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Olympic sports that shouldn't be. #2
Gary Mills, Photographer
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Culver | IN | USA | Posted: 10:21 AM on 08.20.08 |
| ->> Race walking! |
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Stew Milne, Photographer
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Providence | RI | USA | Posted: 10:29 AM on 08.20.08 |
->> I forgot about that one.
On the part #1 of this thread, someone mentioned how difficult it is to swim in open water. I agree, but why is it an Olympic sport? When was it added? |
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Sandy Huffaker, Photographer
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San Diego | CA | USA | Posted: 10:55 AM on 08.20.08 |
| ->> Olympic eating! I guess that's become a sport. |
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Aaron Rhoads, Photographer
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McComb | MS | USA | Posted: 11:20 AM on 08.20.08 |
| ->> Anything you can do while drinking a beer. (say like curling) |
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George Bridges, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 11:32 AM on 08.20.08 |
->> Continuing on the first thread:
Baseball and softball are out after this year.
The open-water swimming was added this year and it's not really adding open water, it's simply adding a new distance to the swimming races already being held, 10,000 meters, and who wants to swim that many laps in a pool? Why not do it in a lake?
It's simply a distance. I mean why a 50-meter and 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle and a 1,500-meter freestyle race? No one questions that so why worry so much over a new distance? |
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Stew Milne, Photographer
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Providence | RI | USA | Posted: 11:54 AM on 08.20.08 |
->> George: Okay. that works for me. Plus you aren't subjecting the audience at "The Cube" to watching them do 200 laps of the pool. Imagine if we got to watch that live? Oh boy!
I don't have the exact quote, but Bob Costas said this about race-walking during a previous Olympics. "If you are in that much of a hurry, just run." |
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Scott A. Schneider, Photographer
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Minneapolis | MN | USA | Posted: 12:29 PM on 08.20.08 |
| ->> 10-meter air pistol. |
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Mark Smith, Photographer
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Elk City | OK | USA | Posted: 1:13 PM on 08.20.08 |
->> I know it's been stylish to bash NBC for their coverage of certain events over others. I'd like to point out, though, that the still photographers are doing the same thing. I was watching some Handball this morning, because I really wanted to make certain that it's a silly game (I'm now certain) and there were about 10 shooters there. I'd make a sizeable wager there were a whole lot more shooters in the Cube and at the gymnastics events.
I'm not criticizing either one. You cover the events your viewers/readers want to see. It's not some broad conspiracy to keep the handballers or the ping pongers down, because they aren't American sports.
Just sayin' |
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Kirby Yau, Photographer, Assistant
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San Diego | CA | USA | Posted: 1:18 PM on 08.20.08 |
->> AIR RIFLE?! Really?
****This message was brought to you be Daisy Air Rifles**** |
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Jack Kurtz, Photographer
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Phoenix | AZ | United States | Posted: 2:51 PM on 08.20.08 |
->> Air Rifle -- I can hear the marksmen's (and I mean that in a gender neutral way) moms now. "You'll shoot your eye out, you'll shoot your eye out..."
(If you have to ask, it's from "A Christmas Story" ) |
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Jason Ivester, Photographer
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Springdale | AR | USA | Posted: 4:20 PM on 08.20.08 |
| ->> I'm really looking forward to hearing a commentator at a future Olympics say, "And here it is...1...2...3...4...and that's it! He does indeed declare war!" |
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Alan Stewart, Photographer
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Corydon | IN | USA | Posted: 5:18 PM on 08.20.08 |
| ->> Crack on race walking if you like, but there's not a single one of you who could crack out a legit (non-rule breaking) 20k or 50k in the times those guys and gals do!!! |
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Stew Milne, Photographer
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Providence | RI | USA | Posted: 5:52 PM on 08.20.08 |
->> Sure it might take skill to race walk, but who came up with this activity and why it in the Olympics? Was it started by someone who used to run and b/c of an injury was told by a doctor, "you can't run, but you can walk as fast as you want."
