I think it's a bunch of BS...here's an article:

http://www.9news.com/sports.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=f687b805-0abe-421a-0166-7472519757c0&TEMPLATEID=af6b6b60-ac1f-02c5-0012-a9383dc2f691

Although I'm not the biggest of fans of these sports, I do not like them being removed from the Olympic Games.
The Netherlands have one of the best European baseball teams, along with Italy, so it's a crying shame to keep those guys from the Olympics. >:(
Still, we have some fine memories to treasure. After all, the Netherlands was the first team to beat Cuba at the Olympics. :)
(btw: we were defeated - or should I say humiliated - by South Africa in the next game, if I remember correctly  :\'(....)

Although I'm not the biggest of fans of these sports, I do not like them being removed from the Olympic Games.
The Netherlands have one of the best European baseball teams, along with Italy, so it's a crying shame to keep those guys from the Olympics. >:(
Still, we have some fine memories to treasure. After all, the Netherlands was the first team to beat Cuba at the Olympics. :)
(btw: we were defeated - or should I say humiliated - by South Africa in the next game, if I remember correctly  :\'(....)


AND I don't get to see Jennie Finch anymore :-\\

http://www.geocities.com/mark21566/jengoldkiss.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/mark21566/jenwreath.jpg

Yeah, I disagree with the discsion.  I have heard they are talking about replacing them with Golf and Rugby. Golf I can sorta see but Rugby seems more out there to me than Baseball and Softball were.  Course then again I live here in the US and Baseball is everywhere and Rugby isnt.

I wonder what would happen if American style FOOTBALL became an Olympic sport......

but I doubt that will ever happen.....

but remember the NFL has come to Europe...

but remember the NFL has come to Europe...


I didn't know that.

I bet soccer loses some popularity in Europe now.

I wonder what would happen if American style FOOTBALL became an Olympic sport......

but I doubt that will ever happen.....

but remember the NFL has come to Europe...



I didn't know that.

I bet soccer loses some popularity in Europe now.


I don't think American football will ever be big outside the US. There's an European league which I believe consists of 6 (yes SIX) teams, four of which are from Germany. The other two are from the UK and the Netherlands respectively.

O yes - this will surely make the UEFA (European Soccer Association) peeing their pants! ;D

O yes - this will surely make the UEFA (European Soccer Association) peeing their pants! ;D


Wait, UEFA, according to Acronym finder, stands for "Union of European Football Associations."

But I guess football means soccer.

Wait, UEFA, according to Acronym finder, stands for "Union of European Football Associations."

But I guess football means soccer.


Since the vast majority of the board members is from the US, I've used the term "soccer", which I believe is more common in the US when referring to the noble sport of football. (Not football American style, which is hardly known outside US. I'm still confused as to why that's called football anyway... :-\\)

The official name for soccer is football. "Soccer" is actually a slang name for it derived from the word "association". :)

Rugby is actually played in a lot of countries, including Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, France, South Africa, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand, Wales, Argentina, Canada, Georgia, Namibia, Romania, Spain, Uruguay, Zimbabwe, Samoa and the US.

Well, maybe it's because I never got used to them being part of the Olympics, but to me, team sports always seemed a bit out of place in the Games.  For me, the drama of the Olympics always seemed to come from the quest of individual accomplishment -- not in a selfish way, but just in terms of athletes digging deep and striving to perform at their best, with success and failure resting entirely on their own performance enhancing drugs... 

8)

But seriously, I don't really care either way, I don't watch the Games much anymore...

I only watch the Summer Olympics for the gymnastics and US basketball anyway. But removing baseball and softball is a crying shame, especially since equestrian sports, team handball, and the "modern" pentathalon are still there. And I don't know anyone that even remotely cares for those events. Baseball and softball are more internationally popular.

