Auburn has more Olympic participants than 70% of all other countries

[AUChizad]

http://blog.al.com/goldmine/2008/08/auburns_olympic_contingent_put.html

Auburn's large Olympic contingent on world map
Posted by Charles Goldberg, Birmingham News August 08, 2008 7:58 AM
Categories: Olympics

Auburn fans may have to pull themselves away from football practice long enough to note the Olympics are beginning. Fans should watch because the Tigers have a vested interest in the international event.

Did you know that if Auburn was a nation, it would have the 65th largest contingent at the Games? It's true. Auburn has more athletes in Beijing than Georgia, the university, and almost as many as Georgia, the country. Auburn is in the upper percentile as the 65th largest "country" of the 205 nations participating.

Here's a story that I wrote in Friday's Birmingham News about all of that and the Tigers to watch, starring Huntsville's Margaret Hoelzer:
 

Swimmer Margaret Hoelzer doesn't know if she'll win Olympic gold in Beijing, but she knows what to expect.

An impromptu Auburn University alumni meeting is sure to break out.

Twenty-seven current, former or future Tigers will compete - a contingent so large that Auburn could be a nation unto itself, considering it would have the 65th-largest delegation among 205 countries.
Throw in a current coach, a former coach and two television commentators, and Auburn's influence is even greater.

Auburn athletes have won 14 gold medals since 1984. Hoelzer knows all about the tradition. She swam for the United States - and Auburn - in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and she gives Auburn one of its best chances to bring home gold this time after setting a world record in the 200-meter backstroke in June. She graduated from Auburn in 2005, but she's still a member of the club.

"It's really exciting to see so many friends," said Hoelzer, who comes from Huntsville. "One thing I think that is unique to Auburn is that we're such a family. It doesn't matter where we come from or what country or what state or wherever. That proves true in an international setting. We're all representing different countries and different teams, but, at the same time, we can all sit down and laugh and joke."

The 27 Auburn athletes represent 10 countries. Fifteen are swimmers. Twelve compete in track and field.

Besides Hoelzer, Auburn's best medal chances may come from Mark Gangloff, who won a gold medal in 2004 in the 400 swimming medley. He's in that event and the 100 breaststroke this time.

In track, look for Maurice Smith, who was the silver medalist in the decathlon in the 2007 World Championships for Jamaica; Kerron Stewart, who is ranked second in the world in the 100 and 200 meters while running for Jamaica; and Donald Thomas, who won the high jump at the 2007 World Championships for the Bahamas.

Auburn's Cesar Cielo will compete in four swimming events. He'll swim for Brazil and is a world-class sprinter.

Fred Bousquet will swim in three events for France, and Jeremy Knowles will swim in three events for the Bahamas.

Kirsty Coventry won a swimming silver and bronze for Zimbabwe in 2004. She is a former teammate of Hoelzer's at Auburn. Coventry will swim in four events, including against Hoelzer in a 100 backstroke prelim.

Hoelzer's specialty was supposed to be the 100. But she surprised herself in the 200 in a world-record time of 2:06.09.

"Maybe some people can predict things like that, but for me, I certainly wouldn't say I was anticipating a world record.

"I knew the capability was there, and the possibility, but it's definitely something you can't take for granted."

Hoelzer arrived early in Beijing and will stay throughout the event.

"This is something I've looked forward to," she said. "I'm staying."

[Townhallsavoy]

War damn eagle. 

I love being an Auburn grad and an Auburn fan.  I truly believe we're God's chosen fanbase.  Mostly because the grass is green in Auburn, but also for other reasons like this. 

[WarEagleJim]

I heard that the other day. Pretty d@mn cool.

[War Eagle!!!]

I heard that the other day. Pretty d@mn cool.

Welcome Jim. FYI...you aren't edited here so if you want to say "damn" go right fucking ahead!!! And fist someone's dog or something...

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

I heard that the other day. Pretty d@mn cool.

Good to see new people post!  :thumbsup:  Welcome and keep it coming! ...and YES, it's is pretty DAMN cool! 

[Jumbo]

I heard that the other day. Pretty d@mn cool.

That is damn cool, Welcome Jim and post often.

[fred]

Olympics are for fags. Oooooh swimmers!!!!!!!!

Y'all gonna have a parade for this too?

[AUChizad]

If you want to keep up on this stuff, here's the link.

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/080908aaa.html

Currently, the "country of Auburn" is in 11th place int he world in the medal count. At one point we were 7th.

[chinook]

Welcome Jim. FYI...you aren't edited here so if you want to say "damn" go right fucking ahead!!! And fist someone's dog or something...

something tells me WarEagleJim may never post again.

[The Prowler]

Something tells me that little fred is fucking Jealous.......How many does uat have in the Olympics?  I saw a Fat Sow on one of the Diving Teams from Canada, is she tied to the uat "Machine"?

[AUChizad]

They actually just realized four more Olympic swimmers were AU grads, which brings the count to 33. I don't know where that ranks us now in terms of participants, but we have tallied seven medals which would put us at 10th in the world, tied with Great Britain, The Netherlands, and North Korea!

[Pell City Tiger]

Olympics are for fags. Oooooh swimmers!!!!!!!!

Y'all gonna have a parade for this too?

What a dick. If you weren't an acquaintance of Howard's, I'd swear you were BamaPerry.

[AUChizad]

They actually just realized four more Olympic swimmers were AU grads, which brings the count to 33. I don't know where that ranks us now in terms of participants, but we have tallied seven medals which would put us at 10th in the world, tied with Great Britain, The Netherlands, and North Korea!

WTF?
They deleted the post for today. Maybe it contained a misprint?

[AUChizad]

Pretty cool link that shows Auburn's total medal count.

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/ot/08-medalists.html

[fred]

Something tells me that little fred is fucking Jealous.......How many does uat have in the Olympics?  I saw a Fat Sow on one of the Diving Teams from Canada, is she tied to the uat "Machine"?

You and your pussy swimmers don't scare me.  "ooh, I can flop around in the water like a little fucking mermaid"  big deal.  when your school puts out real men like this one for the olympics then you can talk your shit, stupid barners.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080812/NEWS/264305292

[AUTailgatingRules]

You and your pussy swimmers don't scare me.  "ooh, I can flop around in the water like a little fucking mermaid"  big deal.  when your school puts out real men like this one for the olympics then you can talk your shit, stupid barners.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080812/NEWS/264305292

So Fred is now a Shelton State fan. 

[Snaggletiger]

If you don't have a winner to pull for, find some obscure ass boxer at Shelton State and jump on that bandwagon. 

[DnATL]

So Fred is now a Shelton State fan. 

Maybe that's his alma mater?  (assuming they offer GED or perhaps remedial adult education / vocational classes)

[Kaos]

Maybe that's his alma mater?  (assuming they offer GED or perhaps remedial adult education / vocational classes)

They do.  I developed software programs that manage those aspects of their program.