Why does the US media trick Americans to think that US is winning the Olympics?

Question

When I watch US channels/websites, they always put US above China in the charts of medal count. Just about all the Americans I've talked to now believes that US is winning the Olympics when rest of the world believes that China is, because US media is portraying US as the winner. The rule is that the only thing that affects the medal count are the gold medals (unless of course there is a tie then they go to silvers and bronzes), number of total medals have NO effect.

official website -

http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/IN ...

Any other non-American websites will say the same thing

So basically, all the Americans that I talk to are excited that US is beating China in Olympics when in China, they are probably excited for beating US, as rest of the world believes. If any other countries saw Americans celebrating their medal count win after this Olympics, they'll just be like... WTF.

So my question is, why are all the US media portraying US as they are winning the Olympics?

By the Way, I'm neither American nor Chinese, I just think it's incredible how many Americans actually believes that US is winning. It's fine however they want to count it but it would be better if they at least knew the official rule so it wouldn't be so ignorant.

Answer 1

You are spot on do you think it's fair that America can win like 100 bronze while china wins mostly gold but lose in medal count by only 10? GOLD IS WORTH MORE THAN BRONZE its takes a lot more work to win gold, it shows you are the best at that event.

China won check the "OFFICIAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE" standings not some bullshit American news program, we all know what they did for in the news for iraq.

Answer 2

USA leads in overall medal count

China leads in Gold medals

I'm not denying that. Furthermore the news casts i watch point out both every time they talk about medal counts so i don't see your point.

Answer 3

It depends what is important to you

If you feel that gold medals are more important, then no America arent winning

But if you feel that the total amount is what matters, then yeah, America is kicking a**

Most countries do the count by gold, but America does it by total!

So to Americans, we are winning (Most medals overall), but to the rest of the world China is winning (Most gold medals). But does it really matter?

I personally don't care, cause to be able to have our athletes go over there and be successful it honestly good enough. Any athletes who takes part in the Olympics have display talent and ability that most people in this world don't have, shouldn't we be proud regardless if we are "winning" or not?

Answer 4

Why should you care what we Americans do.

Were FREE so we can count our medals however we feel to.

Shouldnt you be worrying about your coutry instead of ours?

Are you like obssesed with us or something?

You dont live here,so it is no concern to you,what we do or say.

Answer 5

our gymnasts butts are much better than the chinese

Answer 6

The US media doesn't claim anyone is 'winning' the Olympics. They are reporting total medal count. And doing it accurately. I'm not sure why you are making the connection that they are saying America is 'winning' because of this. I've never seen that phrase used in the American media. We've had the most golds for a few years in a row now and I still never once heard the US media claim we ever 'won' the Olympics in that year even based on that. The Olympics is not something you 'win'. They Olympics is not a competition. It is a collection of competitions.

So My question to you is, Why is it that so many people think there is an Olympic 'winner' when the IOC doesn't even attempt to name one, or even define a system by which to do so?

You can basically tell any American that claims to be 'winning the Olympics' (or sayign the US ever 'won' and Olympics) that they are full of it... But it's not because they didn't win the most golds. It's because there is no such thing as 'winning the Olympics'.

Trying to claim they American media is 'only doing it this way because this is the way that puts them on top' is total c**p because if you knew anything about the US and Olympic coverage Total medals and total golds have always been reported. And leading either has never been billed as 'winning' the Olympics.

NO ONE WINS THE OLYMPICS! There is NO SUCH THING. How can one win something that has no scoring system? lol!

It would be nice if you knew there was no 'official rule' for ranking. You would sound way less ignorant.

It's amazing to me that so many people think that someone 'wins the Olympics'. The ignorance is astounding. The only time any country 'wins the Olympics' is when they are selected to be the host country. Then, and only then, is the phrase such as 'England has won the 2012 Olympics', correctly used.

Personally, I'm excited for the American team because we are about to achieve our highest medal total since 1904 (If you don't count the Olympics in '84 when USSR didn't show.) It will be our second highest total ever. America did Amazing this year in-spite of falling flat in our typical dominant Track events. This was a very impressive games for America and VERY impressive games China. It was also Quite good for Jamaica. I'm wondering what medals are gonna be left for other countries in 4 years the way that both the US and China are both increasing their medal hauls!

Answer 7

I'm posting this before the first answer comes up, but I'm betting that by the time I finish this post a load of people will have come on here flaming the OP saying that this question has been asked about a million times, and then they are going to slag off "foreigners" for being obsessed about America etc.

Do you wonder why this question keeps getting asked? It's not like its the same person posting the question over and over again.

The reason it keeps getting posted is because the NBC/Yahoo system looks dumb and people wonder why other people do dumb things.

