Of wrestling and Mardi Gras and a writer's greatest gig

Lots of little things today after a nice, slow Monday.

-

Sometimes I just don’t get the IOC.

Actually, I rarely get the IOC because it strikes me as a good old rich boys club as much concerned with lining its own pockets rather than putting the interests of athletes first.

That’s a rant for another day but news this morning that they’re going to drop wrestling from the Summer Olympics program after the 2016 Games tells you just about all you want to know where the folks who run that organization are going.

It’s a TV show more than a sports event, it’s silly sports that translate well into broadcasts and reach the younger demographic rather than a historical sporting competition.

Now, I’m not a huge wrestling fan – for either gender – and certainly not as informed on the sport as, say, my man Stumpy, who I’m sure will have an all-world rant about this some day this week.

But wrestling has been associated with the Olympics for as long as the Olympics have been around; it is pretty much pure sport, me against you, strongest man wins. No outside influences, just one against one, pure.

And isn’t that what sports is?

It is a global sport, far more than some that are on the program, it can be played in every nation on earth; it is not at any level regional or expensive or anything like that.

I’m waiting to hear what the rationale is for dumping the sport, I would guess we will hear someone say it is being done to cut back on the number of athletes at Summer Games that are already too big.

But when you look over the Summer Olympics program and want to cut something back, wouldn’t there be other sports that could go that are far more limited in scope for the world’s athletes?

As I said, I’m not all that big on wrestling as a sport (although Daniel Igali’s win was inspiring) but it is a sport, it has a long and storied history in the Games, dumping it and keeping TV-friendly globally regional sports makes no sense to me.

But that’s the IOC, sense doesn’t often play into the equation.

-

Fat Tuesday!

I’m not a pancake guy at all so that’s not in my future but if anyone knows a beignet place in Hazelville, that’d be nice.

And if the ACC poohbahs are reading this, media room jambalaya would sure be a nice tough. Or some dirty rice, please and thank you.

-

Speaking of …

-

Everyone was all over Dwane and Terrence Ross about the dunk contest yesterday and it was all pretty predictable.

Ross was saying it’s hard to even fathom finding a dunk no one’s done before but he did offer that he might have one or two up his sleeve that he could try on Saturday night.

No, there were no specifics – they tend to keep dunks as a better secret than trade rumours – but if he does have something original, that’ll be the thing that everyone will end up talking about.

And Ross has always been unexcited about the use of props – that makes him just fine in my books – and that’s another level to it.

Using props – people, telephone booths, throwback jerseys, cars, choirs, what have you – is what has ruined the dunk contest in my opinion. It’s a show – with a predetermined winner in the case of Blake Griffin, I am entirely sure – and bears little resemblance to the legit contests of a decade or so ago.

Schtick is not my bag.

So we’ll see what Ross and others have, maybe turning it into conference vs. conference will add some juice to it, maybe they’ll win or lose on their own athletic abilities rather than their level of showmanship.

We can only hope.

Dwane?

He knows what it is.

“I don’t think you can put two baskets out there and a phone booth and cape and all that. You can’t do that in a game.”

-

Okay, this is going to be a weird weekend with all the all-star hijinks I’ll have to do and write about so let’s get the mail started early.

If the link over there on the right isn’t working well, it’s askdoug@thestar.ca. You don’t have to use secret code words – unless you want to – so give me your best.

-

So I make a rare appearance at Mother Star yesterday morning to some overdue paperwork, pick up some supplies and to whine to the Tall Foreheads about being stuck in Indy for two extra days (that’s the first one-game trip expenses I’ve filed that included three different hotel bills) because I was grumpy.

Anyway, got even grumpier when I ran into my friend Rosie and we’re chatting about work and what’s coming up and she tells me she was off to spring training later in the day.

Now, folks, I have been privileged to cover an awful lot of great things over my career – Olympics, world championships, NBA championships, World Series, Grey Cups, any number of wonderful events – but I will say this with the utmost confidence:

The easiest and most stress-free gig a writer could ever want is spring training.

It is nirvana.

Workouts are finished early, lots of people to write about, games don’t matter so you watch them just in case something extraordinary happens and it never does; the pace of every single day is almost somnambulant.

Really.

The weather’s basically great, there’s seldom a lot of hard news to chase or break and the days are generally done in time to either play 18 holes or find a calm patio.

Now, I know baseball in the regular season is a bit different, you get to the park about 3 p.m. and have no clue when you’ll be leaving, but that just makes up for the pace of spring training. All those quiet days, all those evenings free, all that sun.

Oh hell yeah, I’m jealous as all get out.

It’s the dream gig for a lot of writers. Just wish I could have poached a couple of days.

-

 

 

 

Comments

[Tom]

Somnambulant. Man you learn something everyday... Thanks! I actually had to look that one up.

Here's hoping that the Raps pull off a victory against Denver. Doug, are you doing an IGBT for tonights game?

Blogger's note: I am, yes

[Michal]

Doug, You're absolutely right about wrestling... maybe they should drop marathon next because it's so boring watching people run for over 40km :> thank God we will be able to watch golf and synchronized swimming :> these will definitely be "better and more interesting" (end of rant)

[Geoff Read]

Hi Doug,

Whenever I start to feel like I have the worst job on earth - like right now when I've been marking essays and essay proposals for 15 days straight - evenings, weekends, etc. - I try to remember that actually I'm pretty privileged and I get to do something I enjoy. I expect that's the same for you.

