# Best and worst Winter Olympic "sports"



## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Out of the widely varying sports what are those you feel truly are skill tests and represent athletic ability??

What are those that are either too much technology component ( bobsled?? ) or too much luck.

Any comments on some of the "new" sports?? Aerials etc.

Most boring?? Most exciting??


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## Jacklar (Jul 23, 2005)

They are all a test in one way or another.. respect wise..

Luge and Skeleton they have balls... Thats skill I don't care what anyone says when your pulling Gs in the corner it takes skill to keep that thing on the blades and not your skin dragging along the ice.

They all require skill, Iunno I wouldn't say any event is less then another. Either way they are hard in one or another.. one might look easier but I respect every one of them.


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## JPL (Jan 21, 2005)

Personally I thought the short track speed skating was the most spectator friendly and exciting. The addition of the snowboard events were fun to watch. The long distance cross country skiing and curling were like watching paint dry until the end of those events.

Great winter Olympics though I enjoyed them immensely and now look forward to Vancouver.


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## Optik (Feb 28, 2005)

I'll be glad when it's all over! - I get sick of things quick!


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

Best:
- Womens Hockey
- Curling Mens and Womens
- Downhill Skiing Mens and Womens
- Skeleton, Bob Sled
- Cross Country Skiing
- Speed Skating

Worst:
- Mens Hockey

My 2¢

D


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## lreynolds (Dec 28, 2005)

Some of the sports seem really niche. Like Nordic combined. Everyone does 2 ski jumps, and then they do a cross-country race with staggered start times based on the scores in the ski jumping. Why not just do ski jumping or cross-country or both. Why does their have to be a sport that puts them together?

There are others like that, but they aren't coming to mind.

Some sports could be improved like below. :lmao:


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## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

any judged events in my book are useless those are the ones that should get the boot out of the olympics.

Laterz


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

> Some of the sports seem really niche. Like Nordic combined. Everyone does 2 ski jumps, and then they do a cross-country race with staggered start times based on the scores in the ski jumping. Why not just do ski jumping or cross-country or both. Why does their have to be a sport that puts them together?


I think the idea is to give others who may not be world class in one sport but are top competitors in BOTH an opportunity. Encourages more athletes to participate and provides use of team facilities for training.

If you're a decent ski jumper a decent xcountry you might not be national material for either and so shut out.
I think it widens the opportunity and let's face it it costs to build facilities for a single use.


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## Vandave (Feb 26, 2005)

I don't think curling should be there. It is a game, not a sport.


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## MLeh (Dec 23, 2005)

Some sports just don't translate well to TV, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be Olympic events. It's different when you watch them live - TV is suited more to short attention spans.

The events I have issues with are the 'judged' ones - figure skating, and (exciting as they are to watch) the aerials.

Best sports, to me, are the ones that combine endurance with skill.


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## trump (Dec 7, 2004)

speed skating (long and short) = best

curling and figure skating = worst


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## moonsocket (Apr 1, 2002)

Best, hmmmmmmm,snowboarding,moguls, bear wrestling.

worst-figure skating. curling, ice fishing.


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## Ottawaman (Jan 16, 2005)

darts, bowling, golf, snooker


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## Bosco (Apr 29, 2004)

The best ones for me are the ones that Canadians do well in. The worst are the ones that Canadians do not do well in. 

eg.. Curling is great. Men's hockey sucks.

2 and 4 years from now I may have different likes and dislikes.


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

Worst: Figure Skating
Best: Biathlon and Cross Country Skiing


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## Cole Slaw (Aug 26, 2005)

Best sports? Anything we win in.
Worst sports? Anything we're not good at.
Guess that puts men's hockey on the worst list.


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

Vandave said:


> I don't think curling should be there. It is a game, not a sport.


Shouldn't be where? The Olympic Winter *Games*, you mean? 

Seriously, curling is a competitive winter activity, requiring skill and strategy. It has a 200-year history, and a number of countries are competitive in it. Sport or game, fan or not, I think it belongs there. I hate watching it, personally, but there's no reason I have to. 

Some of these events are not very spectator-friendly. Some are dubious because they're judged. Some of the team-sport tournament formats are flawed -- both men's and women's hockey, for instance.

Despite some problems, and some events being more entertaining than others, I think they all have a place. (I already withdrew most of my objections to women's hockey.)


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

I'm generally opposed to any team vs team Olympic sports, but watching Men's Curling was fantastic. The skill required to knock an opponent's stone out at 143 feet...wow!


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## DP004 (Mar 9, 2005)

Before the Olympics started, I looked forward (except for curling) to all of them as we had the best in the world for each event competing against each other.
Each event involving Canada (except curling) had me sitting excited at the tip of my sofa.
Then a friend of mine descibed me the beauty of curling as we looked at the women's teams. Thank you my friend.
I could watch and understand the men's games, truly enjoyed Canada's victory and could share all the excitement in Newfounland. 

I spent two weeks watching and reading and being jealous, feeling so out of shape and "outdated" but proud for all who earned the right to be there. 

I could say I didn't like this or that but the real emptiness will be felt when it will end and the only sport events in the newspapers will involve Gretzky's sorrows for this and that and about who will tend the goals tonight. 
Rude awakening.


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## Bosco (Apr 29, 2004)

I gotta say that I enjoyed watching some of the curling. It's like Bocce on ice. I didn't have time to watch and entire 10 ends though. It is long. And I really liked the Women's Swedish team. 

BTW, I've curled twice and I gotta tell you, they have a bar. And in some places, they'll let you drink on the ice.


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

Personally I would have liked more snowboarding coverage and less biathlon.


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## Makr (Jul 21, 2005)

I have one problem with curling, You mean to tell me that The guys who won gold are at the same level as the speed skaters that win gold?


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## mbaldwin (Jan 20, 2003)

Makr said:


> I have one problem with curling, You mean to tell me that The guys who won gold are at the same level as the speed skaters that win gold?


From a pure athleticism standpoint, obviously not. But a phenomenal amount of skill and mental toughness is required to win at curling. That triple-takeout that the Canadian made in the gold medal game was simply unbelievable. There are only a handful of people on the planet that could come close to pulling that off amidst the stress of being in the most important match of their life.

That curling team is a group of exceptional men, regardless of what you think of their pastime.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

While I would never compare the stress of curling with the demands on a real athlete, it was the one event I did enjoy.


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## Rob777 (Dec 17, 2002)

I liked the Snowboard Cross and the Speed Skating, which is funny because I don't see the point in watching car racing, but I like watching people go around in circles.

I think I read it hear before where someone suggested Snowball Fight as an event. I think maybe Tobogganing would be fun. But you are not allowed to wear stream lined suits or technology advanced toboggans. The toboggans must be made of wood and the clothing must be a snowsuit with those big snowboots and at least one piece of clothing must have been knit by an Aunt or Grandmother. The only other variating is the team event. The team must consist of siblings and the older one must sit in the back. Also, there must be at least one jump on the track which you cannot see.

Any other suggestions?


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## Peter Sensei (Jul 8, 2005)

I think we should have mixed hockey ,our men against anybody's women. To be fair we will use only our pro's and the existing coaching staff.

relax just kidding.


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