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I'm from the South and probably just don't get some of these Winter Olympic Sports. Ok, I understand that the I.O.C. is a Sub-committee of the UN and operates with the same political biases so I should understand, as an ugly American, why Baseball and Softball aren't relevant sports (yes, I know they are played in the Summer Olympics) and deserved to be dropped on that merit.

So, how have the following been deemed representative of sporting endeavors in a major area of the world; Bi-athalon(ok you ski'd into the woods and shot a rabbit for dinner --- that's sport), Curling (Sweeping on-ice .. what athletes! Why not Bowling or Shuffleboard?), Bobsled (why not Snowmobiling?), Slalom (why not water-sking in the summer?), and my favorite major athletic event, Luge?? Why not downhill bicycling?

Seriously, does anyone else out there look at some of this stuff and wonder how in the world do they select the sports to represent International athletic competition?? And just for the record, I've traveled, worked and lived abroad.

JMO
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The sports are selected or eliminated by vote. The national federation for the sport being considered does a presentation.

What may seem like a silly sport to you may be a huge sport in other parts of the world (biathalon, bobsled, luge and slalom). I have no idea how popular curling is. Slalom is the most challenging ski event in the Olympics. There are plenty of downhill champions who stink at slalom. Biathalon has it's origins in the military.

Add: Today, curling is played all over Europe and has spread to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Korea. Curling has been an official sport in the Winter Olympic Games since the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Last edited by RJM
quote:
Originally posted by Prime9:
Ok, I understand that the I.O.C. is a Sub-committee of the UN and operates with the same political biases....

JMO


The IOC has partnered with the United Nations Environmental Progamme (UNEP)on certain issues, however,I don't believe the IOC is officially a sub committee of the UN.
No, I know the IOC and the UN aren't affiliated. That was just my attempt at sarcasm as they both operate with a "political agenda."

Interesting that curling is popular but Shuffleboard never hit the big time. If the Biathalon has a Military history it's presumably the Russians, at work as our Allies on the Russian front .... but really. Many of us trained as Snipers .... don't see it as sport either.
Maybe curling is one of the most watched because it has been broadcast almost 24/7 on CNBC. I swear, almost everytime I go there, they are curling. I don't mind it, but my wife has said the same thing Prime said about it.

My big thing is Ice Dancing. I can maybe understand pairs skating (Blades of Glory), but Ice Dancing is rediculous IMO.

I really like all the skiing events, except maybe cross country although I see it's merit as an Olympic sport. Good to see the X Games crowd involved. Those guys are nuts, but very talented. Snowboarding 1/2 pipe is insane!!
quote:
In case you missed it, baseball is no longer in the summer olympics.


Actually, that was the point I was trying to make; they have been dropped (therefore not deemed relevant by the IOC) while we have all this other non-sense stuff that apparently, to someone somewhere, ARE relevant Olympic sports.

Sorry that I didn't make myself clear.
had a similar discussion recently - friend is perfectly OK with Hockey, but thinks they did the right thing with baseball. Huh? Never really got a good answer except that Olympics are supposed to be the best of the best.

Personally, I think letting in NBA players ruined all "team" sports. Cuba and the Caribbean nations are hurt the most by eliminating baseball, not the US. I guess there is no such thing as amateur - except maybe in US high schools.

I also don't think the IOC is so much political, as money making. They seem very aware of the TV audience, but have dismissed the internet audience. I wanted to see Seth Wescott's gold medal run and couldn't find it. Several youtube files had been taken down by the IOC. (might be up now, haven't checked in the post few days) They think curling and hockey have the wider appeal. Personally I love bobsled. luge, skeleton, various skiing events. and speed skating. Figure skating is OK.
To support this discussion, I propose a set of attributes for most relevant and least relevant Olympic sports. This is my opinion alone, and yes, it is completely intended to create a debate. Here's what I think:

Most Relevant Olympic Sports:
1) Competed Internationally at a competetive level in other venues
2) Opposing defense or head-to-head action is integral
3) Demands a high level of skill and athleticism
4) The sport has a complex developmental heirarchy in most countries (youth/amateur/semi-pro/pro)


Moderately Relevant:
1) Played by all G8 and traditional Olympic countries at a competetive level in other venues
2) Competitor is not completely in control of the conditions
3) Demands a high level of skill and athleticism
4) Lots of youth/amateur paricipation, but you can't go pro


Least Relevant:
1) Specific to a more limited set of countries
2) Prepared programs and/or benign competing conditions
3) One of either "level of skill" or "level of athleticism" required could be debated (I don't think both could ever be debated for the Olympics)
4) People pretty much only prepare for the Olympics in the sport


I think there could also be different combinations of the above that would probably fall in the "Moderate Relevance" category.
Last edited by wraggArm
The IOC baseball vote was purely a political shot at the USA, without question. While the lack of baseball may hurt other countries more, it is seen as an American sport, and in case anyone missed it, we aren't always the most popular kid on the block.

