Sports that don't need to be Olympic events: (Page 2)

Again, doesn't this carry through to triathlon? That triathletes are just swimmers/cyclists/runners who "weren't good enough to compete at the highest level" in those individual sports? At various times I've heard swimmers/cyclists/runners say that about our sport...

You say "it's not as big a stretch" but I would bet the participants in trampolining and rhythmic gymnastics would disagree.

All in all I find it incredibly amusing that folks on forums devoted to one fringe-sport (triathlon) would choose to look down on other fringe sports and their inclusion in the Olympics.

I'd add wrestling, boxing, judo,etc, as I am sure this has occurred at least once in a bar fight near your area...just saying.

THANK YOU!

as a lifelong equestrian that cringes at the question every 4 years.  I'm tired of defending my sport. You know, I do triathlon and do watch it on tv. Its not a good sport for tv.  That finish was epic, but thats all thats exciting.  I'd much rather watch those subjective sports or my beloved horseback events (ok even I can do without dressage! show jumping and cross country are awesome).

I hope they do not take away my beer in marathons now.

I would love to see an event that is big in the host country that is not a normal event to be played.  I think it would really give a chance to showcase that country.   My rules would be it would have to have an international governing body and it would be announced at the closing ceremonies giving everyone 4 years to train.

yes it would give the home country an advantage but I think that is part of the the fun.

Breaststroke, which spawned butterfly for the same reason, but breaststroke was nevertheless retained.

And why have hurdles and steeplechase then?

Someone say team handball... Really?  Do they play this sport anywhere or anytime other than the Olympics?  Anyone part of a team handball league or go to the local handball match?

Maybe it's popular somewhere, but I really don't know where.  I know just about every other sport is, even at bbq's and picnics or college dorms.  Heck, I but more people  play beer pong than team handball.

No experience.  I was dating a girl once who tried out for the girls volleyball team but was cut.  But then approached to play women's team handball... 

Basically, they just throw a team of athletes together that can't make it in the sport they wanted and "teach" them to play, but no real experience.

I know that is probably a generalization, but sort of seemed to be the case in first hand experience.

Handball is HUGE in Australia (somewhat more so among women there) and Europe, and it has a decent following in Commonwealth countries.

I played a little of it growing up, but then again I played a little of everything and a whole huge lot of a few things.

I think hurdles & steeplechase are only comparable if you'd support speedwalking hurdles and speedwalking steeplechase.  Otherwise they're running events with obstacles.  My point is that walking, in my mind, is a slower more controlled version of running.  Despite them walking really really fast.  That water jump would be a real challenge if you were walking though.  LOL.  

Yes my response of badminton was mostly in jest.  Several people seem to be quite sensitive however in defending their "sports" on here.  I took the OP's tone to be playful and light, so i went with it. Everybody can calm down a little.

On a serious note, i caught Mike Greenberg on ESPN radio this morning discussing the same topic. According to him Tennis and Soccer should not be included based on the reasoning that any sport in which an Olympic Medal is not viewed as the apex of achievement within that sport should not be included.  Example, most tennis players would take a Wimbledon Championship over an Olympic gold and soccer players would take a World Cup title, etc.  Interesting viewpoint but not sure i agree with the premise.

That's your opinion. However, metabolically and kinesiologically, they are two different methods of locomotion.

Same person who RUNS three miles will burn the same amount of calories under the same conditions regardless of the speed they run at. Walking energy demands are not comparable to run ones in the same way (but they are within walking itself, whether strolling or racewalking).

The biophysics of running are different than those of walking.

You cannot become a faster runner by walking.

You cannot become a faster walker by running.

Fair enough.  I can see both sides.  I cannot argue your science facts because I don't have the knowledge that you do.  However, again in my opinion, if the motto of the Olympics is "faster, higher, stronger" then I contend that you can go faster than speedwalking and it's called running.  I totally understand that your view is that they are walking faster than the other walkers though.  

Agree to disagree?  

I would, if the Olympics followed their own motto! The motto's not what determines which sports should and shouldn't be included, though. In quite a few of them, it isn't about getting from point A to point B the fastest ... even when the method of doing so IS comparable (like keirin vs sprinting).

Actually Soccer is different in the Olympics as it has an age limit of under 23 years, with only 3 players that can actually be older than 23. So many of the players competing in Soccer, won't be the same players representing their country in the World Cup.

I didn't know that about soccer, but i think the NBA is considering a similar age restrictive rule for its players. 

Handball in Australia? I think you mean netball, handball is pretty much non-existent here. BUT it is HUGE in europe. Just because the US of A does not play a sport does not mean it isn't played!

I find it amusing that people from a small sport background would have shots at others from small sports backgrounds. The fact that we are all here, watching, talking about and interested in the olympics, means maybe they have it right!

Unfortunately that is the way that most Americans think.  If they haven't heard of it or seen it played, they why the hell have it in the Olympics.

I love watching the Olympics because it opens me up to sports that I never would have known about/been interested in.

YES! I WAS WRONG!!!!!

That almost never happens

Who said that?

There are TONS of games that are played around the world that I know of.  Hurling in Ireland, Jai-alai, cricket, on and on...  No one from the US of A said they are not played, just maybe dated or not played enough world wide to be in the Olympics.  I'm pretty sure this thread was started in jest.

And no one here thinks american football or baseball should be there for the same reasons and those are "our" games.  Maybe someday, since we invented basketball and volleyball, and they are huge worldwide now.