Sports

[crackdude]

As I said, USA has a huge population. It's only normal to have more medals.

But in team sports USA is not very good.

[Aki-at]

As I said, USA has a huge population. It's only normal to have more medals.

But in team sports USA is not very good.

But their women just won the world cup!

[crackdude]

But their women just won the world cup!

And if they didn't focus all of their young talents on american football, the men could win it too.

[pirovash88]

As I said, USA has a huge population. It's only normal to have more medals.

But in team sports USA is not very good.

By that logic China and India should have the most medals, no?

But their women just won the world cup!

Which apparently means nothing to some people.

[crackdude]

By that logic China and India should have the most medals, no?

If their people weren't starving to death, yes (although China was about 15 medals short of the US in 2012). Why do you think Russia also gets a lot of medals as well?
If Europe competed as a single team, we would have the combined medals of about 50 countries (including Russia).

In fact, if we combine the medals from just the European countries in the top 10 (6 countries), we instantly surpass the US by 170 medals. So I could argue that you're not even that good at the olympics. You should be massively crushing everyone.

Even more revealing is when we compare Medals per capita, where the US shows up in a sloppy 48th place (27th if we only count Gold). Which means that, in porportion, there are 47 more successful nations in front of you.

[Aki-at]

Portugal fighting for Great Britain's honour in the absence of her defence force.

Truly the world's greatest alliance.

[crackdude]

Portugal fighting for Great Britain's honour in the absence of her defence force.

Truly the world's greatest alliance.

"It is cordially agreed that if, in time to come, one of the kings or his heir shall need the support of the other, or his help, and in order to get such assistance applies to his ally in lawful manner, the ally shall be bound to give aid and succour to the other, so far as he is able (without any deceit, fraud, or pretence) to the extent required by the danger to his ally’s realms, lands, domains, and subjects; and he shall be firmly bound by these present alliances to do this."

[pirovash88]

If their people weren't starving to death, yes (although China was about 15 medals short of the US in 2012). Why do you think Russia also gets a lot of medals as well?
If Europe competed as a single team, we would have the combined medals of about 50 countries (including Russia).

In fact, if we combine the medals from just the European countries in the top 10 (6 countries), we instantly surpass the US by 170 medals. So I could argue that you're not even that good at the olympics. You should be massively crushing everyone.

Even more revealing is when we compare Medals per capita, where the US shows up in a sloppy 48th place (27th if we only count Gold). Which means that, in porportion, there are 47 more successful nations in front of you.

If that were the case then wouldn't Russia also have trouble in the Olympics? If starvation and poverty had anything to do with it then Russia and China would hardly have any medals at all. The main reason why China was so close to beating us in 2012 was because they can compete in a lot more events than we can. Dude, they have 1 billion more people than we do. Also, if you want to argue based on Continents, you might as well give us Canada's medal count then.

I'm curious to know which top 6 nations you're referring to when you're stating that they'll surpass the US alone.

The point is, population plays a role, but not the #1 role. You can try to discredit this Nation as much as you want, but give it when it's due. This Country has endured a lot, and if there's anything that irks me, it's when people try to take away from what this Country has accomplished in half of the amount of time other Nations have been around.

[crackdude]

Not to get all nationalist in here, but you only exist as the country you are today because 500 years ago we portuguese found the place. Quite the achievement I think..

And I'm not descrediting USA at all. I just don't think you are as good as you believe.

Don't forget each of your states is big enough to be it's own country. And you have 50 of them.

The top 6 nations were Italy, England, Russia, Germany, Hungary, France.

Just look at the medal per capita ratios to understand my point.

Also, as I said, USA is the best at basketball. But since you focus all your young talent on climbing to the NFL, you are severely lacking at other sports.

[Barry the Nomad]

crackdude is showing his true colors!

[pirovash88]

Not to get all nationalist in here, but you only exist as the country you are today because 500 years ago we portuguese found the place. Quite the achievement I think..

And I'm not descrediting USA at all. I just don't think you are as good as you believe.

Don't forget each of your states is big enough to be it's own country. And you have 50 of them.

The top 6 nations were Italy, England, Russia, Germany, Hungary, France.

Just look at the medal per capita ratios to understand my point.

Also, as I said, USA is the best at basketball. But since you focus all your young talent on climbing to the NFL, you are severely lacking at other sports.

We exist because we fought the English for our Independence. =)

In regards to population, i still don't think that has everything to do with it. And i will always go back to China and India in that regards. Poverty or not, if all it took was having a shit ton of people then they should've easily surpassed us by now.

Although, i will agree that basketball is the most popular sport in the Country, our other sport programs have been growing tremendously. Hockey is at an all time high in attendance records across the Country and the MLS has expanded by 2 teams just this year. Not to mention they will be adding 2 more by 2018. Soccer isn't a popular sport here, but the talent pool is growing and some day i think we'll have a chance at World Cup.

Speaking of World Cup, only 8 teams have won it and no offense, but Portugal isn't one of them. For a Nation like ours that doesn't have a huge talent pool in that regard, we have at least made it to 3rd place.