Each region of the world has their own sport favorites. Speed skating isn't huge here, but in the European countries that stay frozen several months each year, it's a very very big deal. If there was an ESPN Norway, and if there isn't, there will be someday, they would lead with skiing and skating, not A-Rod and Labron.

Curling and synchronized swimming push the envelope of "sport" IMHO, but if enough people enjoy watching, and will buy tickets, it will be legitimized.


One of these days, some enterprising soul will combine synchronized swimming with the SI swimsuit issue, and they will sell out cable TV rights to every bar in America...
quote:
Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
quote:
Baseball and Softball aren't relevant sports (yes, I know they are played in the Summer Olympics)


In case you missed it, baseball is no longer in the summer olympics.
Softball is gone too. Baseball could have been saved by MLB taking a midseason break like the NHL does for the Winter Olympics. USA Softball dominated Olympic softball to the point it was considered noncompetitive. The following year China beat USA in the World Cup competition.
Last edited by RJM
quote:
Originally posted by jemaz:
Curling is fabulous. I have become a curling fan for life. I want to take up curling. I want to learn the rules, I want to watch, I want to compete. It is the crown of the Olympics. Put it in the summer games, too!

Seriously, curling rocks. I can't get enough of it.


I would assume anyone of us on here could compete in curling. It seems unfair to an Athlete who trains 5+hours a day on either skiing, skating or swimming, or running can get the same metal as say a guy who drinks beer and eats chicken wings. Kinda makes you scratch your head and say ok, maybe curling is really a game, not a sport.

I know it is popular, and fascinating for some easily amused, but it is a game, just like horse shoes, shuffleboard or croquet.
Last edited by dub-L-play
Actually I've come to sort of like watching curling too. My son said he's played it a friends club and said its a fun game to play as well.

The announcers did lose me when lamenting the USA womens team lack of success they mentioned how they "work out" year round to stay in shape for the sport.

"Ich don't think so."
There are 39 Summer Olympic sports. 16 involve what I believe we would call defense (facing off against each other). Another 7 involve defense if you consider angling on the turns defense (some cycling, sailing, track, etc). There are 15 Winter Olympic sports. Only 1 (hockey) involves face to face defense. There are 6 more if you consider angling in a race defense. In total only 17 of 54 Olympic sports involve face to face defense. It leads me to believe face to face defense is not what the Olympics is about or interests the world's sports fans. The original Olympics involved foot and chariot races.
Last edited by RJM
quote:
In total only 17 of 54 Olympic sports involve face to face defense


I'm proposing head-to-head action (not just head-to-head defense) as being more "sports-relevant" than prepared-program sports or time trial-style runs. For example, speed skating doesn't have a defense, but people are competing interactively and that seems to have some merit. In fact, any kind of race occurs to me as being very relevant sports-wise. Maybe because head-to-head action with an adversary drives the athelete to be more innovative with his skills in order to overcome the situation.



Does that help get my scoring up from 17/54 ?
Last edited by wraggArm
13 more. 30 of 54. But consider how nervewracking it is to take your turn and then wait out the competition. Or, watch your competition ace the event and then you have to go top it. I don't see ice skaters or gymnasts (two most popular sports in each Olympics) as any less athletic or competitive than any other sport. Skiers not only compete against their competition, they compete against the hill. The hill can injure them badly.
quote:
Originally posted by JMoff:
The US stinks at Curling, but I can't stop watching...

quote:
Curling is fabulous. I have become a curling fan for life. I want to take up curling. I want to learn the rules, I want to watch, I want to compete. It is the crown of the Olympics. Put it in the summer games, too!

Seriously, curling rocks. I can't get enough of it.

quote:
Originally posted by igball:
Actually I've come to sort of like watching curling too.


