Improving the Olympics

[Uncle Leo]

Pubey and I have both been listening to a podcast featuring Malcolm Gladwell where, among other things, he comes up with a suggestion for improving the track and field - namely, moving event such as high jump to a smaller arena where spectators can focus on that event, rather it being lost in a huge stadium.

So, your ideas please. Serious or not. I would like to start with...

• Getting rid of golf
• Reducing the number of relays in swimming. From five down to two.
• Stolen from a mate - liven up the Modern Pentathlon by making competitors choose their outfit for all five events at the start of the event and not be allowed to change. Fencing in your swimming trunks. Ouch!

 

[londonblue]

Pubey and I have both been listening to a podcast featuring Malcolm Gladwell where, among other things, he comes up with a suggestion for improving the track and field - namely, moving event such as high jump to a smaller arena where spectators can focus on that event, rather it being lost in a huge stadium.

So, your ideas please. Serious or not. I would like to start with...

• Getting rid of golf
• Reducing the number of relays in swimming. From five down to two.
• Stolen from a amte - liven up the Modern Pentathlon by making competitors choose their outfit for all five events at the start of the event and not be allowed to change. Fencing in your swimming trunks. Ouch!

Having a swimming equivalent of the decathlon. For example:

50 Fly
100 Back
200 Breaststroke
200 Free
400 IM

 

[Pubey]

Along with golf, just get rid of any sport where the Olympics can't claim to be the pinnacle. E.g. tennis.
I think basketball just about fits in but Bill Simmons has a good idea where the US should limit their squad to be Under-23s.

I think the equestrian sports should be removed, because they aren't global, and their ****ing *****.

Moving as many sports into more intimate temporary arenas is a good idea.

A running version of cycling's 'elimination race' - maybe replace the steeplechase with this, and utilise the steeplechase jumps and water. Each lap the last person is eliminated.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Have the summer games permanently hosted in Athens.

 

[Pubey]

Add in mario-cart style shortcuts to the marathon that have risk/rewards.

e.g. shave off 200m but you have to run across a narrow beam over a piranha-filled tank.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Remove all "sports" that require subjective judgement. Or go the other way and reinstate poetry.

Replace golf with T20 cricket.

Replace football with squash.

Cut down the number of swimming medals. See also weightlifting.

Give coverage of the cycling road race to ASO.

Have alternate drug amensty Olympics where competitors can take whatever they want.

Don't let ITV anywhere near it.

 

[Firestorm]

Bring back the individual pursuit and the Madison in the cycling

Limit the number of events to 3 per competitor ie 100M , 200M and the Relay - 3 swimming events, etc

 

[Uncle Leo]

Don't let ITV anywhere near it.

Apart from getting Imlach in to front the cycling coverage. Which is far better now you've got ASO in. Good work.

 

[mattitouk]

Some good suggestions on here.

1. Replace Golf with Speed Golf (or reduce the format from 4 days down to 2 days).

2.Add T20 Cricket

3.Add Squash

4.Add 5 a side Football

5. Add Rugby Union


For no reason other than to increase our chances of olympic medals, I suggest:

1. Snooker (should get a clean sweep of Gold, Silver and Bronze in that one)
2. Darts (always going to be a UK V Netherlands final)
3. F1 (everyone likes a UK V Germany Final)

Other notable mentions where we must be in with a chance for a medal would be those classic British sports such as Conkers, the Egg and Spoon race & Cheese Rolling (to name but a few).

 

[Pubey]

Have alternate drug amensty Olympics where competitors can take whatever they want.

Replace Golf with Speed Golf

awesome!:thumbsup:

 

[Pubey]

Also I think Futsal rather than 5-a-side would be good as a replacement for 11-a-side football. Personally I think Rugby 7s is a good compromise for normal rugby league and union

 

[Pubey]

Just a reminder that for 2020 we've had these 5 'new' sports agreed: baseball/softball, karate, sport climbing, surfing, and skateboarding

 

[mattitouk]

Good to see Karate back on the list, but "Sport Climbing" really? what a waste.

 

[Uncle Leo]

1. Snooker (should get a clean sweep of Gold, Silver and Bronze in that one)

Prediction - Marco Fu v Ding Junhui in the final :'(

 

[Napster]

Reboot the Animalympics! Loved that show.

Handicaps in athletics
Only one participant from each country (stops sweeps of events)
Standardised communal equipment for every event
Make the marathon open to everyone.

 

[Benfleet A1]

Judges to show us how it's done when competitors balls up a dive or gymnastics move.

Bent boxing judges to face the loser.

 

[southendkid]

Good to see Karate back on the list, but "Sport Climbing" really? what a waste.

Sport Climbing looks the most interesting of the new events to me, the walls are a lot tougher than the stuff parents take their kids to, you need a lot of flexibility and finger strength to do it. I tried it once and I was rubbish, even intermediate walls want you to essentially swing your leg to about head height to a foothold and then hoist yourself up using just that, the more advanced ones want you to swing your leg up whilst your other leg is hanging freely. There's some footage of what to expect here. [video=youtube_share;8DYfnPhxD8A]https://youtu.be/8DYfnPhxD8A[/video]

Anyway bring back point scoring for the boxing, it's not very exciting watching every fight get decided by the judges.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Just disallow any competitor who earns more than a certain amount in their sport - would mean the likes of most of the top tennis players, many of the golfers, footballers etc wouldn't be there. Even your Farahs and Bolts.

I love the idea of 5 a side football instead of 11, and I love the horse events (blame Jilly Cooper!) so would keep them.

 

[Benfleet A1]

Just disallow any competitor who earns more than a certain amount in their sport - would mean the likes of most of the top tennis players, many of the golfers, footballers etc wouldn't be there. Even your Farahs and Bolts.

I love the idea of 5 a side football instead of 11, and I love the horse events (blame Jilly Cooper!) so would keep them.

Didn't Jilly Cooper write about sex with horses? Or something like that.

 

[Pubey]

Just disallow any competitor who earns more than a certain amount in their sport - would mean the likes of most of the top tennis players, many of the golfers, footballers etc wouldn't be there. Even your Farahs and Bolts.

I love the idea of 5 a side football instead of 11, and I love the horse events (blame Jilly Cooper!) so would keep them.

You want to ban two athletes (who aren't professionals) who contributed to maybe the Top 5 moments in the last two summer games?!:hilarious: