so you live, work and train in the US....

[Indiana Rose Lee]

It's quite simple actually. A lot of times they don't qualify for the USA team, as it's very competitive here, so they go and compete for their "home" country. It happens all the time. I don't begrudge these people the opportunity to compete in the Olympics, whether it be for us or another country who gives them the opportunity.

I agree. No biggie. You train where the coaches are. You go to the country where you are wanted/supported.

 

[declansdad]

All I know is US athletes are the best in the world in my opinion and I'm not the slightest bit apologetic for feeling this way. If someone wants to play for someone else, it's their loss. I won't be cheering them on.

They are SOME of the best in the world but not THE best.

 

[LuvOrlando]

ahhh US ethnocentrism at its finest.

Thanks, I consider it a supreme compliment. The rest of the world seems able to do it but not us, why not? I reject that constraint a billion times over.

 

[LuvOrlando]

They are SOME of the best in the world but not THE best.

In my world they are THE best. No medals necessary to prove it.

 

[PeterPan09]

In my world they are THE best. No medals necessary to prove it.

and I'm sure you're happy there...but many of us choose to live in a larger world where we can appreciate a performance without checking first to see where the athlete was born and is he/she competing for the "right" country.

 

[LuvOrlando]

and I'm sure you're happy there...but many of us choose to live in a larger world where we can appreciate a performance without checking first to see where the athlete was born and is he/she competing for the "right" country.

Nice one, but I won't be dissuaded, I'm happy in my, how did you exact it, "small world". Have a great day in your larger one Enjoy the Olympics!

 

[daughtersrus]

Oh and an FYI, USA speedskater Shani Davis lives and trains in the Netherlands, but competes for the USA. How do you feel about that snub for the Netherlands?

Does he? His website says Milwaukee, WI.

 

[bavaria]

and I'm sure you're happy there...but many of us choose to live in a larger world where we can appreciate a performance without checking first to see where the athlete was born and is he/she competing for the "right" country.

Agreed. Ironically, I didn't even know which country had the highest standing in Torino. I just checked based on that post, and was surprised to find that that same country apparently also had the highest medal count for the past 3 consecutive games. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Winter_Olympics_medal_table

Fortunately not everyone feels the same way or I fear for what the world would be or become.

 

[bookgirl]

You're only allowed to compete for your country of citizenship (although there is that new rule that pair skaters can compete for the country of their partner). Unless we're going to start granting citizenship to all atheletes then they HAVE to compete for thier country.

I"m pretty darn sure if we announced that anyone who wanted to train for the olympics would get citizenship we'd have a ton of atheletes filling out visa forms.

 

[brerrabbit]

Who you represent when competing is all about your nationality and where you hold citizenship. Where you train should not even enter the discussion. I lived in Calgary, Alberta in 1992 and at the time that was the location of one of the few indoor speedskating rinks in the world. At the time there was something like 10 or 12 teams from around the world training there. It had ice year round, even during the summer. If you look back a ways most of the speed skating rinks, including I think Lake Placid were outdoor rinks which meant you only could skate there in the dead of winter. Same goes for bobsled, luge tracks and snow sking. You go where you can to get the best facility. Thinng have change as they have refridgerated tracks now and the world has built more facilities but even at that I question the value of spending billions of dollars on new facilities given our world economy just to host an Olympic competition. The new luge run in Vancover where the Geogian competitor died was the result of a new facility that had to be better and faster than any other. The IOC has already told Russia, host of the 2014 winter olympics to tone down the design for their new bobsled/luge track because they are just getting to dangerous.

As another poster said a lot of it has to do also with where you can actually make the team. Those who hold dual citizenships between America and another country often times find it easier to make the team in the other country because there is little or no competition. Remember each country can only send so many competitors per event. Dedicating your entire life to the pusuit of making the olympics only to finish 4th at nationals and not get to go the big show is to much to bear for some, so they take the easier route. As they said many times during the opening cerimony, realistically there are only a handful of competitors in each event that have a chance anyway and the bigger prize for many is just the opportunity to be at the games.

 

[tinatark]

You train where the best trainers are - if you can pay for it.

I would agree with the OP if the athletes were coming here, using our resources to further their abilities then competing for someone else, but they are coming here, paying for housing, food, training, etc. - then taking those skills back to their home countries - basically paying for a service.

 

[Fire14]

Happens in Canada as well.

There are some Americans who train in Canada (but compete for the US). And Canadians who train in the US (but compete for Canada).

In these cases, it isn't a matter of not making it for you country and competing for another, it is just going where the best training is to be found.

I know at least 5 of our local NHL Hockey players are playing in games and none are on US team one I know is Candian rest I'm not sure off top my head and that is just 1 NHL team.

 

[crashbb]

Agreed. Ironically, I didn't even know which country had the highest standing in Torino. I just checked based on that post, and was surprised to find that that same country apparently also had the highest medal count for the past 3 consecutive games. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Winter_Olympics_medal_table

And how, exactly, does that make you better?

I'm not suggesting that Bavaria thinks that this does make her better (hint - it was Germany), but it seems that many others do seem to thing that being the country at the top of the medal count makes them "better".

