Them people at the Associated Press have much bigger balls than economist Daniel Johnson and his team. Why? Because they not only predicted the number of medals that a national team will harvest in Vancouver, they are also predicting the individual medalists (see below). If that is not chutzpah, we don’t know what is.

But just because we are saying these AP guys and gals have big balls does not mean that we will not be mocking them if any of their predictions do not come true. After all, these kinds of very precise predictions are invitations for mockery, eh?

Anyhoo, here’s our prediction for the Vancouver Games: We predict that there will be more American crybabies. Wanna bet?

Associated Press Individual Winner Predictions

ALPINE SKIING

Men: Downhill
GOLD-Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Canada
SILVER-Michael Walchhofer, Austria
BRONZE-Didier Cuche, Switzerland

Super-G
GOLD-Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway
SILVER-Bode Miller, United States
BRONZE-Didier Defago, Switzerland

Slalom
GOLD-Ivica Kostelic, Croatia
SILVER-Reinfried Herbst, Austria
BRONZE-Giuliano Razzoli, Italy

Giant Slalom
GOLD-Benjamin Raich, Austria
SILVER-Max Blardone, Italy
BRONZE-Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway

Super-Combi
GOLD-Carlo Janka, Switzerland
SILVER-Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway
BRONZE-Julien Lizeroux, France

Women: Downhill
GOLD-Lindsey Vonn, United States
SILVER-Maria Riesch, Germany
BRONZE-Anja Paerson, Sweden

Super-G
GOLD-Lindsey Vonn, United States
SILVER-Anja Paerson, Sweden
BRONZE-Elisabeth Goergl, Austria

Slalom
GOLD-Marlies Schild, Austria
SILVER-Maria Riesch, Germany.
BRONZE-Sarka Zahrobska, Czech Republic

Giant Slalom
GOLD-Kathrin Zettel, Germany
SILVER-Tina Maze, Slovenia
BRONZE-Tanja Poutiainen, Finland

Super-Combi
GOLD-Maria Riesch, Germany
SILVER-Elisabeth Goergl, Austria
BRONZE-Lindsey Vonn, United States

BIATHLON

Women: 7.5K sprint
GOLD-Svetlana Sleptsova, Russia
SILVER-Helena Jonsson, Sweden
BRONZE-Olga Medvedtseva, Russia

10K pursuit
GOLD-Helena Jonsson, Sweden
SILVER-Magdalena Neuner, Germany
BRONZE-Anna Carin Olofsson-Zidek, Sweden

15K individual
GOLD-Helena Jonsson, Sweden
SILVER-Olga Medvedtseva, Russia
BRONZE-Anastasiya Kuzmina, Slovakia

12.5K mass start
GOLD-Kati Wilhelm, Germany
SILVER-Anna Carin Olofsson-Zidek, Sweden
BRONZE-Tora Berger, Norway

Relay
GOLD-Russia
SILVER-Sweden
BRONZE-Germany

Men
10K sprint
GOLD-Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Norway
SILVER-Emil Hegle Svendsen, Norway
BRONZE-Simon Fourcade, France

12.5K pursuit
GOLD-Evgeny Ustyugov, Russia
SILVER-Tim Burke, United States
BRONZE-Simon Eder, Austria

20K individual
GOLD-Simon Fourcade, France
SILVER-Christoph Sumann, Austria
BRONZE-Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Norway

15K mass start
GOLD-Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Norway
SILVER-Tomasz Sikora, Poland
BRONZE-Nikolay Kruglov, Russia

Relay
GOLD-Norway
SILVER-Russia
BRONZE-France

BOBSLED
Two-man
GOLD-Andre Lange and Kevin Kuske, Germany
SILVER-Ivo Rueegg and Cedric Grand, Switzerland
BRONZE- Beat Hefti and Thomas Lamparter, Switzerland

Four-man
GOLD-Steven Holcomb, Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curt Tomasevicz, United States
SILVER-Andre Lange, Rene Hoppe, Kevin Kuske and Martin Putze, Germany
BRONZE-Thomas Florschuetz, Ronny Listner, Richard Adjei and Andreas Barucha, Germany

Women
GOLD-Sandra Kiriasis and Berit Wiacker, Germany
SILVER-Shauna Rohbock and Michelle Rzepka, United States
BRONZE-Helen Upperton and Jennifer Ciochetti, Canada

CROSS COUNTRY

Women
10K freestyle
GOLD-Justyna Kowalczyk, Poland
SILVER-Marit Bjoergen, Norway
BRONZE-Charlotte Kalla, Sweden

Individual sprint, classical
GOLD-Petra Majdic, Slovenia
SILVER-Justyna Kowalczyk, Poland
BRONZE-Alena Prochazkova, Russia

15K pursuit
GOLD-Justyna Kowalczyk, Poland
SILVER-Evgenia Medvedeva, Russia
BRONZE-Kristin Stoermer Steira, Norway

