tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post6713352866658186016..comments2024-03-29T10:51:27.752+13:00Comments on Not PC: Time for an Olympian razorPeter Cresswellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10699845031503699181noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-12259897876115581632008-09-06T17:17:00.000+12:002008-09-06T17:17:00.000+12:00No, no, no. The only sports that should be in the ...No, no, no. The only sports that should be in the Olympics are sports that men can do naked. That ruled out BMX in ancient times because of the slivers and other injuries they would have gotten from wooden saddles.<BR/><BR/>But seriously, I really don't see a need to be so restrictive. To me it's simply a competition among the best participants from many nations, a sort of worldwide Super Bowl or World Cup. It's a competition for the title of best in the world.<BR/><BR/>That said, I do find some things a bit silly, but I would regardless of whether they were in the Olympics.<BR/><BR/>(I'm not going to specify <I>which sports</I>, so as not to discourage any young future BMX riders, synchronized swimmers, biathletes, racewalkers, or rhythmic gymnasts)mtnrunner2https://www.blogger.com/profile/10974435572236740294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-54064449412307653112008-08-25T14:57:00.000+12:002008-08-25T14:57:00.000+12:00I've been musing on similar things over the course...I've been musing on similar things over the course of the Olympics - for instance, why does there need to be four different styles of swimming? Surely we should be simply timing people on how fast they get from one end of the pool to the other, in the truest Olympic spirit?Moneohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01733709291703816133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-79891554329714921852008-08-25T10:37:00.000+12:002008-08-25T10:37:00.000+12:00Gymnastics is extraordinary .. their athleticism n...Gymnastics is extraordinary .. their athleticism never fails to take my breath away, although the "women's" tag always amuses me, their being mostly young teenagers. And that gorgeous little Chinese girl - the one whose age her govt 'officially' altered by two years - barely looked 12.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and Justin, events like diving and skating (in the winter games) are 'judged' as opposed to refereed, so nothing exceptional about that.<BR/><BR/>But to use Carol's basis for inclusion, (with which I would agree, by the way), then synchronised swimming would indeed qualify.<BR/><BR/>While not exactly my cup of tea, I can objectively (!) appreciate the skills involved. Incredibly difficult.<BR/><BR/>An Australian doco once featured Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and (I think) Michael Klim with the Aust synchronised swimming squad. The swimmers were astonished at what was required .. openly said that it was "insanely difficult" and "just bloody impossible", etc - and, most tellingly, that they had "no idea as to what went into it".<BR/><BR/>I *love* the summer Olympics. Watching human beings achieve what they do is just glorious and never fails to move me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-87468043557526798722008-08-23T07:55:00.000+12:002008-08-23T07:55:00.000+12:00I know one sport that has plenty of positive aesth...I know one sport that has plenty of positive aesthetics.<BR/><BR/><B>WOMAN'S INDOOR VOLLEYBALL</B>. Watching hot amazons rolling around the floor and giving each other comforting pats on the "lower back", who could want anything more when "Celebrating Humanity"?OECD rank 22 kiwihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00221031703154055521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-46904078292694293692008-08-22T20:19:00.000+12:002008-08-22T20:19:00.000+12:00"next people will be calling *golf* a sport" You ..."next people will be calling *golf* a sport"<BR/><BR/> You tread on dangerous territory Peter...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-91448010449007523832008-08-22T17:03:00.000+12:002008-08-22T17:03:00.000+12:00Oh yeah, walking's out (next people will be callin...Oh yeah, walking's out (next people will be calling *golf* a sport).<BR/><BR/>And I assumed the 'cutie' exception was obvious?Peter Cresswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10699845031503699181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-4001969456647546742008-08-22T16:32:00.000+12:002008-08-22T16:32:00.000+12:00Check your premises Cresswell, you're all over the...Check your premises Cresswell, you're all over the place.<BR/><BR/>There are many reasons why BMX should be included.<BR/><BR/>1) Sarah Walker is a real cutie.<BR/><BR/>2) BMX is basically about riding fast, like cycling, but with more jumps. If adding jumps is good enough for the 200 meters it should be good enough for cycling. It is perfectly abstract within the original Olympic credo of "citius altius fortius". Unlike oh so many sports, you don't need judges the winner is demonstrably right there.<BR/><BR/>3) Sarah Walker is a real cutie.<BR/><BR/>4) There are many sports far more niche, and far siller, like "walking"<BR/><BR/>5) Sarah Walker is a real cutie.<BR/><BR/>*sigh*Sir Arthur Streeb-Greeblinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07089215385939482882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-88131882771369417842008-08-22T14:22:00.000+12:002008-08-22T14:22:00.000+12:00Gymnastics is well in for me, because it's just ab...Gymnastics is well in for me, because it's just about all the basic elements of the Olympics contained in one mind.<BR/><BR/>I'll reluctantly accept swimming because it's a basic, but I would restrict it severely in scope.. far too many events.<BR/><BR/>Team sports like the horses and soccer I'd ditch, along with tennis and basketball. I just don't see them as part of the Olympic ideals.<BR/><BR/>For me, too many events are like too much salad around the steak.<BR/><BR/>JCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-63757955724811963192008-08-22T13:44:00.000+12:002008-08-22T13:44:00.000+12:00And the equestrian....?LGMAnd the equestrian....?<BR/><BR/>LGMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-76357465496995577792008-08-22T13:33:00.000+12:002008-08-22T13:33:00.000+12:00What about things like the gymnastics? My problem...What about things like the gymnastics? My problem with the gymnastic events is that they are judged (rather than refereed) and the winner is chosen subjectively. On the other hand, it could be argued that (some of) the gymnastic events have a sufficient degree of abstractness to qualify them for inclusion (on the basis that physical bodily control and raw athleticism are abstract qualities of all sports).justinrainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03065029100539210638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-18803784074885317652008-08-22T13:21:00.000+12:002008-08-22T13:21:00.000+12:00"..we'll be seeing arguments from the English that..."..we'll be seeing arguments from the English that pub sports like snooker and darts must be included.."<BR/><BR/>Ha ha..gotta love the English working class...Elijah Lineberryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12626477239489811223noreply@blogger.com