My vote would be no, that it belongs in the X Games or something. In fact, I am iffy on basketball.

Dauphin said:

Bring back Pankration? why not. I'd drop karate and tkd. Keep judo, boxing, rasslin, and fencing.

I had NO idea!!!!

So, essentially...MMA pretty much BELONGS in the Olympics!!!!

Genesia said:

NDRU said:

My vote would be no, that it belongs in the X Games or something. In fact, I am iffy on basketball.

Whay are u iffy on basketball?

Graycap23 said:

NDRU said:

My vote would be no, that it belongs in the X Games or something. In fact, I am iffy on basketball.

Whay are u iffy on basketball?

It's not so much about the sport itself, but I am not crazy about the change to include pro athletes.

I know it makes sense to have the world's best, since you have the fastest runners, swimmers, etc. But it seems like a case of "one of these things is not like the other" when you have superstar NBA players alongside athletes for whom this is the biggest moment of their lives, and who may never achieve fame & fortune.

It's sort of inconsistent, too, because pro boxers still don't compete, do they?

NDRU said:

Graycap23 said:

Whay are u iffy on basketball?

It's not so much about the sport itself, but I am not crazy about the change to include pro athletes.

I know it makes sense to have the world's best, since you have the fastest runners, swimmers, etc. But it seems like a case of "one of these things is not like the other" when you have superstar NBA players alongside athletes for whom this is the biggest moment of their lives, and who may never achieve fame & fortune.

It's sort of inconsistent, too, because pro boxers still don't compete, do they?

Every country but the U.S. has been sending pro's for decades. I don't understand.

Graycap23 said:

NDRU said:

It's not so much about the sport itself, but I am not crazy about the change to include pro athletes.

I know it makes sense to have the world's best, since you have the fastest runners, swimmers, etc. But it seems like a case of "one of these things is not like the other" when you have superstar NBA players alongside athletes for whom this is the biggest moment of their lives, and who may never achieve fame & fortune.

It's sort of inconsistent, too, because pro boxers still don't compete, do they?

Every country but the U.S. has been sending pro's for decades. I don't understand.

you mean in boxing? or basketball

NDRU said:

Graycap23 said:

Every country but the U.S. has been sending pro's for decades. I don't understand.

you mean in boxing? or basketball

Basketball.

Graycap23 said:

NDRU said:

you mean in boxing? or basketball

Basketball.

ok. Yes, I do get the reasoning for having the pros (that is how the US began to lose in b-ball before the Dream Team happened), it's just a personal thing for me.

In other sports, the Olympics is the absolute pinnacle, but sports like b-ball, tennis, and hockey have the spotlight all the time. The Olympics comes soon after the NBA Finals, so it just doesn't seem so exciting to see Lebron & Kobe win gold medals as it does to see Michael Phelps & Usain Bolt.

Give the shot-putters a chance to shine!