Comments on: Counting Olympic Medals

By: maccaface

maccaface — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:50:00 +0000

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE

OI OI OI!!!

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:34:00 +0000

The GDP-normalized numbers are skewed by a more real factor than the finite number of medals available. Many athletes from the smaller countries train in the more extensive facilities of the larger countries, including at universities with extensive athletic programs. These athletes are not sponsored by their home countries, at least not completely, but by advertising contracts.

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:35:00 +0000

All these results are incorrect and skewed in favor of poorer countries (with less GDP, that is). The reason being is the finite nature of the number of medals that can be won. So, the US, which has the highest GDP, runs into a problem of “materializing this adventage” in the number of medals because there are simply not enough medals.

By: Chad

Chad — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:31:00 +0000

Thanks, Hui…, but I am just a fat guy sitting on a couch. I did not win anything. Like me, the Olympics are bloated. Unlike me, the Olympics are way too self-important and taken much too seriously. After all, they are just games.

By: Nat

Nat — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:53:00 +0000

C’mon, with Zimbabwe the way it is they just have to turn up to the games to come out on top of this calculation…

By: Hui...

Hui... — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:47:00 +0000

Ok
You beat us in the Basket Ball
Well Done

By: Martin Collett

Martin Collett — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:11:00 +0000

We've done a medals table that you can sort by GDP, population, etc here http://channel4.com/olympics - we get results like the ones Jazzer mentions above.
Well done with the widgenie table, I haven't seen widgenie before, it's working really well.
Martin

By: Matthew Pfluger

Matthew Pfluger — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:43:00 +0000

>"an environment where feelings are more important than facts"

Jim, that is a profound and saddening statement, but I fully agree.

By: Jim Cone

Jim Cone — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:48:00 +0000

Hui...:
Please don't believe that anything you see/hear on American television is presented in a fair or accurate manner.
All reporting is aimed at increasing ratings and advertising revenue.
Furthermore, almost all American "reporters" are raised/trained in an environment where feelings are more important than facts.
(does any other country in the world let high schools grant diplomas based upon attendance)

By: Hui...

Hui... — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:39:00 +0000

I love American's

4 years ago you scored by Total Gold won (CBS)
and now all of a sudden
Total Medals (Gold + Silver + Bronze) ?

Either way Gold or Total per capita Australia is still ahead of the US.

Aussie Aussie Aussie

Oy Oy Oy !!!