Olympics curling

[sidicks]

crankedup said:

I was going to ask exactly the same thing, except not crown bowls but the bowls game / sport
that southerners play.

Flat green bowls (or ‘proper’ bowls!)?!

It’s in the Comonwealth games, I think?!

[JagLover]

The best way to sum up how frustrating the BBC's coverage has been is to imagine at the Summer Olympics the main coverage was of bowls with all other sports being on the red button, highlights or "catch up" programmes later in the day.

[Roofless Toothless]

I have always enjoyed the winter games more than the summer.

Up until this year ...

[BMWBen]

XCP said:

JuniorD said:

mko9 said:

I'd have to say curling ranks right up near the top of ridiculous Olympic sports. A middle aged fat guy holding a beer and smoking a cigarette could conceivably medal.

IMO, anything that has judging involved does not belong in the Olympics, no matter how physical it may be. Diving, gymnastics, figure skating, synchronized swimming, the form aspects of ski jumping, etc, etc. If nobody is doing anything nobody else can do, it is just an opinion contest. Hell even things like boxing and judo. If you can't knock the guy out or pin the guy, you don't win.

Also, get off my lawn.

Long jump, triple jump* and race walking* have judges. What about those.

• bad examples of a non-ridiculous Olympic sport in fairness

All events in track and field athletics have judges.

All competitive events have judging of some kind - to make sure the competitors are following the rules.

Different to awarding scores according to subjective opinions about "style" of course.

[Antony Moxey]

BMWBen said:

XCP said:

JuniorD said:

mko9 said:

I'd have to say curling ranks right up near the top of ridiculous Olympic sports. A middle aged fat guy holding a beer and smoking a cigarette could conceivably medal.

IMO, anything that has judging involved does not belong in the Olympics, no matter how physical it may be. Diving, gymnastics, figure skating, synchronized swimming, the form aspects of ski jumping, etc, etc. If nobody is doing anything nobody else can do, it is just an opinion contest. Hell even things like boxing and judo. If you can't knock the guy out or pin the guy, you don't win.

Also, get off my lawn.

Long jump, triple jump* and race walking* have judges. What about those.

• bad examples of a non-ridiculous Olympic sport in fairness

All events in track and field athletics have judges.

All competitive events have judging of some kind - to make sure the competitors are following the rules.

Different to awarding scores according to subjective opinions about "style" of course.

Was just about to post the same. They’re there to ensure the rules of the sport are adhered to, not to award points for style.

[Halmyre]

Goaty Bill 2 said:

In the land of the blind...

Each team member 'throws' two 'stones'.
The team captain is normally positioned at the business end, whilst the other three take their turns throwing and sweeping, and the captain takes the last turn at throwing.

The sweeping was a good deal harder work with the old style brooms


They needed to be continuously trod on and bent to soften them up for use.
Then a good sweeper could sweep back and forth at a rate approaching 120 sweeps per minute. With two sweepers, it sounded like a loud version of putting a playing card sized piece of cardboard in your bicycle spokes.
You can be assured; it was tiring.

ETA
The fine art of using a corn broom to curl

Edited by Goaty Bill 2 on Thursday 22 February 18:01

In my dad's day (50s/60s) the broom was falling out of favour and the brushes were more like floor brushes or scrubbing brushes. One of my uncles had a brush with a two-part handle - one half unscrewed to reveal a reservoir in which could be stored liquid refreshment!

[loafer123]

55palfers said:

Any ideas why Bowls (Crown Green) isn't an Olympic "sport"?

It's only Curling on grass surely?

Not quite as photogenic...!

[sidicks]

motco said:

Is the one who casts the first stone the one without sin?

[sidicks]

loafer123 said:

55palfers said:

Any ideas why Bowls (Crown Green) isn't an Olympic "sport"?

It's only Curling on grass surely?

Not quite as photogenic...!

Last time I played bowls I tried to do a massive curling-style slide up the green as I released the wood, but just ended up getting a nasty grass burn on my knee and an enraged greenkeeper who was not happy with the large divot I’d left behind...

[crankedup]

Couple of other sports/games that could possibly qualify for Olympic status.
Ten pin bowling, must sit alongside curling for the requirement of balance, good eyesight and concentration.
Pub skittles.

[Goaty Bill 2]

[sidicks]

Goaty Bill 2 said:

You don’t wear ice skates for curling.

[Goaty Bill 2]

sidicks said:

You don’t wear ice skates for curling.

And dogs don't sweep.
Your point?

In fact, specialist curling shoes are available. One foot will have a gripper sole, and the other a slider sole.

[crankedup]

sidicks said:

Goaty Bill 2 said:

You don’t wear ice skates for curling.

Facts matter! forget the humour.

[DJFish]

Had the misfortune of listening to Piers Morgan this morning, rattling on about Lizzie Yarnold's gold medal and how silver is a bit st really and sports like curling are also quite crap in comparison.
Bit of a kick in the teeth for 95% of all winter athletes taking part over the last few weeks....
Like many others I found the curling strangely compelling.

[sidicks]

crankedup said:

Facts matter! forget the humour.

<insert parrot here>

[crankedup]

DJFish said:

Had the misfortune of listening to Piers Morgan this morning, rattling on about Lizzie Yarnold's gold medal and how silver is a bit st really and sports like curling are also quite crap in comparison.
Bit of a kick in the teeth for 95% of all winter athletes taking part over the last few weeks....
Like many others I found the curling strangely compelling.

Millions of pounds pumped into minority winter sports, what does the U.K. benefit from gaining medals at high cost?

[crankedup]

sidicks said:

crankedup said:

Facts matter! forget the humour.

<insert parrot here>

Like you are well known for your sense of humour, like goaty said, dogs don’t skate either but you missed that one.

[Shakermaker]

crankedup said:

Millions of pounds pumped into minority winter sports, what does the U.K. benefit from gaining medals at high cost?

Still, less than the Football that we never win at

[crankedup]

What adds insult to injury is that medal winners go on to lucrative careers. Do they pay back all the grants they accept when they earn big money, like the students now are obliged to?