An article at Slate says that Beach Volleyball is unworthy of the Olympics.
It will be apparent to all who have given the matter superficial consideration--the only kind of consideration the matter merits--that beach volleyball is unworthy of the Olympics. While it is clearly a healthful pastime, a fun athletic-ish endeavor, and a fine way for four friends to work off a case of canned beer, it is just as clearly not an actual sport.
There are several points made.
1. The women don't wear enough clothes, and the guys dress funny.
2. There are cheerleaders. Who don't root for either side.
3. The players slap each other on the butt.
Sport or not, those are exactly the things that make Beach Volleyball such a popular event. Can I get an amen?
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yeaaaaaaaaah, its competitive with scoring and active enough
As someone who played beach volleyball, its definitely a sport. Go out there and try to hit or block above a eight foot net (7'4" for women) in 12 inches of sand, and then tell me that its not a sport. Just because the athletes are attractive doesn't make it less of a sport.
Do we dismiss snowboarding because its "cool?"
And its not the athletes fault that some sponsor had to slap their brand on the back of their very small pants. That's unnecessary.
For some reason I've not had a strong desire to watch the Olympics this year, but on three evenings this week (prime time), I've turned on the TV, tuned to NBC and on all three occasions, there has been beach volleyball. ALL THREE TIMES!
This is not what I think of with the Olympics, and I just couldn't make myself stay tuned.
What's not to love? Good lord, that man must have been rejected by a volleyball player.
What about synchronized diving? Anybody else seen this fuckery?
All I know is that after about 15 minutes of vigorous women's beach volleyball, I'm usually panting and sweaty... and a little bit sticky.
Amen, brother. That pic above is poster-worthy.
Fuckery. I like that. We need to see if we can work that into the YBNBY lexicon.
1st i love Carolina.
2nd like KBK said it quite hard to do all those things in the sand.
3rd synchronized diving is awesome. quite impressive the chinese teams.
I saw a new sport this year in the olympic coverage involving a bouncing bean bag that teams passed around and tried to throw past a goalie into a goal - all on a basketball court - kind of like lacrosse or water polo. Never seen it before, I wonder if it is just made up to offer a few more medals for some countries to claim, plus more money for the host country, olympic committee and broadcasters.
NBC isn't dumb, they are playing for ratings, and people will watch beach volleyball - but I do think it is a poor reflection of the real game - 6 player volleyball on hard court. It used to be played with a kind of honor, everyone was supposed to bump, set and make a proper spike, but now it turns into a 'dink' fest when things get close, and play just isn't as smart as it could be - although maybe I can't hear them gasping for air from my couch.
Love it. Can't get enough of it. Sport? Who cares!
I had to come back and see that pic one more time.
Carolina on my mind.
That article is nonsense. Off course it is a sport, and one of the toughest out there. I switched from indoor to beachvolleyball because it is a greater challenge. Indoor is all about perfection. Every player is focused on his/her speciality. Some people may say that is what sport is about, but it gets boring. For beachvolleyball you need to be mentally much stronger, because if you're not on your game, your opponents will pick you out for sure, and there is no hiding. Also it requires a much higher fitness-level. But the main challenge is about making the right decisions. Therefor tactics, instincts, communication are of more importance. As for the cheerleaders, the jingles and the outfits. The players don't care about it. It's all for the show, television. It's still a young fast-growing sport (at a professional level), and it may take some time before the sport has enough attitude to do without these side-issues .
Yeah, I played beach volleyball, and it's DEFINITELY a sport. And face it - as the tradition of the Olympics carry on, the types of competitions will change as well due to modern civilization's change (which would explain why we don't race chariots anymore). So yeah - change is probable, and we'll see it every now and again.
It definitely is a sport because the athletes' performances are evaluated objectively. The same cannot be said for gymnastics or diving.
You know what should not be an Olympic Sport?
Gymnastics.
I don't see how it is a justified as a sport when its key strategy for winning Gold is to swipe a six-year old from a sweatshop, tell her to lie about her age and then face-plant off the vault in front of a veritable Cosa Nostra of judges.
Where's the sport in that. My main problem with beach volleyball is that the players are way too overdressed.
If you think Gymnastic is bad, what about that stupid Ice Dancing? I mean, seriously? An Olympic Medal for pirouetting in time to Bolero?
Maybe we should reintroduce the gold medal for Limbo.
And people consider Curling a sport? Or Equestrian? Please. And as far what they wear goes, has the whole world forgotten ancient Olympians competed in the nude? Which was an honor! Get the heck off the stuck up sticky beat bandwagon already. Seems someone has always got to bash something. I say, bring back nudity to the games dammit!
The woman on the left should invest in some Hanes wedgie proof undies. I wear them and it's like nothing's on, and yes, they are wedgie proof.