Worst Sport Today? (2011)

[Rip:30]

Baseball. So ****ing boring.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Equestrian or whatever it is called.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Most improved: Men's Tennis.

Not a bad call. But I'll say Hockey for that. Rule changes and the latest CBA really has the sport back on it's feet and gaining in popularity. They still need to curb some of the violent hits, but are definitely headed in the right direction.

Hands down, it is hot dog eating contests.

By that criteria, you are correct. Want to hear something funny? I have met Joey Chestnut, and the guy has a specific training program. No joking. He both works out to keep fit and his metabolism up, and specialized diet, and before events he goes through a specific routine before eating of a combination of food intake at certain intervals, fasting, fluid consumption, etc. One thing you have to admit about this "sport" though is that it doesn't have the egos and corruption of others. He was definitely an easy to like person who made everyone around him smile and laugh.

But you are right, eating contests are not sports.

OTOH, boxing arguably requires a high level of more skills than any other sport...And make no mistake about this: Pacquiao certainly is on a par with Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, etc.

Don't deny those. I think I listed Pac in my post as the best in the world. But the sport is so watered down, so splintered. It's not just an issue of non-American fighters. Pacquiao is not American. I can come up with a list of non-American fighters fans in the US loved. Many of whom spoke little English. Duran, Salvador Sanchez, Julio Cesar Chavez were all loved in the US. These fighters, just like Pac, were much more exciting to watch than today's crop of boxers.

Then there is the issue of violence... Watching the documentary "Facing Ali" was eye opening simply for the fact that many of the fighters interviewed needed subtitles because you couldn't understand them. And Ali himself wasn't interviewed because he can't speak.

 

[Mambo95]

Snooker. A sport with no positive points as far as I can see.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Whilst in general I agree with the criticism of sports which are judged, I have to make one exception - ski jumping. This is most definitely a sport; it fulfils the main criteria for sporting competition - but the judging aspect was introduced for safety grounds.

For me, to be a sport, the competition must either:
- involve being the faster than the opponent, whether head to head, in a field or in a time trial format (and here I include the "combination" sports based on time such as triathlon and biathlon, as well as the pure racing formulae such as motor racing, track athletics, swimming, skiing and cycling)
- involve being stronger than the opponent (and here I include distance events such as long/high/triple jump, as well as those where you have to prove your physical superiority such as boxing)
- involve scoring more points than the opponent in a clearly, objectively-defined set of criteria (to this area belong most team sports).

The title of 'worst sport' for me, therefore, must be one of those considered a sport but falling outside of these criteria. Certainly ice dance is pretty awful, and gymnastics has built so much of its empire on child abuse that it's hard to overlook.

However, I feel that, for being utterly ridiculous, a sport judged on subjective criteria, for being godawful for spectators, for being impossible to maintain dignity in the performance thereof, and for being so objectively terrible that even its name is poking fun at it, the worst sport in the world is Solo Synchronized Swimming:
http://www.topendsports.com/events/discontinued/swim-solo-synchronized.htm

 

[boomcie]

However, I feel that, for being utterly ridiculous, a sport judged on subjective criteria, for being godawful for spectators, for being impossible to maintain dignity in the performance thereof, and for being so objectively terrible that even its name is poking fun at it, the worst sport in the world is Solo Synchronized Swimming:
http://www.topendsports.com/events/discontinued/swim-solo-synchronized.htm

Pretty unbelievable and hilarious.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Cycling. Who on earth likes cycling. It's so boooring!


(i'm kidding of course, but ask this question on other forums, and this might be a popular answer)

 

[Thomsena]

Pretty much anything 'american'.. I mean, I don't hate any sport but I always find the 'american ones' to be the most dull.

In general many of the sports are fine. Some great action there but then try adding:

- Commercial breaks every 3 minutes of play (why you guys haven't made a national riot against the amount of commercial breaks is beyond my imagination - look up Liberia for inspiration..)

- Challenges which just slow the games even more down in terms of tempo and rythm.

- Time outs - same reason as above.

- No promotion/relegation system - How do the fans find a game THAT exiting between two teams fighting for... when they already are out of the race for playoffs after a couple of months?! - and how do the players?! The relegation battle is often a 'championship' itself to win.

- Time zones. If I do watch NFL, NBA or somthing else i'm usually tired since it's covered in the middle of the night over here. I blame the the earth for this one. And Rebellin of course.

 

[Oldman]

Pretty much anything 'american'.. I mean, I don't hate any sport but I always find the 'american ones' to be the most dull.

In general many of the sports are fine. Some great action there but then try adding:

- Commercial breaks every 3 minutes of play (why you guys haven't made a national riot against the amount of commercial breaks is beyond my imagination - look up Liberia for inspiration..)

- Challenges which just slow the games even more down in terms of tempo and rythm.

