Should Skateboarding Be an Olympic Sport?

[Biggbuttmcgruff!!!!]

I was sitting here on my day off playing "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2" ,and started wondering:Why isn't skateboarding an Olympic sport"?Debate the pro's and cons.

[StoneGold]

Sure, why not? If snowboarding can. Problem is, you're going to need a host country first that is into skateboarding that can introduce it.


The one con: show me a skateboarder that can pass the banned substance test.

[The Defenestrator]

Skateboarding, cyberatheletics, frisbee golf, spoken word poetry slams, and miniature golf should all be sports.

But seriously, I don't think skateboarding has yet shed its image of being a silly thing that crazy kids do. Some of those guys can do some pretty cool stuff, but the Olympic committees are crazy and do a lot of strange things that don't make sense.

[Ed Cunard]

Skateboarding, cyberatheletics, frisbee golf, spoken word poetry slams, and miniature golf should all be sports.

God, that would be great, either in the Olympics or outside it. I mean, if ESPN can have spelling bees, it can certainly have poetry slams.

[Biggbuttmcgruff!!!!]

I think Andy Macdonald could pass a test...I remember reading that he has a really clean lifestyle.
Anyway,I think that when you have something like ballroom dancing at the olympics,you've lost all reason to not let anything in.

[Shellhead]

I was sitting here on my day off playing "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2" ,and started wondering:Why isn't skateboarding an Olympic sport"?Debate the pro's and cons.

Why not make "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2" an Olympic event? Or at least a Special Olympic event?

[howyadoin]

I'd be surprised if many pro skateboarders would want to be in the Olympics.

[Royal]

Nah. Not yet anyway.

Pankration SHOULD be an olympic sport.

[StoneGold]

I'd be surprised if many pro skateboarders would want to be in the Olympics.
Actually, pro skateboarders couldn't be in the Olympics.

[Dreadstar]

Actually, pro skateboarders couldn't be in the Olympics.

Sure, why not? There are pros in a great many of the other sports.

Personally, I'd appreciate it if the whole Pro/Am bit went away *completely* with regards to the Olympics. Heck the idea is to find the WORLD'S BEST isn't it? Now I might understand something like boxing, where that is already taken into consideration in the pro ranks, and thus the Olypmpics would be more suited for amateur status. But for the majority? Who cares, really? I mean, heck, It's pretty likely that (with possible exception of his first one) Carl Lewis was always a pro during his Olympic days. (just by way of example)

[howyadoin]

Actually, pro skateboarders couldn't be in the Olympics.Right. Only Olympic basketball and hockey allow pros.

Not what I was talkin' about at all, though.

[PatrickG]

Isn't snowboarding an Olympic sport?

I'm pretty sure that it's inspired by surfing and skateboarding, both non-Olympic sports. Which I find funny.

[Beatnikman]

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Not to derail the thread (and let me throw another "why not?" on the pile), but it may be time to upgrade, bro. Although I'm not sure if future versions of the game had the cool "skate as spider-man" code.


What kind of machine are you playing on?

[Biggbuttmcgruff!!!!]

Dude,I know I am behind the times. I'm workin' with a ps one.

[csaver]

If by skateboarding you mean something that involves a long straight patch of road, two lanes, and a finish line, I say what the hell...why not?

But that half pipe stuff? FORGET IT!!!!!

Seriously, I CAN'T STAND sports that involve judging. They are not sports. They are performance pieces. They are exhibitions.

Gymnastics? Not a sport.

Diving? Not a sport.

Syncronized swimming? Like there's any freakin' doubt.

Figure skating? Nope. Remember that BS with those Canadian skaters in Salt Lake? I rest my case.

Even equestr...aquest..ya know, that horse stuff. NOT A SPORT! How can you give a gold medal to an animal?!!

Freestyle skiing? WTF??

I want scores. I want a finish line. You want the balance beam in the Olympics? Line all the girls up and tell them to keep flipping. The last one who falls off gets the gold. Simple.

[howyadoin]

Seriously, I CAN'T STAND sports that involve judging. They are not sports. They are performance pieces. They are exhibitions.I could see that.

Especially when it comes to figure skating, where part of the judging is based on how pretty your outfit is.

[lonewolf23k]

Well, I think that the point is to demonstrate skill in those sports. Skill is just as much a test of physical ability as speed, strength or endurance.

And if you think such skills are not a difficult achievement, then I'd like to see how good you are at skateboarding. ...Me, I can't even stand on one without falling.

So yes, I think Skateboarding should be an olympic sport.

[howyadoin]

And if you think such skills are not a difficult achievement, then I'd like to see how good you are at skateboarding.I've been skateboarding on and off since the 1970s. Not an expert by any means, but I can ride.

But to get back to your point, good writing requires skill, and yet I don't see a short story contest in the Olympics.

[Grant]

The one con: show me a skateboarder that can pass the banned substance test.

I went to high school with a bunch of Born Again Christian Skateboarders. The only thing those guys were high on was Jesus.

[dougputhoff]

Screw the Olympics!

[Valmore]

I've been skateboarding on and off since the 1970s. Not an expert by any means, but I can ride.

But to get back to your point, good writing requires skill, and yet I don't see a short story contest in the Olympics.

Way to crush my dreams... I'd have a shot at short story writing in the Olympics.

But I tend to agree - I'm not a big fan of "judged" sports. (Especially as my cohort howy already said - ice skating - where you lose points if you skate to the wrong music.) I prefer to have a more cohesive scoring system - like hockey, where you put the puck in the net and you get a point.

[Sentry]

no, because it would just be another 3 medals for the U.S.

