Why is snowboarding a sport?

**Joubert**[$] · #1 02-11-2002, 08:16 PM

More appropriately, why is it considered an Olympic-caliber sport?

Sure, it appears that you have to be athletic and disciplined and all that, but snowboarders out there need to help me understand this one. By extension, shouldn't skateboarding be a summer Olympic sport?

Are the two really that different? I dunno. Seems like a version of the X-games.

*emeleel* · #2 02-11-2002, 08:21 PM

Hubby was wondering the same thing last night, including the observation of the X Games. (And Gravity Games)

His theory is, since the original Olympic Games were athletics with purpose, usually military (running, wrestling, javelins, etc.), then shouldn't today's Olympics include things that reflect some equal meaning? Why shouldn't rodeo sports be included? Sure, they're just games now, but they evolved out of the cowboys and whatnot.

**pluckyduck** · #3 02-11-2002, 09:02 PM

OMG, I had a blast watching snowboarding yesterday.

I'm yelling "720!!! Did you see the 720 that chick did??"

Andrea

#4 02-11-2002, 10:44 PM

Joubert,

I asked my hubby the same thing. But then I watched it and I LOVED it. The men's competition tonight was awesome. The one American dude got totally ripped off in his second run.

Truth be told, this is the first time I have watched the Olympics in great detail since - oh - when was Mary Lou Retton?!

wivabef · #5 02-12-2002, 02:19 AM

Dude...

If curling can be an olympic caliber sport, snowboarding certainly deserves a berth.

What's next? Shuffleboard?

hypotenuse · #6 02-12-2002, 08:40 AM

In order for it to be an Olympic sport, the participant when busting ass must really mess themselves up. Like ski jumping. Tell me that doesn't hurt. Even ice skating. They mess up a throw or something - blood and guts everywhere. Weightlifting? That hurts just to watch!

Now synchronized swimming will never be a real Olympic sport. No blood and guts. Sure they might drown, but where's the excitement in watching someone drown.

But will you ever forget....

The Agony of Defeat

Ok, so that was Wild World of Sports, it's still a good example.

Lynne

vania · #7 02-12-2002, 09:07 AM

Last night one of the announcers explained that it was added to "reflect the current times," or something to that effect.

Personally, I enjoy it!

v.

phoenixx · #8 02-12-2002, 09:27 AM

I am a skateboarder from way back, and a snowboarder now. I also rollerblade, play goalie in a weekend hockey group, camp, rock climb, hike, ski (both types), motorboat, play volleyball, play tennis and sail.

Do I think that snowboarding should be a sport in the Olympics? NO. I love the X-Games and the Gravity Games, and it should stay in that arena, and out of the mainstream.

I think the Olympics are boring. I never watch anymore, they are on television too often (more often than every four years it seems). If they were every six years, maybe I'd watch. If they were all filmed at the same freaking time (duh. Summer sports in one warm country and winter sports in one cold country, but all at once) I might watch.

As it is, turn it off, it is so over rated. *yawn*

kurt_messick · #9 02-12-2002, 09:33 AM

Will skateboarding become part of the summer games? I would think it is a parallel.

**conradd** · #10 02-12-2002, 10:12 AM

As spectators become more familiar with extreme sports such as skateboarding and BMX biking, I would expect to see them in future Olympic competitions. The sports have attracted huge endorsement deals in the past few years and top competitors are now raking in big bucks. That, more than the specifics of the sport, seem to command Olympic status.

I have less of a problem with snowboarding than with luge and skeleton. The sled is the competitor once the race starts. The racer is supposed to just lie there steering only if necessary.

So, why is this a sport?
Deb

*emeleel* · #11 02-12-2002, 10:13 AM

Phoenixx,

Yes, "The Olympics" now comes on every two years, but each set - Summer and Winter - alternates so that only one happens in an Olympic year. In 2000, Australia had the Summer games, this year SLC has the Winter games, in 2004 it will be the Summer games and so on.

I like it, because it's spread out now to get one set of games every two years instead of two full sets of games within 6 months and then....nothing....for a full four years.

vania · #12 02-12-2002, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by emeleel
Phoenixx,

Yes, "The Olympics" now comes on every two years, but each set - Summer and Winter - alternates so that only one happens in an Olympic year.

