I wonder why we even bother with the Summer games. We did good in 84 but that was not a real Olympics as so many missing.

We have to decide if we are going to participate in the Summer Games or Not. None of this half ass stuff.

If we want to participate in Summer Olympics we need to start funding the Athletes properly and if we can not do that, we should stay home.

We are the only country not to win a gold medal as a host country too and we have done that twice.

I'm sure Uzbekistan and Tongo have more funding than us? Or a higher population? No, they dont have either, yet have actually won medals already. These are "Developing" countries, poor and with a smaller population yet they have won something. Canada is just a joke country with a pathetic social system where just trying your best is considered enough. Fuck Canada, we're told from the moment were little kids that we live in the best country in the world, over and over. Bullshit.

I agree with most of the above.
All we hear from the CBC are excuses and praise for "doing your best." Well, Mike Brown just lost a chance at a medal in the 200 metre breast stroke. At least he admitted that this wasn't the best racing time that he has done. He mentioned that he took one to many strokes. He also apologized for not winning the medal. At least he was honest enough to make those comments. Sherraine Schalm in fencing justifiably lost her cool and also apologized for not advancing. Again, I appreciate her honesty. Most of the other athletes and the CBC make excuses or say they did their best. As mentioned above, poorer countries with little or no financing have won medals at these games. The other athletes and the COC should also admit they've screwed up for whatever reasons and not make excuses. As mentioned, if we can't hold our own with other first world countries, then don't bother going to the games. It is better not to go than suffer these humiliations in front of the world. We didn't prepare properly. The CBC says that our best haven't hit the stage yet. Well, Brent Hayden, Mike Brown and Sherraine Schalm were considered among the best and they all lost. So, don't get your hopes up. I'm not saying we should be poor sports but I don't think we should be satisfied with our current results either. Our results should be equal to our population, first world status and world class standing and they're not. As for "the best country in the world" comment above, your comments are out of line. Canada is a good country in which to live. We're just not currently good enough for the Olympics.

More than enough blame to go around. Canada as a whole sinks further into mediocrity with every passing year. We are too willing to make excuses for our poor competitiveness - whether in Olympic sport or economic growth - with anti-American 'aren't-we-glad-we're-not-like-them attiudes. If we want to win at Olympics we need to pick the 1 or 2 or 3 things we have a shot at winning and fund those well, instead of trying to be all things to all people all the time. And we have to be willing to call a spade a spade and not settle for "I tried". Lord knows China and America don't settle for that, and it shows.

Oh yeah and the CBC sucks. Period. I've never seen crappier coverage in my life. Why do a billion of my tax dollars go to this crappy broadcaster each year?!?!?!

Just look at Australia. They have a population of around 20 million people, have a very similar standard of living as Canadians do, and they are one of the most successful countries at Summer Olympics on medals per capita basis. Most of smaller Nordic countries (winter countries you can say) have performed better at both forms of Olympics than Canada has in recent history.

I guess, Canadians only care about "HOCKEY" than they do about any other forms of sport. Right from the very early age every child develops an inclination toward hockey that they don't care about any other sport. I really don't know how much the Government spends toward Olympics, but being a member of G8 nations, being a top ten countries in the world in terms of GDP/capita, being the world's second largest country by land area; it seems Canada might rank as the top Developed country which sucks at Sports. Pathetic, just pathetic.

I have already given up watching CBC in favour of the American channel for olympic coverage.

Canada's olympic performance.......poo

It's very true - while countries like China and the United States sponsor their athletes so they can train full time - ours miss practice because they need to be on time for their 7 o'clock shift at McDonald's. Between that and phys-ed and sports being slashed out of our school systems - it's no wonder we can't win a medal.

I also agree with a lot being said, I hear about the athletes and others whining about the funding of our sports, and while im sure it is lackluster, dont you have to prove your worth anymore? I mean i cant walk into a company and say I want money and then I will figure out the job and get the training. I have to prove myself and when I do I reap the rewards.

There is plenty of corporate sponsorships available and the athletes should be responsible to fund their career and show results on a regular basis. If you are not among the top athletes why should the government pay to send you to a competition to embarass yourself and the country.

At this point I would be happy if we didnt bother to show up at the summer olympics and concentrate all our efforts on the winter olympics. I am sick of the, its a new personal best, its a canadian record, they tried really hard, it just wasnt their day BS that I hear over and over

Put up or shut up

You just won 4 medals in 2 days, relax.



And if you think the CBC sucks, watch NBC and you'll be floored at some of this awful coverage.

