Which is the silliest Winter Olympics sport?

[LMcD]

The Winter Olympics have taken over all television news and sports programmes'

Who, in this country, is interested in all this coverage?

I suspect only those who are taking part.

These are not Olympic Games. In fact, they are not games at all. Think of what all this effort and money could do to relieve the agonies and deprivation that the so-called Third World is suffering at this time.

As for Curling - it's just a magnified game of MARBLES but using large lumps of granite instead of small balls of glass.

Ice Dancing? Come back "Strictly" All is forgiven!

Those taking part, and over-excitable sports journalists. I trust that your heart is bursting with pride now that WE'VE WON A MEDAL......

[MrGongGong]

The Winter Olympics have taken over all television news and sports programmes'

Who, in this country, is interested in all this coverage?

I suspect only those who are taking part.

These are not Olympic Games. In fact, they are not games at all. Think of what all this effort and money could do to relieve the agonies and deprivation that the so-called Third World is suffering at this time.

As for Curling - it's just a magnified game of MARBLES but using large lumps of granite instead of small balls of glass.

Ice Dancing? Come back "Strictly" All is forgiven!

Compared to the endless football, running about a bit
the Winter Olympics are wonderful

I could do without the "Ice Dancing" nonsense
but things like Snowboard Cross, Slopestyle and Half-pipe are great viewing

[teamsaint]

Compared to the endless football, running about a bit
the Winter Olympics are wonderful

I could do without the "Ice Dancing" nonsense
but things like Snowboard Cross, Slopestyle and Half-pipe are great viewing

Out of interest, which stations do watch this endless football on?

[ahinton]

I was tempted to answer that they're all sillier than all the others but decided to refrain from so doing...

[MrGongGong]

Out of interest, which stations do watch this endless football on?

I hardly watch TV
but when I turn it on it's sometimes wall to wall football

[teamsaint]

I hardly watch TV
but when I turn it on it's sometimes wall to wall football

Not on free to air it isn't.

Every other year for a couple of weeks during the Euros and world cup.

Otherwise it is one hour on Saturday night at 10.30 ( nasty clash with Hear and Now) an hour at the same time Sunday night, the occasional live FA cup game, and that's about it.

There is really very little football on free to air, especially given the games's enormous popularity. Football fans get a pretty poor deal from free to air TV IMO.

A bit like music lovers.

[Mary Chambers]

It’s all exceptionally silly, but curling is the one that makes me laugh most. Not that I watch it except by mistake.

[jayne lee wilson]

I'm sad to read descriptions of the Winter olympics as "silly"....I admire the people who compete as courageous, dedicated and skilful.

I find many of the events both more beautiful and more compelling to watch (and less big-name starry) than the "Summer" Olympics, most especially the Snowboarding (if you find timed events dull, try Snowboard Cross - like motocross but on... snowboards) and the Alpine Skiing, both which in all their varieties offer a spectacle of wonderful landscapes, great, even reckless skill, bravery and endurance. The much-postponed Men's Downhill was a terrific watch, and won by one of the oldest competitors, the 35-year-old Norwegian Svindal - the oldest ever Skiing Champion, who traded risks for speed at every bump, jump and turn, on the ragged edge!
Looking forward to the Womens' Super-G tonight - these post-midnight starts really suit night-owls...

You know, you don't have to watch it. Why watch, only to skit and sneer? Go off and play a symphony or something. That'll make you feel better in a good way, rather than just better than the Winter Olympics Competitors, or those of us who enjoy them...

[Stunsworth]

Well said JLW.

[Ferretfancy]

It’s all exceptionally silly, but curling is the one that makes me laugh most. Not that I watch it except by mistake.

Agreed ! But I do have a happy memory. I did national service in Egypt, surrounded in the desert by a very sporty crowd. A sergeant major asked us each to name our sport, something in which we excelled. " Curling " I said, and I successfully avoided games thereafter!

[Richard Tarleton]

I'm sad to read descriptions of the Winter olympics as "silly"....I admire the people who compete as courageous, dedicated and skilful.

I've been surprised by the comments on curling - which philosophically differs not at all from bowls, boules, snooker, billiards, pool, croquet (and marbles ) - all involving the skilful movement and positioning of objects in relation to a target and eachother.....it would be perfectly consistent for someone to dismiss the lot, of course, but not to single out curling....

I don't watch it, was just struck, from what I've seen on the news, by the randomness of slopestyle (which seems to have a lot in common with BMX and skateboarding....)

Having said which, a lovely description of the Winter Olympics from Caitlin Moran (a huge fan) today in her Celebrity Watch column - ice hockey - "scientifically proven to be the worst winter sport. It's just slidey fighting. A bunch of people with fireguards on their heads thumping one of those urinal cubes around with a stick. It has the air of having been invented by drunk Canadian students while their parents were away for the weekend....."

[doversoul1]

I've been surprised by the comments on curling - which philosophically differs not at all from bowls, boules, snooker, billiards, pool, croquet (and marbles )

...well, exactly

[Lat-Literal]

Mainly I'm with Jayne on this matter as it is best to see these things in a positive light. But I'm not keen on the one that seems to be permanently full of conflict - all that stuff about who pushed who and why. What I've noticed is that at this age I tend to feel it all more. I can sense what it would be like to be in a bobsleigh and feel that the person who is actually in it is a very different sort of being whereas before I just knew that he or she was so. This has good and bad points. It is more real but I start thinking I have crashed in it and need to be in a hospital immediately. Mostly, though, I feel that the timing of it all is wrong. I would watch more of it if it took place during the British summer when it didn't reinforce our weather.

[johncorrigan]

I'd watch more of it if I had the time...enjoyed the snowboard cross, I think it was called, particularly the women's final, and I love the grace of the speed skating.
But back to the original question...without question for me the silliest winter sport is ice hockey. I'm sure it is great to play, and I'd love to be able to skate like those guys and gals, but the problem is that it's like doing endless 'Spot the Ball' competitions. It's so fast you can't, or I can't anyway, see the puck and determine whether it has got past the goal minder in to the goal or not, or if it's disappeared over the Perspex protection...until they run the slow motion replay, that is. Also players can go on and come off as and when they want which is just plain cheatin', as far as I'm concerned. And their fights are always so stupid because they've got so much protection on, how're they supposed to do any damage...and they could have anybody on the pitch and you'd never know who they were cos of those helmets...AND, they've got THREE halfs...I mean, honestly! Still, not as silly as netball ...now that really is silly...though it's not a winter sport, I don't think, so it doesn't count!

[Historian]

At the risk of deviating from the OP, I think you may be on thin ice complaining about netball. When played properly it certainly seems a proper sport to me.