What countries do you root for in the Olympics?

The Game Room
1

What countries do you tend to follow/root for in the Olympics? If you have more than one, what are your top three?

For me it’s:

  1. USA (it’s home)
  2. Netherlands (it’s my heritage)
  3. Canada (the Canucks hold a soft spot in my heart)
2
  1. USA (my home)
  2. Canada (my former home)
  3. Hungary (my heritage)
3
  1. USA
  2. Some country that hasn’t won a medal at all / hasn’t won in the sport in question
  3. I dunno, maybe Canada?

Brian

4

  1. USA

  2. Netherlands. Grandma was born there

  3. Canada. My daughter is a citizen there

5

Until I saw this question I hadn’t realized that I no longer root for any particular country anymore. The US needs more Olympics medals like it needs more McDonalds. The only athlete I am currently rooting for is that Russian figure skater who may be disqualified for doping. Her performance was so extraordinary that I’m hoping there is an innocent explanation for the positive test.

6
  1. USA
  2. Great Britain - Mom’s from England, Grandma was from Wales
  3. Korea - both my children are adopted from Korea

You didn’t ask, but I consider Canada the “rivalry” in the Winter Olympics because of America’s history of Hockey finals with them. I love Canada, but root against them in the Winter Olympics.

7

I don’t remember people rooting for countries when I first started following the Olympics in the 60’s. It was more about individual achievements.

I wonder if the obsession with keeping a country by country medal tally isn’t a relatively recent media creation.

8

Of course, I like it when the USA wins a medal, but I’ve never been jingoistic about the Olympics. I was as interested in the two snowboarding brothers from Japan as I was in Shaun White. And it’s great to see an athlete from a small or obscure country turn in an unexpectedly fine performance. I’m thinking countries that have only a handful of participants and have a lot less money behind them for training and equipment. Oftentimes these people come to the games with no real chance of winning, but somehow, rise to the occasion.

9

My earliest memory of Olympics was the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and I remember “USA! USA! USA!” chants and cheering for countries.

10

  1. USA

  2. Jamaican Bobsled Team

11

Oh, cheering for countries goes back way before then. Even in the very first modern games in 1896, the Greeks went wild when one of their own won the marathon.

12

Yeah, that is what I figured.

13

Team Liechtenstein, baby.

14

Hey, they’ve actually won quite a few medals in Alpine Skiing over the years.

15

The Vatican luge team.

16

Busted for doping

17

The Vatican luge team? Busted for what substance? Incense?

18

Wouldn’t be the first to get high on Jesus.