FanHouse

If you're going to write a post like this, at least give some reason as to why you don't want to see skateboarding in the olympics. Why is it any less deserving than any other sport. Your only reasoning is that it is best left to kids in a park. I fail to see how this supports your claim that the IOC shouldn't add skateboarding. And how has sports such as snowboarding made the winter olympics any worse. If you're going to make such statements, please back them up. This post is utterly pointless.

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They want to add skateboarding, but remove baseball and softball? Why don't they just be honest and say, "We want to add what Europeans do."

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Better sports such as rhythmic gymnastics aka ribbon twirling?

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MDS,

I usually agree with what you have to say, but this post is a bit off. First you say that it is not intended as a dig at skateboarding, but later you say that in order to make room for skateboarding the IOC would have to eliminate "better" sports. Which sports do you consider better and why? At least that would allow us to engage in healthy debate.

Cheezer

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If you actually take the time to watch skateboarding at some point, you might notice that it is a much more complex sport than many of the (yawn) track and field events at the Olympics. Not that I would want to see those gone, but they are no more fun to watch on TV than golf or bowling. (

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The Olympics is all about corporate marketing money and TV ratings. So a WWE-freak-doping model is always the direction.

If skateboarding attracts more consumers---then it will receive TV Network time.

If dog fighting or pride fights cathc on---then the IOC will adopt those too.

Doping is 100% allowed within the rules (no drug tests for most drugs, (testosterone, hGH, EPO, insulin, cow blood transfusions, female hormones, IGF-1, research drugs, etc.. all pass silly $300 urine tests)

Count of the IOC to lust after the money.

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That was a really, really... Really stupid article.

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You have no legitimate basis for your argument. Skateboarding is one of the most difficult sports in existence where the top athletes are in peak physical condition coupled with a kinesthetic intelligence rivialed only by the lighting fast reaction time of, say, boxing. Almost everyone in the world can hit a baseball with a little instruction but it takes months, literally months to learn kickflips, one of the simplest and most rudimentary tricks in skateboarding. What your arguement pre-supposes is that skateboarding is an activity for teens solely and therefore of interest only to that market. Yet some of the sport's greatest practiioners (Eric Koston, Mike Carroll and Bob Burnquist to name a few) have not yet peaked in their 30s. The age bracket for enthusiasts of skateboarding is growing as the sport is.
To exclude something as popular and as relevant as skateboarding from the olympics based on an arguement as biased and flimsy as yours would be a travesty.

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wtf is a better sport is it ice skating swiming or just passing a ball around if thats a better sport then skateboarding then i dont know what is then. It must be really tuff to throw around a ribbon...

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When you finished your article this morning you most likely felt that you would soon be showered with people posting on your side.Oops!Are you blind or do you not realize the difficulty involved to become a proffesional skateboarder.Seems like you are old ,frustrated and completly out of the loop(no pun intended).Skateboarding is not a wee kids toy.Skateboarding is one of the most difficult activitys to master.I know you are looking forward to the elimanation round of the Javeline toss,I feel funny even considering watching something like that.
I think you know what is going to happen.Skateboarding will more than likely become the finail event in the Olympics due to people like you bashing it but at the same time drawing twice as much attention to it.
Thanks

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I skateboard, I'm 34 years old and have since I was 8. That's 26 years. I work in the Industry and have since I was 13.

I feel skateboarding deserves to be included in the Olympics but I do not want to see it happen. Skateboarding is a lifestyle, not a sport. Sure skateboarders are athletic, and skateboarding takes immense talent, coordination, and discipline. But organized skateboard competition and televised events do not reflect skateboarding in it's true light. 95+% of skateboarders do not ride vert halfpipes or mega ramps. They skate in the streets, in backyard pools, and build obstacles themselves to support their passion and lifestyle.

Kids do not start skateboarding to maybe someday win a gold medal in the Olympics and they never will. Kids start skateboarding because it is one of the most free, accessible, and truest forms of personal expression and style. Oh yeah, and it's really fun and rewarding. Very personally gratifying.

