Who else thinks the olympics have become bloated with all of the weird little sports or big name professional athletes?
Come on, seriously folks do we really want to watch:
Badminton
Equestrian
Field Hockey
Judo
Shooting
Table Tennis
Handball (sounds more like handjob)
Water Polo (all the action is underwater)
Synchronized Diving (what's with that?)
Synchonized Swimming (anyone else remember Ester Williams?)
Taekwondo (huh?)
Rhythmic Gymnastics (what the hell is this?)
Trampoline
Then there are the popular sports that require subjective judging:
Diving
Gymnastics
Boxing
Then the big team sports that weren't part of the original Olympic ideal such as:
Basketball
Soccer
Baseball
Softball
Volleyball (except the women's beach version!)
Also the odd permutations that technology has brought to the games:
Rowing
Fencing (two peeps with swords...one leaves...not that BS they have now!)
Archery
Medley swimming (what ever happened to whoever gets there first?)
Cycling (ever see these peeps on a high banked oval come to a complete stop during the race?)
What ever happened to "how high", "how fast", "how much" and "how far" that the track and field sports of the original Olympics? Or Weightlifting or wrestling? Relegated to week two of the meet.
I am wrong or could they complete the games in a weekend - alright and extended 3 day weekend - if they cut out some of the "boutique" games (not sport)?
You just trying to stir things up or are you not watching the games?
I watched table tennis for about 15 minutes this past weekend and was amazed at the US men's competitor (from Chicago) - he could return everything his opponents hit at him - he was amazing!
The Olympics is the only time most of us ever get to see sports like this. I've watched the synchronized diving and I'm fascinated by what they're doing.
I think it's cool that all the weird little sports get to have a giant get together and play their sport/hobby and see who's the best. You get to hang out and check out the whole Olympic spirit.
I find it entertaining and enlightening to watch the smaller countries field a team or an individual competitor in a sport that is not popular here in the US. So what if it is boring to watch the actual sport. I bet, given the chance, you would at least try all the sports/events that are televised and played in the Olympics.
It's the spirit, the goodwill, the fun, the challenge for these folks. Get into it! :rollside:
I actually agree with Dan for a change---its the only time we ever get to see these obscure sports so whats the big deal to watch some of it now/then, its only around for a few weeks every 4 yrs....It was better than that lousy ESPN Greenbay/Seattle game
And they won't allow water skiing.
Crap like hand ball and table tennis I'm sure we could do without.
Hey George! I got tha gold medal in Hand ball...... herr herr. :notam:
You just trying to stir things up or are you not watching the games?
Why watch the games when I can't avoid the results 12 -24 hours ahead of the broadcast?
I watched table tennis for about 15 minutes this past weekend and was amazed at the US men's competitor (from Chicago) - he could return everything his opponents hit at him - he was amazing!
Yaaaawwwwwnnnn!
The Olympics is the only time most of us ever get to see sports like this. I've watched the synchronized diving and I'm fascinated by what they're doing.
All of these hobbies/games/pseudosports have a world championship every year but you aren't paying attention to ESPN9 or Fox Sports Asia or some such nonsense!
Now the Rupert owns DirecTV you should be seeing more of the boutique events on a more weekly basis.
My point is that I have to sort through all of the chaff to get to the meat that I would like to see. And...at odd hours...cutting back and forth between events.
Yes, I think they are bloated. Do I want to see:
Equetrian - yes.
all the other in your top list - no
Synchronized Swiming and diving??? Please. I was watching it last night, and the comentator was making observations that some dives were insync and other wern't?! How could she tell? They all looked the same to me!
Yes, I think they are bloated. Do I want to see:
Equetrian - yes.
all the other in your top list - no
Synchronized Swiming and diving??? Please. I was watching it last night, and the comentator was making observations that some dives were insync and other wern't?! How could she tell
That's some of my point exactly...anything that requires a JUDGE to determine some arbitrary number to determine a winner - shouldn't be in the Olympics.
Yes, I think they are bloated. Do I want to see:
Equetrian - yes.
My wife and daughter are dying to see the equestrian events, yet can't seem to pry themselves out of bed at 2 a.m. to see it.
I just wrote a note to the NBC boneheads who decided to drag out the big events, like mens and womens gymnsastics and swimming finals till MID Friggen NIGHT...
What a bunch of assholes, IMO, I've decided to read the news instead and get the results 12 hours earlier. Bastards.
And I think they used to have all those sports anyway, just that it was like the oscars, you only saw the biggies on tv, everyone else showed up to the Howard Johnson in North Hollywood in jeans and tshirts...
What ever happened to Jim McKay and the normal Olympics?
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