I only watch the Summer Olympics for the gymnastics and US basketball anyway. But removing baseball and softball is a crying shame, especially since equestrian sports, team handball, and the "modern" pentathalon are still there. And I don't know anyone that even remotely cares for those events. Baseball and softball are more internationally popular.


Handball is ridiculously popular in Europe. I think every European Olympic team has a handball side. Personally, I'm not sure about removing any sport from the Olympic schedule, with the possible exception of synchronised swimming, which was originally only added as a demonstration sport at the LA games in 1984. Might as well have ballet and ballroom dancing if we have to have that.

I only watch the Summer Olympics for the gymnastics and US basketball anyway. But removing baseball and softball is a crying shame, especially since equestrian sports, team handball, and the "modern" pentathalon are still there. And I don't know anyone that even remotely cares for those events. Baseball and softball are more internationally popular.
I think we lost them because in that part of the world they haven't caught on yet. It still sucks though :-\\

Well, let's look on the bright side. If they make women's golf an Olympic event, you'll get to see Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, etc. representing. (If they put men's golf in, it just makes sense to put the women in too.)  ;)
AND I don't get to see Jennie Finch anymore :-\\

http://www.geocities.com/mark21566/jengoldkiss.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/mark21566/jenwreath.jpg

Well, let's look on the bright side. If they make women's golf an Olympic event, you'll get to see Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, etc. representing. (If they put men's golf in, it just makes sense to put the women in too.)  ;)
Well with all the idiocy lately, they might just bring in "Poker" and try to pass THAT off as a "Sport" :D ::)

And if they do that, then Jaques Rogge, IOC President, should submit his resignation.  ;)(There is a movement to bring in poker as an Olympic sports, believe it or not. ::))
Well with all the idiocy lately, they might just bring in "Poker" and try to pass THAT off as a "Sport" :D ::)

I know she's supposed to be pretty, but that softball player just looks scary in those pictures!

Are they going to have cricket at the Olympics?  I wonder which is played more worldwide, cricket or baseball. 

If I was on the IOC, I'd vote for kick-the-can and freeze tag!

I think we lost them because in that part of the world they haven't caught on yet. It still sucks though :-\\
In countries such as Cuba(yes, Cuba!) and the Dominican Republic,as well as some South American countries...baseball IS a big deal! There are a lot of players in MLB that are from the Dominican Republic...there are a few from Venezuela(the Phillies' Bobby Abreu is one of them,I think)...in the mid '80's St. Louis had pitcher Joaquin Andujar..his nickname was'one tough Dominican'...

I know she's supposed to be pretty, but that softball player just looks scary in those pictures!
Okay then, here's another :)

http://www.usoc.org/00-jennie-finch-jersey.jpg

I suppose people are going to be disappointed by any sport getting removed from the Olympics, but you have to accept that they can't include everything in their programme. Most observers agree that the summer Olympics are too costly and bloated the way they are right now, so some trimming in a few areas was probably necessary. That article did cite the high cost of baseball and softball stadiums as a reason for cutting those sports.

Considering how popular baseball already is, it's not as if baseball fans are going to be deprived too much of a chance to watch the sport, just because it's not in the Olympics anymore. And with the World Baseball Classic starting next year( http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/wbc/article.jsp?content=071105_a ), there's going to be plenty of international baseball on a regular basis to fill in the gap.





Are they going to have cricket at the Olympics?  I wonder which is played more worldwide, cricket or baseball. 


Well, since cricket is the de facto number one sport in the Indian subcontinent, home to a billion and a half people, I'd have to give the edge to cricket in this case. Though baseball's pretty popular around the world, too.

I have heard they are talking about replacing them with Golf and Rugby. Golf I can sorta see but Rugby seems more out there to me than Baseball and Softball were.

Oh, I absolutely hate golf. It's such a ridiculous game! A bunch of guys strolling around for four hours; it isn't even a real sport!

I once said I'd kill myself if they ever put golf in the Olympics. It seems I might now be put into the position of having to live up to that promise!  :P