# Beach Volleyball. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 18, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384 "2004-08-18T13:40:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/1 "2004-08-18T13:40:05Z")
How is this an Olympic sport? Nothing against the athletes involved, of course, and I know that its difficult to do well. . . But, isn’t there another sport already called _volleyball_ played on a court with 6 people on each side? How about we start a Beach Basketball team. Here’s what we’ll do: 2 people on each team instead of 5 and get this. . .we’ll play it on sand. How about Beach Soccer? Here’s what we’ll do: 2 people on each team and. . .wait for it. . .we’ll play it on sand. Beach handball? Why not? We’ll take regular handball, except put 2 people on each team and. . .try to follow me on this one, we’ll play it on SAND!! Voila!!! Three completely new revolutionary sports, all ripe for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. We can man the teams with people who couldn’t make the regular team, and to get you to watch, we’ll dress the women in skimpy bikinis. (this is such an obvious rant that it’s probably been said before, but I guess I’m swept up in the olympic spirit.) ---
**Author:** ![Jamlad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b77776/32.png) [@Jamlad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamlad)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/2 "2004-08-18T13:45:21Z")
I think the rest of the Olympics should be sexed up, ratings would increase. Shit, I would stay up past my bed time to watch a naked weight lifter. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/3 "2004-08-18T13:48:10Z")
Blasphemy. Any sport that gives us Misty May, dressed like that, deserves prime-time coverage and hourly updates. Sweet GOD, man! Near-naked women! Sweaty and breathing hard! Normally you have to pay for cable channels and stay up past midnight to get that. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/4 "2004-08-18T13:48:46Z")
> [@Jamlad](#): > > Shit, I would stay up past my bed time to watch a naked weight lifter. That’s kind of a [scary thought!](http://www.strengthtech.com/photos/weightp/alex/alex.jpg) :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/5 "2004-08-18T13:52:24Z")
What the Olympics needs is Wiffle Ball. If you can have Curling in the Winter Olympics, then Wiffle Ball is totally appropriate. (I was drooling over Kerri Walsh’s never-ending legs. Logan Tom in Volleyball…) ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/6 "2004-08-18T13:52:51Z")
> [@Happy Scrappy Hero Pup](#): > > Blasphemy. > > Any sport that gives us Misty May, dressed like that, deserves prime-time coverage and hourly updates. > > Sweet GOD, man! Near-naked women! Sweaty and breathing hard! > > Normally you have to pay for cable channels and stay up past midnight to get that. I agree. All of those women playing last night (or at least the ones I saw) were 10 pounds of sexy in a 5 pound bag. Damn fine sport. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/7 "2004-08-18T13:58:10Z")
I couldn’t disagree more. For one thing, volleyball is traditionally played in the sand. The fact that it has been co-opted by middle school gymnasiums everywhere does not detract from its being a true sport. And the fact that there are only two players means a lot more running around and face plants in the sand, thus elevating it to – get this – Olympic proportions. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/8 "2004-08-18T14:00:59Z")
You know the Olympic babes are featured in this month’s U.S. Playboy, right? ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/9 "2004-08-18T14:03:48Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > You know the Olympic babes are featured in this month’s U.S. Playboy, right? No. Seriously? I’ll be right back. _::runs down to the corner 7-11 to get a copy::_ ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/10 "2004-08-18T14:10:26Z")
Amy “A-cup” Acuff on the cover. actually, what tdn said is the potential rant-deflator I chose to ignore. With actually looking at the history of it, I supposed its possible that volleyball was invented on the beach. Who cares though? Basketball was invented by throwing a ball in a peach basket and they used to play it in a cage. Doesn’t mean they still do it. Tennis was invented when the Romans would cut the gentials off their fallen enemies and swat them back at the armies as a method of demoralization. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/11 "2004-08-18T14:18:09Z")
I think **Trunk** needs a [hug.](http://welcometorantville.blogspot.com/volleyball.jpg) Apologies to a fellow doper who e-mailed me a similar hug yesterday, after bemoaning the fact that I missed Monday’s matches. ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/12 "2004-08-18T14:23:39Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Tennis was invented when the Romans would cut the gentials off their fallen enemies and swat them back at the armies as a method of demoralization. So _that’s_ why they get **two** serves in tennis! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/13 "2004-08-18T14:25:43Z")
I totally agree with the OP. Beach volleyball is stupid no matter where it is played. Having it make the Olympics is a joke. And “sexy?” You’ve got to be kidding! \ I’d rather get it on with a Romanian weightlifter than one of those hags. 😃 (Actually, I’d rather get it on with a few female gymnasts, but that’s beside the point!) ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/14 "2004-08-18T14:26:22Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > I think **Trunk** needs a [hug.](http://welcometorantville.blogspot.com/volleyball.jpg) > Apologies to a fellow doper who e-mailed me a similar hug yesterday, after bemoaning the fact that I missed Monday’s matches. YES HE DOES!!! I now officially retract my PIT. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/15 "2004-08-18T14:27:49Z")
Why do we need the 200m Breaststroke? We already have the 4x200 relays! So what, you can decrease the number of competitors per team by 75% and still slap the label of “sport” on it? Pshaw. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/16 "2004-08-18T14:28:32Z")
> [@legion](#): > > So _that’s_ why they get **two** serves in tennis! :eek: excellent return. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/17 "2004-08-18T14:38:35Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > actually, what tdn said is the potential rant-deflator I chose to ignore. With actually looking at the history of it, I supposed its possible that volleyball was invented on the beach. > > Who cares though? Have you ever tried running on sand? It takes an enormous amount of calf strength. Have you ever tried playing volleyball with only 2 to a team? It takes an enormous amount of running and maneuvering. On sand. Yes, Virginia, it is a real sport. The ignorance shown in this thread is staggering. > [@](#): > > Tennis was invented when the Romans would cut the gentials off their fallen enemies and swat them back at the armies as a method of demoralization. For that, I ask for a cite. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/18 "2004-08-18T14:40:39Z")
> [@legion](#): > > So _that’s_ why they get **two** serves in tennis! :eek: Love! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/19 "2004-08-18T14:48:03Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > How is this an Olympic sport? At least it’s a sport unlike, say, [ballroom dancing](http://nm.essortment.com/dancesportolym_rgjl.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384/20 "2004-08-18T14:49:02Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I’d rather get it on with a Romanian weightlifter than one of those hags. 😃 > > (Actually, I’d rather get it on with a few female gymnasts, but that’s beside the point!) Dude, most of those female gymnasts are under the age of consent in most states. And the ones that aren’t, typically still look like they are… eeew. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beach-volleyball/260384.md?page=2)