The olympic games are over for another four years.  That is bad news for many american athletes, who wish they could stay in this moment....this mode of success forever.

The United States had perhaps it's best Olympic games ever.  At least in modern times.  They will never beat the percentage of the 1904 games in St Louis, when the US won 7 out of every 8 events.  It will also not surpass the success of the 1984 games in Los Angeles, but those games were without the countries in the Soviet Bloc.  But all things considered, this was as good as it gets.

The US won the medal count, and the gold medal count.  It was the most medals the US has ever won on foreign soil.  More importantly, the US dominated in the sports that, let's face it, REALLY matter in the Olympic summer games:  basketball, swimming and track and field events. 

The Chinese can have their table tennis, badminton and fencing medals.  The Brits can be all proud of their big wins in crew, cycling and equestrian.  Russia....those synchronized swimming, diving and rhythmic gymnastics medals will look great on your gulag mantle.  We americans let you have them.  Fact is, if those were events we actually cared about, we probably would have won most of them too.

As it was, the United States dominated in the pool, on the track, and on the courts.  In basketball, Spain made it difficult in the gold medal game, hanging in with the US most of the way, but the US proved to be too tough down the stretch, winning by less than ten.  Serena Williams dominated in womens tennis, taking home the gold on the grass courts at Wimbledon. 

In the pool, the men were led on the mens side by Michael Phelps with 4 more golds and 5 medals total.  On the womens side, Denver's Missy Franklin won four gold medals and 5 medals total.  Ryan Lochte chipped in with five total medals, while Nathan Adrian had two.  Alison Schmidt added five medals, including three golds, and Dana Vollmer chipped in with three more gold medals.

On the track, Usain Bolt once again proved he is still the fastest man in the world and won three more gold medals, but the US fared very well, especially on the womens side where Alyson Felix and Sanya Ross-Richards combined for five gold medals, and the US won numerous relays.  All in all, the US won 29 medals in track and field, compared to China's five, which turned a close medal count into a rout.

In general, the United States proved we still have the fastest people on earth over short distances, while the Kenyans proved they still have the fastest people on earth over long distances.  Well, they should.  Kenyans have to run 40 miles just to borrow a cup of sugar from their closest neighbor, and outrun big cats along the way.

In shooting, surprisingly the Koreans and Italians seemed to do the best.  I'm just waiting until they institute a "drive-by" shooting event in the Olympics.  THEN by gosh, we'll see some American dominance.

As for gymnastics, American women were the story.  The "fab five" US women (well "women" may be pushing it, they are really "girls") won team gold, while Gabby Douglas won the individual all-around.  Then McKayla Maroney won silver in the vault and Aly Raisman won medals in beam and floor. 

There were disappointments though.  Mainly in the ring.  For the first time in my memory at least, not a single US man won a medal.  This was definitely NOT 1976 all over again.  There were no Sugar Ray Leonards.  No George Foremans.  No Mark Brelands, Howard Davis', Leon Spinks' or Pernell Whitakers.  Nothing.  The US mens boxing team went 0-fer.  How far the sport of boxing has fallen.  It just shows again, how UFC and MMA have overtaken boxing in the american consciousness.

Overall though, you can't fault the performance of United States athletes.  46 gold medals overall--eight more than the Chinese.  104 total medals--compared to 88 for the Chinese.  Dominance in the pool, on the track and on the courts.  Great storylines, like Michael Phelps continued dominance, the US women's gymnastics success and Kobe, Lebron and Kevin Durant teaming up for US hoops gold. 

It has to make you proud to be an American.  To live and work in the best country in the world.  We are the best, the strongest, the most powerful and the most talented.  You can't do much better than that.  God bless America!

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