Why are Americans using a different tally?

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

The official, accepted and used worldwide method of formulating an Olympic medal table is with the number of golds deciding the standing in the league table. Only if two teams have the same amount of gold medals is the number of silver medals used to differentiate standing, and then the same for Bronze. That's how it works, that is how it always works. It does not go on total number of medals won overall. It is golds, then silvers, then bronzes.

It is what the IOC use, it is what all media outlets the all over the world use.

The top of the official medal table for the Olympics looks thus :

China
USA
Great Britain
Russia
Australia
Germany

So why are US media outlets not using it then ? Why are they formulating their own medal tables based on total medals ? Is it because the standings are then altered to be :

USA
China
Russia
Great Britain
Australia
France

Hmmmm ??????

[WhiteKnight]

Do you honestly need to ask that?

Of course it's because it changes the standings to make us look better. Our government can not be openly critical of the Chinese and their record on human rights only to see our athletes get owned by them at the Olympics, even if they are taking place in Beijing. Remember, Democracy must prevail. If we lose, it may appear as though the United States is losing it's war on "terra."

[Jakester]

It's pretty cool how this Congress has passed the fewest laws, but the most resolutions.

F'er example, It has resolved that dirt=soil, and that it is an important natural resource.

[neglet]

The U.S. has always listed medal counts by total medals, not total golds. That way they could beat Russia in the 70s and 80s, and now the Chinese. Duh.

I've noticed the Brits are hauling in the medals this year. Quite different from 2000, when I watched the Olympics on the BBC and there was quite a bit of pissing and moaning about their performance. Has the govt made a big push since then to support Olympic sports, or is it just a quirk?

[Metuzalem]

Nah, we've just managed to capitalise on the niche sports were good at, cycling, rowing and sailing. Our National Lottery money is finally starting to show didvidends.

Take those sports out and it would be like if Michael Phelps hadn't gone to the games (as a US comparison).

[neglet]

Just to note, NBC is using that same system to calculate medals even when it doesn't benefit the US. In covering the beach volleyball final last night, they noted that Brazil led in the event's overall medal count, with 8 (now 9) total beach medals over the years, while the US has 6 (now 7). But according to your system, the US leads with 5 golds to Brazil's 2.

I love watching beach volleyball. They make running in all that sand look so easy.