Korfball

I wonder if I am finally running out of things to say? Those that know me are laughing right now and those that don’t know me, should be. I find that the last couple of days I have put off writing the blog till the last minute and my heart hasn’t been in it. I will admit that I have been pretty busy lately and awfully tired which no doubt has an effect. Tonight is no different.

I still need to have a shower to wash the stink of work off of myself and make sure that I am shiny and clean for when the Sandman comes to visit. Oh yeah, I have to write a blog as well. I just can’t put it off any longer, so here goes nothing.

When did beach volleyball become and Olympic sport? Don’t get me wrong, I am all for pretty girls in bikinis frolicking on the beach, but I am just not sure if it is Olympic material. They are great athletes and of course there is no way that I could do what they do, but I have a vision of what an Olympic sport should be and beach volleyball isn’t it. Neither is bowling, chess, power boating or tug of war. They are all recognized by the IOC however and could be included at some future date.

It seems that interest and saleability are factors in whether a sport makes the Olympics or not. I know that the beach volleyball is popular, but then pole dancing would be too and it would certainly draw a large viewing audience. The athletes would have to be in great shape and demonstrate certain athleticism. We can only wait and hope.

I can’t really get behind rhythmic gymnastics either. I don’t want anyone to think that I don’t believe these girls don’t work and train very hard and what they do is certainly …interesting. I personally don’t feel it’s a good thing to dedicate years of your life and untold thousands of dollars to. I know that as a dad I would have been saying to the kids “What the hell are you going to do, become a professional “ribbon twirler” ?”

I am old fashioned I guess and think that it isn’t a sport worthy of the Olympics unless it was originally based on a war time activity. Running, jumping, riding a bike, rowing, pole vaulting are all ways that I would have tried to get away from the battlefield. Polo and soccer can be traced back to what the victors would do with the heads of a defeated enemy. Archery is a given and so is target shooting or whatever they call it, tossing the javelin and discus also had their birth in battles.

The modern Olympics have more to do with money and status than it does with sport. I will admit that I would pay to watch underdressed women running around a field, any field really, and I wouldn’t pay to see a bunch of sweaty guys pulling on a rope. That’s just me though and who knows, in a few years tug-o-war may stage a comeback. Personally, I am hoping that Korfball is included in the next Olympics. I haven’t a clue what it is, but I just love the name. Maybe you can figure it out… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korfball