Olympics

[Arseface]

Re: Olympics

Not to be crass, but yeah. Seriously, so many sports with attractive women in skintight uniforms? Awesome.

And yeah, curling is one of the weirdest sports I've ever seen, faintly absurd and somehow awesome.

As far as I can tell, it's like lawn bowls, but on ice.

US, Canada, Venezuala, DR, Japan, China (some, anyway), Cuba (dear GOD, Cuba), South Africa (a little), Australia (not a big sport there, but their softball team was damn good, as I remember) Korea, Taiwan, and those are just the ones I remember off the top of my head or I KNOW are good. Hell, last time they had cricket at the Olympics only four teams signed up and only two actually bothered to come (admittedly, at the time all those Commonwealth countries were still colonies, but still.) And hell, I was even nice and left out Puerto Rico, even though they have an independent Olympic team.

And the International Baseball Federation has 116 countries, while the International Softball Federation has 127. Remember, they're two separate sports, even though I didn't differentiate much there. And softball has men's and women's softball, too, in addition to just men's baseball.

I don't see how 104>116, let alone 104>127.

Would it be fair to assume that you are including a lot of countries who have teams, but are neither a) very good nor b) very well supported.

Nope, the ancient Olympics originated in Greece. The modern Olympics are French in their origins. And yeah, we've hosted it repeatedly. When was the last time the French had the Olympics? The benefit of being rich, arrogant pricks. Hmm, maybe that has something to do with the French who run the damn thing taking out our trademark sports? EDIT: And anyway, what do you mean "our own worldwide sports tournament?" The point of the Olympics isn't that they're France's, or Greece's, or anyone else's. The point is that they're an international event for friendly competition between the nations. ALL the nations. Not just the ones who control the IOC or founded the modern games or anything. EDIT2: My italicized bits there are not terribly relevant or coherent, but I felt I should leave them rather than pretend I never typed them.

The fact remains that Cricket is seen as a world sport (like Soccer), whilst Baseball is seen as an American sport (like Gridiron).

Well, yes, that's what I was talking about. Note that all of those are former Brit dominions and colonies? Only the Commonwealth countries play it.

Not surprising, considering that the British Empire at one time controlled a quarter of the Earth's land. You guys yourselves were once a colony of the motherland.

EDIT2: And which portion of the West Indies do you refer to? It's a damnably slippery term. Though, yes, I would assume you refer to the "West Indies Cricket Team." Which is an international team.

The West Indies team is indeed an international team. Jamaica, Trididad & Tobago, Barbados, other Carribean nations which I can't quite remember now... St Kitts and Nevis. All one team. Used to be pretty good too (completely unbeatable during the '70s and '80s, but we just wiped the floor with them like they were all playing their first game. Sad, really.

 

[Walker]

Re: Olympics

Would it be fair to assume that you are including a lot of countries who have teams, but are neither a) very good nor b) very well supported.

Entirely possible-- and the exact same thing is true for cricket. Hell, one of the member countries of the ICC is the United States. But there are at least as many countries that like baseball a great deal as do cricket-- but none of them are in Europe. Sure, there's a European Baseball Federation-- but it's not popular.

The fact remains that Cricket is seen as a world sport (like Soccer), whilst Baseball is seen as an American sport (like Gridiron).

Which is my point, kind of. The only reason that's true is because cricket is a European-derived sport. Baseball is immensely popular both in portions of Asia, North America, and South America, even if you count the Carribbean as part of South America. Cricket is immensely popular in the UK, India/Pakistan/Southeast Asia kinda area, and the Carribbean. So, what's the difference here (beside the fact that baseball has much wider appeal in the Carribbean/South America, and, to use Droded's measure, more people in its international federation)?

The difference is that cricket is EUROPE* and these other places, while baseball is NORTH AMERICA, and these other places. (*If somebody says "it's the UK, not Europe," I may have to throw rotting fruit at you.)

Not surprising, considering that the British Empire at one time controlled a quarter of the Earth's land. You guys yourselves were once a colony of the motherland.

Yes, and my point is that baseball has some popularity outside countries we formerly ruled or occupied-- Canada likes it some. China. Taiwan. Venezuela. Sure, some of its popularity is due to, say, our control of Cuba, occupation of Japan, and so on. But we can actually claim that some people who didn't used to be our colonies like the damn game.

 

[Arseface]

Re: Olympics

What you're really not realising, and I say this with complete objectivity, is that Cricket is a much better game.

 

[Arseface]

Re: Olympics

Objectivity is not possible, but sarcasm is

 

[Walker]

Re: Olympics

Okay, thank god. I thought you were being sarcastic but then John cast doubt on it and I got really, really scared.