fineshot2000

Biggest disappointment: Italy. Italy's really fallen off the past several Winter Olympics from their glory days challenging near the top back in the 90's. Biggest surprise: Australia. 2 Golds and a Silver for a country that rarely sees any snow anywhere. It's their best result ever, topping the 2 Golds won in Salt Lake (which, if you remember, one was by luck......Bradbury!)

Germany still beat us in golds though. So, technically, many people will still think they had a better games than the U.S., but we're catching up.

With Katherine Reutter taking Silver in the Ladies 1000m Short Track, the U.S. officially broke it's record medal haul from Salt Lake City in 2002. Though we have 34 right now, we're guaranteed 36 with both Men's Hockey and Speedskating Pursuit teams skating to Gold medal finals.

As I type, USA has 26 medals (7 Gold, 9 Silver, 10 Bronze). If you've read my other thread posted in this Forum "USA Medal Prospects" I projected 25 medals for the U.S.. They have already bested that with 6 days to go yet. They have exceeded expectations except, perhaps, having underperformed by 1-2 Golds so far overall. (I projected them for 10 Golds, doesn't look too likely. Canada should win the most Golds over USA and Germany in the end.) Looking at the final events schedule over the last 6 days, there is a slight possibility the U.S. could match the 34 medals won in Salt Lake City, perhaps surpassing it. Our strongest events for the most part are behind us, but I could see us winning anywhere from 7-10 medals in the following: Freestyle Skiing-Men's Aerials (Kushnir missed the cut and St. Onge and Peterson are certainly threats to the podium) Hockey-Women's (guaranteed medal) Hockey-Men's (has performed much better than expected. Looking good for medal round) Short Track Events-4 events remain (2 relays and Ohno 500m & Reutter in 1000m) Alpine Skiing-Men's Slalom (U.S. Skiiers posted 3 top times in combined a few days ago) Bobsled-Women's (either USA-1 or USA--2 sled could threaten for a medal) Bobsled-Men's 4-Man (USA-1 sled strong contender for medal) Nordic Combined-Large Hill (USA has won Silver in both Nordic Combi events so far) Speedskating-Men's Team Pursuit (Canada and Italy have largely underperformed in Men's speedskating events, USA could sneak up and medal in this event)

Winner of Canada/Germany plays Russia in the Quarters. Ouch!!

Miller Time! Gold is his at last!

20 Medals for USA and only one week in, I'm sure NBC is going to milk that info to get people tuned in for the remainder of the games.

Agreed, I'm American and I think Vonn was way overhyped. Great speed skiier, but sucks at the technicals. Her wipe out yesterday didn't surprise me at all.

No complaints here. I as an American, am glad to see an American-born sport like snowboarding progress and garner popularity the world over, even Australia. I'm all more for more international competition, rather than just having the U.S. dominate forever and ever. This is good for U.S. sports in my opinion. We still got 2 medals, congrats to Bright. I am sure the land down under has been turned upside down with her win! This can only increase the sports popularity there, and elsewhere around the world, to know that the "U.S. doesn't always win everything" in it's own invented sports.

Man, did Bode Miller show up for these games on a mission or what? This was not the Bode I knew from Torino! 6 Alpine medals for the U.S. ski team in only 4 events, unbelievable. Everyone is peaking at the right time, Vonn, Miller, Mancuso, and Weibrecht?? Who is he?? Best Olympic U.S. team ever?

Biggest loser of these games so far? RUSSIA. Only 3 medals (likely to be 4 after Plushenko wins his Gold tonight...still, pretty bad for a country preparing for 2014....)

Sure made up for Tuesday's medal shutout with a 6-pack on Wednesday. Way to go Vonn, Shani and Shawn White. Damn, that McTwist 1260 is just SICK SICK SICK!! Can't wait till tomorrow, more big medal opportunities in Women's Pipe and Lysacek on the ice in Men's Fig skating! GO USA!!!

South Koreans are pinned to dominate and take the Gold in the Men's 500m. I think Wotherspoon (CAN), Shani Davis (USA) or Fredericks (USA) can claim a spot on the podium though, too, as well.

Looking at tomorrow's start list for the women's cross country event, I don't even see her on the list!

Happy to see Canada finally break the "no golds at home" curse. It should be a fun ride to see whether Germany, Canada or the U.S. wins the most medals. So far, so good for the U.S., 6 medals in 2 days of competition has far exceeded my prediction of 3 medals. Maybe we can top the 25 overall that I predicted if we can keep this momentum going!

Looking at the results, 3 Americans finished in the top 6. Austria was second closest with 3 competitors finishing in the top 15. Look for these two countries to duke it out for the Gold in the team event.

Sven Kramer, the Netherlands

Kramer will be the star of these games. 3 Golds is a near certainty.

Silver is better than not winning any medal, right? So quit complaining! Heil got beat plain and simple, Kearney was on fire tonight from the get-go! It's only day 1 of the games. I have to say I am surprised the start team USA has had though, though 2 came with some luck. 4 medals on day 1 far exceeded expectations. May not match that number again on any other day in these games.

Very nice ceremony, but the Olympic cauldron malfunction and Canadian flag stuck on the flagpole will be taken away from this. Definitely did not exceed Beijing that's for sure.

This thread should get trashed immediately.

How on Earth were those steel beams not covered with any padding at the end of the track? Coming down the track with speeds like that, doesn't take brains to figure out that. VANOC will get the blame for this 'till the cows come home that's for sure.

Gotta keep the playboy girl barbie happy for another day to let her heal!

Wow, stunning news before the games even begin! These games are already marred. My hearts and prayers to the family and country of Georgia. They better have a moment of silence at the opening ceremony tonight, or acknowledge it in some way.

I realize she won a silver medal at the previous World Championships. However she, nor any other American, has won a single medal recently in the FIS CC World Cup (which I weigh heavily into my decisions) Not since the 2007-2008 season has an American landed on the podium. So by in large, the medal she won was totally a surprise and a fluke, and I don't expect it to happen again in the Olympics. All the best to Kikkan, and the rest of American team, but the European countries, especially Norway, Russia and Sweden are dominant, and it will be near impossible for any American to surprise and win a medal.