Team sprint, freestyle
GOLD-Russia
SILVER-Slovenia
Bronze – Sweden

30K classical
GOLD-Virpi Kuitunen, Finland
SILVER-Petra Majdic, Slovenia
BRONZE-Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, Finland

Relay
GOLD-Norway
SILVER-Finland
BRONZE-Russia

Men
15K freestyle
GOLD-Lukas Bauer, Czech Republic
SILVER-Petter Northug, Norway
BRONZE-Vincent Vittoz, France

Individual sprint, classical
GOLD-Ola Vigen Hattestad, Norway
SILVER-Emil Joensson, Sweden
BRONZE-John Kristian Dahl, Norway

30K pursuit

GOLD-Petter Northug, Norway
SILVER-Dario Cologna, Switzerland
Bronze – Lukas Bauer, Czech Republic

Team sprint
GOLD-Norway
SILVER-Sweden
BRONZE-Russia

50K classical
GOLD-Maxim Vylegzhanin, Russia
SILVER-Tobias Angerer, Germany
BRONZE-Jens Arne Svartedal, Norway

Relay
GOLD-Norway
SILVER-Russia
BRONZE-Germany

CURLING
Men
GOLD-Canada
SILVER-Great Britain
BRONZE-Norway

Women
GOLD-Canada
SILVER-Sweden
BRONZE-Switzerland

FREESTYLE SKIING
Men

Aerials
GOLD-Jia Zongyang, China
SILVER-Anton Kushnir, Belarus
BRONZE-Qi Guangpu, China

Moguls
GOLD-Alexandre Bilodeau, Canada
SILVER-Dale Begg-Smith, Australia
BRONZE-Alexandr Smyshlyaev, Russia

SkiCross
GOLD-Tomas Kraus, Czech Republic
SILVER-Chris Del Bosco, Canada
BRONZE-Michael Schmid, Switzerland

Women
Aerials
GOLD-Li Nina, China
SILVER-Evelyne Leu, Switzerland
BRONZE-Guo Xinxin, China

Moguls
GOLD-Jennifer Heil, Canada
SILVER-Hannah Kearney, United States
BRONZE-Heather McPhie, United States

SkiCross
GOLD-Ashleigh McIvor, Canada
SILVER-Ophelie David, France
BRONZE-Anna Holmlund, Sweden

FIGURE SKATING

Pairs
GOLD-Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo, China
SILVER-Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, Germany
BRONZE-Pang Qing and Tong Jian, China

Men
GOLD-Evgeni Plushenko, Russia
SILVER-Evan Lysacek, United States
BRONZE-Patrick Chan, Canada

Ice Dance
GOLD-Meryl Davis and Charlie White, United States
SILVER-Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, Russia
BRONZE-Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Canada

Women
GOLD- Kim Yu-na, South Korea
SILVER-Mao Asada, Japan
BRONZE-Miki Ando, Japan

HOCKEY
Men
GOLD-Russia
SILVER-Canada
BRONZE-Sweden

Women
GOLD-Canada
SILVER-United States
BRONZE-Sweden

LUGE
Men
GOLD-Armin Zoeggeler, Italy
SILVER-David Moeller, Germany
BRONZE-Albert Demtschenko, Russia

Women
GOLD-Tatjana Huefner, Germany
SILVER-Natalie Geisenberger, Germany
BRONZE-Erin Hamlin, United States

Doubles
GOLD-Andre Florschuetz and Torsten Wustlich, Germany
SILVER-Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber, Italy
BRONZE-Andreas Linger and Wolfgang Linger, Austria

NORDIC COMBINED

Individual normal hill
GOLD-Jason Lamy Chappuis, France
SILVER-Magnus Moan, Norway
BRONZE-Felix Gottwald, Austria

Individual large hill
GOLD-Billy Demong, United States
SILVER-Jason Lamy Chappuis, France
BRONZE-Eric Frenzel, Germany

Team event
GOLD-United States
SILVER-Germany
BRONZE-Norway

SHORT TRACK
Men
500
GOLD-Charles Hamelin, Canada
SILVER-Sung Si-Bak, South Korea
BRONZE-Francois-Louis Tremblay, Canada

1,000
GOLD-Lee Jung-Su, South Korea
SILVER-Apolo Anton Ohno, United States
BRONZE-Sung Si-Bak, South Korea

1,500
GOLD-Lee Jung-Su, South Korea
SILVER-Charles Hamelin, Canada
BRONZE-Lee Ho-Suk, South Korea

5,000 Relay
GOLD-South Korea
SILVER-Canada
BRONZE-United States

Women
500
GOLD-Wang Meng, China
SILVER-Kalyna Roberge, Canada
BRONZE-Zhao Nannan, China

1,000
GOLD-Wang Meng, China
SILVER-Katherine Reutter, United States
BRONZE-Zhou Yang, China

1,500
GOLD-Zhou Yang, China
SILVER-Lee Eun-Byul, South Korea
BRONZE-Sun LinLin, China

