Olympic sports I just dont "get"

[Bobbles]

OK OK! We can get rid of tennis, basketball, and baseball because they are basically high-paying pro sports.

But we have to add racquetball and squash.

For fun we can add horseshoes. darts and skeeball!

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by Jimbo
I think they should eliminate any sport where the Olympics isn't the sport's most important meet. For example, tennis. Do you think tennis players are more fired up about the upcoming US Open or going for the gold medal? Since the answer is the US Open, get rid of tennis as an Olympic sport.

In this case get rid of the US Open as Wimbledon is still considered the most important tournament of the year

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by Chim Chiminy

I really don't get the beach volleyball. And I was wondering how they keep their teeny, tiny tops covering their cha-chas, and the bottoms from becoming wedgie central. Double stick tape?
Who decided on that outfit??

A) They buy the right size and
B) There's firm flesh under it

 

[missypie]

Okay. This morning they mentioned WINDSURFING. Is that for real? Is Windsurfing now an Olympic sport?

As for wedgies and beach volleyball, after the US women had won the gold and the ladies rolled around on top of each other in the sand for a while (you KNOW that's going to be made into a poster for college dorm room walls), Misty May stood up and "adjusted" the back of her suit bottoms. DD (11) said "Finally! She's had that wedgie for the last 10 minutes!"

 

[meandtheguys2]

So, they just get used to the wedgie, or do you think the build up a callous? Sorry, don't need to see people dressed like that playing ball. Belongs on a beach. And I lived in Laguna for 3 years!

 

[Jimbo]

Originally posted by Viking
In this case get rid of the US Open as Wimbledon is still considered the most important tournament of the year

Don't worry, Viking. I wasn't trying to pretend that the US Open is bigger than Wimbledon. I know how that would offend a US basher like you.

The point is that the US Open starts today, during the Olympics, and I think that any highly ranked tennis pro would value the US Open singles title over any Olympic medal. Compare that to sports where athletes spend four solid years training for a chance at an Olympic medal. So I don't get tennis as an Olympic sport.

 

[cassi06403]

As for wedgies and beach volleyball, after the US women had won the gold and the ladies rolled around on top of each other in the sand for a while (you KNOW that's going to be made into a poster for college dorm room walls), Misty May stood up and "adjusted" the back of her suit bottoms. DD (11) said "Finally! She's had that wedgie for the last 10 minutes!"

My DH insists that I am the only one who really noticed that! I made a comment to him last night about how with all the replays there have been (and will be) of that victory, that she will probably wish she hadn't done that JUST then.. He says I am probably far more concerned than anyone else. LOL

--Cassi

 

[vernon]

I always wonder why "NFL type" Football is not in the Olympics, its a Major Sport in the US and Canada, and is coming along in Japan and Europe

It's not a worldwide sport. It's huge in the USA, a Canadian national team could play (maybe) to a standard a little better than college, but no where near as good as ANY of the NFL teams let alone an "All Star" team. In Europe the standard (without the American imports) isn't even at moderate college standard. No idea about Japan, but I doubt they have the physicality to deal with the Europeans let alone the Americans. The other problem would be getting the games played in the required time, NFL is not a game that lends itself to playing 3 games in 8 days. Of all the similar games, Rugby Union is the closest to getting Olympic recognition, and even then it would most likely be the 7 a side version of the game (regular games are 15 players a side). It has a much more genuine worldwide strength ( top countries are Britain, Aussie, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Italy, Canada, USA, Japan, Samoa and Fiji). I'd love to see 7 a side rugby in the Olympics as it is a great spectator sport.

The point is that the US Open starts today, during the Olympics, and I think that any highly ranked tennis pro would value the US Open singles title over any Olympic medal. Compare that to sports where athletes spend four solid years training for a chance at an Olympic medal. So I don't get tennis as an Olympic sport.

I have to agree, it was pretty obvious than none of the "big boys" gave a flying fig for the Olympics. I understand why the organisers like to have tennis there ($$$) but unless the tennis authorities are going to give it support and make it a ranking tournement it's just wasting everyone's time and devalues the Olympic ideal.

