While the Americans had eight fourth-place finishes and finally broke their Olympic jinx in the luge, there were disappointing results in Alpine skiing, bobsledding, Nordic combined, even snowboarding, an American invention. Americans are better at sweating than shivering. At the Summer Olympics, our track athletes, swimmers, gymnasts and basketball players star in the glamour sports. Perhaps the simplest explanation comes from Johann Olav Koss, the Norwegian speedskating star of the 1994 Olympics. As a boy, Koss skied 2 miles to school.
Winter sports are part of our culture.
There's a great tradition. Everybody follows speedskating, skiing, ski jumping. They know the lap times and the world records by heart. Norway basks in Olympic glory Norway is stunned, delighted and more than a little amazed after these Olympics. It is leaving with new heroes and bigger dreams.