Olympic Games 2020

[Quark]

23 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

Considering that the olympic team actually had a member of the Royal family in it at one point. That tells you everything you need to know about the “sport”

To quote the great playwright and wordsmith William Shakespeare, "so what?"

Being a sport dominated by the wealthy doesn't make it any less of a sport. Dressage may not take the level of physical exertion of running a marathon, but don't underestimate how hard it is to get half a tonne of horse to do exactly what you want it to. 

I'm not saying everyone has to enjoy it btw (I don't), but don't dismiss it out of hand either.

Edited July 28, 2021 by Quark

[Punksnotdead]

6 minutes ago, Quark said:

To quote the great playwright and wordsmith William Shakespeare, "so what?"

Being a sport dominated by the wealthy doesn't make it any less of a sport. Dressage may not take the level of physical exertion of running a marathon, but don't underestimate how hard it is to get half a tonne of horse to do exactly what you want it to. 

I'm not saying everyone has to enjoy it btw (I don't), but don't dismiss it out of hand either.

I've got no problem with the show jumping or cross-country elements of the equestrian events, but the 'making my horse prance about' event? Nah, that's not a sport.

I'm not saying it's easy, but so what? Neither is my, or most people's job. Data processing or brick laying or plumbing in a toilet aren't Olympic sports either!

[squirrelarmy]

Is it time to bring back jousting as an official sport? 

[found home in 2009]

6 minutes ago, Punksnotdead said:

I've got no problem with the show jumping or cross-country elements of the equestrian events, but the 'making my horse prance about' event? Nah, that's not a sport.

I'm not saying it's easy, but so what? Neither is my, or most people's job. Data processing or brick laying or plumbing in a toilet aren't Olympic sports either!

Sawing bits of wood is a professional sport, though admitedly not an Olympic one. . It was on Eurosports when I was flicking through channels. I thought who the hell would watch this, then found myself watching it for about half an hour. They had all kinds of different events with different types of saws, different sizes of wood and different numbers of people involved (there was even a relay race at one point). Was actually quite impressive.

[Quark]

12 minutes ago, Punksnotdead said:

I've got no problem with the show jumping or cross-country elements of the equestrian events, but the 'making my horse prance about' event? Nah, that's not a sport.

I'm not saying it's easy, but so what? Neither is my, or most people's job. Data processing or brick laying or plumbing in a toilet aren't Olympic sports either!

Depending on where you look for definitions, sport is basically a competitive and / or entertainment event based on physical ability and skill. So nope, data processing ain't ever going to make that definition! 😄

Again it's not the most physically exhausting sport, but the amount of physical control and skill in tiny tiny degrees of balance and movement to make it happen is well beyond my ken. See also stuff like archery and shooting.

Plus it's already been said that no sport really make sense when you think about it!

And as a sidenote, on a practical level dressage is probably still included as part of 3-day eventing (along with jumping and cross country).

Edited July 28, 2021 by Quark

[Quark]

8 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

Is it time to bring back jousting as an official sport? 

Yes. Yes it absolutely is.

[Punksnotdead]

I'll maintain my argument that plenty of sports have lost (or never had) Olympic status, e.g: squash, angling, darts, water skiing, etc. It's time dressage was added to that list!

[Quark]

1 minute ago, Punksnotdead said:

I'll maintain my argument that plenty of sports have lost (or never had) Olympic status, e.g: squash, angling, darts, water skiing, etc. It's time dressage was added to that list!

I'll make you a deal. When we stop winning medals at it, we can get rid of it 😂

[Crazyfool01]

Right … this is a proper sport … I say that as I’m going to be playing it later … badminton 🏸 fastest racket sport … although maybe not wen I’m playing 😂

[fred quimby]

7 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

Right … this is a proper sport … I say that as I’m going to be playing it later … badminton 🏸 fastest racket sport … although maybe not wen I’m playing 😂

ha, I am off to play soon as well. 2024 here we come

Edited July 28, 2021 by fred quimby

[steviewevie]

Really it's just swimming and gymnastics until the athletics start. Everything else is filler.

