For a while it's been suggested that part of China's 2012 Olympics strategy—its London Olympics metagame, I guess—involved maximizing competitiveness in the events that offered the most medals per capita, among them women's weightlifting and its variety of weight classes. So far that strategy's begun to pay off; of their six gold medals, two are in women's shooting, where they also have a silver and a gold, and one is in women's weightlifting, where they also have a silver.

America might have an advantage in the most visible sports, like men's basketball, but those dozen multimillionaire athletes will only be able to bring home one gold medal—if everything breaks right. So the next time you find yourself on The Nashville Network by accident, stunned that it's not only still on the air but broadcasting the co-ed trampoline archery finals, don't laugh or change the channel; you're watching Olympic Moneyball at work.

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