Golf takes a tremendous amount of skill too. I'm still out as to whether or not it's a sport or activity. :) But it is something played by people all over the world. Why isn't it an Olympic sport.
Oh and amen to the post about how the Olympics were better when only amateurs were allowed to participate. |
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Tom Knier, Photographer
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Lancaster | PA | USA | Posted: 8:04 PM on 08.20.08 |
| ->> I think handball is big in Europe. They even have pro teams... |
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Amy Katherine Dragoo, Photographer
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Coatesville | PA | USA | Posted: 9:58 AM on 08.23.08 |
| ->> There is a proposal to make yoga an Olympic sport. I kid you not. |
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Walter Calahan, Photographer
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Westminster | MD | USA | Posted: 10:19 AM on 08.23.08 |
->> Olympic Yoga????????????????????
How about Olympic Paint Drying?
HA!
I say ax all those dance routines with ribbons, balls, other rhythmic stuff. |
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Charles Ludeke, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Columbia | MO | USA | Posted: 4:02 PM on 08.23.08 |
->> I don't really get the point of this thread. All of these athletes are extremely talented at what they do, and should be given the credit they deserve. I know I certainly couldn't do it. Just because some of these events are atypical shouldn't take anything away from what they do.
I was a swimmer for years, so I know what it feels like to have people say that swimming isn't a sport. Luckily, it got plenty of coverage this Olympics thanks to Phelps, but there are plenty of other sports that don't have that kind of coverage.
Who are we to say what is or isn't a legitimate sport? I think it's kind of arrogant to act like one is better than another. No one likes to be told that what they do isn't good enough. I'm sure plenty of people here wouldn't enjoy being told photography is stupid or isn't a real job. So I don't think they should be making assertions about what is or isn't a sport. It's rude and unnecessary.
Just give the athletes the credit they deserve. They're all extremely talented and have put in incredible amounts of time and personal energy for their respective events. I don't think anyone should take that away from them just because they personally do not enjoy the event, or at least, understand it. |
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Svein Ove Ekornesvaag, Photographer
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Aalesund | Møre og Romsdal | Norway | Posted: 6:22 PM on 08.23.08 |
| ->> Of course we should give the athletes credit, but that is not the same as every sport should be an Olympic sport just because someone is good at performing it. |
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Jeff Martin, Photographer
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wellington | OH | usa | Posted: 9:27 PM on 08.23.08 |
| ->> Svein, I guess you won't be supporting my bid to make wings and beer consumption an olympic event. Not that I would qualify. |
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Stew Milne, Photographer
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Providence | RI | USA | Posted: 12:58 PM on 08.24.08 |
->> Very well said Svein. Just because someone is good at what they do, doesn't mean it should be an Olympic sport. I started this thread, as I thought it was silly at some of the sports that are included in the Olympics. I feel the Olympics should be more pure and not diluted with some of these ridiculous made up sports.
And yes, Basketball, baseball, etc etc , were all made up at some point, but there has to be some legitimacy behind a sport to be included in the Olympics. |
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Jody Gomez, Photographer
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Murrieta | CA | USA | Posted: 4:45 PM on 08.24.08 |
->> I think they should ADD downhill mountain bike racing. Maybe I'm just prejudiced, but it's an incredible, dangerous, and exciting sport that takes an amazing amount of skill to do successfully. Not only that, but downhill is raced all over the world.
Jody |
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Dirk Dewachter, Photographer
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Playa Del Rey | CA | USA | Posted: 5:22 PM on 08.24.08 |
| ->> I liked it BETTER when only AMATEURS were able to compete and not professional athletes. |
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Stew Milne, Photographer
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Providence | RI | USA | Posted: 8:03 PM on 08.24.08 |
->> Dirk, I'll second that, again.
Jody, I thought I saw a downhill cycling event. Check the wires for photos. |
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Steve Ueckert, Photographer
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Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 10:23 PM on 08.24.08 |
->> Dirk--
Define amateur, please.
Have there been any olympics of strict amateurs in the last 40 years?
