Should these be in the Olympics?

[DrungoHazewood]

Keep them all in, then add some more.

[TGO]

Keep them all.

The only thing I would do is list both the rider and the horse as the winner in equestrian, because the horse deserves credit as well. But if you don't think riding a horse and getting it to jump over a series of gates within a certain time frame is an athletic event, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

[Why Not?]

I think it's kinda crazy to include or eliminate a sport because of the amount of athleticism involved. It's the Max Kellerman school of thought. Obviously there's a sliding scale of athleticism with different activities, but who decides where to draw the line and why does there need to be a line drawn in the first place.

We could take it to the extreme and eliminate everything but the decathlon.

Some sports should go away because there simply aren't enough players, so the Olympic competition becomes a farce. Softball is an obvious example.

[Why Not?]

Thats a valid point, but the actual judging of the Olympic judged events, like diving or gymnastics, is much more rigorously dictated by the rules than any of the refereeing that goes on in any of the major sports over here.

You almost never hear the commentators, athletes, or fans complaining about someone getting too low or too high of a score. They are so specifically set up that there is nearly no room for the bias of any official. Its basically as close to machine-judged as is humanly possible.

That's been a constant theme in the gymnastics this year. At times, the commentators seem to be totally confused by the scores.

[DrungoHazewood]

Some sports should go away because there simply aren't enough players, so the Olympic competition becomes a farce. Softball is an obvious example.

Or you can make the case that having a sport in the Olympics gives it a higher profile and inspires more kids to try playing it. When the NBA first let its players in the Olympics the results were kind of a farce. 15 years later international basketball is much more competitive. You might see the same thing with softball. Or might have if the IOC didn't eliminate it...

[DrungoHazewood]

That's been a constant theme in the gymnastics this year. At times, the commentators seem to be totally confused by the scores.

Which is why all judged sports need to be converted to a big tournament of HORSE. The Romanian girl does a triple-twisting 3 1/2 somersault, then the American has to, also, or she gets an H. First one to HORSE is out.

I'm kind of kidding... I think.

[DrungoHazewood]

Keep them all.

The only thing I would do is list both the rider and the horse as the winner in equestrian, because the horse deserves credit as well. But if you don't think riding a horse and getting it to jump over a series of gates within a certain time frame is an athletic event, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

I'm in favor of decathalon-style events that have wildly disparate sports. Using equestrian as a starting place, I want to see an event that combines dressage, pole vaulting, and boxing. And another that's single sculls (rowing), trap shooting, fencing, and 10-m platform diving. Also, some combination of shot put and rhythmic gymnastics.

Not necessarily at the same time.

[Why Not?]

Or you can make the case that having a sport in the Olympics gives it a higher profile and inspires more kids to try playing it. When the NBA first let its players in the Olympics the results were kind of a farce. 15 years later international basketball is much more competitive. You might see the same thing with softball. Or might have if the IOC didn't eliminate it...

That's a valid point. I guess seeing the US crush everyone in softball just makes me a little uncomfortable. It's like playing baseball with my four-year old and firing fastballs past him.

[TGO]

That's been a constant theme in the gymnastics this year. At times, the commentators seem to be totally confused by the scores.

I was going to post something similar.

Yes, gymnastics has a very set scoring system. You "automatically" get a certain percentage deducted if you go to your knees on the vault dismount, for instance. However, if the judges "pretend" not to "see" your "knee" "touch" the ground, "oh well," right? ""

(note: read this out loud with air quotes)

[Camden_yardbird]

Man you people have evicerated the pentathlon. What you don't want to test whether people would be good napoleonic soldiers?

Archery, at that level, is really hard. I don't really have a problem with the sports where a machine (Bow, Gun) is doing a lot of the work because the ability to use it effectively, at that level, is very difficult.

Archery does take some strategy too as each end (like an inning), especially in the team events, has several arrows that stay in the target. That means if you want the 8th or 9th shot in the end to hit the bullseye you have to be good enough to put all your arrows at the corners of the bullseye.

[geschinger]

Hand/eye coordination is part of athleticism, and they do need quickness and hitting power(although I'll admit that probably doesn't require much athleticism). I would say it's a skill in a similiar way hitting a baseball is a skill. Obviously the power aspect is much greater in baseball though.

I agree but wouldn't slight the athleticism... The great players have to play so far back from the table that it requires a lot of athletic ability to compete.

Some Great Points and an amazing exhibition

Now those are some superb athletes.

[mweb]

I agree but wouldn't slight the athleticism... The great players have to play so far back from the table that it requires a lot of athletic ability to compete.

Some Great Points and an amazing exhibition

Now those are some superb athletes.

I wasn't slighting the athleticism, I was defending table tennis.

[geschinger]

I wasn't slighting the athleticism, I was defending table tennis.

True, my bad... I read the "doesn't require much athleticism" it wrong and took it out of context.

[ChaosLex]

Where's Foxy Boxing?

[EddieO's21]

Honestly, We are all forgetting one sport: Golf

Ok Ok, here me out...

This is one sport that has truly become, and ALWAYS been an international sport. If you look at the WGC tournaments, the majors, Ryder Cups, Asian Tours, Austrailian and every other continent tours, this is a sport that represents all of the world.

If we are seriously considering shooting and archery, golf should be vaulted into the discussion.