Curling

on 02.19.06, 01:24pm in life • comments (14)

Can someone please explain to me why this is an olympic sport?

14 Comments

    Jamie (February 19, 2006 @ 1:29 pm)

    Because it takes years of dedicated practice to get to a level even close to that of these guys? Its far more physical than something like target shooting, and just because it doesn’t involve the sheer physical exertion of athletics doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be an Olympic sport.

    Raymond (February 19, 2006 @ 4:10 pm)

    It’s a finesse sport rather than brute force sport. Certainly more worthy than half-pipe snowboarding, which to me looks like a bunch of people goofing off.

    gdkzen (February 19, 2006 @ 7:31 pm)

    Simple. It was part of the deal when the IOC chose Calgary for the ‘88 winter games. It became an exhibition sport (because it was a canadian thing) - which almost always means that it will end up as a medal sport.

    How the hell are any of these things sports? Ice Dancing, Figure Skating - those are more like performing arts than competitive sports. But it attracts viewers - so it’s a sport. I can only assume that there are a ton of canadians glued to the tv watching curling.

    LUGE!?!?!

    James Fee (February 19, 2006 @ 9:08 pm)

    Bah you are way off.

    I spent all afternoon sleeping through the U.S./United Kindom match.

    Mac (February 20, 2006 @ 5:43 am)

    I never really realized what was involved in curling until I got sick this past week and was forced to lie on the couch and watch it. Once you drop the stereotypical “curling is not a sport” mentality, you start to really realize the amount of strategy and skill goes into a curling match.

    Most of us have problems just walking on ice in smooth shoes, let alone playing a game on it.

    AAwoken (February 20, 2006 @ 7:00 am)

    These were also Olympic “sports”
    * underwater swimming race
    * swimming obstacle race
    * plunge for distance swimming race
    * tug of war
    * live pigeon shooting
    * Crocket
    * Roque
    * Jeu de Paume
    * Cricket
    * Motorboating

    Ken Partridge (February 20, 2006 @ 10:02 am)

    It’s like some people in Minnesota during a slow period of thier ice fishing session said, “hey let’s pitch rocks on the ice and see who can get closer”. And it just snow balled from there.

    Brian Hampson (February 20, 2006 @ 10:33 am)

    Have you tried it? Quite challenging. And good post-game drinking :)

    Jamie (February 21, 2006 @ 1:52 am)

    Except, like that other great sport, Golf, it was invented in Scotland :)

    gdkzen (February 21, 2006 @ 7:01 am)

    Yes, and like Golf, watching Curling on television is as exciting as watching hair grow. Some things just do not translate well to the TV.

    Jamie (February 22, 2006 @ 3:59 am)

    Depends on your point of view I guess, I like watching Golf, preferably live rather than on TV, but either is fine. Still nowhere as good as football though. And by football, I mean FOOTball (as in soccer to all you uneducated folks) :)

    Brad (February 22, 2006 @ 8:49 am)

    Maybe we should all have our very own personalized olympics then.

    Personally, I find snowboarding and curling to be the most entertaining. Ice dancing? zzzzzzzzz…

    By the way, does anybody else think that Dick Button stays up late the night before writing poetry that he can recite during the skating events?

    Carl (February 22, 2006 @ 9:46 am)

    Perhaps the olympics should be viewed as an international Festivus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus). Let the Feats of Strength begin!

    DaD (February 23, 2006 @ 2:29 pm)

    Don’t knock it. You’re Mom thinks its the greatest. I’m with you

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.