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A difference of perspective: How Europeans value Olympic medals

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TL

Registered User
Aug 30, 2006
130
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It was so cool to see the Finns value the chance to win an Olympic medal today.

Canada, the U.S., and even Russia would not care in the same way as the Finns or Sweden about the Bronze...

Is it the Finns' perceived underdog status, or is it a cultural difference that makes European teams more likely to embrace the prospect of winning a silver or bronze? (Whereas in North America we have the Nascar Ricky Bobby attitude that "If you're not first you're last.")

Discuss...

(Yes, I do recognize that Russia is in Europe, but as hosts they saw this tourney as Gold or bust, so I see them as a European exception here).
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I wouldn't care for Bronze as a Canadian. I want Gold in hockey.

The Bronze medal is equivalent to being Eastern or Western Conference Champions and losing the SC.

I am glad we got to the final but I don't really care about the Wales trophy.
 
Did you just take this from the CBC analysts who randomly came up with this thesis? What is there to indicate that Europeans care more about bronze than North Americans?
 
I think Russians would have been happy with a Bronze. That's what we were predicting any way.
 
So youre saying USA didnt try today? Pathetic excuses ...

Ofc everyone wants the gold, but in a bronze medal game everyone wants to win it.
 
It's possible USA would have enjoyed a bronze as much as Finland did. We'll never know.
 
I would think US faces would have looked "a bit more" happy than looking absolutely crushed like they did after game, if they would have won bronze. ;)
 
Finland was the better team today and for Americans to say they didn't care about bronze and that's why they lost...that is just an excuse. Canadians made the same excuse in 1998.
 
Pi said:
I wouldn't care for Bronze as a Canadian. I want Gold in hockey.

The Bronze medal is equivalent to being Eastern or Western Conference Champions and losing the SC.

I am glad we got to the final but I don't really care about the Wales trophy.
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You would care for bronze if you played. As a fan? Maybe not. As a player, absolutely.
 
It's a matter of pride, of trying your best. There are tons of athletes in all sports that would sell their soul for a medal. Any medal. Being a snob about it, just doesn't feel to me a behavior that any Olympian should be proud of.
 
Bronze is fine for Canada in other sports. Not in hockey. No one cares really, and the players admit as much.
 
I don't buy that North Americans in general don't care about the bronze.

But the U.S. team wanted to beat Canada more than they wanted to beat Finland, definitely.
 
I remember when Gretzky was crying after Canada lost the bronze medal game in 1998 against Finland. His last chance to get an olympic medal. Maybe he cried because he didnt care.
 
To clarify, I'm Canadian. If Canada got Bronze we'd be crushed. Third or fourth in this tourney would be seen as failure. And we would not care at all about distinguishing between the two.

I see it as the same for the Americans.

I'm asking the question of whether there is a cultural difference in mentality here; I'm not making excuses for the Americans.

(To be honest, there's no team that us Canadians would rather see lose than the Americans. Most of us would cheer for Finland or Sweden over the U.S. any time they play.)

My observation was that the Finns appeared to really value winning the bronze, where if the shoe was on the other foot I think the Americans -- even if they had won 5-0 today -- would not have been as excited.
 
Petri1981 said:
I remember when Gretzky was crying after Canada lost the bronze medal game in 1998 against Finland. His last chance to get an olympic medal. Maybe he cried because he didnt care.
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That's a good point, and one that counters my thesis here.
 
Whatever anyone says or feels about it, USA was definitely mentally checked out today, like it or not. Not really an excuse, but it is what it is.

I think for Canada and USA, the main objective of the Olympics is the gold medal. Otherwise, their focus is going back to the NHL and winning the Cup. The Fins have like 9 KHL/SEL players on their roster right? I'm sure a Bronze for them is more rewarding.
 
Looser mentality that doesnt belong in sports. You dont care if youre the 3 ord 4 best team in the world? Take of the jersey and go home. Youre å disgrace to your country and the sport.
 
I can understand Canada not caring much about bronze since they are the obvious favorites. Anyone else that says that don't care about anything but gold is just crying sour grapes.
 
Petri1981 said:
I remember when Gretzky was crying after Canada lost the bronze medal game in 1998 against Finland. His last chance to get an olympic medal. Maybe he cried because he didnt care.
Click to expand...

Maybe he was crying because it was the end of his Olympic career? Timmonen was crying today and he won.
 
Can someone explain the "Finnish people are used to bronze medal games" excuse to me? CBC announcers wouldn't shut up about it, but I fail to see how Finnish players who play primarily in the N/KHL are more accustomed to bronze medal games.
 
Bronze in single events like downhill or luge? Awesome.
Bronze in a tournament? No.

That's like the two losers in the conference finals playing another series to see who finishes 3rd. Who cares? You didn't win the tournament.

This isn't NCAA March Madness where making the Final Four is an achievement.
 
As a Canadian I can speak for most of us in saying that we value every medal in all the other sports, BUT in hockey we do have the Vladimir Putin mentality that winning hockey means winning the Olympics.

And losing hockey means losing the Olympics.
 
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