Wrestling. Even dumber than synchronized swimming. Two big fat sweathy hogs grabbing all over and laying on top of each other.

-- (saw it @ on. tv), September 28, 2000

Answers

It's primal. No apparatus. No flash or glitz. Simple rules anyone can comprehend. The wrestlers in the ancient Greek Olympics were nude. You can't get more primal than that.

BTW, if you want a kick in the head, read about the ancient sport of Prankration. It was similar to all-in kick-boxing, but the competitors were huge, muscly guys, not lithe little Thais. It was not unusual for the loser to die.

-- Brian McLaughlin (brianm@ims.com), September 28, 2000.

Saw it, I disagree with your view of wrestling but agree about sync swimming. Rules for the olympics are different from college rules; it seems tougher. But I've watched wrestling for a number of years and find it the toughest six minutes in sports. In college and high school, they can use their legs (not just the upper body). There are a number of weight classes, so the little guys (115 lbs), who can't play football, can participate in this sport. It's one on one, competition at its lowest level. And it is gut wrenching. This is not the same as the WWF, which is just a show.

Too bad you draw conclusions based on one episode that lasted only nine minutes.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), September 28, 2000.

I totally agree with you Maria. I wrestled throughout high school (in Iowa where it is truly "appreciated") and definitely consider it "the toughest six minutes in sports".

There are 2 completely different styles of wrestling competition in the Olympics... "Greco Roman" which you saw on tv last night and which has very "different" rules and "Freestyle" which is very similar to high school/college wrestling. I believe the heavyweight championship in *both* of the styles was won by USA wrestlers. No doubt Iowa boys :)

Synchronized swimming a "sport"!? I laugh at the thought. However, girls on trampolines is a whole nuther story. That's a real sport if I ever saw one!

-- CD (costavike@hotmail.com), September 28, 2000.

I am not amused by this thread one bit. Swimming has been very good to me.

-- Big Esther (BigEsther@WilliamsSwimWear.org), September 28, 2000.

Hey, for dumbest sport, what about shuffleboard on ice with goofy gadgets, better known as curling.

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), September 28, 2000.