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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   The Maple Leaf (https://britishexpats.com/forum/maple-leaf-98/)
-   -   Medals Tables... (https://britishexpats.com/forum/maple-leaf-98/medals-tables-655430/)

Alan2005 Feb 17th 2010 6:31 pm
Medals Tables...
 
I noticed this at the time of the Beijing Olympics, but North Americans seem to rank their medals tables based on quantity rather than quality.

For example Canada is 4th according to the Vancouver Sun, with a total of 6 medals of all colours. However, the BBC rightly put them as fifth behind the Swiss who have three golds to Canada's two.

Why is this? Is that normal here? No amount of bronze medals equals a gold surely.

Oink Feb 17th 2010 6:35 pm
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by Alan2005 (Post 8353370)
I noticed this at the time of the Beijing Olympics, but North Americans seem to rank their medals tables based on quantity rather than quality.

For example Canada is 4th according to the Vancouver Sun, with a total of 6 medals of all colours. However, the BBC rightly put them as fifth behind the Swiss who have three golds to Canada's two.

Why is this? Is that normal here? No amount of bronze medals equals a gold surely.
I agree this one is a bit of a conundrum. Its sort of a qualitative versus quantitative perspective.

Alan2005 Feb 17th 2010 6:42 pm
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by Oink (Post 8353379)
I agree this one is a bit of a conundrum. Its sort of a qualitative versus quantitative perspective.
In 2008 I put it down to the US media spinning it so that they could report that the septics were at the top of the medal table even though it was actually China.

Or maybe they really don't give a crap what they get just so long as they get a lot of it. A bit like in ABC country restaurants.

bsmith Feb 17th 2010 7:24 pm
Re: Medals Tables...
 
I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds this kind of odd. It's all a bit "never mind the quality, feel the width".

Oink Feb 17th 2010 7:28 pm
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by bsmith (Post 8353466)
I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds this kind of odd. It's all a bit "never mind the quality, feel the width".
Not something mrs bsmith has to deal with.

bsmith Feb 17th 2010 7:48 pm
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by Oink (Post 8353476)
Not something mrs bsmith has to deal with.
...on either account!

Lord Vader Feb 18th 2010 1:34 am
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by Alan2005 (Post 8353370)
I noticed this at the time of the Beijing Olympics, but North Americans seem to rank their medals tables based on quantity rather than quality.

For example Canada is 4th according to the Vancouver Sun, with a total of 6 medals of all colours. However, the BBC rightly put them as fifth behind the Swiss who have three golds to Canada's two.

Why is this? Is that normal here? No amount of bronze medals equals a gold surely.
Why bother awarding silver and bronze then?

Hobbess Feb 18th 2010 2:39 am
Re: Medals Tables...
 
I prefer the quality over quantity argument, though technically there is no "correct" method.

Read the Wikipedia page on it the other day

JamesM Feb 18th 2010 6:15 am
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by Lord Vader (Post 8354506)
Why bother awarding silver and bronze then?
So if you are tied on Gold medals you can then move along the commodities to distinguish who is ahead.

Lord Vader Feb 18th 2010 6:16 am
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by James Martindale (Post 8355191)
So if you are tied on Gold medals you can then move along the commodities to distinguish who is ahead.
should award the 4th place finisher a barrel of oil.

JamesM Feb 18th 2010 6:17 am
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by Hobbess (Post 8354674)
I prefer the quality over quantity argument, though technically there is no "correct" method.

Read the Wikipedia page on it the other day
Definately.

Would you rather have 12 gold medals or 13 bronze medals???

Maybe the North Americans are learning to celebrate mediocrity like us Brits.

Deva Feb 18th 2010 6:46 am
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by James Martindale (Post 8355198)
Would you rather have 12 gold medals or 13 bronze medals???

Maybe the North Americans are learning to celebrate mediocrity like us Brits.
Look at the Beijing Olympics:
Italy - 8 gold, 9 silver, 10 bronze
France - 7 gold, 16 silver, 18 bronze

Those mediocre French certainly deserved to finish below the Italians in the medal table.

I seem to recall the Americans, or certainly the American press, using whatever ranking method gave them the best position at the time.

The ideal method would be to apply a weighting to each medal type.

JamesM Feb 18th 2010 6:54 am
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by Deva (Post 8355273)
Look at the Beijing Olympics:
Italy - 8 gold, 9 silver, 10 bronze
France - 7 gold, 16 silver, 18 bronze

Those mediocre French certainly deserved to finish below the Italians in the medal table.

I seem to recall the Americans, or certainly the American press, using whatever ranking method gave them the best position at the time.

The ideal method would be to apply a weighting to each medal type.
Refreshingly in Beijing I did not have to look below 4th spot :)

Deva Feb 18th 2010 7:31 am
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by James Martindale (Post 8355292)
Refreshingly in Beijing I did not have to look below 4th spot :)
Well, Vancouver will give you a chance to brush up on your geography then.

Miss Clinique Feb 18th 2010 11:50 pm
Re: Medals Tables...
 
Originally Posted by Alan2005 (Post 8353370)
I noticed this at the time of the Beijing Olympics, but North Americans seem to rank their medals tables based on quantity rather than quality.

For example Canada is 4th according to the Vancouver Sun, with a total of 6 medals of all colours. However, the BBC rightly put them as fifth behind the Swiss who have three golds to Canada's two.

Why is this? Is that normal here? No amount of bronze medals equals a gold surely.
City TV reports Canada as being joint 4th with France, both on 7 medals, but to quote the reporter, " we have more gold than France"


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