The demise of U.S. Track and Field

[ERCougar]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

X sport is a serious sport because ER Cougar is not good enough to qualify for the Olympics in it.

Intelligent diagnosis, doctor.

Mind addressing the point, ie that any one of these supposed "non-athletes" could beat you at any sport of your choice, and do it handily?

Oh yeah...that's what we were discussing.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by ERCougar

Mind addressing the point, ie that any one of these supposed "non-athletes" could beat you at any sport of your choice, and do it handily?

Oh yeah...that's what we were discussing.

we are not discussing whether I am more athletic than another person. For all you know I'm in a freaking wheelchair. Are you saying guys in a wheelchair can't have an opinion?

You would be a fool to think that niche sports aren't easier to qualify for than non-niche sports, if you are a practitioner of the one or the other.

You take the average person and get them trained in equestrian, versus getting trained in the 100m. Which is going to have more of a chance of being in the Olympics? The equestrian.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by ERCougar

And while you're right about jeremy what's-his-face, sprinters (US and otherwise) always seem to be cocky jerks, nothing new. Tyson Gay actually seems like a decent guy, an exception that proves the rule. Problem is, he lost.

Why can't our sprinters be more like Usain Bolt after he wins a race?

Now there is a guy who would make Casey Kasem proud.....feet on the ground but reaching for the stars...

[SteelBlue]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

You would be a fool to think that niche sports aren't easier to qualify for than non-niche sports, if you are a practitioner of the one or the other.

If you could argue this point without belittling the athletes in those niche sports your posts would be a bit more palatable. It's the Olympics Mike. With a few exceptions (basketball, baseball) they're all niche sports. You've already said in this thread that the basketball team bores you to the point that you'd like to see them lose. I guess I'm trying to figure out why you bother to watch the Olympics at all.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

If you could argue this point without belittling the athletes in those niche sports your posts would be a bit more palatable. It's the Olympics Mike. With a few exceptions (basketball, baseball) they're all niche sports. You've already said in this thread that the basketball team bores you to the point that you'd like to see them lose. I guess I'm trying to figure out why you bother to watch the Olympics at all.

are you still arguing that volleyball is less of a niche sport than track and field?

Because you haven't come up with any convincing arguments.

[Runner Coug]

Sorry to interrupt the bitch slap fight here, but I have to admit I was hoping Jeremy Wariner would lose. Not just lose, but lose badly. I would have cheered for a Cuban to beat him. I would have cheered for a Russian to beat him. Hell, I would have cheered for a Taliban fighter in a keffiyeh to beat him. I would have cheered for Osama Bin La...well, not him. But you know what I mean. I cannot stand Jeremy Wariner. And he proved in the interview after his race what a prick he is.

[SteelBlue]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

are you still arguing that volleyball is less of a niche sport than track and field?

Because you haven't come up with any convincing arguments.

I simply pointed out an inconsistency in your theory as to why there are no black players in USA volleyball. I'm not interested in grading the niche-ness of all the different Olympic sports. I'm too busy enjoying the games.

For some reason you can't bring yourself to make the argument that you really want to make. I've been reading your posts long enough to know what your point really is. I'll make it for you "any sport dominated by white players isn't really a sport."

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

I simply pointed out an inconsistency in your theory as to why there are no black players in USA volleyball. I'm not interested in grading the niche-ness of all the different Olympic sports. I'm too busy enjoying the games.

For some reason you can't bring yourself to make the argument that you really want to make. I've been reading your posts long enough to know what your point really is. I'll make it for you "any sport dominated by white players isn't really a sport."

Ideally, sports should be open to all, for them to be meaningful.

Racing yachts may be a great sport, that I would enjoy. But it is not meaningful.

This is why soccer is the beautiful game--it requires very little resources.

Running, as well, requires little.

Swimming is an elitist sport. And one day in the future, we will look back on Phelps and Spitz and put an asterisk next to their accomplishments, as they were done in the era of virtually all-caucasian swimmers.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Runner Coug

Sorry to interrupt the bitch slap fight here, but I have to admit I was hoping Jeremy Wariner would lose. Not just lose, but lose badly. I would have cheered for a Cuban to beat him. I would have cheered for a Russian to beat him. Hell, I would have cheered for a Taliban fighter in a keffiyeh to beat him. I would have cheered for Osama Bin La...well, not him. But you know what I mean. I cannot stand Jeremy Wariner. And he proved in the interview after his race what a prick he is.

I missed his interview and his race so I have to ask - what is it about him that you hate?

In the Olympics in Greece, I seem to remember him being fun to watch. IIRC, he got the silver in the 200 meters in what was a terrific race.

Wasn't this the guy that mentioned to the Baylor football coach that he'd be interested in playing football, but the coach blew him off because he ran track?

[creekster]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Swimming is an elitist sport. And one day in the future, we will look back on Phelps and Spitz and put an asterisk next to their accomplishments, as they were done in the era of virtually all-caucasian swimmers.

THis makes no sense to me. WOUldn't their accomplishments presumably be buried by the onslaught of the non-elitist athletes, in your world view?