Beijing disappointment: U.S. will be No. 2 in gold-medal race (via Drudge)

When U.S. Olympics officials return to their Colorado headquarters, they'll look at how to better spend their resources in the run-up to the 2012 London games, how to better use their athlete training centers and perhaps how to draw more government funding, Roush said. The U.S. track and field program will undergo a "comprehensive review" after the games, the program's chief executive officer, Doug Logan, announced on his blog.

Ueberroth said more attention would be paid to sports such as track cycling where U.S. athletes "don't show up at all."

Roush said more Americans need to get behind their athletes.

"You have a question of unlimited need and limited resources," Roush said. "We need our country to support our team."

For Corey Cogdell, U.S. bronze medal winner in trap shooting, this year's second-place gold medal finish will motivate the United States to claw back on top of the Olympic heap.

"We need to continue to work harder and strive for perfection," Cogdell said. "We need to be able to be on top of the world."

Wounded pride and nationalism... why do "we" need to be on top of the world with respect to the Olympics? Why should public funds be spent for the purpose of vanity, when there are more urgent problems?