Badminton is a noble century old sport played in the civilized parts of the world, you Yankee barbarians!

And Olympic Dodgeball would be totally awesome.

Who says Badminton is boring? Eight players disqualified for deliberately losing matches:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/02/sports...ng-matches.html

Once again, a play structure where losing is rewarded. There is mention that this same thing has also been observed yesterday in Olympic soccer. I was reminded of that incident where the soccer players were deliberately scoring on themselves to ensure a loss. It's a bit hard for me to have any respect or serious interest in a sporting event constructed in such a way that this can even be suspected.

Midget chariot racing with Shetland poines ought to be an Olympic sport.

Just saying...

See, some of the posters here in response to my questioning "the" game:
"competitive badminton...."
"it's a noble sport...."

My butt! <EOT>

The Olympics aren't about sports per se. They are about athleticism and accomplishment in one's particular event for their respective countries. I'll put a gymnist or ice skater WAY above what many consider atheletes.

I really couldn't agree more knightgames. I started this thread in jest, but think today's Olympics are just a joke.

I liked the games better when it was played by amateurs. By the kid from whatever country who could do something better than anyone else.
Not by the paid "dream team" of basketball, or the same in soccer, etc.

My 2cents

Were they ever truly amateurs?
It has been an issue since Jim Thorpe had his gold medals in track revoked in 1912 for having been payed to play baseball previously.

Amateur status simply favored aristocrats, people of independent means and state supported athletes. True unpaid athletes were at a big disadvantage.

I find myself thinking every sport seems more and more of a joke. It seems all of them are either corrupted by commercialism (Formula One), doping (e.g. Tour de France, and I have serious doubts of the Chinese swimming girl shaving a full second off of the previous WR) or games have been rigged by betting syndicates (e.g. some proven and too many suspected football scandals - where there is smoke, there is fire). Watching games just for the fun of it doesn't happen too often anymore nowadays.

That's one of the reasons I hold Eddie the Eagle's 1988 Olympic run in such high regard.