[Quark]

Badminton is nuts.  Was watching it with Mrs Q the other night (love the random stuff I watch during the Olympics). The reaction speed is just unreal.

Favourite thing to watch in the Olympics is weightlifting.  It's rarely on tv, and watching 5ft tall people lifting a house over the heads will never ever cease to amaze me. Especially when I know the weights I move (or fail to move) in the gym and then watch these guys move them like they're lifting up a pencil. Madness.

[Punksnotdead]

6 minutes ago, Quark said:

 

Favourite thing to watch in the Olympics is weightlifting.  It's rarely on tv, and watching 5ft tall people lifting a house over the heads will never ever cease to amaze me. Especially when I know the weights I move (or fail to move) in the gym and then watch these guys move them like they're lifting up a pencil. Madness.

Apparently, the IOC are threatening to drop weight lifting as an Olympic sport, due to concerns over corruption & doping. One of the original Olympic events could be binned soon!

[dizzymoo]

20 minutes ago, Quark said:

I'll make you a deal. When we stop winning medals at it, we can get rid of it 😂

They must keep horse prancing in as it's a sitting down sport and GB is better at those.

[fred quimby]

20 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

Really it's just swimming and gymnastics until the athletics start. Everything else is filler.

I really enjoy the everything else as well. Have't really had chance to watch a lot this time sadly. Can't wait for the climbing though.

when out my dads the other week they had international tag on. WTF I thought, so watched a bit and then a bit more and then another hour great stuff and entertaining

never understood why Squash is not in the Olympics 

Edited July 28, 2021 by fred quimby

[Punksnotdead]

19 minutes ago, fred quimby said:

 

never understood why Squash is not in the Olympics 

I think the perception is that it's difficult to watch as a spectator sport - either for paying spectators or for a tv audience.

[Zoo Music Girl]

9 hours ago, WestCountryGirl said:

Well exactly, that was my point! For some, as you say, they're a challenge and a way to best themselves. For me - as un-sporty a person as they come - sport is pure entertainment, and I so appreciate those who put themselves out there. I love the Olympics for seeing the pure joy and heartache and exhilaration, and to cheer on and get invested in people I didn't know the names of five minutes before.

This perfectly summarises what I've been enjoying about the Olympics this year. Feels so needed to get swept up in something positive.

[Zoo Music Girl]

3 hours ago, Quark said:

Badminton is nuts.  Was watching it with Mrs Q the other night (love the random stuff I watch during the Olympics). The reaction speed is just unreal.

Favourite thing to watch in the Olympics is weightlifting.  It's rarely on tv, and watching 5ft tall people lifting a house over the heads will never ever cease to amaze me. Especially when I know the weights I move (or fail to move) in the gym and then watch these guys move them like they're lifting up a pencil. Madness.

The women's weightlifting yesterday was bloody great. It was really emotional in places! So far I've enjoyed that, the gymnastics and skateboarding the most. The surfing was fun too, what I saw of it.

[Ayrshire Chris]

5 hours ago, squirrelarmy said:

Is it time to bring back jousting as an official sport? 

Naw, Wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole

[squirrelarmy]

2 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Naw, Wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole

What about with a caber or couldn’t you give a toss?

[Ayrshire Chris]

15 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

What about with a caber or couldn’t you give a toss?

Never tossed a caber, just can’t get the wood😉

[Padgey]

14 hours ago, squirrelarmy said:

Is it time to bring back jousting as an official sport? 

Only if the horses dance towards each other!

[Crazyfool01]

Proper adrenaline this canoeing  good chance here … 

Edited July 29, 2021 by crazyfool1

[Padgey]

14 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

Proper adrenaline this kayaking … good chance here … 

One to go, fingers crossed

[Crazyfool01]

3 minutes ago, Padgey said:

One to go, fingers crossed

Damn it’s a foxtrot 😒