# Most excruciatingly boring Olympic event? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2004, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738 "2004-08-07T04:55:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/21 "2004-08-07T14:20:17Z")
> [@Burrido](#): > > Curling. Seriously, what were they on when they made this stupid game. Isn’t that only the winter Olympics though 🙂 In that case it’s all boring. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/22 "2004-08-07T14:21:08Z")
I think the judging question would make a great topic for Great Debates: Is it a sport if the only way to determine a winner is via judging? Given the repeated offenses in boxing and the highly memorable dual golds in the pairs figure skating in 2002, it is a legitimate point of contention. > [@flodnak](#): > > _psst!_ TeaElle? Jim Thorpe’s medals _were_ reinstated. Years after his death, unfortunately, but he’s back in the record books and his family were given “replica” medals. Really? Rock on! You just made my day, **flodnak**! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/23 "2004-08-07T14:26:36Z")
**TeaElle** , There are three equestrian sports in the Olympics: - Showjumping which is competing over a course of fences. You ride an initial course and everyone who goes over cleanly (e.g. doesn’t knock a rail down, have a refusal, or time penalties) gets into the jump off. The winners are then the fastest horses in the jump offs with the fewest penalties (rails, refusals, time). - Dressage which is riding patterns and specific movements on the horse. They have preliminaries which are pre determined tests and then the freestyle where you can make up your own program and put it to music. Winners are determined by judges who score how well the horse and rider did at the various movements. - Eventing includes both a dressage phase and a stadium jumping phase (same as showjumping) but also a cross country portion which is the jumping over hedges, fences, and ditches you see. Scores from all three phases combine to determine the winner. I love them all, but I will agree that if you don’t know much about the sports, they can be really dull. Outside of the freestyle (which some people like because it looks like the horses are dancing), dressage can be like watching paint dry if you don’t know what you’re looking at. Okay, the commentators can tell you what the various movements are, but if all you know is “this is an extended trot” and can’t tell the good from the mediocre, it’s duller than dull. Likewise, showjumping (my favorite) can be boring if all you do is count rails and watch the clock. Once you know enough to see the strategy involved (like someone is taking a tricky turn to a fence to save time or the striding they choose in a combination), it’s riveting. I don’t find any sports boring at the Olympics in and of themselves. Something about watching people compete for the Olympic medal is intriguing to me. However, even sports that I enjoy watching outside the games can be dulled down by watching endless heats and preliminaries. I like track and field and swimming, but after watching every heat that every American athlete is involved in, I’ve had my fill of those events long before the finals come around. Likewise, sports where the Olympics isn’t the top competition don’t hold as much interest for me. For example, soccer and tennis are interesting sports, but the Olympic gold doesn’t seem to mean as much as a World Cup or grand slam victory. So I don’t get as interested in those. ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/24 "2004-08-07T14:38:44Z")
Addendum to my post: I just realized some may argue there are four equestrian events in the Olympics since the modern pentathalon includes a showjumping competition. Come to think of it, that may be the most boring sport according to previous posters! It includes three sports already mentioned as boring (showjumping, pistol shooting and fencing) along with cross country running and swimming. In addition, it fails **ianzin’s** criteria for interesting: it’s too long for good TV, and you need to be an expert to evaluate at least three of the events. Still, anyone who can be good at all those widely differing activities gets my respect (even if I may fall asleep while watching)! ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/25 "2004-08-07T14:42:15Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Can you even tell what the point of the rings event in male gymnastics is meant to prove? The point is hot guys hanging from rings. And in case you were really [wondering](http://www.acgymnastics.com/about_gymnastics.htm#rings): > [@](#): > > The still rings routine must include at least two handstands-one executed with front swing, the other through back swing. At least one element of strength must be held for two seconds. > > Examples of strength elements include a cross, an inverted cross or a planche. A cross is performed in a straight body or L position with the body perpendicular to the floor and arms stretched perpendicular to the body, while an inverted cross is executed in an inverted handstand position with arms stretched perpendicular to the body. A planche is a straight body position parallel to the floor above the rings. The rings must remain still throughout the routine. Deductions will be taken for unnecessary swings and instability of all positions. > > Today many gymnasts combine strength to swing elements and the reverse for combination bonus points and to achieve the maximum start value for their routine. > > The rings are the least stable of the men’s apparatus. Stillness and proper body position while performing strength elements is paramount, and those with the best command of the event will display extraordinary skill in arriving at all holds with absolute precision. The rings should be absolutely still and in control at the end of each skill. The body should be straight with no arching, and arms should be sturdy and strong with no shaking. > > Look for confidence in the strength elements. The gymnast should move directly into the proper position when performing his cross or planche with control, stop securely for a clear two seconds, and then move easily into the next part. During the swinging elements, watch for stretched body positions and straight handstands. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/26 "2004-08-07T15:44:04Z")
