For the first few days of the Olympics, I was watching the coverage from overseas. Unlike here in the US, where they change over to the action there are American athletes, I noticed they followed the event - not the country. So, to get my Olympic fix, I had to watch a lot of events with athletes that were not from the USA.
It was a bit different not having all that constant switching of venues - kinda like A.D.D. detox - but once I got used to it, I noticed something about the competition. I found myself inherently pulling for some countries over others. I think there is an favorability for each country that determines how much we like (or dislike) anyone who wears their uniform. It is based on past athletics, the attitude of the people and history. After studying and taking notes, my unofficial favorability rankings for the Winter Olympics:
10 - Most favorable: Canada
I think this is the only country in the world which is genuinely liked and respected by the fans and athletes of all other nations. They play hard and they are very competitive in most sports. When they win, they show class in victory. When the lose, they are complementary in defeat but they still have that pluckish, "we'll get em next time attitude" which makes them endearing. So to paraphrase Homer J. Simpson, when I can't pull for America, I pull for America Jr.
9 - Highly Favorable: Norway, Sweden, Denmark
Like Canada, they are always competitive in most every sport, and gracious in victory. When they have to be subjected to banal interviews from US reporters, they are polite, thoughtful and honest in their answers. Plus they speak better English then the reporter who asked the question. (Just imagine a Swede trying to politely understand questions from ESPNs Stewart Scott - pure comedy!). The only think keeping these two from being on Canada's level is they don't have to share a 3000 mile border with the USA.
8 - Favorable opinion: Spain and Australia
Typically, neither has a lot of Winter Game athletes, but when they do win, you can guarantee there will be a good party afterwards
7.5 - Denmark and Netherlands
Would be on equal par with Spain and Australia, but just don't think it would be as much fun after a win.
7 - Slightly Favorable: Japan and any long-shot country (e.g. Jamaican Bobsledders, Indian Lugers, etc).
I like the countries that overcome natural hindrances due to terrain to complete. As for the Japanese athletes, I feel like they have dedicated so much of their life into their training, that I just don't want to see them fail.
6 - UK
I think this where the ranking system needs a second dimension. I feel sorry for them, so I like them, but that is not the same as actively supporting them. The UK is almost never in danger of winning anything, so I kinda pull for them in a pathetic way. I just don't want to see them get embarrassed anymore.
5.5 - Middle of the Road: Germany and Czech Republic
I don't like em, I don't hate them. I have nothing more to say about either.
5 - Slightly Unfavorable: Austria, Korea and Switzerland
They win their medals in their one event every Olympics, and then they scurry back home. The won their toys and but they won't share.
4 - Slightly more Unfavorable: China
No specific gripe about Chinese athletes; this is more of a preemptive hatred based on when they will eventually start to dominate the winter games, too.
3 - Unfavorable: Bulgaria and Russia
I feel like both of these countries yearn for the good old days of the Empire where they had a sports machine that would crank out the worlds best athletes. I think if both had the resources, they would revert to that system. Instead, they have to make due with what vestiges of the factory they have remaining.
(2.5 - I imagine this is where the rest of the world would put the USA)
2 - Very Unfavorable: France
Slimy, arrogant athletes who look like the only reason they want to win is so they can use it to score with your wife or girlfriend.
1 - Most hated: Italy
Despised for the same reason we hate the French, but with an added bonus: they would cheat and get away with it. They are the like the bad boys of the pro-wrestling world; the team you love to hate. I was watching the cross country ski finals and the Italian Pietro Piller Cottrer was stuck behind a slower competitor, I half way expected his coach to distract the ref, while he struck the competitor with a wrench. I could almost hear the announcer say "Oh my goodness! How could they let this happen!!!"
All of this will is now moot of course. I'm back home and the USA is playing Canada in hockey today. Go USA!