I had NOTHING* to do with Alexandre winning the gold medal yesterday - there is no reason that his winning should have any reflection on me. Or, frankly, our country. My joy was for him and his family (who were ridiculously cute).

*okay, he probably received some government support and some of that came from taxes that I paid.

 

[bavaria]

It doesn't.

Shall we send back Meredith Michaels to the Americans? Or all the other Canadian and Americans who train in the German equestrian facilities? What about all those Canadian hockey players on German teams?

According to some posts they shouldn't be on our soil either.

I know that some of you think that I am overly sensitive but it is really hard not to read things into posts like that. And I am intelligent to know that it isn't the majority opinion, but I do appreciate the reminder from some of you - thank you.

 

[bavaria]

And THIS to me is the Olympics - people caring about each other. This story is full of 'Olympic spirit' and lacks overt nationalism.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/11/bc-indian-olympic-team-vancouver.html

 

[LuvOrlando]

[edited]

I'm tired of the way American's are made to feel like were supposed to go around loathing ourselves apologizing for our way of life, our successes and every other fault the rest of the world can imagine. Not this American!

Seriously, you think no other nation in the world has National pride? How then do you explain all the people who live here but who fly flags from other countries off their house, as bumper stickers and as tiny flags dangling off their rear view mirrors. THIS country is the exact opposite, THE US is more tolerant of other people than any other place on this planet and that's why people from every corner of the planet manage to come here, sneak in if necessary, and somehow get along without riots in the streets. When I lived in NYC I knew people from every corner of the world and there we all were getting along at the lunch table, like the UN only better. That is a thing of beauty and that can only happen here

The US works precisely because of our tolerance and I'm not even a teensy bit interested in hearing how much I'm supposed to despise myself because I'm ---- fill in the blank ---- and how much I'm supposed to WISH and WANT to be from somewhere else... to explore somewhere else. That's just soooooooo old....

I'm an American, I'm proud to be American, I'm grateful my grandparents floated all 15 of their kids here so I could be raised here and I am 100% absolutely positively rooting for every single American in those Olympic Games.

GO USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PaulaSB12]

LOL, you're cute comparing me to a 4 year old. I guess I could be mad but I'm not, I think it's amusing mostly because it's so old-fashioned. I'm tired of the way American's are made to feel like were supposed to go around loathing ourselves apologizing for our way of life, our successes and every other fault the rest of the world can imagine. Not this American!

Seriously, you think no other nation in the world has National pride? How then do you explain all the people who live here but who fly flags from other countries off their house, as bumper stickers and as tiny flags dangling off their rear view mirrors. THIS country is the exact opposite, THE US is more tolerant of other people than any other place on this planet and that's why people from every corner of the planet manage to come here, sneak in if necessary, and somehow get along without riots in the streets. When I lived in NYC I knew people from every corner of the world and there we all were getting along at the lunch table, like the UN only better. That is a thing of beauty and that can only happen here

The US works precisely because of our tolerance and I'm not even a teensy bit interested in hearing how much I'm supposed to despise myself because I'm ---- fill in the blank ---- and how much I'm supposed to WISH and WANT to be from somewhere else... to explore somewhere else. That's just soooooooo old....

I'm an American, I'm proud to be American, I'm grateful my grandparents floated all 15 of their kids here so I could be raised here and I am 100% absolutely positively rooting for every single American in those Olympic Games.

GO USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bolded part of your comment because no it doesn't just happen in America it happens in other countries as well and I too am proud of my country I am British and proud to be British its not just an American thing to be proud of your country.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I bolded part of your comment because no it doesn't just happen in America it happens in other countries as well and I too am proud of my country I am British and proud to be British its not just an American thing to be proud of your country.

Nope but it's a distinctly American thing to be told we SHOULDN'T be proud of our country or to be chastised when we are.

Just look at how many posts have been devoted to my personal devotion to my own country. Seriously, don't you think it's a little bit much?

GO USA!

 

[bavaria]

I bolded part of your comment because no it doesn't just happen in America it happens in other countries as well and I too am proud of my country I am British and proud to be British its not just an American thing to be proud of your country.

And for most people (including most Americans from what I have seen), patriotism is not exclusive to the absence of humility, respect, compassion, etc.

Germany is a country which has much of which to be proud, including sport, the arts, science, etc. But it is also a country which is held as the example of what can happen when patriotism is taken the extreme.

You don't think that we have had more than seven decades of shame? I cannot explain the vast complexity of the current struggle for most Germans here, but it is far more complex than national pride.

There is nothing wrong with pride, but if you take that pride to the extreme then there is a problem.

 

[LuvOrlando]

And for most people (including most Americans from what I have seen), patriotism is not exclusive to the absence of humility, respect, compassion, etc.

Germany is a country which has much of which to be proud, including sport, the arts, science, etc. But it is also a country which is held as the example of what can happen when patriotism is taken the extreme.

You don't think that we have had more than seven decades of shame? I cannot explain the vast complexity of the current struggle for most Germans here, but it is far more complex than national pride.

There is nothing wrong with pride, but if you take that pride to the extreme then there is a problem.

So my views are extreme? Really? You get that vibe coming from me?