It seems like everyone who has been concerned with Canada's performance wanted Canada to win medals in the first few events of the games, rather than across the games as a whole. Seems a silly goal.
After an admittedly slow start, Canada has almost caught up with the US in medals per capita. Australia's stellar performance comes at a relatively high dollar cost: whether Canada should do the same in the future is a valid question, but it is certainly not surprising that Australia does better right now.
Armenia and Slovenia are leading in medals per capita as just now; the US and China, the richest and most populous countries, respectively, are ranked 37 and 54 out of 64 medal-winning countries.
Source for medals per capita: http://minns.ca/owen/item/olympic-summer-games-2008-medals-per-capita.shtml

Let's face it - Canada simply cannot compete on the world stage beside great athletes from nations of the third-world. Canadian athletes are sub-par compared with greats from Blambanistan, Ethniclashistan, or Uzbehkihistan. Third-world nations have the cash, facilities, resources, drive, and programs in place to encourage athletes to excel in their sports, doing their nations proud and bringing home fistfuls of medals. Nations like Canada simply cannot compete with mighty third-world powerhouses, and we need to realize this fact. Until Canadian athletics programs are able to rise up to par with third-world standards; Canada will continue to show itself as an underachieving nation in Olympic sport.

Wait until the winter olympics where they have
REAL SPORTS like HOCKEY, CURING, SKATING,
SKIING, ETC. Leave the wussie sports to the
lesser nations: it makes them feel important.

According to a Recent popular US article on the L.A. Times.

A little question of history. Mordecai Richler (a Canadian satirical novelist and satirical children's novelist) once suggested that what defines Canadians is the fact that we're all, quite literally, losers--and we've never gotten over the fact. Nobody actually actively chose to live here because they really liked the idea. The natives, who were always here, didn't choose to have the European-dominated country of Canada imposed on top of them--but they lost battles, and so became Canadians. Losers. The French in Quebec are Canadians because the British defeated them back in the eighteenth century (and they sure don't like that fact these days). Losers, right? The British-based population of Canada consists of two major groups: United Empire Loyalists, the people in the American colonies who sided with Britain in the war of independence and lost, and so had to flee to Ontario and the Maritimes; and immigrants from England, most obviously people who were doing poorly there, losers at the game of life who decided to set out and try again somewhere else. Losers all again. Throughout this century, people who have immigrated to Canada have tended to be people who have lost elsewhere--lost wars, lost land, etc. Losers yet again. My own ancestors came here because of pogroms in Eastern Europe that destroyed their homes--and would have preferred to go to the US but they couldn't get in, so they settled for Canada, poor losers. We Canadians aren't patriotic because we really only settle for being here, all of us, rather than being delighted by it--and we love to whine about it. Losers for sure, eh?


Canadians are freezing losers.

Very nice article. Thanks...

Living here in Canada is awful. Why doesnt anyone listen to the immigrants coming from third world, war torn countries and trying to tell us it is hard to live here. I thought that might have woke some of you up but apparently not. We are taxed approximately 22000 dollars for every 35000 we earn. This is not just CPP and EI of course but also income tax, sales taxes, provincial taxes, insurance taxes, alcohol and cigarette taxes, land transfer taxes, gas taxes and the list goes on. There are at least 20 other major taxes put on us to help bankrupt us all. In fact it has been stated that the average canadian will pay out 37 000 in taxes as of 2008... with approximately 20 000 000 of age tax paying peoples... the government takes in 740 000 000 000 dollars and only reports a budget of 120 to 130 billion... anyone else see why Canada sucks? We are just slaves to the world... we live here to mine and produce resources that we sell to the world cheaper than we sell it to Canadian citizens... it is cheaper to get Canadian beer from America... or a Canadian made car... The lumber that WE cut down and sell to America is cheaper to buy from America... it just does not make sense and because Canadians are all apathetic losers.. people just take it in the ass every day and won't march with their fellow men and women to take back what is rightfully theirs. No, instead we sit back and complain on forum after forum but whenever someone says march with me? they say no I don't want to loose my crappy under paid job where the government steals all my money, and what will it do? Nothing... the police will setup fences and barricades and then shoot us in the face with high power water hoses that blind you and launch you 5 ft backwards. Very free country... yes... oh I almost forgot... everytime there is a general strike of garbage workers, they like to cancel all national holiday events like fireworks, they close down all the city run pools and events for children but then they will actually publish complaints in the papers about too many kids in the streets with nothing to do... yet still tax us as if they are filling these pools and shooting off these fireworks. They also closed down parliament for a month because Harper did not want to be booted out by the other parties so he used a loop hole to prevent democracy.... simply peachy... I really suggest you live here, oh yeah. Just pull down your pants and get on your knees with the rest of us cause Harper and his parliamentry morons are horny tonight. They might even make you pay for them to do it to you too... oh wait they already do.

People in "developing countries" have no future other than to win an Olympic medal. Our athletes are not as hungry to train and win because they have other goals in their lives (university, careers, etc).

I have done more research into this topic and have found more information at wikipedia and wikianswers. They have good information you may want to look into.

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