Sailing certainly is a problem, many events are decided not on the water, but in adjudications for alleged infringments long after the sails have been lofted in the drying houses. To me, no sport that requires opinion to decide the result is worthy of the name, call them physical pastimes if you will, they are not sport. About the most tedious has to be part of the figure skating programme, where competitors simply skate around in circles and whatever, showing the geometric precision of the patterns they are instructed to create, its like horse dressage without the excitement. Is beach vollyeball in it this year ? Hope not. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/27 "2004-08-07T15:52:25Z")
To quote Sid Caesar from _Grease_: “Running. Long distance running. Cross country running…” ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/28 "2004-08-07T15:53:05Z")
What the hell is \*\* solo synchronised swimming \*\* ? Who do you synchronise with if you are on your own ? The killer for me in this event is the false , painted-on smiles of the contestants. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/29 "2004-08-07T16:16:41Z")
It’s funny - of all the sports, to me equestrian is the _least_ boring. The beauty of a truly great extended trot or passge, the thrill of cross country, with huge solid jumps, and the precision of stadium jumping all have their thrills. And the beautiful horses (not that they’re any more beautiful than my TB boy, mind you). I was very surprised to see it listed. One man’s meat, etc. For me, the most boring summer sport would probably be softball. _yawn_ StG ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/30 "2004-08-07T16:16:48Z")
basketball is up there with being duller than a box of rocks. Gymnastics has lost its edge for me since I’ve grown up and realized just what those little girls do to their bodies, the intense pressure and how mentally hard it all is. To me, rhythm gymnastics are the girls who weren’t good enough for the regular gymnastic team. I like swimming because I am a swimmer. I’m waiting for the Olympic committee to add Stock Car Racing onto the program. It’s inevitable. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/31 "2004-08-07T16:31:20Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > What the hell is \*\* solo synchronised swimming \*\* ? Who do you synchronise with if you are on your own ? The killer for me in this event is the false , painted-on smiles of the contestants. I think the “synchronization” is with the music. Like an Esther Williams musical. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/32 "2004-08-07T16:39:01Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I think the “synchronization” is with the music. Like an Esther Williams musical. That is probably true but surely the original idea was for several swimmers to synchronise their actions. I think someone has moved the goal-post ( to mix metaphors! ) just to slip in another variation of the " sport " ---
**Author:** ![RingOfFire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e47774/32.png) [@RingOfFire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RingOfFire)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/33 "2004-08-07T16:45:18Z")
I dunno, maybe the ballroom dancing exhibitions…all I know is that when the female trampoline, gymnastics, and rythmic gymnastic events come on the house could burn down around me before i’d blink 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/34 "2004-08-07T16:54:08Z")
And what about the Female weight-lifters? They are an eyeful 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/35 "2004-08-07T17:00:25Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > What the hell is \*\* solo synchronised swimming \*\* ? Who do you synchronise with if you are on your own ? The killer for me in this event is the false , painted-on smiles of the contestants. Yeah… and I bet those fake smiles make it a real bitch to hold your breath while submerged. What with the bubbles slipping out from between your teeth. . . Actually I find the requisite nose-clips make the swimmers creepy looking. Anyone ever see the SNL mocumentary on the two guys who wanted to compete in male synchronized swimming? \ “I can’t swim.” \ ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/36 "2004-08-07T17:05:04Z")
I’d enjoy the men’s gymnastics a lot more if they had to do their floor routines with music and dance elements like the girls do. What, you’re a _serious athlete_ and your female counterparts aren’t? It always seemed like, er, “applied gymnastics” when you get to the floor routine - like a word problem rather than an equation. I like that element of it. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/37 "2004-08-07T17:10:11Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > I think the judging question would make a great topic for Great Debates: Is it a sport if the only way to determine a winner is via judging? Given the repeated offenses in boxing and the highly memorable dual golds in the pairs figure skating in 2002, it is a legitimate point of contention. There’s actually an old thread recently ressurected in GD that covers this. It’s “Is marching band a sport?” since you can use the same arguments for maarching band being a sport as you can ballroom dancing… I personally find all the “game”-type sports boring. I enjoy the athelitc competitions such as track and field or swimming or rowing much more… ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/38 "2004-08-07T17:27:36Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > About the most tedious has to be part of the figure skating programme, where competitors simply skate around in circles and whatever, showing the geometric precision of the patterns they are instructed to create, its like horse dressage without the excitement. They cut that (it was supposed to show control & fundamental technical skill). ((From someone totally outside the sport, it seems like they cut it because many of the “stars” of figure skating really sucked at that part of the competition, and would end up out of medal contention, which meant people were less excited to watch.)) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/39 "2004-08-07T18:07:02Z")
I think the Olympic staring contests are really boring. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738/40 "2004-08-07T19:56:26Z")
I got to see some field hockey during the 1984 Olympics and it wasn’t the most scintillating event. But I probably didn’t know what to watch for. I would think that the shooting events are the hardest to follow for spectators. Archery would be the same. I, for one, would like to see the Modern Pentathlon especially since it’s an all done in one day now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-excruciatingly-boring-olympic-event/258738.md?page=3)