Failure in sucsess: A look at the United States' dominance when it comes to winning bronze in Sochi

In Sochi 2014, just 1 country has won more medals than the United States of America. The USA, having won 27 medals by the end of Saturday's events has been a mastermind of different trends these games some of which including a lack of distribution of medals throughout all events. Though they have dominated the sports of freestyle skiing (7 medals), snowboard (5 medals) and alpine skiing (5 medals), the US failed to medal in speed skating, flopped in their hockey tournaments when the lights were the brightest and was absolutely demolished in lesser sports such as ski jumping or curling. 

Additionally, these games were ones dominated by young or rookie Americans, namely Mikala Shiffren in slalom and Lolo Jones and Lauren Williams in bobsled.  

Yet through this all, one of the most peculiar trends was that regarding what color the USA's medals were. All and all, 11 of 27 medals were bronze. That translates out to roughly 40% of their haul earned as a result 3rd place finishes and their highest bronze medal percentage since 1988 in Calgary. That is 8 different games. 

Now for some, winning bronze is achievement enough. But at the same time, it can be treated as a consolation prize by others. It all depends on opinion and the number of outlets an athlete has to perform in and therefore it makes since why a bronze medal in hockey is treated as a table coaster and one in say moguls is treated like a key to lifelong prosperity. Good thing is that none of these 11 bronze medals have been won in hockey. 

As for the sports they have been won in included but not limited to sliding sports (bobsleigh, luge, skeleton), Super G skiing as well as freestyle skiing, one thing they all have in common is the appreciation for the work and sacrifice it took to win that medal.  

It is that self-respect and pride that I believe should be brought to all Olympic medal events and in cases like that of the 2014 men's hockey team it simply was not there. After the USA lost to Canada the day before, there was no interest in the bronze medal game against Finland and so, they lost. 

As we leave these games, we must look at this medal count and see the 11 3rd place finishes in the games not as a failure but as a true success and a testament that of all the millions of Olympic hopefuls and hundreds of actual Olympians, these bronze medalists were among the top 3.