Jim Souhan: Americans 'Own the Podium' now

VANCOUVER — Take that, Canada, with your beautiful vistas and annoying politeness.

Take that, Austria, with your mountains and your (I'll leave this blank 'til I figure out what else Austria has).

Take that, Russia, even though we're really not mad at you these days any more than we're mad at the bully who tormented us in high school who's now working the drive-through window at the local greaseburger chain.

America is dominating the Winter Olympics, in sports most Americans watch no more than once every four years. It's like our country is one large geographic Joe Mauer, capable of winning games we learned over lunch.

Canada promised to "Own the Podium," but Americans are leasing with an option to buy.

When this edition went to press, the USA led the Winter Games medal count, with 23 total, including six golds. Germany had 14 and four, Norway 11 and five, and Canada, which spent $117 million to dominate on home ice, had eight and four.

"If I was a betting man, I would have put a lot of money on the Americans today," said speedskater Chad Hedrick, who finished sixth in his specialty, the 1,500 meters, on Saturday night in what he said was his last solo Olympic race.

Davis became the first American to win medals in consecutive Olympics in the 1,500 meters. Sitting next to the winner, Mark Tuitert of the Netherlands, Davis offered Tuitert praise and a handshake, and said failing to take gold could "keep me in this sport."

Saturday night, Apolo Anton Ohno became the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian ever, taking a seventh medal, the bronze in the short-track 1,000 meters.

Bode Miller's silver in the men's super-G gave him four Olympic Alpine skiing medals, the most ever by an American.

Americans Miller, Julia Mancuso and Lindsey Vonn have won multiple medals at these Olympics; only six times previously had American Alpine skiers won multiple medals at an Olympics.

Americans have won seven Alpine medals, two more than their previous high set in 1984, and the Alpine events aren't finished.

America won the Cold War. Who knew the U.S. could win so many snow skirmishes?

This is quite a redemption after the Turin Olympics, which, for the Americans, became about falling down and falling out.

In Turin, Miller embarrassed himself with his performances and prickliness, finishing without a medal, and Davis and Hedrick feuded. Vonn crashed. American Alpine skiers, toiling under the motto "Best in the World," managed two medals, to Austria's 14.

The ineptitude of the Austrians and Russians in Vancouver has left a void that Americans have rushed to fill.

"I've been a proud U.S. Olympic team member for eight years now," Hedrick said. "We always think that being on the Olympic team and representing your country is about you standing on top of the podium, but ... it's not about you, it's about the 300 million people at home watching you."