The USG should fund Team USA

"Unlike most other nations, the United States does not have a sports ministry. The USOC was reorganized by the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, originally enacted in 1978. It is a federally chartered nonprofit corporation and does not receive federal financial support (other than for select Paralympic military programs). Pursuant to the Act, the USOC has the exclusive right to use and authorize the use of Olympic-related marks, images and terminology in the United States. The USOC licenses that right to sponsors as a means of generating revenue in support of its mission."  Wiki on USIOC

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 IMO the Congress of the United States should act to create a sports ministry or an agency with the same function within the present government of the US.  I don't know how many countries make their Olympic teams scrounge for money to train, travel and live but the US should not be among them.

It is absurd that the strongest power on earth does not seriously spot and groom the young for world class competition.  It is equally absurd that working class families should undergo severe financial hardship in supporting athletes who will bring glory to the United States.

As to practicalities:

I would suggest application of the funds resulting from the present licensing of logos, etc to the new program as well as an ability for tax paying Americans to make a small contribution to this program in the income tax process.  This is now possible with regard to the raising of funds to support federal election campaigns.  IMO many Americans would gladly contribute $5 for such a purpose. 

The Department of Defense has many installations that either will be abandoned to the developers or that are presently empty. I suggest that some of these could be rehabbed and dedicated to the tenancy of the US Olympic Committee.   Governor's Island in New Youk Harbor might be one such place for summer sports.  Another could be found in the Rocky Mountains or Alaska.  pl 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Olympic_Committee

Comments

[b]

@Pat

you argued for a sports ministry. I think that is overkill and explained how sport promotion is done in Germany.

The Bundeswehr Sportbatallion has a total budget of some $25 million, i.e. peanuts. The USOC creates about three times that much as additional unused reserve per year. Let them use it for what their primary purpose is.

[turcopolier]

b

I prefer your system. USOC has too much money. I am suspicious about what they do with it. The original modern Olympians were all military people. it was a military sports fest. I remember talking to an NVA PW who had been made a Lt. for the purpose of participating in the Olympics in Tokyo. He was a marksman and had served a previous combat tour in SVN as a sergeant. he switched to our side. pl

[Bill H]

Walrus: You make excellent points and you have sold me.

Now that you mention it, a figure skater placed fourth in US Olympic qualifications, and third place was bumped to place her on the team because... Well, because she had a better reputation supposedly, or a better chance at medaling, or... Maybe she knew where a body was buried.

Enforcing it internationally is the rub.

[nick b]

ex-PFC Chuck,
Thank you for that. That was highly illuminating. After the interview, I went back and read the article she wrote for The Nation. It's also worth a read. http://www.thenation.com/article/178048/why-olympics-are-lot-hunger-games
Reading the article I ran across this: http://www.thearmywcap.com/
Which I had not been aware of before. Also worth looking into.
Thank you again.

[nick b]

As well as the Army, the Air Force also has a world class athlete program:
http://www.usafsports.com/wcap.htm
The Navy and Marines have a slightly different path, but are also involved in training Olympic athletes. The Marines have the National Caliber Athlete Program, and the Navy allows athletes to apply through the Navy Office of Sports, and if accepted will receive Olympic training.

[turcopolier]

nick b

Yes, i know that the services have training units, but they are for people who are already in the military. the German thing is different. pl

[Charles I]

Its a slow paced game of incredible intellectual challenge and strategy, in which they who have the most rocks closest to the button at the end of an "end" gets all those points, end to end, ten ends, 80 rocks. It is the only game I am aware of in which the "ball", upon launch, can have its trajectory continuously changed by post launch input by different players until it arrives at the "goalposts" - the house - and beyond. It is also the only game i know where the ball may be deliberately thrown to miss the net entirely, but rather block it, or other balls. I suppose bocci ball, which i have never played, may contain that element, but not that of independently retargetable warheads. That focus on the unfolding relationship between mind and rock is what gives the game its appeal to me now that I don't drink. It combines physics with intuition.

The first time you play it, you will likely be in pain and bow-legged the next day.

As to the women, who cares what the explanation is, just watch and enjoy the furious concentration. I find it compelling tho I can think of only one context in which I would wish to be the focus of it. Happened to turn the last few ends of the Canada U.S game the other night at 2.30 am and it was exquisite edge-of-the-couch nerve-wracking torture til the very last rock.

[optimax]

Government subsidies would have allowed my partner and me to continue our synchronized swimming aspirations. We may have even been the first male team to make the Olympics. We invented a move called the William Holden Sunset Strip Float.