Going for the Gold

As the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games draw to a close, the United States once again topped all other countries in total medal count. Athletes such as Bode Miller, Shaun White, and Lindsey Vonn made headlines across the country by becoming the best in the world and standing atop the podium to receive the gold. But what about the other American Olympians - the ones we never hear about? Don't they deserve some media attention too?

As everyone knows, the media has its favorites. Numerous Olympic athletes are featured in magazines, newspapers, and television commercials before, during, and after the games. But what I've noticed is that the same select few athletes appear in the nation's media over and over again. These athletes get the most media coverage despite the outcome of their events. If they are victorious, they are praised for their accomplishment and if they lose, some excuse is given as to why they did not succeed.

America produces some of the greatest athletes in the world. American athletes compete in nearly every event of the Olympics. The bitter reality of the Olympics is that only three medals are awarded in each event. Many athletes do not place and therefore go unnoticed. These "lesser-known" Olympic athletes put in the same effort, training, and preparation for the games; however they do not receive nearly as much media attention.

Sure, these athletes do not receive the same glorified outcome as their fellow countrymen, however, they are still among the greatest athletes in the world. They should also receive media attention and praise for all of their hard work and dedication. I'm not saying that they should get the same recognition as the medal winners, but at least some media coverage is deserved.

Does the name Stacey Cook sound familiar? What about Lindsey Vonn? Of Course you have heard of Lindsey Vonn. Her name was plastered all over the 2010 Vancouver Games. She was featured in Sport's Illustrated, numerous advertisements, and appeared in many news interviews. It is less likely that you have heard of Stacey Cook. Believe it or not, she skied in the same downhill event that Vonn medaled in. But she was not a media favorite and therefore received no news coverage. Cook did not medal, but she's got to be pretty darn good to be skiing in the Olympics. (Cook placed eleventh in the event.) I think its time that we give all of our Olympic athletes a fair share of the spotlight.

I am not trying to take any glory away from our medal winners. They put forth a massive amount of hard work and dedication and are fully deserving of their medals. I simply feel that we should pay a little more attention to the other athletes instead of jumping ahead and picking favorites. When the summer Olympics roll around, I will be cheering on every American underdog and lesser-known athlete.