The guys at madmariner.com, which bills itself as the internet’s “daily sailing newspaper” … commissioned a wrapup story on the U.S. Sailing effort here at the Beijing Olympics.

The sailors were down at Qingdao, 300 miles away, and the Yanks managed only a gold and a silver, which apparently has agitated some folks in the general U.S. sailing (small “s”) community.

In my madmariner piece, which appeared on the web Sunday, I talked to the two Yanks who medaled, as well as Team Leader (and U.S. Sailing Olympics honch) Dean Brenner, all of whom defended the U.S. effort.

I actually found myself interested in the topic — which is always nice when you’re writing about something.

It turns out that sailing may have been the last corner of the U.S. Olympic program to approach the Summer Games on a professional level. Before this Olympics, it was mostly talented amateurs showing up and hoping things worked out, and often they did.

The results weren’t really there, at this regatta, in part because winds down at Qingdao were stronger than they are, historically, and that caused issues for boats and sails designed for light air.

But one of the medalists insists (insists!) that we can expect big things from U.S. sailors in coming Olympics, even as soon as 2012.