tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post7265564816670335140..comments2024-02-29T23:31:03.341-05:00Comments on Out Of Left Field: A sober (and complete) look at Canada's Olympic performancesagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08757652892056684490noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-50917623710277182822008-09-04T11:11:00.000-04:002008-09-04T11:11:00.000-04:00I agree that Australia is the appropriate measure ...I agree that Australia is the appropriate measure (fittingly because we were their model in the early 80s when they revamped their sports system).<BR/><BR/>Overall, however, I think it's important to put Canada's performance in full perspective. I feel that with our wealth we should be closer to the Aussies and the Brits, but I also think it's important that we recognize that there has been a lot of improvement over the past decade. We're a bit blinded by the swimmers' collective failures. If Canada does in Beijing what it historically has done in the pool we likely are close to our Atlanta totals. And, since swimming is a marquee sport at the Games, the perspective that we suck isn't out there.<BR/><BR/>To me that's the thing. I hate the fact that many Canadians come away from the Games with the belief that we don't compete on the world stage. It's damaging, because that belief often transcends sports and influences Canadians self-efficacy in other aspects of life (business, art, academia, etc).<BR/><BR/>The truth is we do compete.<BR/><BR/>Of the top 20 medal winners in Beijing, Canada is the third smallest. That's a full context and one that is rarely articulated in this country.Duane Rollinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16512076277116230020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-29632907285784264162008-09-03T21:22:00.000-04:002008-09-03T21:22:00.000-04:00Comparisons to the US are pointless.The Americans ...Comparisons to the US are pointless.<BR/>The Americans have the depth of talent and money to back their athletes so they should be on top.<BR/>Ditto the Chinese.<BR/>A more valid comparison can be made with the Aussies.<BR/>For a country that has but two thirds our population, Australia had a remarkable performance at the Beijing games.<BR/>But then again they were very good in Athens and awesome in Sydney.<BR/>Now it has to be said that Australia is almost exclusively a summer games power.<BR/>Apart from a curling team, Australian participation at the winter Olympics is next to nil.<BR/>So obviously all of the funding their government puts into athletics goes for summer games athletes, while we split the pie.<BR/>The thing is, we already have a pretty small pie compared to the Wallabies.<BR/>Australia spends something in the neighbourhood of a quarter billion dollars on their athletic program.<BR/>Us?....about one tenth of that.<BR/>You get what you pay for, mate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com