Nothing against BMX racing however I have a hard time thinking that an XGames event is considered more of an Olympic sport than baseball?
Something about this just seems wrong to me.
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quote:Originally posted by MidAtlanticDad:
One of Japan's dressage Olympians, Hiroshi Hoketsu, is 71 years old. I'm not joking.
quote:Originally posted by Quincy:
Baseball had been abandoned in the USA for decades. Between the juicers and druggies, there were very few athletes that could honorably represent the USA on the World Stage.
quote:Originally posted by Jimmy03:
The Olympics were designed to test HUMAN strength, speed, and endurance. If dressage belongs, so does border collie sheepherding.
quote:Originally posted by dad43:quote:Originally posted by Jimmy03:
The Olympics were designed to test HUMAN strength, speed, and endurance. If dressage belongs, so does border collie sheepherding.
You have no idea how much HUMAN strength and endurance it takes to do what these athletes do.
quote:Originally posted by jerseydad:
Nothing against BMX racing however I have a hard time thinking that an XGames event is considered more of an Olympic sport than baseball?
Something about this just seems wrong to me.
quote:Originally posted by Jimmy03:quote:Originally posted by dad43:quote:Originally posted by Jimmy03:
The Olympics were designed to test HUMAN strength, speed, and endurance. If dressage belongs, so does border collie sheepherding.
You have no idea how much HUMAN strength and endurance it takes to do what these athletes do.
It takes tremendous human strength and endurance to control a thoroughbred during a race, wrestle a steer, ride a bull, or box a kangaroo. Olympics should not be about animals.
quote:The horse is just like the archers bow or the marksman rifle...a tool of their sport an extension of the athlete
quote:Originally posted by dad43:quote:Originally posted by Jimmy03:quote:Originally posted by dad43:quote:Originally posted by Jimmy03:
The Olympics were designed to test HUMAN strength, speed, and endurance. If dressage belongs, so does border collie sheepherding.
You have no idea how much HUMAN strength and endurance it takes to do what these athletes do.
It takes tremendous human strength and endurance to control a thoroughbred during a race, wrestle a steer, ride a bull, or box a kangaroo. Olympics should not be about animals.
The horse is just like the archers bow or the marksman rifle...a tool of their sport an extension of the athlete
quote:Originally posted by Jimmy03:
The Olympics were designed to test HUMAN strength, speed, and endurance. If dressage belongs, so does border collie sheepherding.
quote:Originally posted by FNL:quote:Originally posted by Jimmy03:
The Olympics were designed to test HUMAN strength, speed, and endurance. If dressage belongs, so does border collie sheepherding.
While I see that you're a HSBB Web "Old Timer", Jimmy03, I doubt that you're old-timer enough to have been around when they designed the ancient Olympic Games, which featured naked men running around in a stadium, and...chariot racing.
Nor do I reckon you're old-timer enough to have been tight with Baron De Coubertin when he designed the modern Olympic Games in the 1890's. The modern Olympic Games were built around the lifetstyle of the aristocracy (hence the emphasis on amateurism. Can't have a gentleman competing with those filthy working class people, or his sports instructors.) 1890's Aristocrats were a pretty horsey set, thus equestrian events have been on the Olympic program since the 2nd Olympic Games in 1900.
A lot of people have a lot of opinions about what the Olympic Games should be, but in the end, the Olympic Games are a brand of multi-sport events owned and operated by the International Olympic Committee. The Olympic Games are, and always will be...whatever the IOC wants them to be.
What the IOC has done with their event, is create a brand awareness so strong that people forget, it's just a brand of event. We, the viewing public have attached an importance to the brand that equates it to excellence - but really, it's just a glorified track meet with a universally known logo. If you don't like the way the IOC runs their Games, don't watch - or start your own international multi-sport games (Goodwill, Unity, Pan-Am, ***, X...) Good luck with that...
As far as baseball is concerned, the IOC has pretty much stated that they're not much interested in sports that can't/won't send the worlds best to the Olympic Games ("Football" is an exception, because FIFA is more poweful than the IOC). If MLB decided to find a way to let their players play in the Olympic Games, I think the IOC would eagerly reinstate baseball to the Olympic program.
...And yes, softball kind of got screwed on this one, although the sheer dominance of the US over time didn't help. Sports aren't very compelling when the same team wins EVERY time. Olympic softball was only slightly less predictable than a Harlem Globetrotters game for a while. Sure the US lost in Beijing, but it was too little, too late, I guess.
quote:Originally posted by slbaseballdad:
And the NBA basketball players do such a fine job of representing us in the meantime???????
quote:Originally posted by slbaseballdad:
And the NBA basketball players do such a fine job of representing us in the meantime???????
quote:Originally posted by Quincy:
Could it be possible that NBA players are not pot heads, but top quality athletes donating their time and efforts to the nation ?
Softball as dropped because Team USA dominated without any competition. After ther decision was made China and Japan became competitive. Baseball became a sidekick victim along with the best players weren't playing. There's no way MLB is going to take 7-10 days off for the Olympics.quote:Originally posted by jerseydad:
I know there were valid arguments as to why they excluded baseball (best players weren't participating, in season, etc...) however I think softball really got hosed when they drooped both sports.