Olympic Medals or the Superbowl?

[dexternjack]

I pose a question to all. What would your choice be for an accomplishment, Olympic Gold or one Superbowl?

Think before you answer. For a gold medal, all of the world's eyes are upon you while our National anthem plays. For a Superbowl, you share that award with many others. There is a chance you are MVP, but doubtful.

When I ask this, I mean a relevant sport in the Olympics, not badminton, some equine sport, trampoline or ping-pong, etc, but a known sport such as skiing, track and field, swimming, whatever.

I get a little teary-eyed watching our athletes don that gold medal with our song playing, so I would choose a Gold medal, hands down. That is something me and my family would cherish forever. A NFL ring would be great too, but I don't think it compares IMO.

[TheCount]

The group of olympic winners is much more exclusive. I'd rather have an olympic medal than a superbowl ring. Brandon Jacobs has two superbowl rings.

It's kind of like asking if you'd rather walk on the moon or walk in the grand canyon. The Grand Canyon is great, but only 12 people have been to the moon.

[Sam I Am]

The group of olympic winners is much more exclusive. I'd rather have an olympic medal than a superbowl ring. Brandon Jacobs has two superbowl rings.

It's kind of like asking if you'd rather walk on the moon or walk in the grand canyon. The Grand Canyon is great, but only 12 people have been to the moon.

Actually, there are probably more Olympic metals that have been handed out than Superbowl rings.

You figure (after some Internet searching) there are about 86 metal events in the Olympics today. Times that by three means there are a minimum of 258 metals handed out. Due to the fact that many events are team events, even more metals than that are actually handed out. This doesn't take into account the Winter Olympics. So you've got to figure there are probably an average of *over* 300+ metals handed out every two years for the Olympics.

The NFL provides up to 150 Superbowl rings each year. So that would put them close to even, except for the fact that the Olympics have been going for far far longer. From what I've found, there are Olympics written records from 776 BC. The modern flavor of the Olympic games has been played since 1896.

Football like Basketball ans Soccar would probably be an Olympic event if the rest of the world actually played American football. The problem is, they don't.

[casmith07]

Olympic Gold in the 100m dash.

[notherbob]

Unless things have changed, Olympic gold medals are not gold but base metal that is thinly electroplated with gold so they have little intrinsic value. What you get is a prideful moment but no money. If you're a swimmer you get a lot of recognition but no endorsements. Nobody buys Speedos, caps, goggles or robes.

I understand they give money to olympians these days but when i was young you had to be wealthy or have some kind of prvate sponsor to go to the olympics. That is one of the reasons why I quit swimming, there was little incentive to continue except pride and I already had enough of that to last a lifetime.

Even so the Olympics are always fun to watch.

Life is good..

[CATCH17]

My pockets are probably a lot fatter if im a Superbowl winner.

Olympians couldn't be making a whole lot of money.

Give me the Superbowl.

[Sam I Am]

My pockets are probably a lot fatter if im a Superbowl winner.

Olympians couldn't be making a whole lot of money.

Give me the Superbowl.

:thumbup:

[03EBZ06]

If its an individual award, then I would go with Olympic Gold. However, if it's team award then Super Bowl Ring.

[DFWJC]

If it's
1) NFL scrub who gets a Super Bowl ring for being on the team
vs
2) Olympic Gold in any major event---100 meter, 200 meter hurdle, etc

I take the Olympic Gold.

If I'm the QB for a Super Bowl champ....give me that all day.

[Lonestar94]

I like football. Superbowl!

[WV Cowboy]

That one Female sprinter (Ross) who recently won Gold, is married to a two-time Super Bowl winner.

They have both in their trophy case, .. that's the way to do it.

[Phrozen Phil]

The group of olympic winners is much more exclusive. I'd rather have an olympic medal than a superbowl ring. Brandon Jacobs has two superbowl rings.It's kind of like asking if you'd rather walk on the moon or walk in the grand canyon. The Grand Canyon is great, but only 12 people have been to the moon.

That did it for me. I'll take the Olympic Gold.:D

[Phrozen Phil]

Unless things have changed, Olympic gold medals are not gold but base metal that is thinly electroplated with gold so they have little intrinsic value. What you get is a prideful moment but no money. If you're a swimmer you get a lot of recognition but no endorsements. Nobody buys Speedos, caps, goggles or robes.

I understand they give money to olympians these days but when i was young you had to be wealthy or have some kind of prvate sponsor to go to the olympics. That is one of the reasons why I quit swimming, there was little incentive to continue except pride and I already had enough of that to last a lifetime.

Even so the Olympics are always fun to watch.

Life is good..

Take a trip to some Eastern European beaches. Lots of Speedos on really ugly bodies.:ralph: There's your Speedo market.

[SkinsandTerps]

Depends on the person.

I ran track back in the day, and played football. I would prefer the ring over the medal.

Both are impressive, by any standards.

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

Gold Medal. There's nothing better than winning for your country.

[Denim Chicken]

Gold Medal. There's nothing better than winning for your country.

Depends on the event:

Super Bowl >>> Olympic Gold in Badmintom

[Muhast]

My pockets are probably a lot fatter if im a Superbowl winner.

Olympians couldn't be making a whole lot of money.

Give me the Superbowl.


Depending how good you are, some of the athletes make really good money. You are sponsored by multiple companies to wear their gear during the olympics, and if you do well: Apollo Ohno, Michael Phelps, Nastia Lukin, Shawn Johnson you can be sponsored well afterwards (subway is a big one for athletes) you also see them on TV shows like Dancing with the stars etc.

So while they won't make what an NFL star makes, they might be able to pull in close to what some NFL players make it in a year.

----------------------------
I agree with casmith, I'd take the olympic medal over the superbowl if it is in the 100m dash so I could be the fastest man in the world.