To those who say US media can do what it likes regarding valuing medals or whatever. That would be really good if each team in the NBA used its own scoring system just to make themselves look the best. The NBA decide on the scoring system. For the Olympics, the IOC website shows ranking by gold medal, no other system counts.

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Later edit - the flamers were a bit slow off the mark on this one. Thanks "Dr. Illegals Man Crush's Profile" for re-enforcing a popular stereotype!

Later still - it looks like the usual flamers have chosen just to give me the thumbs down instead.

Answer 8

The people in charge of giving the information in the medal count does know the official rules. They just choose not to use the official way of counting medals because they know there is more of a chance for a country to surpass them in Gold Medals than in Total medals. So to add to our already big list of inferior counting, (feet, yard, Fahrenheit) we can now add Total Medal count onto the list. And you are right about everybody in the world ranking China number 1. Here are links to prove to anyone that believes otherwise.

China –

http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/IN...

United Kingdom & Ireland -

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/olympics/2...

Russia – http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/russian/in_dept...

Australia –

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/olympics/meda...

Germany –

http://de.eurosport.yahoo.com/olympische...

Korea -

http://kr.sports.yahoo.com/beijing/gold/...

Japan -

http://beijing.yahoo.co.jp/medal/world

Italy –

http://it.eurosport.yahoo.com/olimpiadi/...

France –

http://fr.sports.yahoo.com/jeux-olympiqu...

Spain –

http://es.eurosport.yahoo.com/juegos-oli...

Whatever the case I think we can all agree that America is Ranked Number 1 in America and China is Ranked Number 1 in the World. Anybody giving me a thumbs down, can you argue with this fact?

Answer 9

Total medal count has always been the gauge of success in the Olympics, then, now, and forever.

Answer 10

I agree. The US media did mislead the Americans a bit. Because China not only has many more GOLDs, but also have a lot of medals. It's not like they have only golds. China got close to 100 medals so far.  It appears that they did outperform us. Give them the credit.

Michael Phelps's achivement is special because he got 8 GOLD medals, NOT because he got 8 silver/bronze medals.

If the US basketball dream team don't get the GOLD this time, I am sure all Americans will be disappointed.

GOLD weights more. However, the number of medals should also be considered. I think there should be a point system for the ranking.  

Answer 11

does it really matter?

who cares. Let people count the medals the way they want, it's a free world.

Answer 12

You can count medals however you want.  If the Chinese want to only count golds that's their business.  If the US wants to count all medals that's their business.  Since they are giving out 3 medals why shouldn't they all count?

I wasn't aware there was a rule for the proper way to count a rule.  Perhaps you can provide a link that says silver and bronze medals don't count as a real medal.

Answer 13

because they cant take america losing

Answer 14

The american team is winning the total medal count, but the China team has the most gold.  It can be interpreted in different ways.

Answer 15

The official IOC rule is to rank by Gold. All other countries use this standard except for US alone. Throughout olympic history the world has used Gold for ranking and US has used total medal.  

This is a question of quality vs. quantity.  US feels quantity is more superior while the world thinks quality is more superior.  

In my opinion quality weighs more than quantity. But not in US opinion.

Answer 16

Goes by gold medals won guys.

Heres an example of our media results

http://www.abc.net.au/olympics/2008/resu...

I agree with bruce c

If a country gets 150 4th places does that mean they win the olympics?

Answer 17

Preach, brotha. How can you trust a nation whose primary national diet is Mikey D's?

LMAO..

Answer 18

Maybe Americans dont realise coming second means you havent won the event- albiet you have done really well.

Maybe if Phelps had won 8 bronzes instead of 8 golds they would realise how odd it is to say that USA is 'beating' China- even though China has won far more events. Would he still be hailed as the 'greatest Olympian' with 8 bronzes?

That's not to say Silver and Bronze aren't great achievements and reasons to celebrate- but fourth and fifth ain't bad either and these don't count towards being the country who has won the most events.Silver and Bronze are really just awards for coming close to winning- for almost - but not quite- getting that top achievement.

Answer 19

I agree. It is absurd. To carry the the US media logic to its end, consider a case where at the end of the games, the US leads the total medal count with 100 BRONZE medals , no silver , no gold.

The Chinese (or any other country) finishes second with 95 GOLD, no silver and no bronze.

I can't believe the blinkered and fully hooded US media would have the the temerity and gall to declare that the US won the medals.

What am I saying...of course they would.

And consider this also.

If the tables were turned and the US was leading in golds but not the overall count, then the US media would quickly change their standards and say the US was leading the medal count because it had the most golds.

A perfect storm of doublespeak and jingoism.

Answer 20

use the search button and take you anti-America lies somewhere else

We don't' care how that low medal dump country of yours tally's medals.

You don't know a d**n think about Americans and are talk out our your ****.

Typical petty immature foreigners always worrying about how other so it instead of worrying about why that have so few medals.