I actually preferred it the old way. It's just somehow "less special" to have the Olympics every 2 years. No wonder people are losing interest.

quasar · #13 02-12-2002, 12:37 PM

I don't see how it's any different from skiing or a bunch of other sports in the games.

As for the games alternating, I like it too. It makes it easier to watch more of the games - spending three weeks watching lots of TV twice in the same year is difficult at best. It also means less time without an olympics and (perhaps more importantly) less time where you can't find "more obscure" sports on tv because they televise the olympic trials and pre-olympic races too. I like the variety.

Janice

**drmomentum**[$] · #14 02-12-2002, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hypotenuse
In order for it to be an Olympic sport, the participant when busting ass must really mess themselves up.

Speaking of Olympics and messing oneself up, my wife just finished readign this book: Little Girls in Pretty Boxes which she said was an eye-opener when it comes to what they put Olympic contestants through. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my list.

I enjoyed watching some of the snowboarding last night. I'm not a huge sports fan, but I do get a kick out of watching some of the Olympic competition. Some of the inane announcing is priceless.

-JP

**drmomentum**[$] · #15 02-12-2002, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wivabef
What's next? Shuffleboard?

I've got a request in for poker, but they won't return my calls. Instead of just summer and winter games, they could have a new category: rainy-day games. We'd get to see some Poker, Chess, Checkers, Crazy-8s, and Old Maid.

-JP

**conradd** · #16 02-12-2002, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by drmomentum
I enjoyed watching some of the snowboarding last night. I'm not a huge sports fan, but I do get a kick out of watching some of the Olympic competition. Some of the inane announcing is priceless.

I particularly enjoyed the announcer who breathlessly announced Kelly Clark's 700. Followed up a few seconds later with a . . . uhhh, that was a 720.

Deb
wondering if geometry is included in announcer school curriculum

wivabef · #17 02-12-2002, 06:27 PM

This maybe should be split to a new thread -- so moderators -- get out your scissors if necessary.

A few posters responded that the games are boring. I think that is an incorrect statement -- the broadcasting of the games is boring.

In Canada, my sister gets to see ALL the skaters ALL the skiers ALL the boarders. They don't edit out the unknowns. And quite frankly, some of the unknowns are spectacular -- they are more daring because they have nothing to lose.

They don't waste my time with the stupid "personal stories" and they don't waste my time showing Costas probing Tai Babalonia and Randy Gardner for the real reason behind the near collision of Kwan and Cohen at the Nationals (their answer -- your making too much of it -- the ice is crowded during warm ups -- it happens all the time).

I groan whenever I hear NBC has the Olympics -- I miss ABC and Jim McKay who were unabashed fans of the Olympics. Listening to Fred Roggin say McTwist and Amped Out is enough to make me barf.

I'm kind of enjoying the coverage of the lesser knowns over on CNBC and MSNBC. It's nice to flick through the news channels and see something other than someone standing in a brisk wind in Tora Bora speculating on the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden.

poseidon · #18 02-19-2002, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wivabef
Dude...

If curling can be an olympic caliber sport, snowboarding certainly deserves a berth.

What's next? Shuffleboard?

That'd be the Senior Olympics.

poseidon · #19 02-19-2002, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vania

I actually preferred it the old way. It's just somehow "less special" to have the Olympics every 2 years. No wonder people are losing interest.

I've gotta agree. I used to watch the Olympics when it was on every four years. Now, I just sit here and say to myself, "Gee they're screwing up the TV schedule again??????"

Jeff
who doesn't really watch that much TV to begin with, but doesn't appreciate the few shows that I do watch being (*&@ed up.

BobMc · #20 02-20-2002, 04:09 AM

Because it looks good on TV...

That is all,

BobMc

TheUnknown285 · #21 02-21-2002, 02:53 AM

Better question: why is NASCAR considered a sport?

I mean, there is seemly very little mental or physical work. It's only a bunch of rednecks driving in a circle a few hundred times. Many times, it's not even a test of who is a more skillful driver. It's a test of who can whore themselves to corporate sponsors the best so they can get the money for a faster car than anyone else.

Even better question: why is curling in the Olympics?

I guess they need a sport where fat, old people won't feel left out.

**Joubert**[$] · #22 02-21-2002, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheUnknown285

I guess they need a sport where fat, old people won't feel left out.

Works for me. As soon as David Wells can't get batters out any more, I'm going to call him up so that he and I can join Wilfred Brimley in the next US curling team tryouts.

Er, is he still alive?