3,000 Relay
GOLD-China
SILVER-South Korea
BRONZE-Canada

SKELETON
Men
GOLD-Jon Montgomery, Canada
SILVER-Frank Rommel, Germany
BRONZE-Martins Dukurs, Latvia

Women
GOLD-Mellisa Hollingsworth, Canada
SILVER-Shelley Rudman, Great Britain
BRONZE-Marion Trott, Germany

SKI JUMPING
Normal Hill
Gold – Thomas Morgenstern, Austria
Silver – Wolfgang Loitzl, Austria
Bronze – Adam Malysz, Poland

Large Hill
Gold – Gregor Schlierenzauer, Austria
Silver – Janne Ahonen, Finland
Bronze – Wolfgang Loitzl, Austria

Team event
Gold – Austria
Silver – Finland
Bronze – Switzerland

SNOWBOARDING
Men
Halfpipe
GOLD-Shaun White, United States
SILVER-Iouri Podladtchikov, Switzerland
BRONZE-Kazuhiro Kokubo, Japan

Snowboardcross
GOLD-Pierre Vaultier, France
SILVER-Nate Holland, United States
BRONZE-Alberto Schiavon, Italy

Parallel Giant Slalom
GOLD-Jasey Jay Anderson, Canada
SILVER-Simon Schoch, Switzerland
BRONZE-Andreas Prommegger, Austria

Women
GOLD-Gretchen Bleiler, United States
SILVER-Kelly Clark, United States
BRONZE-Torah Bright, Australia

Snowboardcross
GOLD-Dominique Maltais, Canada
SILVER-Lindsey Jacobellis, United States
BRONZE-Maelle Ricker, Canada

Parallel Giant Slalom
GOLD-Fraenzi Maegert-Kohli, Switzerland
SILVER-Alena Zavarzina, Russia
BRONZE-Doris Guenther, Austria

SPEEDSKATING
Men
500
GOLD-Lee Kyou-Hyuk, South Korea
SILVER-Joji Kato, Japan
BRONZE-Tucker Fredricks, United States

1,000
GOLD-Shani Davis, United States
SILVER-Mark Tuitert, Netherlands
BRONZE-Lee Kyou-Hyuk, South Korea

1,500
GOLD-Shani Davis, United States
SILVER-Denny Morrison, Canada
BRONZE-Chad Hedrick, United States

5,000
GOLD-Sven Kramer, Netherlands
SILVER-Enrico Fabris, Italy
BRONZE-Ivan Skobrev, Russia

10,000
GOLD-Sven Kramer, Netherlands
SILVER-Bob de Jong, Netherlands
BRONZE-Havard Bokko, Norway

Team Pursuit
GOLD-Netherlands
SILVER-Italy
BRONZE-Canada

Women
500
GOLD-Jenny Wolf, Germany
SILVER-Wang Beixing, China
BRONZE-Annette Gerritsen, Netherlands

1,000
GOLD-Christine Nesbitt, Canada
SILVER-Annette Gerritsen, Netherlands
BRONZE-Monique Angermueller, Germany

1,500
GOLD-Christine Nesbitt, Canada
SILVER-Kristina Groves, Canada
BRONZE-Ireen Wust, Netherlands

3,000
GOLD-Martina Sablikova, Czech Republic
SILVER-Stephanie Beckert, Germany
BRONZE-Ireen Wust, Netherlands

5,000
GOLD-Martina Sablikova, Czech Republic
SILVER-Kristina Groves, Canada
BRONZE-Stephanie Beckert, Germany

Team Pursuit
GOLD-Canada
SILVER-Germany
BRONZE-Netherlands

Canada’s hometown advantage will help it win the most medals in the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. Well, that’s not surprising really, all Olympic host nations benefit from a home-field advantage.

Anyhoo, here’s a prediction by economist Daniel Johnson and his team on how the top national Olympic teams will fare in the medal race.

The Vancouver Winter Games is still a year away but let’s start featuring some athletes who are expected to do well in their respective fields.

Olympic fans, meet Canadian hockey player Cherie Piper. Cherie joined the National Team in 2001 and has helped the team win a World Championship Gold medal in 2004 and Olympic gold medals in 2002 and 2006.

Awesome, eh?

If you will say something like that, we will be happy to include you in our honor list of people (Archbishop Desmond Tutu, etc) and institutions (Amnesty International, etc) who have an admirable human rights record.

If you will not say anything in 2010, we will include you in our list of poseurs who are bashing China’s human rights record but who were silent about the human rights violations committed by former Olympic host countries. You will be in good company. Our list currently includes Hillary Clinton (who will say anything to get elected), Angela Merkel, and other wannabe human rights advocates whose advocacies are cheapened by their selectiveness.

Will you rise up to the challenge, Elvis?

*****

The context for the above note: Two-time Olympic medallist Elvis Stojko says Canadian athletes should “make a stand” for human rights and think twice about heading to the Beijing Summer Games. Stojko made the comments during a rally protesting China’s human rights record outside the Ontario legislature. From CBC.ca