DieHardBrownsFan Posted February 12, 2013 Report Share Posted February 12, 2013 IOC cuts wrestling from 2020 Olympics Jordan Burroughs (red) competes in the 2012 Olympics. (AP)In a shocking move, the International Olympic Committee voted to drop wrestling from its schedule for the 2020 Games. The unexpected decision was made via secret ballot during a Tuesday meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland where officials were discussing ways to "streamline" the Olympics. Though many assumed modern pentathlon would get the boot, the committee instead decided to eliminate wrestling, which has roots in the ancient Greece games and has been a part of every modern Olympics since they began in 1896. The vote was completed over several rounds and the final totals were not released to the public. Each of the Summer Games' 26 "core sports" were reviewed and at risk: "This is a process of renewing and renovating the program for the Olympics," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. "In the view of the executive board, this was the best program for the Olympic Games in 2020. It's not a case of what's wrong with wrestling, it is what's right with the (other) 25 core sports." Now wrestling will have to face off with seven other sports that are fighting for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics. The list includes includes baseball and softball, which were dropped from the Olympics after Beijing in 2008 and sports trying to make the Olympics for the first time, including karate, squash, roller sports, sport climbing,wake boarding and wushu. The Associated Press said it is "extremely unlikely" that wrestling would be brought back so soon after the committee voted to eliminate it. Wrestling has been an Olympic sport since the ancient origins of the games in Greece. The United States is the most successful active nation, with 50 all-time gold medals and 125 overall. The US team won two gold medals in the 2012 Games in London. Russia currently dominates the sport, but wrestlers from Japan, Turkey, Finland, South Korea, Iran and Cuba have all won their country dozens of medals. Sports that will continue to be a core sport for the Olympics include the aforementioned modern pentathlon — a goofy mix of shooting, horseback riding, fencing, running and swimming. Also still included are tae kwon do, which rarely has winners who are not from South Korea, China or the US, and cycling, which has been plagued with doping scandals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckofajobbrownie Posted February 12, 2013 Report Share Posted February 12, 2013 This pissed me off too. They can't be serious. What do you have to "streamline the Olympics" for anyway? And if you're going to, why pick wrestling, one of the oldest and purest sports in the world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 12, 2013 Report Share Posted February 12, 2013 Maybe it will eventually pave the way for MMA which, by the way, is one of a wrestler's only legitimate options for going pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted February 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2013 Maybe it will eventually pave the way for MMA which, by the way, is one of a wrestler's only legitimate options for going pro. Ha, don't even think that. Wrestling was probably included because of perceived steroid use. MMA is just two dudes beating the piss out of each other. Can't picture the IOC approving it. Look at all the rules in boxing compared with pro. Never happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckofajobbrownie Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 "Apart from track and field, wrestling is considered by many the oldest competitive sport, one that made its first appearance at the ancient Olympic Games in 708 B.C. and thrives on its rudimentary attractiveness — one athlete trying to subdue another, not with equipment but with the fundamental use of the arms, upper body and legs." Sports don't get much purer than wrestling or boxing. It's just one man versus another. And they're two of the toughest sports around. I wrestled for years and there's a reason it's only six minutes long. Because if it were 8 or 10 you'd puke or pass out or both. "Among the sports that wrestling must compete with for future inclusion are rock climbing, rollerblading and wakeboarding." Oh, for fuck's sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 I'm with you guys. I'm not a huge Olympics sad but it sure seems like wrestling is seminal to every type of athletic competition. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckofajobbrownie Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 From ESPN today: I am still wrestling with the IOC's shocking and inexplicable decision to drop wrestling from the Summer Olympics while preserving the modern pentathlon (which was expected to get the boot). Wrestling is a sport that is popular worldwide. It goes all the way back to the ancient Games and is even mentioned in the book of Genesis (Jacob wrestles all night with the angel of the Lord). The modern pentathlon, meanwhile, consists of five events that most people could not name even if Regis gave them a lifeline and a smartphone. Dropping an inexpensive, global sport that has always been in the Olympics is more of an inexcusable travesty than the London mascots. Here are five obscure/ridiculous sports the IOC should drop instead to get wrestling back on the Olympic roster: Equestrian: This is an elite sport that requires the backing of such enormous private wealth that I don't think they can afford it even at "Downton Abbey." Despite the presence of Bruce Springsteen's daughter, this is truly the sport of kings. And queens (Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Zara Phillips competed in London and won a silver medal). Maybe equestrian might hold some appeal to the 99 percenters if we could bet a $2 trifecta on the medal winners, but, until then, I would much rather see the likes of Rulon Gardner and Alexander Karelin battling it out on the mats. Synchronized swimming: Look, I respect synchronized swimmers. I've even tried the sport. It's hard. It's athletic. But I'm sorry, no one can take this sport seriously after this "Saturday Night Live" parody. It has been 25 years since that spoof aired and it's still the first thing people think of when they hear the words "synchronized swimming." Trampoline: I've covered 10 Olympics on four continents. I've written on just about every medal event there is. And this is still easily the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen at the Games, with the possible exception of letting George Michael sing two songs at the 2012 London closing ceremonies. When I saw trampoline for the first time, I kept expecting to see an angry father rush in and yell at the kids to stop jumping up and down or they'll break the mattress. Which, frankly, would have improved this event considerably. Pingpong: Yeah, I know it's called table tennis. But anything you play in your parents' basement can hardly be considered a sport more worthy of the Olympics than wrestling. Modern pentathlon: The only reason this event exists is that Olympic founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin created it. For the record, the events in the modern pentathlon are laser-pistol shooting, fencing, show-jumping, a 3-kilometer cross country run and a 200-meter swim. In other words, it combines arcade games, very expensive horse