Most Boring Olympic Sport (events, man, watch, hockey)

[kcaskcasi]

Originally Posted by VAFury

That was my thought.....

Better question would be:

Is there a watchable sport in the Olympics???

Best answer might be yes:

With both winter and summer Olympics the officials tend to be sub-standard. You don't suppose that with better officiating, we might see less boredom?

[agreatlife]

Wow, I'll take the Olympics over most any professional sport like football, hockey or basketball any day.

For me the most boring winter sport is cross country skiing, although I must admit I like to watch the last couple of minutes of it if it is close. For summer sport it has to be basketball, although if skateboarding is actually in, then that might be close competition for most boring.

[jufrbo]

Originally Posted by agreatlife

For me the most boring winter sport is cross country skiing, although I must admit I like to watch the last couple of minutes of it if it is close.

I enjoy watching them throw up on international TV after they finish.

[square peg]

Thanks for that detailed answers, Stormcrow & mishigas. 44 lbs?! I would have guessed that the stone weighs about 8 or 10 lbs., baked beans and all. Obviously I'm no curler. Watched it once or twice on the tube, but that's it.

There is a local club and I am going to be watching them in the near future. Who knows? Maybe I'll ask them if they could use a new member.

44 lbs? You'd almost think that a broom would have no effect with the physics of that much weight.

[mishigas73]

Originally Posted by square peg

There is a local club and I am going to be watching them in the near future. Who knows? Maybe I'll ask them if they could use a new member.

If they have a "competitive league" there, I would go watch them. Not only can you get a good idea of how the game *should* be played, but it will also give you a "feel" for the atmosphere of the club. If they're too serious, it may not be a place that you want to be at as a novice.

Most clubs that I know of have social and competitive leagues. You'd obviously want one of the social ones. The club that I'm a member of leans *way* more toward the social end of the spectrum, but there are others nearby that are more competitive (and have produced national and international champions). If you have the luxury of being able to choose where you curl, I'd definitely check out all your options and see which one gives you the "best vibe".

You'll probably have to wait until next October to join a league though, since we're coming up on the end of the season now.

Originally Posted by square peg

44 lbs? You'd almost think that a broom would have no effect with the physics of that much weight.

Yes, it's amazing what those little pebbles of ice can do for the direction and speed of such a heavy object. If you think of them as "ball bearings" more or less, you can imagine what would happen to the rock when they are taken away. (Which is, essentially, what sweeping does).

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by mishigas73

Yes, it's amazing what those little pebbles of ice can do for the direction and speed of such a heavy object. If you think of them as "ball bearings" more or less, you can imagine what would happen to the rock when they are taken away. (Which is, essentially, what sweeping does).

Do they re-pebble after each round or only at the beginning of a match?

[mishigas73]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow73

Do they re-pebble after each round or only at the beginning of a match?

The ice is re-pebbled after each game (or two) of 8 ends. Which makes it even more interesting to try to "read the ice".

Not only will the ice change over the course of 8 ends because of the sweeping (and grinding down of the pebbles), it will also be affected by the dirt and other stuff that gets dropped on the ice during the game. One bristle from a broom that is left on the ice can cause a rock to take a close to 90 degree turn.

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by mishigas73

The ice is re-pebbled after each game (or two) of 8 ends. Which makes it even more interesting to try to "read the ice".

Not only will the ice change over the course of 8 ends because of the sweeping (and grinding down of the pebbles), it will also be affected by the dirt and other stuff that gets dropped on the ice during the game. One bristle from a broom that is left on the ice can cause a rock to take a close to 90 degree turn.

"ends" yes that's what they're called!! I was about to call them something else but used rounds since I wasn't sure. I was really close to giving curling a try at one time but I with hockey I just had too much going on.

[aaronstlcards]

Originally Posted by Dolfan

What does everyone think is the most boring olympic sport? For me it is a tie between one in the winter and one in the summer.

In the winter olympics it has to be curling. Watching men brushing the ice with a broom in front of an oversized hockey puck is one of the silliest things I have seen. Knowing this is on the schedule does not inspire me to rush home from work.

In the summer olympics it is skateboarding. How did this get into the olympics anyway? It just seems too juvenile and not on par with something like running, swimming or gymnastics.

Hmmmm, there's so much to choose from. But sports (i guess you can call them that) like curling and synchronized diving are brutally boring.

[trustmeiknow]

I vote for cycling. They keep it on for a long time and I think if you're not in the race, it's not exciting at all.