[Slam_Bradley]

Seriously, I CAN'T STAND sports that involve judging. They are not sports. They are performance pieces. They are exhibitions.



I agree with you 100%. Now I won't say that they aren't athletic. Some are, some aren't. But they aren't sports.

My criteria for a sport is that it must involve being timed or going for distance (track & field, etc) or a non-subjective system of scoring (baseball, football, golf) or personal combat (boxing, wrestling). Boxing & wrestling are somewhat problematic, because they are scored. But they can be ended in a knockout or a pin.

I will never argue that gymnasts aren't athletic. I dated one in college and she was tougher than hell. But gymnastics is not a sport. It is a performance that is judged in a completely subjective manner. The same with diving, figure-skating, etc.

[Grazzt]

I want scores. I want a finish line. You want the balance beam in the Olympics? Line all the girls up and tell them to keep flipping. The last one who falls off gets the gold. Simple.

For some strange reason, that actually sounds like a good idea for a new sport to me.

[Shellhead]

I agree with you 100%. Now I won't say that they aren't athletic. Some are, some aren't. But they aren't sports.

My criteria for a sport is that it must involve being timed or going for distance (track & field, etc) or a non-subjective system of scoring (baseball, football, golf) or personal combat (boxing, wrestling). Boxing & wrestling are somewhat problematic, because they are scored. But they can be ended in a knockout or a pin.

I will never argue that gymnasts aren't athletic. I dated one in college and she was tougher than hell. But gymnastics is not a sport. It is a performance that is judged in a completely subjective manner. The same with diving, figure-skating, etc.

I wouldn't say that figure skating is that far from your boxing or wrestling... it is scored, but the outcome often depends on who falls and who doesn't, and that is comparable to a knock-out or pin.

I wrestled for three years while I was in school and only got pinned once in a match. All of my other defeats were based on points. In fact, the only outcome that I fealt was unfair was the pin... my shoulders were never both touching the mat at the same time in that match, I just briefly rolled to do a reversal on my opponent. First one shoulder briefly touched the mat, then rose as my other shoulder briefly touched the mat, then I was on top of my opponent and seeking an armlock. Only the ref was already down on the mat and rapidly slapping it three times to signify that I was "pinned." There were some other highly dubious calls made in this match by this white referee, against our very integrated team and in favor of the completely white opposition.

[Slam_Bradley]

I wouldn't say that figure skating is that far from your boxing or wrestling... it is scored, but the outcome often depends on who falls and who doesn't, and that is comparable to a knock-out or pin.

I wrestled for three years while I was in school and only got pinned once in a match. All of my other defeats were based on points. In fact, the only outcome that I fealt was unfair was the pin... my shoulders were never both touching the mat at the same time in that match, I just briefly rolled to do a reversal on my opponent. First one shoulder briefly touched the mat, then rose as my other shoulder briefly touched the mat, then I was on top of my opponent and seeking an armlock. Only the ref was already down on the mat and rapidly slapping it three times to signify that I was "pinned." There were some other highly dubious calls made in this match by this white referee, against our very integrated team and in favor of the completely white opposition.


Well sure. But barring Tonya Harding, how often is there personal combat in figure skating?

[howyadoin]

Well sure. But barring Tonya Harding, how often is there personal combat in figure skating?And when's the last time that boxing was judged on the colour of a guy's trunks, or what music he had playing when he entered the ring?

[Dreadstar]

And when's the last time that boxing was judged on the colour of a guy's trunks, or what music he had playing when he entered the ring?


1976.


But Rocky kicked his ass anyway.

[Valmore]

I agree with you 100%. Now I won't say that they aren't athletic. Some are, some aren't. But they aren't sports.

My criteria for a sport is that it must involve being timed or going for distance (track & field, etc) or a non-subjective system of scoring (baseball, football, golf) or personal combat (boxing, wrestling). Boxing & wrestling are somewhat problematic, because they are scored. But they can be ended in a knockout or a pin.

I will never argue that gymnasts aren't athletic. I dated one in college and she was tougher than hell. But gymnastics is not a sport. It is a performance that is judged in a completely subjective manner. The same with diving, figure-skating, etc.

The point system in wrestling is pretty systematic - the subjectiveness comes in from the referees - i.e., is he stalling again? How many backpoints did he earn? Etc. Some refs are tougher than others - kind of like the strike zone in baseball. Some umpires use the exact letters to knees and the plate, some drop lower, some go higher.

Boxing? I'm not even sure how a fight is scored.

But yeah, gymnasts, ice skaters, etc. are all athletic as hell. They're just not in a sport - they're in a competition. Much like marching bands and drum and bugle corps.

[Biggbuttmcgruff!!!!]

The weird thing about skateboarding is how unorganised it is. You basically teach yourself,you dont have to be in great shape...I think the funniest image would be all the other olympians eating and constantly traing,then all the skaters going out every night and getting drunk,and still performing good the next day.

[Royal]

Boxing? I'm not even sure how a fight is scored.



Connecting punches based on what three judges see.

[howyadoin]

I think the funniest image would be all the other olympians eating and constantly traing,then all the skaters going out every night and getting drunk,and still performing good the next day.Lords of Dogtown?

[mattbib]

While I also don't think most scored events are sports, I do think they have a place in the Olympics.

[Dennis K]

Is marijuania a banned substance? :D

[howyadoin]

Is marijuania a banned substance?Just ask Ross Rebagliatti.

[Slam_Bradley]

Connecting punches based on what three judges see.


I've very seldom seen judges cards in boxing matches that aren't extremely close to each other.