- Time outs - same reason as above.

- No promotion/relegation system - How do the fans find a game THAT exiting between two teams fighting for... when they already are out of the race for playoffs after a couple of months?! - and how do the players?! The relegation battle is often a 'championship' itself to win.

- Time zones. If I do watch NFL, NBA or somthing else i'm usually tired since it's covered in the middle of the night over here. I blame the the earth for this one. And Rebellin of course.

The knee jerk American response would be to Challenge your assertion. But you are totally correct as the media versions of these sports have become ridiculous. Live college versions have so much more sincere action; although you couldn't say they're not "bad" if you're referring to Miami's athletic program.
My nomination is for anything that includes style points like several have pointed out. That includes ski jumping and freestyle aerials, by the way.

 

[jobiwan]

- Commercial breaks every 3 minutes of play (why you guys haven't made a national riot against the amount of commercial breaks is beyond my imagination - look up Liberia for inspiration..)

No arguments there.

- Challenges which just slow the games even more down in terms of tempo and rythm.

Don't really agree with you here. Obviously, some challenges are ridiculous. (The NFL along with College Football now reviews EVERY PLAY )

But, in far too many cases, the wrong call has been made and has directly determined the outcome of a game.

Some examples from baseball (my favorite sport, by the way):

Don Denkinger's blown call - This was in the 9th inning of Game 6 of the 1985 World Series. The Cardinals would have gone on to clinch the series in that game. Instead, they lost the game, and would lose game 7 and the series.

Jim Joyce's blown call - This would have been the last out in Armando Galarraga's PERFECT GAME (A feat only accomplished 20 times in over 100 years of baseball). The umpire, Joyce, clearly blew the call and Gallarraga got the next out for the typical shutout. However, Joyce admitted the call later in a moving press conference, and the next day Galarraga handed him the lineup card. Everything was forgiven, AND the Tigers gave Galarraga a CAR!

I think those two calls cast an argument FOR instant replay. MLB is SLOWLY moving to put in the game, and as of now it is used for questionable home run calls. It only takes about a minute, and the right call is made.

And, do you really want calls THIS BAD (Sorry Ireland ) deciding games in crucial situations? Wouldn't you rather get the call right?

- Time outs - same reason as above.

No argument there.

- No promotion/relegation system - How do the fans find a game THAT exiting between two teams fighting for... when they already are out of the race for playoffs after a couple of months?! - and how do the players?! The relegation battle is often a 'championship' itself to win.

I don't really want to watch a bunch of mediocre teams fight for the right to continue being mediocre.

- Time zones. If I do watch NFL, NBA or somthing else i'm usually tired since it's covered in the middle of the night over here. I blame the the earth for this one. And Rebellin of course.

You could always move, you know

 

[Eric8-A]

Has anybody mentioned NASCAR? Or auto racing?

 

[Sidbike]

I'm going with Olympic Women's air pistol.

The fact that you think I'm making a joke justifies my choice: http://www.olympic.org/shooting-10m-air-pistol-40-shots-women

 

[Ragerod]

I like most of the sports mentioned surprisingly and if I don't like it but understand why some people enjoy it then I'm perfectly happy to accept it's a decent sport.

I don't get animal sports if they are in fact sports. Horse racing has had to rely on betting to make it interesting and that's something Dressage doesn't have going for it. Truly awful. I don't get baseball either but really enjoy cricket.

I used to enjoy boxing but David Haye has successfully closed the boxing door for me. The way in which he handled himself leading up to the Harrison and Klitschko fights was despicable. I think the argument that boxers are the most complete athletes in the world is quashed by the mixed-martial arts specialists. Not only does MMA require all the same physical skill sets, it requires a greater level of strategy and versatility. It's become my favourite of the fighting sports.

 

[Ragerod]

I'm going with Olympic Women's air pistol.

The fact that you think I'm making a joke justifies my choice: http://www.olympic.org/shooting-10m-air-pistol-40-shots-women

Anything where you can be competitive whilst having your hand in your pocket is not a sport.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Has anybody mentioned NASCAR? Or auto racing?

You just did, and I second that notion. But F-1 is okay.

Cycling. Who on earth likes cycling. It's so boooring!

(i'm kidding of course, but ask this question on other forums, and this might be a popular answer)

Yeup. I get that in my own home. I tell ya, I don't get no respect.

But here's my pick for the worst sport: BOWLING.

 

[Eric8-A]

Horse racing is something I can find myself enjoying only if I see it live.

Boxing, I get into it when we order fights here in my house.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Horse racing is something I can find myself enjoying only if I see it live.

Me too. The speed of the horses is really impressive when seen at the track. But you really lose that sense of how fast they are really going when viewed on TV.

