Why are the US putting greater priority on total medals instead of "Gold" medals?

Question

The US is only leading China in total medals by less than 10 I think. However, China is way ahead in total Gold medals. The thing is, it's kind of pathetic to use this kind of trickery to make it seem like US is still the best. At least they should use a system where gold=3 points, silver=2, and bronze=1. But to put equal value to each medal is.......

Why can't USA just accept that China is leading.....just be a bit graceful. It really shows that the US see it as a humilation to not be the best. Is this what we call "sore losers"?

Answer 1

its okay. USA is basically the only country that counts by total medals. let them have their standard to make themselves feel better. the rest of the world will operate without its ego

Answer 2

If gold was the only one that 'counted', why even have silver and bronze?

Reason?  Because all medals count for something!  So count, they do!

EDITED TO ADD

Some seem to miss my whole point here.  Each medal counts for SOMETHING......did I say they were all equal?  NO.  So stop putting your assumptions into MY statement.  There are three awards given in each event.  Not equal awards, but awards just the same.  And yes, they all count!

Reasoning that the three levels were to act as a tiebreaker is pure BS.  Each event has it's own method of breaking ties.  Some allow for each participant to receive the medal achieved.  Some have alternate scoring averaging to reach a conclusive winner.  Some have extended play.  No sport tosses a coin to break the tie and designate gold/silver/bronze.  The medals are awards, not a method of keeping score.

Answer 3

Did any American ever say "We are the best because we have the most medals" ? No. So the USA is NOT being "sore losers". People like you are just trying to make the Americans look bad and seem like jerks, while you guys are the real jerks. You people are just jealous of the Americans' many victories, whether it be gold, silver or bronze. Yes, China has more gold. And? The big deal is.....? The American's are happy with what they have. You guys need to just back off and accept the fact that America has the most medals in general, and China has the most gold medals. Not that Americans think they're better than everyone else, because that is obviously not true.

Answer 4

Maybe we should just count how many of the 100,000 condoms were used by each country.

Based on population and per capital, I think Georgia is running away with the medal count, but they have other issues to worry about.

Answer 5

most americans are r****d and sore losers and cant accept defeat, someone is better they must have cheated, their angry reaction is no surprise. they have  never had any class

Answer 6

-- To momwithabat

"If gold was the only one that 'counted', why even have silver and bronze?

Reason? Because all medals count for something! So count, they do!"

All medals count for something but some count more than others, that is why you have G, S and B. A Bronze can never be equated to Gold. In fact all the bronze and silver put together cannot be equated to a single Gold. A country that has only silver and bronze medal has in reality not won any event. The only winners are the Gold medallists the rest are just awarded for their achievement.

The WINNER takes it all !

Answer 7

This question has been asked over and over again.

Conclusion: To make themselves feel better and stronger.

Answer 8

Well considering it's called the "medal race" not the "gold race" and always has been I'm guessing that's why.

And they do mention every time they talk about it that the Chinese are destroying in golds.

I'm an american and I don't find it at all "humiliating" I'm very proud of our athletes- gold, silver or bronze- as long as they respresent the US properly and aren't poor sports about things.

Look at the poor gymnastic girls- they are excepting what is happening and not complaining (everyone else is) but they're all smiles on the medal stand- not one american has thrown off their medal and stomped away like the swedish wrestler. Nor have they started celebrating before the race is even over like that Usain Bolt. That was disrespectful.

I think other countries just look for reasons to point at the US and point out any little thing.

I'd rather an athlete gracefully accept a bronze rather than rudely take the gold (Bolt).

Answer 9

you don't say it, some american media already planning to do the tally by counting overall medals since 1906.....yeah I know, wtf?! see how far they will go for a good w**k?

Answer 10

yeah people hate america and the way we count medals/?they would hate us either way we counted the medals so whats the point in this question.

Answer 11

Whatever system shows them winning they will adopt. If they had more gold medals than China you can be sure they'd be using the conventional system.

Edit- After reading the responses I've gave you a star just for highlighting how conceited and small minded some of them are.

Answer 12

We (Americans) Have ALWAYS counted are medals by total since the start of the Modern Olympics.

It's our thing. Just because everyone else uses the Metric system, It doesn't mean we have to. And we don't!

I count it like this

Gold=3

Silver=2

Bronze=1

By my system China Is 1st and The USA is 2nd.

Did you know that the whole world use to count by total until recently? I don't think so. Next time before ranting know what you are talking about.

Go Team USA!

Answer 13

Um....that's how it's always been, everyone goes by the MOST medals overall.

Where have you been?

Answer 14

LOL... I am so over this! I honest to God do not care about this exceot I am sick of poeple trying to say that the Total Medal Count is the way its always been! It's NOT, It's a US media device invented in 2008!

Geez... Re-write history much?

The US HAS NOT always done total medals. The US HAS always worked to the official IOC standard which is a Gold Medal Count.

The International Olympic Movement (who make the rules for the Olympics) has always (since Athens 1896) counted by Gold and contrary to what has been reported in the US media this is the FIRST time the USA has tried to do it by total medals.

Every other Olympics the US has done it the same way as the rest of the world, by Gold Medal.

For proof, go to the OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC MOVEMENT at:

http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/index_uk... and you will see EVERY Summer and Winter Olympic games from Athens in 1896 until today.

Select an individual Olympics and you will see toward the bottom right, "Medals By Country"

From Day One it has been done BY GOLD MEDALS NOT TOTAL MEDALS.

Answer 15

we are being graceful? this isnt the first olympics where they show the all around medal count, its not like we are the ones that invented it? all the commentators that ive listened to point out that china is leading in gold medals which most people think of as the true competition

Answer 16

Positivity is totally wrong. The leading country has always been based on who wins the most gold medals.

Answer 17

This is so sad.  Why do you all dislike America so much?  From what you see on YOUR news broadcasts in YOUR country?  I would invite anyone to come have an iced tea (or your drink of preference) and hopefully learn that while America has a**holes, not all of us are one.

China has some fantastic athletes.  End of story.