Team USA: Americans Don't Care About Athletes Who Represent Them, So Why Bother?

As I watched Team USA in the podium proudly with goosebumps and all, seeing their faces and seeing how proud they were for what they were able to achieve for MY country. Something dawned on me and I started to wonder.

Does America really care about the fact that it just won a prestigious world championship? Or are they monitoring how well their fantasy league team is doing? Do we really deserve the honor that these fine young athletes just fought hard for?

Less known to most Americans is the fact that the Olympics is but an event.

World Championships are THE events.

The only reason the Olympics are matter is because the media coverage provides the athletes with some exposure that they would not be getting when they compete in the events that really matter to them.

Seriously, do you think Brazil would trade its World Cups for Olympic Gold Medals?

Plain and simple, Americans do not care about athletes who represent their country. At least not as much as other countries do.

Normally, such an accomplishment would mean coming home to people waiting in the airport, a victory parade and a courtesy call from their country’s leader.

However today, they come home with very little fanfare as they prepare for training camp which is only a few weeks away.

Americans care more about their local pro sports teams and collegiate athletes.

They would rather have their star athletes skip an event to represent their country to rest their bodies and avoid injuries. Make sure they are healthy enough to play for the local teams they cheer for.

Even in professional sports, other countries will still stand behind their countrymen.

In tennis, Spaniards are proud to call Rafael Nadal one of theirs. Swiss are equally as proud of Roger Federer.

In Boxing, Manny Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines.

All of England flies in to Las Vegas to see Ricky Hatton, The Puerto Rican community will fill up Madison Square Garden for Miguel Cotto and Mexicans will always fill up a stadium whenever one of their own fights.

Will the typical American even know who Andre Ward, Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander are? That they are World Champions?

The Lakers will be visiting the White House for beating the Celtics.

So a franchise that brought honor to Los Angeles will be honored in Washington DC for beating a team from Boston. How does that make sense?

Did Andre Ward get such an honor when he brought the WBA Championship back to the United States when beat Mikkel Kessler?

How about Bode Miller when he won a few world cups for Alpine Skiing?

The United States are the world champions of basketball. There were a lot of questions and doubt about this team. People said they were too small, too young, and too inexperienced with the FIBA rules.

But they proved all their critics wrong. They proudly wore the colors of their country, worked hard, and put their bodies on the line so they could bring home the gold.

Seeing how they worked so hard and poured their hearts out, I wished they won the gold for a country that would give them the appreciation they deserve.

Point and case living in Washington DC, it was more important here that the Redskins beat the Cowboys.