Weedy, I think the jingoistic paranoia that is generally exhibited by Americans these days is, to some extent, warranted. And just because we're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get us. I think it is totally fair for Americans to examine the motivation of the IOC in a series of votes that COULD all be interpreted as driven by anti-American sentiment. I do think, though, that we are primed to overreact to this situation -- ruining the Olympics for the athletes that CAN participate is not a good solution. "Olympic baseball sux!" and "They cut baseball -- that's an insult!" I don't see these as mutually exclusive -- just because Americans may not want to see baseball in the Olympics (note: I am not among them) doesn't mean they won't see a vote against baseball as a vote against a US institution and take offense. Europe can keep the Olympics, as well as their wine, cheese and cigarettes. But not their beer.
The fact of the matter is that the Olympics are obsolete and stupid and softball needs to follow the example of the World Baseball Classic and just stick with it's own more legitimate international tournament, maybe even played in different countries instead of waiting every four years to play. Seriously, who is going to watch curling or any of that other crap they call a sport? Europe can keep the Olympics, as well as their wine, cheese and cigarettes. All they have become is another corrupt and politicized corporation Given that the excitement the more legitimate international tournament (the WBC) has generated, that enough should prove that what you just said is bullshit. The reason MLB players aren't allowed to partcipate is because the Olympic sadly represent a huge scheduling conflict, just like any other international baseball tournament would. As for the Olympics being obsolete and stupid, go back to the hellhole from which you crawled because there is no way you can understand the immense pride and glory that comes from representing your nation in the Olympics. For many people, you don't even have to win a medal to become a national hero. The Olympics are the greatest sporting event in the world, the fact that they can hold them during times of conflict is simply amazing. Seriously, who is going to watch curling or any of that other crap they call a sport? The hundreds of people on this site who contribute in discussions and write collumns about the most prestigeous international sporting event that also only happens every four years.
This is not in the least an anti-American thing, but it has to do with the fact that the Olympics doesn't want a sport - and I think they're right in this - unless the Olympic competition is going to be the best in the World. The fact is that the way baseball is organized doesn't adhere to any principle of the other International Sports federations, and even though there is an international organization for baseball, it doesn't actually have much to do with the mainstream of the game, which is represented by professional baseball in the US. The only sports in which the competition does not include the participants at the highest level in the world is in boxing and soccer. In the case of boxing, it is because international boxing is run internationally in a way that is conducive to Olympic competitiion, whereas soccer is a different case altogether due to the sheer size and popularity of the sport (which outstrips that of my beloved baseball by a factor of ten or a hundred). People suggest that somehow having NHL and NBA players in the Olympics is contrary to the spirit of the Games. I suggest the opposite - if they weren't there, they would no longer be Olympic sports. The Olympics wants the best, and if they cannot get it, they'll cancel it altogether.
This is not in the least an anti-American thing, but it has to do with the fact that the Olympics doesn't want a sport - and I think they're right in this - unless the Olympic competition is going to be the best in the World. This doesn't explain voting against softball. I suspect there isn't a softball organization in the world that wouldn't drop everything to allow its athletes to participate in the Olympics. I don't agree with your argument that the Olympic focus is to get the best-of-the-best except in a few sports they are willing to overlook because of their organization, but even if that was the case I see no reason not to include softball (even with the exclusion of baseball).
You're right about softball I think. I still don't think it's an anti-American thing though. Everywhere else in the world they feel that the IOC bends over backwards to accomodate the US and cater to the US. As for the best-of-the-best, I think it's clear in all sports that's what they're after. That's also likely why a sport like rugby union (or sevens rugby), which has far wider international popularity than baseball, is also not included in the Games.
SKD: This was an intentional snub of the US by the IOC Executive Committee, a blatant insult to say the least and has absolutely nothing to do with the US expecting anything else, your jump to the US expecting 85% of the medals is silly and dubious at best. Um, that was a rhetorical argument. My point is not what people from other countries might say or do but what we Americans might or should expect. If some doofuses (doofii?) from elsewhere want to get their kicks by some foolish but meaningless maneuvers, well, hooray for them. We don't need to stoop to that level.
billsaysthis I didn't look at it that way. Now that you point it out I couldn't agree more. For some reason I needlessly let this get my goat, I think it's just my complete passion for anything Baseball and the sense of loss of I feel now that it is no longer an Olympic Sport (post 2008).
Well, good on you for being big about it. But it's still a strawman argument. No one is stooping to some kind of petty take-the-ball-home strategy. Not with billions at stake. It just isn't happening. Olympic baseball was a mediocre product that didn't deserve renewing. Hey, it was a close vote, though. Plus, this is a TERRIBLE article about it. Talk about a moron with a typewriter.
Olympic baseball was a mediocre product that didn't deserve renewing. Boy, if the target was weeding out mediocre events, I have a hard time believing they'd START with baseball. They hardly gave it time to come into its own. I don't want to pick on anybody, but I have to think there are better candidates for contraction. Not with billions at stake. I admittedly don't know much about the organizational process of the Olympics, but billions of what? Did the vote over baseball and softball really have billions of ANYTHING hanging over it? Not even CANADIAN dollars, I don't think. (Insert smart-ass smirk here.) Talk about a moron with a typewriter. Man, you are right on there.
Talk about a moron with a typewriter. Man, you are right on there. Weedy, I realized after I wrote this that, after disagreeing with two of your points, suspicious minds might interpret this as turning your own words on you -- I wasn't. This was a total agreement on the "TERRIBLE article" -- I should have pulled the whole comment instead of just that sentence. Sorry. Continue.
Olympic baseball was a mediocre product that didn't deserve renewing. Boy, if the target was weeding out mediocre events, I have a hard time believing they'd START with baseball. Wonder what the television ratings for curling are in the USA (not counting farther north states like Michigan since they're almost in Canada anyway.)
Not with billions at stake. Naw, I meant that organizations like the IOC probably don't take petty grievances over hard cold data when making decisions that affect the profitability of their billion-dollar product. Then again, maybe they do. Who am I, the Pope? I just object to the point that any decision made that doesn't favour the US is immediately explained by the transgressor hating America, or being jealous of her gloriosity and splendiferousness. It just ain't happening folks.
