SB Nation Minnesota - London Olympics 2012: Team USA Took Home Top Honors In Medal Counthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48959/mn-fave.png2012-08-13T16:34:24-05:00http://minnesota.sbnation.com/rss/stream/29449742012-08-13T16:34:24-05:002012-08-13T16:34:24-05:00London Olympics 2012: The Most-Watched Event In U.S. Television History, According To NBC
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<p>Despite the constant chatter about frustrating tape-delays and uneven coverage, NBC has announced that the 2012 London Olympics is the most-viewed event in U.S. television history, as<a href="http://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/235113337527087104"> ESPN's Darren Rovell </a>reports. Roughly 219.4 million Americans tuned into the Olympics on NBC at some point over the past two-plus weeks.</p>
<p>NBC opted to broadcast many of the key events from London, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, on tape delay, much to the chagrin of people around the country. Viewers often made their complaints loud and clear through social media and the like, but they still turned on their televisions in droves.</p>
<p>Those tuning into the Games were treated to some truly fantastic stories, from Usian Bolt to Michael Phelps to the U.S. women's soccer team, so it's not surprising that so many Americans took it in. Even with the events streaming live online, people took to their televisions in record numbers.</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: bottom; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Stay with <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/7/24/3180933/london-olympics-2012-minnesota-participants" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #113d85; font-weight: bold;">this StoryStream</a></i><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> for more London coverage, and head over to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/london-olympics-2012" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #113d85; font-weight: bold;">SB Nation's Olympic hub</a> for more analysis on the 2012 Summer Games.</i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/8/13/3240493/london-olympics-2012-television-ratings-recordSatchel Price2012-08-13T14:02:05-05:002012-08-13T14:02:05-05:00Kevin Love, Olympic Gold Medalist And Part-Time Party Pooper
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<p><span>Kevin Love</span> is one of quite a few locals to earn themselves gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics -- the Minnesota Lynx trio cleaned up as well, <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/8/13/3239220/london-olympics-2012-medal-count-minnesota/in/2944974" target="_blank">among others</a> -- but he didn't have fun celebrating like the rest of them.</p>
<p>In fact, he didn't really even celebrate. At all.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1157172/iEXieArOu2THl.gif"><img alt="Iexiearou2thl_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1157172/iEXieArOu2THl.gif"></a></p>
<p>Okay, so this gif -- <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012/8/13/3239409/kevin-love-dance-gif-team-usa-basketball" target="_blank">provided to us by Tom Ziller</a> by way of <a href="http://blogs.thescore.com/tbj/2012/08/13/video-kevin-love-ruins-team-usas-dance-party/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">The Basketball Jones</a> -- does show that maybe he was going to do something resembling the chicken dance before he just kind of folds his arm in disgust, but we're not going to count that since he didn't even get to the part where you do the whole Twist thing, you know?</p>
<p><i>For more on the Olympics, check out </i><a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/7/24/3180933/london-olympics-2012-minnesota-participants" target="_blank">SB Nation Minnesota's own hub</a><i> to find out how all of the local participants did as well as <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/london-olympics-2012">SB Nation's London 2012 Olympics hub</a> for a more global look.</i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/8/13/3240155/kevin-love-olympic-gold-medalist-and-part-time-party-pooperScott Schroeder2012-08-13T09:01:10-05:002012-08-13T09:01:10-05:00With London Olympics Completed, What Are We Looking Forward To In Sochi?
