people living in the USA. 21 million are illegal aliens. 11.5 million are Mexicans. There are approximately 6 billion people alive on this planet as we speak. Since the modern Olympics began in 1896 most of the medals (74.5%) have been won by the USA and Russia (including the former USSR). My question to you is, so what? What arrogance are you talking about? I don't see it and more importantly I fail to see your point.

Answer 4

Last time I looked, they don't list the medal tables as medals won per capita, per square mile, or any other silly measure like those that you are suggesting.

Your talk about breaking it into states only shows your lack of knowledge about America as a country. In no way is any state independent of another in the same manner as European countries are from one another. That's why the country is called the "UNITED States" - it's one country, and I think you need to get that into your head.

And I'm including a link to the 2004 Summer Olympics medal table that shows that the U.S. winning the most medals, which is all that counts:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Summer_Olympics#Medal_count

And lest you think that I'm just another "arrogant American" - I'm a Canadian who is very proud of my country, but who recognizes the fact that our neighbors are the most athletically dominant nation in the world (but look out for China!).

Answer 5

Becuase they're from America. Are Canadians arrogant, too? They've got just as much real estate as the USA. Russia's got even more... so does China.

Wait... are you suggesting we absorb Germany and Belgium as territories of the USA, so they can win more Olympic Medals?

Edit: You say that your intent wasn't to belittle anyone's accomplishments, and yet it hasn't stopped you from belittling American athletes' accomplishments. Does an American medal in any event diminish any other country's medal? The only one suggesting this is you with your straw man. It's like the question, "So when did you stop beating your wife?" or "Why do you hate your country?" The question is flawed and intended to be insulting. Where I come from, that might be called arrogant.

Answer 6

get a life you euro-trash loser. the fact is belgium DOESN'T compete against rhode island, they compete against the United States, and they get trounced, along with the rest of the world. your argument makes no sense what-so-ever. why would only 1/50th of our country compete in the olympics against entire countries? why doesn't germany just send atheletes from 1 small section of the country to the olympics? if none of the other countries do it, why should we? i don't understand your logic. you make about as much sense as that stupid kickball game you europeans like so much.

jeez you're a friggin idiot. so now you want to compare the US to the entire continent of europe??? and you call this logical??? the 'european community' as you call it, is not a country. it is SEVERAL countries whose combined area and population dwarf the US. the olympics is country vs. country, why do you have such a difficult time grasping this concept? europe is a CONTINENT, the US is a COUNTRY, see? there are several countries on each continent(except anartica and austrailia), and you think it's logical for 1 north american country to have to compete against dozens of european countries? this sounds fair to you? again, i say to you, get a life.

Answer 7

It depends on what sport you are talking about. In America, you can do other things than sports. Also, subtract football players.

Plus you are making an illogical point when you are trying to compare states to countries.

When you start off with a wrong premise then you will arrive at a wrong conclusion.

Answer 8

No, land. Instead of having one small country, we have a bunch of small country operating under one government. Due to this, we have much more people from very diverse backgrounds with diverse talents, all with a very good chance to succeed.

Answer 9

There are states in Germany too, dumbass. We are one country. Get over it.