The Official 2016 Olympics thread: Medals Are For the Elite but Zika is For Everybody

[Swagnificent]

The reality is some countries are just flat-out better at certain sports...

This.

There many other caribbean islands like Jamaica. Yet its Jamaicans winning all the gold medals.

There's just as much money in high level soccer as there is in the NBA or NFL. If potential track stars in America are driven to other sports based on potential earnings, then the same can be said for Jamaicans when it comes to soccer and crickets (which are the most popular sports there).

Its comical that people are trying to reach for explanations to deny a simple fact. Jamaica dominates sprinting. I have no idea why. And there's really no logical explanation. But it is what it is. PERIOD.

 

[Swagnificent]

the best athletes go where the cash and glory are
in the us track is for the cats who wash out of football/basketball

for ja track and field takes center stage and gets the best of their athletes
it's easy enough to understand what is being said

*

There's just as much money in european soccer as there in the NFL and NBA. So why would just as many potential Jamaican sprinters not get lured by those leagues as those in America?

And FYI, soccer and especially cricket are more popular in Jamaica than track and field. Usain Bolt himself said he wanted to play cricket. And that he only ran track after being forced by his parents and coaches because he had talent.

Who knows? If Bolt was slightly better in cricket we may never have seen him run.

Now think how many other Usain Bolts there are in Jamaica that are focusing on soccer or cricket instead of track? I'm sure it not significantly less than those here in america that prefer football or basketball to running track.

 

[Swagnificent]

its crazy when you think of it, and the funding is not even on the us level type funding.

they just have it, like the kenyans and ethopians keep popping out these rudishas, dibaba etc.

This.

If anything Jamaica's dominance in sprinting is probably UNDERRATED given the lack of resource they have compared to the United States.

Who knows how many great sprinters have fallen thru the cracks there because they don't have a youth sports infrastructure as developed as ours. I don't know anything about high school or college in Jamaica but I doubt they have the sort of amateur sports infrastructure we have here. How many potential sprinting greats have fallen thru the cracks in Jamaica that our amateur sports infrastructure would've found?

And contrary to what some around here want to pedal, track isn't the most popular sport in the country. Cricket and Soccer are more popular. And Usain Bolt himself said he wanted to play cricket professionally than he wanted to run track.

 

[Swagnificent]

Track athletes have never been house hold names. Nobody knows who the fukk Michael Johnson is or any of the other names for that matter

Bolt is just that rare exception

Everybody will go back to not giving a fukk about track now that Bolt is done

You must be young cause that's a really dumb thing to say. Michael Johnson was a household name in the late 90s.

The only reason we have no household track names right now is because no American male dominates.

If America had a Usain Bolt he would be a household name like LeBron and Cam Newton.

 

[Alexander Wiggin]

I legit had to wiki Carl Lewis. Forgot all about his ass

That should tell you everything really. If he truly was an icon I wouldn't need to search him up to remind myself

I'm pretty sure I won't need to search up 'Usain Bolt' in 20 years doe

 

[The axe murderer]

I legit had to wiki Carl Lewis. Forgot all about his ass

That should tell you everything really. If he truly was an icon I wouldn't need to search him up to remind myself

I'm pretty sure I won't need to search up 'Usain Bolt' in 20 years doe

 

[Ruck]

You must be young cause that's a really dumb thing to say. Michael Johnson was a household name in the late 90s.

The only reason we have no household track names right now is because no American male dominates.

If America had a Usain Bolt he would be a household name like LeBron and Cam Newton.

Bolt is already a household name. I would argue hes more popular than cam in the u.s., and definitely popular than both globally.

 

[Maschine_Man]

This.

There many other caribbean islands like Jamaica. Yet its Jamaicans winning all the gold medals.

There's just as much money in high level soccer as there is in the NBA or NFL. If potential track stars in America are driven to other sports based on potential earnings, then the same can be said for Jamaicans when it comes to soccer and crickets (which are the most popular sports there).

Its comical that people are trying to reach for explanations to deny a simple fact. Jamaica dominates sprinting. I have no idea why. And there's really no logical explanation. But it is what it is. PERIOD.

Is Jamaica really dominant at sprinting like that though?
Just playing devils advocate here , but if you take away Bolt how many gold medals in stinging would they have?

Bolt is a dominant sprinter, but that doesn't mean the whole country is dominant.
They are a great sprinting country though, and always in contention, but dominant?

 

[Shogun]

I legit had to wiki Carl Lewis. Forgot all about his ass

That should tell you everything really. If he truly was an icon I wouldn't need to search him up to remind myself

I'm pretty sure I won't need to search up 'Usain Bolt' in 20 years doe

How old are you? Were you even around for Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson?
If not, your knowledge of them means nothing.
Some kid who hasn't been born yet isnt going to give a fukk about a Usain Bolt.

 

[Dushane Hill]

Man these relay rules are so fukking harsh, I feel like teams get DQ'd for minuscule things that don't even give them an advantage or impede other teams.

GB got fukked over in the 4X400 and same thing with Team USA in the 4x100. Think they need to think over how they go about disqualifying teams.

 

[FaTaL]

Is Jamaica really dominant at sprinting like that though?
Just playing devils advocate here , but if you take away Bolt how many gold medals in stinging would they have?

Bolt is a dominant sprinter, but that doesn't mean the whole country is dominant.
They are a great sprinting country though, and always in contention, but dominant?

It's just not bolt, the women dominate as well

 

[L&HH]

Man these relay rules are so fukking harsh, I feel like teams get DQ'd for minuscule things that don't even give them an advantage or impede other teams.

GB got fukked over in the 4X400 and same thing with Team USA in the 4x100. Think they need to think over how they go about disqualifying teams.

Yeah the only thing you should be dq'd for are false starts and clear lane violations that impede the progress of the other team like the Brazil chick that fukked up Alison Felix.

 

[bdkane]

Throwback

The greatest anchor leg ever. My queen Evelyn.

 

[8WON6]

These damn triathlon swimmers are swimming in place.

 

[MVike28]

Is Jamaica really dominant at sprinting like that though?
Just playing devils advocate here , but if you take away Bolt how many gold medals in stinging would they have?

Bolt is a dominant sprinter, but that doesn't mean the whole country is dominant.
They are a great sprinting country though, and always in contention, but dominant?

Elaine dusted the women's 100m and 200m

Fraser Pryce dominated in 2008 and 2012.

Dominant.