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<figcaption>Way better mascot than London. Way better.</figcaption>
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<p>The summer games are over. Thankfully. It is now time to turn our eyes to the real Olympics, those that happen in the cold.</p> <p>The 2012 Summer Olympics in London have officially wrapped up. Well, at least we think they have, there may still be games that NBC is waiting to air on tape delay, and promote their newest terrible sitcom, next week for all we know. If we believe the prevailing theory that the closing ceremonies mark the actual end of the Olympiad, then we can move forward with life, accept that the Olympics are over, thank our lucky stars, and look forward.</p>
<p>Yes, the summer games are much more conducive to Americans winning medals than are the winter games. Americans like to watch Americans win things. Thus the reason NBC could air the games six weeks after they happened and still get record ratings. Americans just don't care when Americans win, so long as Americans win.</p>
<p>To clarify: Americans like watching Americans win in warm weather. The sheer image of snow makes American patriotism shrivel up faster than George Costanza in a pool.</p>
<p>Sochi, Russia will host the winter games in 2014. If we took a poll of Americans, my bet is that 99.999% of Americans don't have a clue where Sochi is, and if they are not given the country, would likely place it in South East Asia. "Somewhere in Vietnam?" would be the answer on Jay Leno's Jay Walking segment. See how that works, NBC? That's how you properly work in product placement.</p>
<p>However, the summer games really are over, so let's take a look at what we are looking forward to in Sochi:</p>
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<li> <b>No running events</b> - Seriously. If I wanted to watch people run, I would go to any lake in the Twin Cities. Watching people run is about as exciting as watching paint dry on growing grass. Does anyone have any chocolates? </li>
<li> <b>No swimming events</b> - Water based events are truly exciting under one of two conditions - either Michael Phelps is the known winner, or the water is frozen solid and people are screaming down it in a helmet and tights, or skating on it and scoring goals. No exception.</li>
<li> <b>No dressage</b> - This has got to be one of the biggest travesties of the summer Olympics. How is any event in which a trained, soulless animal does all the work and gets none of the credit an Olympic sport, while baseball isn't even involved. Wait... that's a bad example...</li>
<li> <b>More complaining about tape delayed events</b> - Sochi is 9 hours ahead of the central time zone. An event in prime time in Sochi would be on the air live in Minneapolis at around 10AM. In other words, during the work day. We will get to watch a pre-packaged, no drama, lame attempt to drum up patriotic fervor. And NBC will likely get record numbers once again. Likely not for their sitcom, though.</li>
<li> <b>More complaining about the coverage as a whole on NBC</b> - The only thing Americans like more than watching Americans win is complaining about the broadcast while Americans win. "Could these announcers <i>be</i> any worse?"</li>
<li> <b>Real sports will be involved</b> - by real sports, I mean hockey. When Americans think of games we play in the summer, what comes to mind? Baseball. Is baseball in the Olympics? Nope, but dressage is. At least the winter games include the games people actually play during that season.</li>
<li> <b>More complaining about women's hockey</b> - Don't like women's hockey? I have a tip for you. Don't watch it. The call from many journalists two years ago was for hockey to be removed from the Olympics, because the US and Canada are the only teams that ever win. First of all, if that's what we are basing this on, we need to ban the summer games. The US has won over 2400 medals in the summer. Next closest? Russia with about 1100. Maybe if we allowed the women to ride horses and dance pretty, people could accept it as an Olympic event.</li>
<li> <b>More IOC idiocy</b> - The International Olympic Committee is the most backwards thinking, ridiculous professional organization of the planet. Unless, of course, you count the Edmonton Oilers as a professional organization, in which case the IOC falls to second. Waiting for the IOC to screw something up is far more dramatic than waiting for the games themselves.</li>
<li> <b>Two words </b>- Lindsey Vonn</li>
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<p>What are you looking forward to in Sochi?</p>
<p><i>Oh, and for those wondering, Sochi is on the Black Sea, north of the Middle East, near the border with the Republic of Georgia. No, not the state. Now you're prepped for the Tonight Show, with Jay Leno. (See NBC, it's not that difficult.)</i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/8/13/3238777/london-olympics-2012-recap-sochi-2014Bryan Reynolds2012-08-13T07:45:42-05:002012-08-13T07:45:42-05:00London Olympics Medal Count: Minnesotans Help Team USA Reign Supreme
