Ghost of Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 The NBC Broadcast of the Olympics is limited to CNBC right now and I'm watching (kinda) the women's curling competition between Great Britain and the US. Curiously, a couple of the women are actually cute, but I am hard-pressed to see how women (or men) who basically look like they were found in local watering holes can be called athletes and how a game that seems nothing more than ice-based game of shuffleboard plus human Zamboni is a legitimate ATHLETIC competition in the Olympics. I would point out that whenever the US tends to dominate there are calls to remove a competition from the Olympics but no one has looked at the beautiful but silly dancing and rhythmic gymnastics as sports to be axed but SERIOUS athletic sports like softball are gone and women's hockey is not far behind. Now, maybe there is more competition in curling but so what? It's not an athletic competition. I think we were more athletic in intramural broomball and indoor soccer at Michigan than this (men or women.) I've seen some fantastic female athletes, so this is nothing to do with gender but with the game itself--it's not a sport, it's a game. Anyone agree with me? Should Curling be a sport with an ACTUAL gold medal and on par with competitions like crew, track and field, basketball, hockey, skiing, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I used to hate curling too but I'm starting to get used to it, especially when someone spoke of a curling videogame online. I'm in a room right now watching an online curling match lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 i just have to know: how does one embark on a curling career? i've never seen it at parks and rec, a ymca, any school or gym or ski resort or...anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I though you were talking about your hair and personal regrets. But yeah, I always thought that way, but then living in the northlands much of my life I do admit that when you see it often enough live and play it a few times it drops down from 10 (ten being worst ever) to about 8 in "worst ever winter sports." For instance, I like it better than snowshoeing which takes better conditioning or the blanket toss which is more dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbs Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I'll agree that broomball deserves to be an Olympic sport over curling. But it's hard for me to favor removing a sport... I pretty much enjoy rooting for Team USA no matter what. Even if it's glorified frozen shuffleboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 Ixc, it's not even whether you like curling or not. I'm only attacking it as an Olympic "sport." It's not a sport, it doesn't test the limits of a person's skill or athletic endurance or power. It's basically an advanced pub game. Is billiards an Olympic sport yet? I hope not, but that's essentially what we have here. Sure, billards tests your skill but it's just not an athletic competition, it's a GAME of skill. But no one should get a gold medal for billiards OR curling. The fact that Curling is an Olympic sport tells me more than I want to know about who has pull in Olympic committees and how things are considered. Let's check: Baseball, a national sport in many countries (at least on top 2 list for a given nation) and softball--NOT Olympic sports. Polo Not a sport. Rugby (fergodsake) not a sport Curling: Full-on Olympic competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 It looks like fun though, doesn't it? How many of you would like to actually play Curling? ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissU28 Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I watched it for the first time last night (women's-Canada vs. Denmark) and I actually got into it! Reminds me of shuffleboard and hey, who doesn't like shuffleboard??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Why not just come clean, Nick? This is part of your hatred of freemasonry and Scottish rites, not to mention your well-known Die Hard-inspired disdain for all things Canadian (except for the TV series Le Femme Nikita). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 It looks like fun though, doesn't it?How many of you would like to actually play Curling? ~Bang If I had 5 hours a week to devote to a game of my choice, I'm going to play flag/touch football, soccer, field hockey (i know it's for girls in the US but you get my point) and most of the time, I'll be playing basketball. Or "games" I'll take pool or something like that. I'm not saying it couldn't be fun at all, I just don't see "getting" into it unless I could no longer physically play those other sports. And Jumbo, One of my best friends is Canadian, I can't possibly be against Canadians! But you've got me on the other stuff. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 If I had 5 hours a week to devote to a game of my choice, I'm going to play flag/touch football, soccer, field hockey (i know it's for girls in the US but you get my point) and most of the time, I'll be playing basketball. Or "games" I'll take pool or something like that. I'm not saying it couldn't be fun at all, I just don't see "getting" into it unless I could no longer physically play those other sports.And Jumbo, One of my best friends is Canadian, I can't possibly be against Canadians! But you've got me on the other stuff. :cool: Well sure,, I play tennis, and once the weather breaks I WILL play 5 or 6 times a week. I love it. But curling looks like fun, no? ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superozman Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I actually love it. great game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 Reminds me of shuffleboard and hey, who doesn't like shuffleboard??? There are people who like shuffleboard when there's reading, drinking, football and screwing to be done? and please, with the follow-up posts--consider the initial contention of mine. It's about the validity of it as an Olympic sport with medals awarded (I'd be fine with it and other national/regional games as exhibitions, including basque pelota, drunken,blindolded darts, craps and gangsta-style target shooting.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 not only is it ridiculous but it is seemingly on all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 There are people who like shuffleboard when there's reading, drinking, football and screwing to be done? Screwing should be an Olympic sport :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'Em84 Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I just want to be at the brainstorming session that created curling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Curling is the ****! But seriously, I've been watching it all day. It's probably a lot harder than it looks. How is any different than archery as far as sport goes? I'm all for adding more Olympic events whenever possible. If I had to watch figure skating all day I'd probably pull my eyeballs out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 not only is it ridiculous but it is seemingly on all the time. Next? Poker. Quarters. Louisville Slugger. Seriously, Louisville Slugger, which I had the occasion to observe for the first time at a Michigan/Iowa tailgate in October, seems more of a test of the athletic prowess of those involved. I guess you can't make people drink for an Olympic sport though I can picture Curling involving a heavy amount of ale swilling between rounds (or whatever the hell they call their rounds of play.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 I just want to be at the brainstorming session that created curling. I've been wrong before but I'm almost certain it involved inebriated white people. As for archery--it's just a regularized contest similar to what people did in ancient warfare. But I do concede the point, I think the biathlon works with shooting because of the winter conditions and the skiing beforehand and timed events. Pure archery without any endurance test or running beforehand probably is a borderline sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I see curling as the same as putting in golf, except the golfers are allowed to run ahead of the ball and smooth out the putting green to help guarantee the ball goes into the cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 I see curling as the same as putting in golf, except the golfers are allowed to run ahead of the ball and smooth out the putting green to help guarantee the ball goes into the cup. HAHA! I'll do you one better. Imagine skiing were incredibly slow and relied on people in front of the skier brushing out a path in the snow and smoothing it out. And no physical danger to the skier, no stunts and organized into teams. And everyone could, reasonably, drink tankards of ale while they participated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoSkins561 Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 My Mother grew up in Canada and did plenty of Curling growing up. She says the sweeping is actually pretty draining and the ice is 10X harder to stand on than your average sheet of ice. I guess that's where the athleticism comes in. She said the Curling Clubs are a lot of fun, the casual curlers usually drink beer while playing and its more of a social sport. She did say the people in the Olympics are extremely good and in a league of their own. I find it very entertaining and would love to try it. From what I understand there is are curling clubs in Wheaton and Potomac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'Em84 Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I've been wrong before but I'm almost certain it involved inebriated white people.. Yeah, but it would've been fun to hear that conversation. "Dude, i'm tired of shuffleboard, lets go ice skating." "Ice skating?? That's gay..shuffleboard is much better." "Why don't we combine the two! Lets play shuffleboard...but on ice! WITH A GIANT ROCK!" 10 minutes later when they reach the ice rink... "What should we do with these brooms in my car?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Its more enjoyable to watch than cross country skiing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drums and skins Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Even doesn't get you pumped for curling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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