Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

[Bubba1235]

Maybe it's just me but some of the "sports" don't really seem much like a sport to me.

Club Swinging: Two clubs are swung about the body in different patterns, speeds, directions, planes and phases. Sometimes the clubs are thrown but are usually held all the time. Some toss jugglers don't consider club swinging to be "real juggling" as the props are not thrown and caught enough. Club swinging is also done with heavy wooden clubs as a form of exercise or fitness training.

Rope Climbing: Rope climbing is a sport in which competitors, usually men, attempt to climb up a suspended vertical rope using only their hands.

VolleyBall Beach: Is now played indoors with a little sand on the floor?

Badmiton: Really? That's a real sport???

 

[mommicked]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

I hear they're thinking about adding Yoga............:facepalm:

 

[QC]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Beach Volleyball is still outdoors. They play in the rain.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Beach Volleyball is still outdoors

....and it should require....a beach...which needs a watersedge to my recollection. hmm.

Separately, I forgot one of the reasons that I don't love these Olympics.....ahhh, the ol' advanced doping controversies. As many athletes have said (after the fact or after they got caught...finally) 'if you ain't dopin'....you ain't winnin'.:facepalm:

BP

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Well I had to look up club swinging and it's exactly as described. In the process I found a list of discontinued Olympic events which includes pistol dueling, live pigeon shooting, one hand weight lifting, obstacle swimming and others of odd note.

 

[QC]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

I watched last night (mens two man) and they were inside. (Maybe it was the elimination rounds???)

They were outside unless there are two venues. Looks inside at night maybe?

http://www.london2012.com/venue/horse-guards-parade/

 

[ngt]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Maybe it's just me but some of the "sports" don't really seem much like a sport to me.

Club Swinging: Two clubs are swung about the body in different patterns, speeds, directions, planes and phases. Sometimes the clubs are thrown but are usually held all the time. Some toss jugglers don't consider club swinging to be "real juggling" as the props are not thrown and caught enough. Club swinging is also done with heavy wooden clubs as a form of exercise or fitness training.

Rope Climbing: Rope climbing is a sport in which competitors, usually men, attempt to climb up a suspended vertical rope using only their hands.

VolleyBall Beach: Is now played indoors with a little sand on the floor?

Badmiton: Really? That's a real sport???

Badmiton is actually a very competitive sport. My school district's HS has a team. I hadn't seen the kayak slalom before and the club swinging thing was kind of dumb. I didn't see rope climbing. Also, not sure if London is known for it's nice sandy beaches....lol

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

I used to play paintball competitively, and it would grind my gears to know there was a major tournament going on, and ESPN was covering bowling, or poker or something and there was no TV coverage of the tourney.

Don't even get me started on what they'll consider for the Olympics....

Sports require sweat. It doesn't count if you're grossly overweight and you break into a sweat walking 10 feet to pick up a bowling ball.

 

[ngt]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Sports require sweat.

so fishing isn't a sport?

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Fishing for real fish, not catfish and tad poles, does require sweat.

EDIT: You just gave me an idea for a new sport, "Dodging Flying Carp"! Not only would you be able to win a gold medal but you get to eat all you can hang on to.

Would need a scoring system though, say points for best tail slap to the head, a broken bone is a an autoatic 100 point bonus, a fish taking you out of the boat however would be a disqualification. A double or triple (two or more fish hit at about the same time) would also give more bonus points.

Actually....the British already pioneered this event back in the early 70's known at the time as the 'fish slapping challenge' but apparently it was rejected by the IOC who supposedly "just didn't get it".....check out the short vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhJQp-q1Y1s

BP

 

[projo198]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Well I had to look up club swinging and it's exactly as described. In the process I found a list of discontinued Olympic events which includes pistol dueling, live pigeon shooting, one hand weight lifting, obstacle swimming and others of odd note.

Ah man, they TOTALLY should have kept tug-o-war! Looks like they did motor-boating in 1908 too!

 

[JB]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Have you ever tried any of the competitive activities you are so quick to denigrate, Bubba? Don't knock it unless you've tried it.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

The Olympics has always been full of controversy, but it Does offer a nice diversion against all the gloomy news, wars, pain, suffering, disease, politics, taxes, old age, etc., etc......We really enjoy the Olympics!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

The Olympics has always been full of controversy, but it Does offer a nice diversion against all the gloomy news, wars, pain, suffering, disease, politics, taxes, old age, etc., etc......We really enjoy the Olympics!

Amen, brother!

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

The olympics lost all their luster for me when the iron curtain came down. It was a lot of fun trying to tell which East German atheletes were women vs men. Those were the good ol days.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

I can hardly wait for them to accept "pole dancing" as a sport!

I enjoy the olympics too, but for some reason I pay more attention womens competitions... why? I dunno???

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...ncing-australian-hurdler-video_n_1686230.html

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Never tried club swinging but most of the rest I've done. Never really thought of them as a real sport though.

Really? Which ones have you tried?

All of the beach volleyball is outside.

Comparing lawn darts and croquet to badminton shows you know basically nothing about the sport. Maybe your only experience with badminton is buying a walmart badminton set for your backyard.

And not even sure why you even mention club swinging and rope climbing as these aren't even in the 2012 Olympics. I guess I don't understand the purpose of your thread.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

I think there are some sports that can be very simply identified as higher level sports requiring a very high level of fitness, training, time and skill. Then there are a lot of sports that are mostly embellished activity wherein you can reach a reasonable level of play in anywhere from a week to a couple of months.
The defining line for these are the ones that end up being true spectator sports where people pay to see them.....the public knows the difference. For myself, I'm not paying to watch a badminton tournament (although its fun to play) or some club swinging....or a hoola-hoop tournament, which could be argued into being a sport by some people. Now I will pay to see a hockey game, soccer, baseball (ironically not an Olympic sport?)...and many others.
I think we are splitting hairs here a little but Bubba makes a good point about being a little skeptical at some of these. I too, would not pay any money to watch a couple of guys climb a rope...but thats just me.
As well, I don't think you need to have actual experience in something to comment or critique it. Otherwise we would all be...lets see, Politicians, Professional Athletes, Doctors, Wall Street Bankers, Cruise line Captains, Supreme Court Judges...etc.
Some of the levels of fitness of these athletes is pretty amazing. Its really something to see how incredibly close the independent skills levels bring a competition to within virtual 10ths of a second...or less....its really something.
All Good
BP

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

Then there are a lot of sports that are mostly embellished activity wherein you can reach a reasonable level of play in anywhere from a week to a couple of months.

And what Olympic sports might these be?

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Have the Olympic "sports" gotten weird?

And what Olympic sports might these be?

Badminton