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<p>The 2012 London Olympics went about as well as they could for the majority of Minnesota's athletes considering <span>Kevin Love</span>, Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen and Maya Moore will all return stateside with gold medals. The success athletes representing Minnesota had in London was replicated by Team USA, too, as the Americans led the final medal count.</p>
<p>Team USA ended up winning 104 total medals in London, including 46 gold, edging out China for top honors as they finished with 87 total medals -- including 38 golds. The top five was rounded out with Russia, Great Britain and Germany.</p>
<p>Apart from the basketball players mentioned above, Minnesotan's that helped Team USA to the medal lead included Lindsey Berg in women's indoor volleyball (silver), Rachel Bootsma in the 400 meter medley relay (gold), Kelci Bryant in the 3 meter synchronized diving competition (silver), Megan Kalmoe in quad sculls rowing (bronze) and fencer Susie Scanlan in team epee (bronze).</p>
<p>For a complete breakdown, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2012/medals/tracker/?xid=sbnation">Sports Illustrated's medal count tracker</a>.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Olympics, check out <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/london-olympics-2012" target="_blank">SB Nation's London 2012 Olympics hub</a>.</i></p>
<p>And now let's watch the final 8-bit medal count video. Enjoy!</p>
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https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/8/13/3239220/london-olympics-2012-medal-count-minnesotaScott Schroeder2012-08-12T19:43:35-05:002012-08-12T19:43:35-05:00London Olympics 2012: U.S. Medal Count Tops All For Ffith Straight Games
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<p>When it comes to the 2012 Summer Olympics athletes from the University of Minnesota were among the most successful in the Big Ten. Athletes that are either currently or formerly on Big Ten teams won a total of 27 medals at the Olympics, and four of them came from former Golden Gophers. As Off Tackle Empire notes, Minnesota was one of just three schools <a href="http://www.offtackleempire.com/2012/8/12/3238171/b1g-in-london-2012">to have two gold medalists</a>:</p>
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<h3><b>Minnesota</b></h3>
<p><b>GOLD<br></b>Lindsay Whalen - USA Women's Basketball<br>Barbora Spotakova - Czech Republic Women's Javelin</p>
<p><b>SILVER<br></b>Kelci Bryant - USA Women's Diving: 3m Synchronized Springboard<br>Lindsey Berg - USA Women's Volleyball</p>
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<p>Whalen was part of a women's USA basketball team that continued a string of dominance that goes back to the 1996 games in Atlanta. As a percentage, Minnesota had the highest percentage of athletes that medaled in the Big Ten, as four of its five athletes will return home with a medal.</p>
<p>All-in-all, Minnesota athletes greatly helped the United States earn 104 medals. Seimione Augustus and Maya Moore of the Lynx were part of the women's basketball gold medal win. Susie Scanlan won bronze with the United States women's team épée in fencing. Finally, Megan Kalmoe won bronze in women's quadruple sculls rowing.</p>
<p><i>Stay with <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/7/24/3180933/london-olympics-2012-minnesota-participants">this StoryStream</a></i><i> for more London coverage, and head over to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/london-olympics-2012">SB Nation's Olympic hub</a> for more analysis on the 2012 Summer Games.</i></p>
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https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/8/12/3238534/2012-team-usaTravis Miller2012-08-12T15:38:43-05:002012-08-12T15:38:43-05:00Final Medal Count 2012: Team USA Easily Wins Overall Medal Race At Summer Games
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<p>To cap off a brilliant performance at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Team USA wrapped up a complete domination of the rest of the world on Sunday by reigning supreme in the overall medal count.</p>
<p>With 104 total medals amassed, including 46 gold, in just 302 events, the Americans were hands down the most prolific country from London, as only China and Russia were able to mound a respectable fight for the overall lead. A gold medal in men's basketball in a hotly-contested game on Sunday ultimately signaled the end of the United States' successful trip overseas, as both the men's and women's squads from Team USA claimed a first-place finish on the hardwood.</p>
<p>Here are the results of the <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2012/medals/tracker/?xid=sbnation">final medal count</a>:</p>
