Olympics question

[observer]

Who's been watching them? And what do you think?

Is Canada more of a winter Olympic country than a summer Olympic contender? And, if so, why would that be? Fewer total countries in the world who have a snowy winter? - and thus fewer people to contend with in skiing and skating etc etc.? I guess pretty well everywhere has some sort of summer - and some places have continuous summer? - so there are more contenders for warm weather sports?

[retired2]

My wife has watched most of it, I watch bits here and there., They are all great athletes. Really enjoy he gymnastics.

[observer]

Did anyone take note of the badminton competition - where, I think, 4 countries were disqualified for "throwing" their competitions? They wanted to place differently - to get better opponents (more easily defeated) than they would have gotten if they'd won their matches.

Always new and interesting developments in these things, it seems!

[retired2]

It does spoil it a bit, but it was funnie to watch

[observer]

Yes - if you actually watched the contentious matches - there was absolutely no intent to hidw what they were tryiing to do! AND - people had paid good money to come and watch these events - and instead, they were treated to a farce!

[tito fuentes]

I think the answer to your question O.B. is simple. The summer olympics feature older more established sports that countries that have little or no professional sports play. The winter olympics are basically sledding, skiing or skating. The olympic movement seems to come up with variations of these disciplines every winter olympic cycle. Slalom skiers traditionally went down the course one at a time. One of our skiers lobeyed for inclusion of a sport that would see skiers come down in groups of four and voila, a NEW sport is born. Of course Canada medals in it. They sled down a course in bobsled, skeleton, and luge. Aren't they all toboganning?A nd then they do it in multiples and once again , medalling chances. In the case of our summer Olmpians I sometimes wonder how many of our best athletes are able to tear themselves away from the more traditional sports, sports that offer a chance of scholarship or turning pro, to train in some of these fringe sports. I have never met a team handballer. Even our rowing hope Adam K........ admitted that he turned to rowing because he could not make any of his school teams. You have to ask yourself if the Great One would gold in rowing if Walter's rink didn't freeze.

[observer]

So, Tito, you seem to think that the skills exhibited in the summer Olympics are more "noble" somehow, then?

Haven't they done things in the summer Olymics like add beach volleyball and trampoline? Are these any more noble than tobaggoning in all its forms?

And, let's get real! How many people are really turned on by badminton championships and table tennis? (OK - I'm not sure table tennis is is an accredited Olympic sport!)

[tito fuentes]

More noble? Not at all. What I am saying is that in the case of the majority of Olympic sports, those who excell may not be the BEST athletes, but rather those athletes that fill the vacuum that niche sports create in North America. Our best young athletes lean towards participation in sports where they could have a collegiate and/or professional future. Agreed , the inclusion of backyard picnic sports like badminton doesn't turn people on. For me these games begin and end with the 100 and 200 metres. This is my point. The oldest of Olympic sports occur during the summer games. Every athlete on this earth can run and jump and therefore the gold medalist in a great number of summer events could consider himself/herself as the best in the world. Again, a great number of runners and jumpers in North America tend to play the major North American sports. For a number of winter sports, the winner sometimes is the best of a of a relatively small group of participants.

[Ruby Tuesday]

My wife has watched most of it, I watch bits here and there., They are all great athletes. Really enjoy he gymnastics.

I bet u do!

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