The Superbowl is a team award, you may have had a big role or a tiny role and you get a ring. The olympic medal is the ultimate individual accomplishment you can win in sports. You literally have the entire world watch you become the best in the world at that event. You get to stand on the podium and watch your flag and country be represented. There are no excuses in the olympics, you get one shot to make it through to the next round, and one shot to win in the finals. It's do or die, and if you lose you can't try again for 4 years. So most athletes have a 2-3 olympic window and that's it.

[ajk23az]

Olympic gold easily.

I would want one in either the 50m freestlye, 100m dash, kayaking (white water rafting), or 200m dash.

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

Depends on the event:

Super Bowl >>> Olympic Gold in Badmintom

Doesn't matter to me. I LOVE this country to death. Whenever I see Team USA playing for their country I get goosebumps. There's absolutely nothing better than representing my country and winning a Gold Medal.

[Duane]

I'd prefer an Olympic gold metal for an individual event.

[Denim Chicken]

Doesn't matter to me. I LOVE this country to death. Whenever I see Team USA playing for their country I get goosebumps. There's absolutely nothing better than representing my country and winning a Gold Medal.

Well, if you won the SB playing for america's team, you can have the best of both worlds.

[trickblue]

Superbowl... not even in question for me...

[davidyee]

Doesn't matter to me. I LOVE this country to death. Whenever I see Team USA playing for their country I get goosebumps. There's absolutely nothing better than representing my country and winning a Gold Medal.

...is possibly the most appealing part of the Olympics.

I think with both honours you can make money. More than enough to lead a life.

I can't think of too many moments in a person's life where you get to stand in the bright spotlight of public gaze with your country's flag wrapped around.

You would have to be wooden stick not to feel something in that situation.

Two years ago I attended the Vancouver Olympics with my daughter after she won a contest with McDonald's.

We spent a gala evening in the USA HQ talking with former and present US winter athletes. I can't begin to tell you how much competing in the Olympics means to these people.

For the ones we met at this gala one of the more interesting comments was how so many of them were reduced to tears at the time they realized they had won an Olympic medal.

I would place my vote on an Olympic medal.

[DallasCowpoke]

You are sponsored by multiple companies to wear their gear during the olympics,

Not DURING the Olympics they don't. Not unless it's a company/sponsor that's received expressed written consent and paid fees to the IOC. You don't see athletes walking around an Olympic city during those 16 days of comp, wearing their countries gear and a cap from "Joe's Goodyear Service Center in Schenectady". Google IOC Rule-40.

That said, high profile, successful Olympians clean-up financially and that's far from a recent development.

[Hoofbite]

My pockets are probably a lot fatter if im a Superbowl winner.

Olympians couldn't be making a whole lot of money.

Give me the Superbowl.

I dunno man.

I saw a thing that said Bolt was making like 20M this year.

[speedkilz88]

Unless things have changed, Olympic gold medals are not gold but base metal that is thinly electroplated with gold so they have little intrinsic value. What you get is a prideful moment but no money. If you're a swimmer you get a lot of recognition but no endorsements. Nobody buys Speedos, caps, goggles or robes.

I understand they give money to olympians these days but when i was young you had to be wealthy or have some kind of prvate sponsor to go to the olympics. That is one of the reasons why I quit swimming, there was little incentive to continue except pride and I already had enough of that to last a lifetime.

Even so the Olympics are always fun to watch.

Life is good..The United States actually gives a whopping $25,000 for winning the gold medal but they also tax close to $9,000 out of that. Rubio is actually trying to remove that tax as we speak.

Certain winners will make quite a bit in endorsements. Gabby Douglas is going to make millions. I doubt the skeet shooting gold medal winner makes nearly that much.

[Future]

World Cup ; )

[Hoofbite]

The question is kind of unclear.

If you get an olympic medal, you're one of the best in the world.

You can ride the coat tails of a team, never see the field and still get a SB ring.

Now, if you wanna talk catalyst of a SB champion I might go with that because you're brining your A game week in and week out over the course of months and through all different environments.

On a personal note, there aren't too many sports I'm all that interested in when it comes to the Olympics. I doubt you'd find me watching any single one if it were any other time of the year, basketball included. For that reason, I'm bias and leaning to SB.

[Vtwin]

This would be an interesting question to ask the members of the olympic team sports who also play in the pro leagues. Olympic gold or Stanley Cup?

[Muhast]

Not DURING the Olympics they don't. Not unless it's a company/sponsor that's received expressed written consent and paid fees to the IOC. You don't see athletes walking around an Olympic city during those 16 days of comp, wearing their countries gear and a cap from "Joe's Goodyear Service Center in Schenectady". Google IOC Rule-40.

That said, high profile, successful Olympians clean-up financially and that's far from a recent development.

I am referring more so to nike/puma/ speedo etc. they pay the athletes to wear the brand

[cowboyspride1980]

superbowl hands down

[Doomsday101]

I pose a question to all. What would your choice be for an accomplishment, Olympic Gold or one Superbowl?

Think before you answer. For a gold medal, all of the world's eyes are upon you while our National anthem plays. For a Superbowl, you share that award with many others. There is a chance you are MVP, but doubtful.

When I ask this, I mean a relevant sport in the Olympics, not badminton, some equine sport, trampoline or ping-pong, etc, but a known sport such as skiing, track and field, swimming, whatever.

I get a little teary-eyed watching our athletes don that gold medal with our song playing, so I would choose a Gold medal, hands down. That is something me and my family would cherish forever. A NFL ring would be great too, but I don't think it compares IMO.

Depends if it is in a team sport I would rather have a SB but when it comes down to individual accomplishment I think the Olympic gold means much more because those people know the hours they spent working and the sacrifices they make and it the end success or failure rest on you the individual