<p>1. <b>United States, 104</b> (46 gold, 29 silver, 29 bronze)</p>
<p>2. <b>China, 87</b> (38, 27, 22)</p>
<p>3. <b>Russia, 82</b> (24, 25, 33)</p>
<p>4. <b>Great Britain, 65</b> (29, 17, 19)</p>
<p>5. <b>Germany, 44</b> (11, 19, 14)</p>
<p><i>Stay with <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/7/24/3180933/london-olympics-2012-minnesota-participants">this StoryStream</a></i><i> for more London coverage, and head over to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/london-olympics-2012">SB Nation's Olympic hub</a> for more analysis on the 2012 Summer Games.</i></p>
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https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/8/12/3238175/final-medal-count-2012-london-results-team-usa-medals-winner-olympicsDave Ryan2012-08-12T11:18:09-05:002012-08-12T11:18:09-05:00London Olympics 2012: Team USA Takes Men's Basketball Gold Medal Over Spain, 107-100
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<p>The United States proved once again that it is the best basketball nation in the world on Sunday from London, as Team USA's men's squad reigned supreme over Spain in the gold medal game, 107-100.</p>
<p>Against a tough Spanish team featuring a number of dangerous interior players, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love once again proved pivotal in the victory with nine points and nine rebounds. Matching his output from Friday's semifinal victory over Argentina, Love was strong on the glass en route to snatching three offensive rebounds despite playing just 18 minutes in the contest.</p>
<p>After wrapping up the first quarter with an eight point lead, the Americans played dead even basketball with the Spaniards over the following two quarters, and held a narrow 83-82 lead heading into the fourth. In the end, though, Team USA's scoring trio of Kevin Durant (30 points), LeBron James (19 points) and Kobe Bryant (17 points) was simply too much firepower for Spain to overcome down the stretch.</p>
<p>To cap off an impressive tournament where they quite literally roughed up teams from the perimeter, the Americans drained 15 three-pointers on Sunday compared to just seven for Spain. With a gold medal in both the men's and women's events this year, it's clear that the United States remains a step ahead of the rest of the world on the hardwood.</p>
<p><i>Stay with <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/7/24/3180933/london-olympics-2012-minnesota-participants">this StoryStream</a> for more coverage of local athletes in London, and be sure to check out <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/london-olympics-2012">SB Nation's Olympic hub</a> for more news from the Summer Games.</i></p>
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https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/8/12/3237677/london-olympics-2012-team-usa-gold-mens-basketball-spain-medal-game-recapDave Ryan2012-08-12T10:12:01-05:002012-08-12T10:12:01-05:002012 London Olympics: USA Men's Basketball Leads Spain By One At Half
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<p>Through its seven games at the 2012 Olympics, the US Men's Basketball team has made a habit of letting teams hang around before pulling away with sheer firepower, and Sunday's gold medal game against Spain has been no different.</p>
<p>The US leads Spain, 59-58, at halftime, but the big story thus far: fouls. Spain's coach left <span>Marc Gasol</span> in after he picked up his third foul with more than six minutes remaining in the second quarter, but Marc picked up his fourth foul with more than half the quarter still remaining. It's a big loss for the Spaniards--they'll likely be without the younger Gasol for much of the second half and will need big minutes from <span>Serge Ibaka</span> and Fernando Reyes.</p>
<p>Both teams have combined to make 34 field goals, while 33 fouls have been called all told. Spain is getting the recipe needed to beat the US--hot three-point shooting and strange refereeing--and they still trail.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Timberwolves</a>' <span>Kevin Love</span> turned in nine points and six rebounds (5/6 FT) in the first half, while <span>Kevin Durant</span> leads the US with 17 points. Spain's <span>Juan Carlos Navarro</span>, who'd made only six threes all tournament, made his first three attempts and leads all scorers with 19, while <span>Rudy Fernandez</span> has 12.</p>
<p><i>For more coverage of today's final events, stick with this </i><a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/7/24/3180933/london-olympics-2012-minnesota-participants">StoryStream</a><i>, or head over to SBNation's </i><a href="http://sbnation.com/london-olympics-2012">Olympics hub</a><i>.</i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/8/12/3237572/2012-london-olympics-usa-mens-basketball-spain-gold-medalFoster Lander