I know, right?!!! I've got the same problem. I don't think its a sport (ref. my prior post), it doesn't seem that hard, its slow and boring, but I can't stop watching it. It's like watching a car wreck or staring at your 54 year-old boss's cl3vage. I just keep asking myself "why can't I stop doing this? ... what's wrong with me?...why can't I look away?".
Last edited by wraggArm
quote:
Originally posted by RJM:
... consider how nervewracking it is to take your turn and then wait out the competition. Or, watch your competition ace the event and then you have to go top it. ...


Agreed - its probably excruciating, and only for certain people with elite skillsets. But so are piano competitions.

The skier vs. the hill seems challenging and dangerous as well, but I propose it goes in the "Moderately Relevant" category for sports. Still not head-to-head action, but the athelete does have to deal with the uncertainties of the hill. Ski-cross racing, on the otherhand...awesome.
Last edited by wraggArm
From having skied both downhill (competitively) and cross country I believe downhill is more challenging. Cross country is about strength and endurance. Downhill is about strength, endurance and agility. There's very little room to screw up in downhill. Aside from wiping out, there's a reason skiers wear heavy padding on their arms in slalom.

Go figure my son isn't listening to me when I told him to take it easy on his snowboard this year (junior year) due to baseball. He threw it back in my face I skied competitively on weekends in high school and screwed off doing freestyle with my friends (no flips). Then he threw in the jumping off bridges and cliffs in the summer. Is it possible to convince a kid because we did something doesn't mean it was sensible? Had there been half pipe boarding when I was a kid that's where you would have found me.
Personally with the exception of some sort of relay I don't think there should be any team sports in the Olympics. Team sports have other venues with witch to compete. However since there are team sports I truly agree with the OP about how Baseball and softball can be left out with some of the other events still there. But forget about comparing it to the winter Olympics IMO there are far more outrageous events in the summer Olympics. For example SHOOTING A BB GUN.
quote:
Originally posted by dub-L-play:

I would assume anyone of us on here could compete in curing.

I'm sure you could. All you need to do is put your family and careers on hold for years, live for a passion outside of normal life, compete against the best around the world with the same passion, and then put your soul on the line not to embarrass your Country.

Piece of cake, get signed up tomorrow, and I'll see you in 4 years.

With work we all could compete in any sport. However, Passion and expertise is not bought, it is acquired through hard work and commitment. No one ridicules curling in my neck of the woods because it takes strategy, touch, teamwork, practice, and commitment. The attitude of many of those in the warmer parts of the Country about Curling is embarrassing.

On behalf of the Northern tier of the United States, we are sorry for not living up to your Southern expectations on how to live life with the resources we have.

This is not pointed to any specific person/group on this board but toward the press, blogs, message boards, opinion pages, and anyone else who has made a mockery of a sport that is played throughout the world.
Last edited by rz1
RZ -I have many southern friends who absolutely love curling. I like it, I even watched the show "how its made" showing how the stones were manufactured. Did you know the Norwegian team PANTS has its own FB fan page. :-)

I prefer the "faster" sports. I'm skeered of heights, so there is no way on God's frozen earth, I'm sliding down the side of a mountain. I really appreciate when others make it seem so easy.
quote:
Originally posted by rz1:
and anyone else who has made a mockery of a sport that is played throughout the world.


To me, The Olympics were ALWAYS about sports you didn't see every day.

And how about those Canadian curling announcers dressing down the American announcer for suggesting that Great Britain call a time-out to 'freeze' Sweden's thrower on the last shot in the extra end.
quote:
AntzDad quote:
And how about those Canadian curling announcers dressing down the American announcer for suggesting that Great Britain call a time-out to 'freeze' Sweden's thrower on the last shot in the extra end.


That's what it's all about. While the scores are kept between the lines, passion oozes between the cracks of every border. That is Olympic competition.

IMHO, I can say this without sarcasm that the world is a safer place because of the years of Olympic competition. We are a competitive species by nature, and while governments play their political games, the "people" of the world would rather have battles on the "fields of competition" rather than the "fields of death". Athletics, regardless of the event, brings nations eye-2-eye competitively without the carnage and that very well may be the reason we still inhabit this Earth.

The BIG picture is often overlooked because of the materialistic value put on the Games.
Last edited by rz1

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