--Steve |
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Jody Gomez, Photographer
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Murrieta | CA | USA | Posted: 10:32 PM on 08.24.08 |
->> Thanks Stew, but the Olympics had cross country which is a mountain biking sport, but it's not downhill - they're actually two different animals.
Downhill requires full body armor and full face helmets because you race down a mountain as fast as possible. There's no climbing in downhill like there is in cross country, and the bikes are totally different breeds. Most of the down hillers I know think the cross country guys are studs and the cross country guys think the down hillers are crazy. Ha Ha.
Downhill is a very fast sport, with riders traveling at speeds of 30-40 mph. Crashes are spectacular, and many times a rider gets a trip to the hospital. Well, just imagine riding a ski lift to the top of Mammoth or Brianhead with your bike and then riding your bike back down as fast as you possibly can while riding over just about anything that comes your way (boulders, roots, etc). It's awesome!
Here's some clips -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXGqV61V6ik This one is from Morewood Bikes which is the team my son rides on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZKFr3kNxlE&feature=related This one is of Sam Hill, one of the greatest downhillers in history. |
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Charles Mann, Photographer
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Rising Sun | MD | USA | Posted: 3:41 PM on 08.25.08 |
->> With regards to Stews original post about “Olympic sports that shouldn’t be” and more specifically,
“Equestrian: seriously? I just watched a horse prance around an arena like a dog show. Not a sport.”
So I am going to defend the sport that I make my living by.
I have to admit that Dressage can be a little boring, just as in the old days with figure skating and the compulsories. Unless you know all the ins and outs of what the athlete needs to do and when, it looks boring to the untrained eye. If you know anybody that rides a horse will tell you that it takes a lot of work to get a horse to do the things it does in the various Equestrian competitions. You are not just sitting on their back and along for the ride. You need to be in shape yourself.
I too question some of the sports that are in the Olympics and question why baseball and softball are being discontinued, some sports are more popular in different areas of the world and even parts of our country. Who are we to judge?
So I ask Stew and any other doubters to check out my member’s page and maybe my web site to see how interesting the sport can be. |
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Primoz Jeroncic, Photographer
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Kranj | SI | Slovenia | Posted: 3:41 PM on 08.25.08 |
->> Steve officially yes. In reality no. Until 15 years or so, athletes who declared they are professionals, were not allowed to start on Olympics. It's pretty ridiculous because others, who were doing exactly same things, except they shut up and didn't shout around they are professionals, were able to start.
Jody there was BMX this year, and to be honest, I have no idea how BMX came in and downhill didn't. If it would be up to me, I would leave BMX out and include downhill, but on the other side, I guess BMX is more interesting for spectators.
As far as handball is concerned. Handball is behind soccer and basketball pretty much third ball team sport. At least over here in Europe. It's played pretty much everywhere (Europe, Africa, Asia and Middle East), except for USA, and I would say, even though I have no real data now, it turns around more money then volleyball for example. So it's not so exotic sport as someone might think ;) Baseball on the other side is pretty much non-existing sport in majority of the World. There's no real league for baseball anywhere in Europe, at least not that I would know. And I think it's not much better anywhere else either, except for USA, Cuba and Japan.
But no matter what, I don't think there's really need to exclude some existing sports. There's enough time, to keep them, but then again, they should think a bit before including some new ones... like bridge for example :) |
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Andrew Wheeler, Photographer
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Capitola | CA | USA | Posted: 7:12 PM on 08.25.08 |
->> To add to Charles' comment (Hey Charles...!)
I think you'll find that horses, or equestrian events were in the original/ancient Olympic games and were the only way in which women could enter those games (albeit as naked as the men...) so they're kind of a fixture...
I am also grateful for the fact that the photography of horses was the reason I started in this business.
Andrew
http://www.automotophoto.com |
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Joseph Zimmerman, Photographer
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Howard | Pa | USA | Posted: 8:43 PM on 08.25.08 |
| ->> We had the best of the best already their at the Olympics and yet they didn't compete. Why not Sports Photography Championships. Heinz Kluetmeier would have taken home the gold. |
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