<p>LOL–most professional sports require a level of athleticism that I don’t have!</p>
<p>But we still smile at curling…there’s something about it. It’s like accordions or harmonicas in the music world. Just begging for jokes. ;)</p>
<p>How athletic are the Taekwondo athletes? Why the heck is that an olympic sport?? And if Taekwondo can be an olympic sport, why not bowling, shuffleboard or badminton?</p>
<p>[INTERNATIONAL</a> OLYMPIC COMMITTEE - SPORTS](<a href=“http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/past/index_uk.asp]INTERNATIONAL”>Olympics Sports List)</p>
<p>Golf used to be an Olympic sport!</p>
<p>Olympic tug-of-war! I would sooo buy tickets to that event!</p>
<p>Bunsen, thanks for the list! I would guess that power boating didn’t require nearly the athletic output that curling does. And what the heck is Jeu de paume or Pelote basque? I wish they had film clips…</p>
<p>Jeu de paume started off like lawn tennis, except without rackets. You hit the ball with your hand. Then they started using gloves, then bats, then rackets and eventually changed the name of the sport because it no longer involved palms.</p>
<p>Pelote Basque is described at [Pelote</a> Basque South West of France](<a href=“http://www.touradour.com/towns/pelote.htm]Pelote”>Pelote Basque South West of France)</p>
<p>jym, As a former Taekwondo Blackbelt (but no where near the level of ability of those who compete at the Olympics), I have to defend my sport. DS was a State Champion Black belt in the sport as well, competing throughout country (taught by a Korean 5th Degree Master, who was on the s. Korean National team). </p>
<p>I have particpated in baseball, football, and wrestling growing up, and I can honestly say that Teakwondo sparring (which is the Olympic sport) is as tough if not tougher than all three. Mt son’s training was INTENSE, the bruises very real, and the amount of training he put into it counted in the hundreds of hours yearly. Not to knock curling, which is a very interesting sport to watch and obviously takes quite a bit of hand-eye coordination, but I have yet to see a curler leave the ice bloody or unconscious.</p>
<p>I invite you to attend a Taekwondo tournament. You’ll walk away a believer!</p>
<p>But to agree somewhat with your point, Taekwondo was added to the Olympic roster as a “gimme” to the South Koreans when they hosted the Summer Olympics a few years back. Just like they added baseball for the Atlanta Olympics. It’s a nod to the host nation’s national sport, ad usually lasts only a few Olympics before it is removed. In fact, I bet ping-pong (or hacking the Pentagon 
) might be added this year, as they seem to be the national sport of China.</p>
<p>So sorry bullet-- didn’t mean to offend. My H is a black belt in judo, and I know how much work that was, and what the olympic judo events were like… Somehow, though, I envision Tai chi when I think of taekwando. Dont ask me why.</p>
<p>How do they select the sports to be included in the olympics? What about olympic billiards? or poker? or darts? And as for pelote basque? Looks like jai alai to me!</p>
<p>So, will they give Canada a “gimme” sport like they gave Korea? I’m puttin’ in my vote for olympic ice fishing ;)</p>
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<p>It wouldn’t be awesome when a woman wide receiver got flatlined by Ray Lewis on a slant route through the middle of the field and died right there on the spot.</p>
<p>Sometimes common sense has to prevail.</p>
<p>Curling is sport, but it’s a skill sport rather than a strength, speed, or endurance sport. Sorta like say Archery or Shooting in that respect. Heck, the ancient Greek Olympic Games included contests in singing and reciting poetry as well as the more well-known events. </p>
<p>Taekwando is a perfectly legitimate fighting sport. If Boxing, Fencing, and Judo can be Olympic sports, Taekwando can be too.</p>
<p>Speaking of ping pong, it says here that table tennis has been on the Olympic program since 1988:</p>
<p>[INTERNATIONAL</a> OLYMPIC COMMITTEE - SPORTS](<a href=“http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=TT]INTERNATIONAL”>http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=TT)</p>
<p>The Chinese are going to cream us. OTH, if “beer pong” ever makes it onto the list…</p>
<p>^^^ LOL Bunsenburner! Beer pong!</p>
<p>Not beer pong, but what would be the most “American” sport (other than our football) that you would introduce to the Olympics if you could? We already have introduced basketball and baseball and snowboarding. Do we go for the youth crowd and add skateboarding? A return to the Power Boating days with Unlimited Hydroplanes? Ice Climbing?</p>
<p>rollerblading, trampolining…
how about shuffleboard for senior olympics? :)</p>
<p>And guys can’t compete in synchronised swimming in the olympics. A guy from the US qualified but had to step down.</p>
<p>From the constant news articles I see on the state of obesity in America, I would volunteer “power eating” as our national sport, but that short skinny guy from Japan always seems to be the one who wins the Coney island Hot Dog Eating Contest every Fourth of July! :)</p>
<p>My D just provided inspiration - Olympic Ultimate (frisbee that is)!</p>
<p>Oh my, dragonmom-- thats perfect!! (How could I forget?? My s is on the HS Varsity Ult frisbee team!! Oops!!)</p>
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<p>My point here is there is bickering about there being an Olympic event for men but not for women. A female CAN play football if she wants to… perfectly fine. A male, however, cannot play volleyball unless there is a men’s team.</p>
<p>I know this is the case in the state of Illinois; don’t know about elsewhere. If a school has a boys team, a girl can participate on that team if there is a not a girls team for that sport. But if a school has a girls team in a specific sport and not a boys team, a boy CANNOT play on that team. Sounds fair, right?</p>
<p>I like watching the ping pong - I wish they’d show more of it. </p>
<p>Speaking of that, I wish they’d show more of the olympic sports. We see only a few of them and even less as they go into their “up close and personal” segments. I’m sure some other countries must have much better coverage than ours.</p>