Sports that should be dumped from the summer Olympics

[slots881]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

Well my original post was about the Olympics and I still contend that to train and compete at that level wouldnt be financially accessible to most people.

And taking out equestrian is likley taking out the most expensive of the sports but then you dont have pentathlon, youve got fourthlon. Not sure what to call it as there is quadrathlon.

Edit: I wanted to add that I am really talking about the Olympics here. I actually love a lot of niche sports. If people want to pay to compete and others want to pay to watch or to sponsor, then great. I swim at Talisman Centre sometimes and one of the oddest sports I see is underwater hockey. But I find it awesome that people train and compete in this sport.

I can agree with that, but will also add that training and competing at Olympic level in any sport is pretty expensive. I know a lot of high level athletes that still live at home, or scrounge for money for basic needs just to maintain their training. I also know athletes that do come from privileged families that are successful because they are talented, but also because they are allowed opportunities that others might not have.
In the end, having money does make things a whole lot easier, but you still have to be talented.

[2ArmBands]

Can't say I was ever a big fan of synchronized swimming but I can definitely respect and appreciate their skill sets. I didn't know anything about the sport until my daughter wanted to do it at a young age.

It was a huge eye opener for me as I likely had similar opinions to the sport as most people. But believe me when I tell you these girls do some amazing things and are ridiculously athletic

[Coys1882]

Who can run the fastest.
Who can run the furthest.
Who can jump the highest.
Who can jump the furthest.
Who can throw the furthest.
Who can lift the most.

Those are my events.

[Cheese]

Originally Posted by jeffporfirio

I'd watch olympic competitive eating and/or drinking.
Also, Sumo.

nah unfair...the Koreans would slaughter everyone. They can drink and eat like no one Ive ever met...close second to the Irish.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by 2ArmBands

Can't say I was ever a big fan of synchronized swimming but I can definitely respect and appreciate their skill sets. I didn't know anything about the sport until my daughter wanted to do it at a young age.

It was a huge eye opener for me as I likely had similar opinions to the sport as most people. But believe me when I tell you these girls do some amazing things and are ridiculously athletic

I don't think anyone disputes its athletic, just that it's pointless, how about synchronized hockey? Four teams on side by side ice that have to keep the puck within two foot of each other as judged by a team of four judges, goals add ten points to their style marks.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

Well my original post was about the Olympics and I still contend that to train and compete at that level wouldnt be financially accessible to most people.

That would describe nearly every sport, honestly.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Philly06Cup

Saying foxy boxing and female pillow fight should be events says nothing about old world mentality. It only elicits women in a sexualized manner. Haha -- women should perform sexualized events for my pleasure. You're right, I don't get the joke.

Me neither! I keep telling them all that women are gross but do they listen? NO.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

Well my original post was about the Olympics and I still contend that to train and compete at that level wouldnt be financially accessible to most people.

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

That would describe nearly every sport, honestly.

We used to shake our heads at the Eastern Bloc countries when they would identify talented children at a very young age and then pump enormous resources into giving that child specialized training with the sole goal of competing in the sport at a world-class level. We'd say it was a perversion of the ideals of amateur sport, not to mention unduly coercive to the child.

With the ever-younger age at which children commit intensely to sports, and the ever-escalating cost in time and money we devote, the rest of the world has pretty much adopted the Soviet system. Half the competitors on the U.S. swim team were home-schooled, a growing trend with elite athletes. These people have dedicated their lives, and vast amounts of money, to creating a world-class athlete from a very young age.

In fact, our system may be less fair than the Soviet approach to athletics, as it's increasingly restricted to the very wealthy. High-level sport has never been cheap. But in recent decades it has gone from a pass-time of the middle and upper-middle class to a one enjoyed mainly by the wealthiest 5-10 per cent.

[2ArmBands]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

I don't think anyone disputes its athletic, just that it's pointless, how about synchronized hockey? Four teams on side by side ice that have to keep the puck within two foot of each other as judged by a team of four judges, goals add ten points to their style marks.

Are you specific to synchro or just judged sports in general?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

We used to shake our heads at the Eastern Bloc countries when they would identify talented children at a very young age and then pump enormous resources into giving that child specialized training with the sole goal of competing in the sport at a world-class level. We'd say it was a perversion of the ideals of amateur sport, not to mention unduly coercive to the child. These people have dedicated their lives, and vast amounts of money, to creating a world-class athlete from a very young age.

With the ever-younger age at which children commit intensely to sports, and the ever-escalating cost in time and money we devote, the rest of the world has pretty much adopted the Soviet system. Half the competitors on the U.S. swim team were home-schooled, a growing trend with elite athletes.

In fact, our system may be less fair than the Soviet approach to athletics, as it's increasingly restricted to the very wealthy. High-level sport has never been cheap. But in recent decades it has gone from a pass-time of the middle and upper-middle class to a one enjoyed mainly by the wealthiest 5-10 per cent.

I found it very interesting listening to Penny Oleksiak's swimming career prior to landing in the Rio pool. She really only has been swimming since 12 and then is was very casual, I think only 1-2 times a month. It was really only at age 14 I think that she started to "train" instead of just swim.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by 2ArmBands

Are you specific to synchro or just judged sports in general?

Synchro.

[GirlySports]

wouldn't work. Sumo wrestlers would have to wear shirts.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I found it very interesting listening to Penny Oleksiak's swimming career prior to landing in the Rio pool. She really only has been swimming since 12 and then is was very casual, I think only 1-2 times a month. It was really only at age 14 I think that she started to "train" instead of just swim.

The most important determinant to being an elite athlete is genetics.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by peter12

The most important determinant to being an elite athlete is genetics.

And steroids, let's not forget the great advances steroids have given us.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Sexist!

According to the Flyers fan.

I really did just mean beach volleyball in general though. I didn't watch the women play until after I posted that.

It's just very fast paced with momentum changes and bravado.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by peter12

The most important determinant to being an elite athlete is genetics.

Well Yeah, I know that.


But Ms. Oleksiak seems to fly in the face of those saying that specialization needs to happen younger and younger.

[craigwd]

It's not fair to say "This sport is dumb" when in fact one means "I don't like watching this sport" or "I don't understand the rules/intricacies of this sport".

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by craigwd

It's not fair to say "This sport is dumb" when in fact one means "I don't like watching this sport" or "I don't understand the rules/intricacies of this sport".

This post is dumb.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by craigwd

It's not fair to say "This sport is dumb" when in fact one means "I don't like watching this sport" or "I don't understand the rules/intricacies of this sport".

There are dumb sports, whether you understand them or not, whether you enjoy them or not doesn't alter that.

[GGG]

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/...le-care-about/

A neat article on sport popularity vs Medals available.

Shooting and fighting - not very popular