[Aki-at]

America will never win the World Cup because Diana Ross missed her penalty in the 1994 world cup.

It's a curse that will haunt the men's team forever.

[pirovash88]

America will never win the World Cup because Diana Ross missed her penalty in the 1994 world cup.

It's a curse that will haunt the men's team forever.

Lol, but.. But.. Our US Women's just won and broke the curse, mang..

[crackdude]

Although, i will agree that basketball is the most popular sport in the Country, our other sport programs have been growing tremendously. Hockey is at an all time high in attendance records across the Country and the MLS has expanded by 2 teams just this year. Not to mention they will be adding 2 more by 2018. Soccer isn't a popular sport here, but the talent pool is growing and some day i think we'll have a chance at World Cup.

Speaking of World Cup, only 8 teams have won it and no offense, but Portugal isn't one of them. For a Nation like ours that doesn't have a huge talent pool in that regard, we have at least made it to 3rd place.

Agree do disagree on the populational aspect, but ok.

"our other sport programs have been growing tremendously"
But that's exacly the point isn't it? It's all american (and canadian) sports. It's easy to be the best at baseball and american football when no one else is playing it.
Ice Hockey it's Canada and Russia (although the NHL is obviously the best league there is, paise America), Rugby is nonexistant (thanks NFL.), Soccer is......developing... for the past 30 years.
Even in motorsports you don't have anyone on the F1 because all of your talent is concentrated on Nascar and Indy.

"the MLS has expanded by 2 teams just this year"
Yet, it is still using a league format that Portugal abandoned in 1934 (no joke). The league is played from Spring to Autumn (intead of the standard 100 year old convention of Autumn to Spring). And the football isn't quite that good. Although the teams swim in cash, the competitive levels are well bellow Europe's main leagues.

Not only that, Portugal (which isn't even one of the best leagues) has 156 teams in national competition, USA has 91.
It's best to have a sturdy league system to support your best teams, rather than shoving them all in the MLS. How is it possible for a soccer league to not have relegation. What are bottom teams fighting for then? It's extremely non-competitive.

"Speaking of World Cup, only 8 teams have won it and no offense, but Portugal isn't one of them. For a Nation like ours that doesn't have a huge talent pool in that regard, we have at least made it to 3rd place."
So have we (and another 4th place), and we have 3% of your population.

We also have been european club champions 4 times, world club champions twice (Porto), had 3 players considered best in the world at their time (Eusebio, Figo, Ronaldo), one goalkeeper as well (Vitor Baia), most titled soccer president in the world (Pinto da Costa, 58 titles).

We have achieved a lot for a small country, you have achieved very little for such a huge country.

"Our US Women's just won and broke the curse, mang.."
Because you guys (thankfully) bet your female talent on soccer. Do the same with men talent and you'll be World Champions in no time.

[pirovash88]

"But that's exacly the point isn't it? It's all american (and canadian) sports. It's easy to be the best at baseball and american football when no one else is playing it.
Ice Hockey it's Canada and Russia (although the NHL is obviously the best league there is, paise America), Rugby is nonexistant (thanks NFL.), Soccer is......developing... for the past 30 years.
Even in motorsports you don't have anyone on the F1 because all of your talent is concentrated on Nascar and Indy."

Ice Hockey is definitely a Canadian and American sport, i would say that Russia is in 3rd place at this point. The KHL is a joke of a League in Comparison by the NHL, which has 23 Teams in the US alone. Did you watch the 2014 Winter Olympics where we beat Russia in a shootout? One of the best showcases of American Hockey in recent memory. Our youth hockey program is only getting better and 2 of the top 5 forwards in the world are American. Need i also remind you of the 'Miracle on Ice' one of the greatest achievements in American Hockey History.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_on_Ice

"Yet, it is still using a league format that Portugal abandoned in 1934 (no joke). The league is played from Spring to Autumn (intead of the standard 100 year old convention of Autumn to Spring). And the football isn't quite that good. Although the teams swim in cash, the competitive levels are well bellow Europe's main leagues."

You know, i hear this a lot and i do agree to some extent, but it's not as far off as most people make it seem. Although this isn't a huge stretch of an example. The New York Red Bulls from the MLS just whooped on Chelsea a few weeks ago, 4-2. I know that doesn't give an overall view of what standards both leagues hold, but i think the MLS is on it's way. And with the number of big names like Villa, Drogba, and Lampard making their way over, it's only growing excitement here for fubol.

"So have we (and another 4th place), and we have 3% of your population."

I understand this, but when your #1 sport is futbol, i have higher expectations. We don't concentrate all of our efforts on Soccer, not even close, yet we've managed 3rd place. When your culture lives and breathes Soccer, i'd expect them to have a World Cup by now.

Not disrespect to your Country, whatsoever. To have as much success as you have in Soccer, being such a small Nation, it's commendable.

Too much going on in here though, we should probably cut it back, haha.. I don't think we'll agree on a whole lot at this point.