Relevant Olympic Sports @ the I.O.C.

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Originally posted by rz1:

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.

RZ1 no need to apologize for not living up to the rest of the countrys' expectations... we know you guys are stir crazy in WI. When you think that sweeping a broom is as challenging as running a marathon or skiing down hill at 80mph you've been in the cold too long. And yeah, you're right, that sweeping takes years to master. The great thing is the gals don't even have to stop training when they're 7 months pregnant. And to think people are making fun of it, the nerve!

I for one am looking forward to fly fishing -it too takes years to master and I think people fish all over the world. How bout that?

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I for one am looking forward to fly fishing -it too takes years to master and I think people fish all over the world. How bout that?

if fly-fishing was an Olympic event I would not only respect it, but root for the American team to strip line better than the rest of world without prejudice toward the sport. How bout that?

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Originally posted by rz1:

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I for one am looking forward to fly fishing -it too takes years to master and I think people fish all over the world. How bout that?

if fly-fishing was an Olympic event I would not only respect it, but root for the American team to strip line better than the rest of world without prejudice toward the sport. How bout that

Are you sure you wouldn't want to watch ICE Fishing instead? It would take about as much training as sweeping a broom... there could be a contest as to who can drill into the ice fastest. Maybe time trials to see who can qualify.

I love the summer Olympics and pretty much watch every competition I can find but the winter Olympics I just can't get into it. I can watch the speed events like downhill skiiing, luge, bobsled and things like that. Curling I just can't get into it. Mainly for the obvious reasons that I don't understand the rules, it's slow and I just don't understand it.

That being said I totally respect any person who competes in the Olympics regardless of sport. To put that much time, effort and commitment into a sport people hear about once every four years and be one of the world's best is truly remarkable.

As for baseball I don't want MLB to sell out and take a two week break just to compete in the Olympics. Maybe I'm a traditionalist but I want amateurs (or minor leaguers) to make up the teams. Using college players or MiLB players could allow a guy who's not on the radar or stuck behind a first round stud get some exposure and make it.

Athletically speaking nothing can be a greater feeling than winning a gold medal and standing on that podium hearing the National Anthem. I would give anything to have that feeling.

One thing that strikes me watching the Olympics is these people love their country they are from. I'm obviously an American and I love being an American and feel I live in the greatest country on the face of this earth but I get to see some guy or girl from a country I can't say or spell have that same feeling that I do for their country. Very moving.

Best moment I can remember watching is when that sprinter who pulled up lame in his race but wanted to finish. So his dad jumped out of the stands and helped him finish. Loved that.

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dub-L-play quote:
Are you sure you wouldn't want to watch ICE Fishing instead?

Watch ice fishing? I might even qualify and represent my Country .

dub- You're a funny guy....ignorant.....but funny.

Ice fishing is not about the skill of catching fish, rather the challenge of taking on the the most formidable foe known to man.....Mother Nature. Sitting over a hole in the ice waiting for a fish to swim by is kind of stupid. But to sit there, taking Mother Natures wrath, respecting her power, and maybe walking away with some of her bounty to share with your family is something you have to experience to appreciate. If you want to make fun of me or "my kind", you'll have to get in line, and trust me, the line is long, and in the end, we really don't care, because we are, what we are. American and proud.

Later buddy

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Originally posted by dub-L-play:


Are you sure you wouldn't want to watch ICE Fishing instead?

"My uncle went ice fishing once. Caught over 500 pounds of ice. His wife fried it up and they both drowned."

Foster Brooks, RIP

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dub- You're a funny guy....ignorant.....but funny.

And you my friend are easily amused by mad sweeping men. You're right, that is really cerebral. Oh I wonder if he will sweep enough to knock out the opponents stone, the suspense is killing me. Not to worry, because the event seems to go on and on and on.

It might interest many of you that the skill of sweeping in curling is not as easy as you make it--I daresay you just don't walk in off the street and begin to do it --I agree that any man or woman in any Olympic sport is to be commended --they spend many,many hours in practice and preparation to get there and then it is to represent their country--

Just a shame that too many people live in a "bubble" and do not want to leave

I will say on thing about the winter Olympics. Short track speed skating my be the most nerve wrecking sport to watch (if your pulling for someone) that I have ever encountered.

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Originally posted by coach scotty:
I will say on thing about the winter Olympics. Short track speed skating my be the most nerve wrecking sport to watch (if your pulling for someone) that I have ever encountered.

This sport is awesome. From the moment you see it happening, the skill, athleticism, strategy, and confrontation are apparent. It doesn't require some long, sappy dialog from your spouse about how much preparation and dedication it takes to be able to do it. It doesn't require a "well-developed eye" or some sophisticated appreciation of "inhetent beauty" to get into it. It's pointless to be high-browed or pretentiously knowlegable about Speed Skating, because the white-knuckle competetiveness of it is so present from start to finish. Great sport.