 

[Eric8-A]

Me too. The speed of the horses is really impressive when seen at the track. But you really lose that sense of how fast they are really going when viewed on TV.

I forgot to put that I wanna see it in person, not from a TV. Now that we're on the subject. I wanna see a dog race as well.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I used to enjoy boxing but David Haye has successfully closed the boxing door for me.

Ditto. He thought he was Ali or something. But Ali made people laugh and outside the ring showed great respect and friendship for nearly all his opponents. Haye is nothing like that. Adding to it, he talked up how he'd whip Klitschcko because he's boring (true) and he'd explode on him, etc. Then proceeded to do the unthinkable and be even more boring than Klitschko! And of course after the fight make up a bunch of excuses.

 

[rickshaw]

The Slam Dunk

Back when it was OLN they had a "Samurai Sports" series which kicked off with.... (drum roll)

Samurai Bass Fishing

since there are actual bass fishing tournaments and ther is some level of physical skill involved it is at least as valid curling, or Nordic Biathelon (target shooting, on skiis?) Also beaucoup Bucks are spent on bass fishing

 

[The Hitch]

Has anybody mentioned NASCAR? Or auto racing?

I would have mentioned it if i recognized it as a sport.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Back when it was OLN they had a "Samurai Sports" series which kicked off with.... (drum roll)

Samurai Bass Fishing

since there are actual bass fishing tournaments and ther is some level of physical skill involved it is at least as valid curling, or Nordic Biathelon (target shooting, on skiis?) Also beaucoup Bucks are spent on bass fishing

What's non-Nordic biathlon?

 

[rickshaw]

Dunno

What's non-Nordic biathlon?

There are "Nordic" events eg CX skiing, but I don't really know if there are any other types of "biathlon". Wiki says biathlon refers to any two sporting events combined, but usually one thinks of the scoot 'n shoot on skiis...

We could make one up! Let's say Single track DH combined with synchronized 100 m butterfly. We are only limited by our imaginations.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I was wondering if you were referring to running+cycling, which is governed by the Triathlon Union and called Duathlon.

As with any combination thing, the name literally just refers to an athletic event comprising X amount of disciplines (bi-=2, tri-=3, pent-=5, hept-=7, dec-=10), but each of these names have become specific to one particular sport (or in the case of pentathlon, two sports, but these are divided by name into "athletic pentathlon" (now superceded by the heptathlon and decathlon) and "modern pentathlon"). But any combination of five disciplines could be considered a pentathlon, even if it was, say, cycling, MMA, ice dance, rally driving and long jump. Similarly, any combination of two disciplines can be called a biathlon (even chess-boxing) - but if you say "biathlon" in isolation without specifying "a biathlon of..." it should always be considered that you're referring to "Nordic" biathlon. All other 'biathlons' have their own names - aquathlon (swim followed by run, offshoot of Tri), duathlon (run, cycle, run, offshoot of Tri), Biathle/Modern Biathlon (run, swim, run, offshoot of Modern Pentathlon), Summer Biathlon (XC running + shooting, offshoot of Biathlon proper, and not to be confused with biathlon on rollerskis, which is biathlon proper but without snow).

Also, biathlon does not appear at the Nordic worlds - mainly as it has its own governing body, though, because it is considered by most to be a Nordic discipline.

 

[rickshaw]

Sorry man

I was wondering if you were referring to running+cycling, which is governed by the Triathlon Union and called Duathlon.

As with any combination thing, the name literally just refers to an athletic event comprising X amount of disciplines (bi-=2, tri-=3, pent-=5, hept-=7, dec-=10), but each of these names have become specific to one particular sport (or in the case of pentathlon, two sports, but these are divided by name into "athletic pentathlon" (now superceded by the heptathlon and decathlon) and "modern pentathlon"). But any combination of five disciplines could be considered a pentathlon, even if it was, say, cycling, MMA, ice dance, rally driving and long jump. Similarly, any combination of two disciplines can be called a biathlon (even chess-boxing) - but if you say "biathlon" in isolation without specifying "a biathlon of..." it should always be considered that you're referring to "Nordic" biathlon. All other 'biathlons' have their own names - aquathlon (swim followed by run, offshoot of Tri), duathlon (run, cycle, run, offshoot of Tri), Biathle/Modern Biathlon (run, swim, run, offshoot of Modern Pentathlon), Summer Biathlon (XC running + shooting, offshoot of Biathlon proper, and not to be confused with biathlon on rollerskis, which is biathlon proper but without snow).

Also, biathlon does not appear at the Nordic worlds - mainly as it has its own governing body, though, because it is considered by most to be a Nordic discipline.

That's all GREEK to me! I have seen them doing it in the Olympics. Looks like it would be very difficult, XC racing, then stopping and being calm enough to shoot straight. Another endurance sport. No wonder the "D" comes up so often.