1.   American athletes shone at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, beating Russia and China in the overall medal count.

2.   As a result, most televised Olympic reports are nothing more than the winners, the scores and the medal count against a solid backdrop.

3.   Australia might finish as high as fourth in the medal count.

4.   Banned previously because of its policy of apartheid, South Africa made a dramatic entry, edging out the traditionally dominant Egypt in the medal count.

5.   A medal count of U.S.-trained foreign athletes would score heavily in the Olympic standings.

6.   But my bottom line is that this is not the time to be talking about medal counts.

7.   Cultivate this kind of motivational genius, and we could have one heck of a medal count.

8.   From the swimmers to the basketball team, the women have carved out more than their share of the U.S. medal count.

9.   Host nations in the Olympics often increase their medal counts.

10.   Host nations often increase their medal counts.