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Originally posted by TRhit:
It might interest many of you that the skill of sweeping in curling is not as easy as you make it--I daresay you just don't walk in off the street and begin to do it --I agree that any man or woman in any Olympic sport is to be commended --they spend many,many hours in practice and preparation to get there and then it is to represent their country--

Just a shame that too many people live in a "bubble" and do not want to leave

They spend may hours of practice and preparation - so does my kid on XBOX, but I don't expect him to get a metal for Guitar Hero. It does not take hours and years of working in the weight room, sweating risking injury to improve. Don't care how popular it is around the world - like I said if a pregnant woman can do it, then well, enough said. I'm not in a bubble - just a realist.

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Originally posted by rz1:
Ice fishing is not about the skill of catching fish, rather the challenge of taking on the the most formidable foe known to man.....Mother Nature. Sitting over a hole in the ice waiting for a fish to swim by is kind of stupid. But to sit there, taking Mother Natures wrath, respecting her power, and maybe walking away with some of her bounty to share with your family is something you have to experience to appreciate.

If Ice Fishing were an Olympic sport, I would support it enthusiasitcally. I probably would even watch it, along with all my fellow pathetic sports junkies who'll sit and watch any Olympic event. I'd probably even watch some of the feature stories about what a "Battle with Mother Nature" it is, and how the guy had to overcome all kinds of adversity to get there, and how advanced the fishing pole technology has become. I'd sit there watching and thinking, "man, I think this dude's about to catch a fish," and even get into it.

But then when the Hockey game comes on MSNBC...

dub

as was posted above you are totally ignorant o fwhat goes on in the real world

Comparing Xbox activity to an Olympic Sport as you have tells the entire world that.

By the way have you tried beating you kid(s) on Xbox?

I tried beating my kid with an XboX once.

Couldn't catch him because of all the time/money I've spent on his speed and agility training.

So I tried to throw it at him, and messed up my arm. Now I'm a Rag-Arm.

I don't think a person that mentions they don't care for Curling on a message board would qualify them as being ignorant.

Question... If shuffleboard were played in the Olympics, would it be summer or winter Olympics? People can enjoy watching almost anything.

I did like the comment from one of those Curling guys... "There's a lot of Beer involved"... And that came from the Canadian team. Curling is a BIG deal in Canada.

Finally, maybe this will clear up the issue of Athletics or Sports. It's not called the Olympic Athletics or Winter Sports... It is appropriately named the Olympic Games. In this case... The Winter Games! So there is no reason to argue about how those games qualify as athletics or sport.

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Originally posted by PGStaff:
It's not called the Olympic Athletics or Winter Sports... It is appropriately named the Olympic Games. In this case... The Winter Games! So there is no reason to argue about how those games qualify as athletics or sport.

I don't think we need a reason to debate the relevance of events as sports, if that's what we want to do here. I don't believe we're trying to validate the event's title. Imagine if they were so abitious as to call it "The Perfect Olympic Games", or something silly like that. You'd never get everyone convinced.

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I don't think we need a reason to debate the relevance events as sports, if that's what we want to do here.

Point well taken!

If "ice fishing" becomes an Olympic Sport will flasks be part of the permitted equipment?

If I was to be serious about it for a minute, I would prefer watching practically any sport or contest that has amateurs involved. The excitement of watching their emotions (even if all they are doing is sweeping perfectly clean ice) is way way better than watching millionaires drape their Armani shoulders in Old Glory.

For example, I would prefer watching college hockey players get killed for 50 Olympics with the hope of a once in a lifetime Lake Placid event than watching whoever the current flavor "Dream Teamers" are preen for the cameras.

And how did Olympic tenure come into such vogue? It seems I've watch that skater Ono go in circles more over the years than Ted Kennedy.

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Originally posted by PGStaff:
I don't think a person that mentions they don't care for Curling on a message board would qualify them as being ignorant.

If you read dub's post he's either "baiting" or ignorant. Pick the poison. If he doesn't fall into the "ignorant" definition below then he's baiting.

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1. ignorant - uneducated in the fundamentals of a given art or branch of learning; lacking knowledge of a specific field

2. ignorant - unaware because of a lack of relevant information or knowledge.

If you don't like the sport so be it, but don't rip the game and the participants. In this case it's not the "like or dislike" of the game I have issue with, it's the public ridicule of those who participates or enjoy this game or any other form of physical activity they might partake in.

and then follow up with...

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...like I said if a pregnant woman can do it, then well, enough said. I'm not in a bubble - just a realist.

I can't wait for the moms here to pipe in...........enough said.

FWIW- I've had opportunities to curl a few times in my life and never enjoy it.