I'm quite happy with basketball, it's a big sport in Europe and I think the results have shown the US isn't so far ahead that it's pointless having the competition. IMHO some of the US "stars" have been taught a lesson about competition, work ethic and team play, I'm reasonably sure they will know go on and win the gold, but it will be a medal they'll have to work a lot harder for than they thought when they decided to play in the team.

Badmington and table tennis are huge sports in Asia and pretty widely played in Europe. I think they have been quite entertaining and some great skill levels, I'm happy to leave them in.

Not too sure on Synro diving/swimming and Rythmic gymnastics but I think that has a lot to do of my dislike of sports where "experts" give marks for how "well" something is done, as we've seen most obviously in the gymnastics, unless the scoring system is done 1) correctly and 2) fairly , it can make for huge controversy.

 

[Galahad]

IMHO some of the US "stars" have been taught a lesson about competition

Boy I hope so. "Stars", both professional and college, are dragging a fine sport down the past few years. Any wake up call will help.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

things that would be cool to have added

speedboating
ballroom dancing(yes people do compete in this)
karaoke singing
power shopping
more extreme sports
surfing

 

[Galahad]

Originally posted by CourtasanSatine
things that would be cool to have added

more extreme sports
surfing

Nah.... Any sport who's lexicon includes the word "Dude" should rightly be excluded from the Olympics.

 

[Deb in IA]

How about Olympic Bowling?

 

[CourtasanSatine]

but beach volleyball has plenty of "dude"

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

Originally posted by vernon
It's not a worldwide sport. It's huge in the USA, a Canadian national team could play (maybe) to a standard a little better than college, but no where near as good as ANY of the NFL teams let alone an "All Star" team. In Europe the standard (without the American imports) isn't even at moderate college standard. No idea about Japan, but I doubt they have the physicality to deal with the Europeans let alone the Americans. The other problem would be getting the games played in the required time, NFL is not a game that lends itself to playing 3 games in 8 days. Of all the similar games, Rugby Union is the closest to getting Olympic recognition, and even then it would most likely be the 7 a side version of the game (regular games are 15 players a side). It has a much more genuine worldwide strength ( top countries are Britain, Aussie, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Italy, Canada, USA, Japan, Samoa and Fiji). I'd love to see 7 a side rugby in the Olympics as it is a great spectator sport.

Yes. And to quote the article I posted on page 1:
"A sport must also be popular in many countries--75 of them for men's summer sports, 40 for women's summer sports, and 25 for winter sports."

It's good reading. Give it a try. Seriously.

 

[Jimbo]

Originally posted by Deb in IA
How about Olympic Bowling?

They had bowling for a while, but dropped it. I'm not sure it was a medal sport, maybe just a demonstration sport.

There's a movement afoot to try to get poker added as an Olympic sport. But any sport where guys smoke cigars and drink beer while competing (see bowling), probably doesn't belong at the Olympics.

 

[KrnB]

I know that it is a lot of hard work, but the speed walking competition had me cracking up (saw it on TV in the corner of a poker room at the casino late at night last weekend). They do go really fast, and they get disqualified if they get to close to actually running. But it looks hilarious because they walk ducks!

Trampoline definitely seemed like a strange sport. I guess I'm surprised that it meets the criteria of being a popular competitive sport in that many countries.

Badmiton seemed odd until I watched it once - wow, those guys move fast!

I thought synchronized diving was pretty interesting - it added a whole level of complexity to diving because it's got to be really hard to get two people to dive at the same rate of speed.

Funny to see people mention triple jump - I guess if they got rid of it from the Olympics, they might as well get rid of it from every high school and college track meet in the US. I can't remember any time when they didn't have that at a meet.

Same thing with shot put - it's about as traditional as it gets. As someone who threw shot and discus in track, I can promise you that it is not easy. Men throw a 16lb shot and women throw a 12lb shot.