riding, a run too short to adequately test endurance and a swimming event that does not include Michael Phelps. Not only does no one want to watch this, but no one wants to compete in it, either. I mean, have you ever met a modern pentathlete? Have you ever gone to a modern pentathlon? Does your high school or college offer modern pentathlon? Of course not. Which is why the modern pentathlon should be dropped and wrestling reinstated. This whole matter could be solved to everyone's satisfaction by simply replacing the modern pentathlon with the ancient pentathlon that was in the original Olympics B.C. That's because the ancient pentathlon consisted of the long jump, javelin, discus, a foot race and, yes, wrestling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 The martial arts - judo, etc, are fine by me. Sumo schumo. Wrestling? blech. Good riddance. I won't miss it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 If martial arts, why not mixed martial arts? Mma has plenty of pointfighting. You guys that think all it is is two guys beating the crap out of each other couldn't be more wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 It's the difference between basketball, and fighting for your life in a dark alley, I think. @@ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 You're obviously uninformed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckofajobbrownie Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 I'd rather see MMA than a bunch of the other sports listed above. I mean, trampoline? Really? I'm guessing Cal thinks we're talking about pro wrestling, since he's for judo but somehow not wrestling, which is very similar to judo. Another wonderful argument. We're not talking about "folding chairs to the head" variety of wrestling. Just to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 I'd rather see MMA than a bunch of the other sports listed above. I mean, trampoline? Really? I'm guessing Cal thinks we're talking about pro wrestling, since he's for judo but somehow not wrestling, which is very similar to judo. Another wonderful argument. We're not talking about "folding chairs to the head" variety of wrestling. Just to be sure. That would put more asses in the seats probably. The Iron Sheik could wrestle Hulk Hogan in the finals instead of the WWF title. It's the big legdrop and hulk wins the gold! Cal this should be your theme song as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Man that cut takes me back a piece. Were the 80s a better time or do I just remember it that way because I was a kid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLD Woody Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Cal, I heard liberals were happy this was removed. You might need to change your opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browns149 Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 If martial arts, why not mixed martial arts? Mma has plenty of pointfighting. You guys that think all it is is two guys beating the crap out of each other couldn't be more wrong. It's 2 guys beating the hell out of each other and rolling on the ground in their underwear. I tried to watch it and all I saw was 2 guys dry humping each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 It's 2 guys beating the hell out of each other and rolling on the ground in their underwear. I tried to watch it and all I saw was 2 guys dry humping each other. You may have some deep seated homosexual tendancies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browns149 Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 You may have some deep seated homosexual tendancies. I tried to watch it, and I didn't like it. But if YOU enjoy watching guys in their underwear roll around on top of each other, go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 So...what's the difference between that and wrestling? If you don't like mma you shouldn't give shit one if wrestling is eliminated. It's just as gay looking, more so really, because in mma there's more than wrestling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browns149 Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 So...what's the difference between that and wrestling? If you don't like mma you shouldn't give shit one if wrestling is eliminated. It's just as gay looking, more so really, because in mma there's more than wrestling I don't like wrestling either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckofajobbrownie Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 You don't have to like watching wrestling. But you should at least be able to appreciate the athleticism and technique that go into the sport. As opposed to something like, say, trampolining. Or that it's been in the Olympics for as long as there have been Olympics. As opposed to, say, trampolining. Also, someone should do a study on how many Pro Bowl offensive and defensive linemen have a wrestling background. Or the fact that the Patriots took a Olympic wrestler with no football experience and turned him into a starting guard in the NFL. And then compare that with, say, trampolining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckofajobbrownie Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 I remember a study that measured the stress that different sports had on your muscles, your heart, and your lungs and assigned a numerical level to the findings. Maybe I could find it. But I remember that it scored them like this: Golf - 1 Baseball - 3 Basketball - 6 Football - 6 Soccer - 7 Hockey - 8 Wrestling was a 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 I remember a study that measured the stress that different sports had on your muscles, your heart, and your lungs and assigned a numerical level to the findings. Maybe I could find it. But I remember that it scored them like this: Golf - 1 Baseball - 3 Basketball - 6 Football - 6 Soccer - 7 Hockey - 8 Wrestling was a 12. Wrestlers routinely dehydrate themselves to make weight. That's stressful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckofajobbrownie Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 I did 5 pounds in a day once. That was my best. I saw a guy do 9 1/2 once though, and that was insane. Also did it illegally, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 5 lbs? That's a lot of dope, heckbunker. No wonder you always get your ass kicked in by Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckofajobbrownie Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 As usual, I don't even know what that means. It took going through practice with extra layers on, followed by a shit ton of jumping rope in the indoor pool room with seven layers on, following by a sauna with seven layers on, followed by a few miles of jogging. With seven layers on. That'll take off five pounds in less than 24 hours. Do it all in a plastic suit and take diuretics and laxatives and you can shed even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Oh, you surely have always needed laxatives...... ' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLD Woody Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Hard to believe Cal is a grown man, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 woodpecker translation: "blah blah, itch scratch, blah blah, pout, sniffle, bite on heck in anguish, blah blah" still no genuine contribution from woodpecker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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