Does anybosy care? I certainly don't. Though, I saw synchronized diving last night and still have a hard time keeping a straight face at the thought of this "sport" That is the great thing about (American) football, it will NEVER be an Olympic Sport.
I've always viewed the olympics as individual competitions...not team competitions. Don't know why, but that's how I see it. And I also don't think any "sports" should be allowed in the olympics, but I have a narrow definition of sports, so... Anyways, no, I won't watch much. There's a WR from LSU that's on the track team, so I may tune in to see him run, but that's about it.
olympics are the oldest and original sports of the world. i watch them just because its the olympics,
Referencing a few points made above... I find that there is plenty of things I want to watch in the Olympics, and plenty that I don't. Anything that is judged/scored on artistic merit, by a degree of difficulty, or by arbitrary rulings of judges is something that I can skip. I think that you need a way to "score" or "clock" results that takes a judges decision out of it. Eliminating team sports is arbitrary and eliminates most of the competition for the event. One on one competition can be exciting, but so can a team effort to accomplish something? Even if it?s a sport you don?t usually see or have even head of. LSU lost me when he said that he didn?t think that any ?sports? should be allowed in the Olympics? Dawk, I?m with you. Most of these competitions only come to the spotlight every fourth year (at least in this country). I watch as much as practical, but the time difference makes it hard for me to watch much more than the first hour or two of the ?Prime Time? show. There are sports that I will watch or attend on a regular basis that probably most of you wouldn?t. This is the time in the national spotlight for some of those sports. Some of us have some background or interest in ?oddball? sports that don?t make the Sports Center highlights every week in addition to those sports that do.
You really can't get into watching the olympics without knowing how hard it is to be that good. These people train all year around, and most don't even make it. Then you only have one shot at your event. You mess up, there's no turning back. That's 3yrs of hard training, down the drain. It's very mental and physical. Everything has to be perfect, or you're getting sent home with a thank you, and no medal.
LSU lost me when he said that he didn?t think that any ?sports? should be allowed in the Olympics? That is based on my admitted narrow definition of sports... Without wanting to get in a discussion about what a "sport" constitutes, I'll give my definition. A sport is any athletic competition in which a person or persons on one side can prevent the person or persons on another side from scoring (meaning defense is played). Sports, in my definition, include football, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, boxing, and probably a few more. Competitions that are not sports by this definition would be swimming, track, golf, diving, etc. By no means am I saying these competitions do not require superior athletic skills, just saying that, to me, they're not sports. That is also not a complete list of sports/non-sports, there are many more that would fall into each.
I actually enjoy the olympics because the games started thousand's of years ago. Its a tradition that obiviously emerged as countrys vs countrys its actually a sport that we can enjoy patroitism for our country.
im with al, no way a judging game is a sport IE gymnastics, figure skating, etc. thats what we saw at the last winter olympics with the canadian skaters. ill watch the sports only, swimming, tennis, boxing, basketball, track(despite the drugs) and what ever else is on
Thanks LSU, that clears up your statement for me. One question though? How does boxing fit this definition? The other sports all involve moving an object across or through a target (goal). And if it [boxing] does, do you include all combat ?sports?? What about the other ?ball? sports that don?t involve a goal or goal line? For example volleyball, tennis, badminton, or table tennis?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Send Em Back Al)</div><div class='quotemain'>Thanks LSU, that clears up your statement for me. One question though? How does boxing fit this definition? The other sports all involve moving an object across or through a target (goal). And if it [boxing] does, do you include all combat ?sports?? What about the other ?ball? sports that don?t involve a goal or goal line? For example volleyball, tennis, badminton, or table tennis?</div> To me, boxing is a sport, just as wrestling is, because you can score points, and also play defensively to keep the opponent from scoring. As for the other examples, a defensive move is inherently an offensive move, so in my definition they are not sports. One could say that someone made a "defensive" move, but it's inherently an offensive move. I'm not saying they don't require a great amount of skill, either, but to me they're not sports. To me, they're athletic competitions. However, as with anything else, it's not just black and white, but also gray, so there are "athletic competitions" that don't necessarily have a separate "defensive strategy" associated with them, such as those listed above. They may not fall into this narrow definition, but I'd have a hard time arguing they're not sports.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Philly_Freak93)</div><div class='quotemain'>im with al, no way a judging game is a sport IE gymnastics, figure skating, etc. thats what we saw at the last winter olympics with the canadian skaters. ill watch the sports only, swimming, tennis, boxing, basketball, track(despite the drugs) and what ever else is on</div> As girly as it may seem. Gymnastics is sport. It's concetration with strength and grace. Some of those gymnist are about as strong as most in any sport. You go ahead and get on those rings and hold yourself up. Or run down the mat and do all kinds of crazy ass flips. That shit is'nt easy. But i do agree on some winter games as not to be a sport. I don't know what it's called, but the one where they push this little circle thing while people sweep at the ice. ? i don't know, but that shit is'nt a sport.
It's called curling, and it's been around for years. BTW, the circle thingy is called a stone (I think), and no, I never played it. Not much ice in SoCal.
I think you all miss the point. The olympics originally started out as indivdual acheivments. Later on it became a sport for all countrys. Yes individuals get awarded for it. But its our countrys that get the credit. When you hear that phelps won a gold in swimming for 400 meters .. its actually the united states won gold in greece. In the end their is a medal count. It doesnt matter if it is gymnastics or playing checkers. Its us against other countrys best athelete's and teams. anytime you compete against someone its a sport.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bucs40etrain)</div><div class='quotemain'>I think you all miss the point. The olympics originally started out as indivdual acheivments. Later on it became a sport for all countrys. Yes individuals get awarded for it. But its our countrys that get the credit. When you hear that phelps won a gold in swimming for 400 meters .. its actually the united states won gold in greece. In the end their is a medal count. It doesnt matter if it is gymnastics or playing checkers. Its us against other countrys best athelete's and teams. anytime you compete against someone its a sport.</div> Well said.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bucs40etrain)</div><div class='quotemain'> anytime you compete against someone its a sport.</div> Spelling Bee?? Chess?? Chutes 'n' Ladders?? Cheerleading competitions?? Balloon Races?? Not to bust your balls, I'm glad someone else will post a definition, but I think that just as mine might be a bit narrow, yours might be a bit broad.
I love the olympics because it's countries competing against countries, and with that comes national pride. I don't give a hoot about synchronized diving, but I watched it in the hope that I'd see my country medal. They ended up sucking, but that's not the point. The single thing that has ruined the olympics for me is that I know the results before they are on TV. Nothing is live, and in the day in information, you know the results before you can watch. Who wanted to watch the Phelps race knowing he got third? I would have watched it if I didn't already know that he failed to get gold. Same goes with all the contests. Why would I watch when I know the result? I'd love to catch a highlight of a winning event, but I'm not going to sit in front of the tv for 5 hours wondering when I get to see an event that I already know the results to.
I have actually been watching a lot of the Olympics, to my surprise. I wasn't excited about them at all, yet I find myself constantly seeing what sports/competitions are on (that is my attempt at avoiding the 'what is sport' conversation). I actually enjoy seeing the wide range of talents on display. For example, the synchronized diving. That looks incredibly difficult. Or the air rifle competition...pretty boring but I can't help but be amazed at these guys accuracy. They were shooting at a point the size of a period at the end of a sentence. What was more amazing is that they were hitting it consistently without using a telescopic scope. The Olympics are also good this year because of all the violence in the world. It allows us to come together as one world, despite the problems. Just look at how the entire world is rooting for the Iraqi soccer team to do well.