It IS NOT a competitive sport first and foremost. Skateboarding does not have an International governing body and it does not have proper representation and organization as a competitive sport.

IT WILL NOT BE PROPERLY REPRESENTED BY CYCLING. They do not relate and view it as a threat to their livelihood.

Skateboarding IS very compelling, interesting, advanced, and progressive. However ESPN (who's been broadcasting skateboarding for over 11 years) can't even reflect it in it's true right now. How will the IOC, the UCI and the mainstream media ever be able to?

Keep skateboarding real, keep it out of the Olympics and keep it one of the most popular individual activities amongst our youth.

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Mr. Smith,
If you took some time out of your busy day to write for a website, and actually got on a skateboard for 30 minutes, you would want it in the Olympics. Some skaters may dissagree with me because they would rather keep it to those who really love it, but seeing on national T.V. may help with us getting kicked out of schools and buildings every 2 seconds just because we are on a skateboard. Maybe those rent-a-cops will give us a little more respect. As long as they get some back of course. But Mr. Smith, you say it was not a dig on skateboarders, but if I wrote something like that about something you like to do, let's say Dungeons and Dragons, you would probably take as a 'dig' wouldn't you? Next time think before you type.

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I've been skateboarding for 20 yrs and sure as hell don't want my "Lifestyle (its not an organized sport and never should be)" in the Olympics.. the X-Gaymes is even ridiculous.

Skaters participate in events like this to grab cash off the major corporations who are trying to make a quick buck until skateboarding becomes unpopular once again -

I've seen skating die in popularity twice since I've been rolling, and its happened twice before that - if skating makes it into the Olympics it will thankfully be its death knell again and the true hardcore skaters can ride without all this extra baggage.

KEEP SKATEBOARDING A CRIME!!!

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I'm pretty sure the author of this article has a ponytail. Hopefully the IOC hears his "plea" and stops any future consideration of putting skateboarding in the olympics, I've had just about all the feigned interest from non-skaters I think I can stomach.

Again, this man has a ponytail. 'Nuff said.

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I have to echo what most people are saying here. Skateboarding is a great "sport" and combines more skills and discipline than any other sport in the Olympics. To be honest, I haven't watched the summer Olympics or Winter in a long time. Mostly because they're boring. Skateboarding would add new viewers for the Olympics and would be something fun to watch for existing viewers. However, I'm not so sure the world would appreciate the subtle intricacies of skateboarding. I think the only reason for skateboarding to not being in the Olympics is if "skateboarding" itself decides not to participate.

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"These activities are fine for teenagers in their free time"

I guess that expains why the world's top vert and big air champions are men in their 30's? If your'e going to take a stand on something, you should at least bother to educate yourself about it first.

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Michael David Smith is an idiot. The problem i see with skateboarding is that it is imposable to judge. They would have to create a system, maybe a list of tricks that had to be completed in a run. Similar to figure skating.

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As a college educated 20 year veteran of the skateboarding scene I have to say that this cat provides a weak, if not non-existant argument. But skateboarding in the olympics? Anarchy Forever, organized sports...NEVER.

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skateboarding doesn't belong in the olympics because it's not about that. it's about fun and freedom, and the olympics are about rules and regulations. do people even watch them anymore? skate for yourself, not anyone else. keep skateboarding free, not corporate.

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I'd have to say that this is a very poorly written blog post. It gives no reasons, it just states that the writer is against skateboarding. I guess that's why he writes blogs and not real articles.

Where should I start?

Skateboarding definitely takes athletic talent. It takes skill and dedication, just like any other sport.

The skateboarding lifestyle is in the streets. It belongs in the streets and will stay in the streets no matter if the Olympics include skateboarding or not.

The writer is probably more of a "ball and stick" sport kind of guy, which i respect. But if you think about it, what's one of the first toys you get when you're a baby? A BALL. So you saying that skateboarding is for kids is pointless, support your ideas mr. reporter.

In closing I'd like to say that the author of this blog article got schooled by the dumb druggy skateboarders of the world.

Good game sir, good game.

OLLIE

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