But yeah. Spring training sounds pretty sweet doesn't it? Do you think Rosie'd wanna switch places and teach some history for a while?

Liked the piece on JV BTW.

Blogger's note: I'll ask her, but I'd be surprised if she would :)

[ditch]

I'm hear the IOC will replace wrestling with lawn darts (a more traditional sport). Look for Angry Birds to replace the marathon. It's better for TV.

[Peter]

Pick up some supplies? Maybe I'm behind the times, but I figured a laptop and cell phone were the only supplies a modern writer would need. Can we ask what type of supplies you would need from Mother Star? Or are those trade secrets?

Blogger's note: Batteries, notebooks, a new-fangled piece of technology they want me to try. Usual stuff

[Rob]

I am not a big fan of wrestling either, however i think it would be a travesty to drop from the olympics. Not just for the reasons you stated. But also because wrestling was one of the original Olympic Sports dating back to the games in ancient greek and roman times. This is one tradition that runs VERY deep.

[Geoff Read]

Oh yeah, and agreed on the IOC-wrestling thing. It's bizarro-world with that organization. But then, we are talking about an institution that was led for over 20 years but a former member of Francisco Franco's fascist dictatorship in Spain (Juan Antonio Samaranch). So I think it's fair to say the IOC does things a little "differently" than most of us.

[LeeZ]

Doug, I actually thought you were off your rocker when you said no more wrestling. Either that or you were self-medicating again and that we Irregulars would have to stage an intervention. But when I checked it out, I found you were right. I...I...I simply have not the words. All I can say is I expect a HUGE blowback on the part of the Olympics movement and that sanity will prevail in the form of the IOC forced to eat crow and reverse its decision. Now, about that self-medicating thing (and yes, Stella DOES count!)
;-)

[Mike D.]

Normally I'd suggest that you try to pull rank and grab the spring training gig, but not against Rosie. It's well-documented that in a heated discussion she can be pretty quick to drop the towel....sorry, gloves.

[Rob.V]

som·nam·bu·late. Gotta love the little voice thingy they attach to each word to help annunciate it properly when you look it up.

Somnambulating(?)week in the NBA as well. Let's hope for a trade we can dissect, or a win in the dunk contest or something.

Probably just another week of Kobe Bryant stabbing his teammate (and brother) D12 in the back... and Dwight rolling over to accept it.

Kobe says: those comments were not meant as shots at Dwight being soft...oh yeah, except that they are!!!... and now Rick Fox is calling D12 a loser?.

Come on, that's not fair.

I think it was Magic on the weekend that called Kobe/Dwight, Kobe/Shaq... the sequel! Sure, but who is the common denominator in all this? Nope, no names this morning here. That Kobe Bryant is something special eh?

This would be the perfect sequence of events for the Lakers (for me):

- They trade Gasol and it's a horrible trade for the Lakers.
- The Lakers win the lottery (for Phoenix)
- Dwight opts "out" of L.A for, get this, MIAMI!! - they trade Bosh
- Kobe gets sent off to retirement with only (5) to MJ's 6!!!... Na na na,na... na na na, na ... hey hey hey... goodbye!

Not sure how I shifted gears from somnambulate to my angst with the Lakers this morning... but there you have it. LOL!

[D-Mac Ottawa]

The Olympics "brain trust" drops wrestling?! What's next? The Pope abdicates?
Along with running, there is no more fundamental, brass tacks basic sport than wrestling. Wonder what Alexandr Karelin and Dan Gable will have to say about all of this... they need to be able to have their 15 minutes in front of the "Committee", in the same room... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6e3xOeFNaI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kVBBzUUpsQ
Cheers. Go Raps!

[John]

@ditch. RE: Lawn Darts
I went to a Wall Mart in Texas on a vacation about ten years ago and was surprised to find out that Lawn Darts were banned so we went to the next aisle and picked up a couple assault rifles instead.

[lee in ittawa]

Wrestling in the Olympics? The only wrestling I know of has great Champions like The Shiek, Sgt. Slaugter and Bruno Sanmartino. Am I missing something?

[LeeZ]

@John: DING DING DING!!!

[Lorie]

Don't like pancakes? Can't find a beignet? Why not give a paczki a try today? Quite traditional the day before Lent. They're deep fried, sweet and covered with icing sugar. In other words, hit all the essential food groups. And instead of nixing wrestling, why not lose boxing? The officiating of it during London 2012 was so inept it made this season's NBA reffing look proficient. Cheers! Go Raps! And keep on keeping it real, Terrence!

[Mike kovacs]

any replacement announced for drummond yet?

Blogger's note: Nicholson, the Mississauga kid

[JT]

Doug,

Could Lowry's inconsistencies since his return from injuries be a result of conditioning? I saw some clips/highlights of Kyle from when it was the first few games of the season and he looked noticeably trimmer or dare I say, slimmer.

Blogger's note: Better game shape; weight the same as start of season, I'm told

[Peter]

"New fangled piece of technology"

I'm actually pretty excited about this. I bet you're not! :)

[DMcG]

Count me in as another one that is shocked, and even dismayed, that the IOC would drop wrestling. Though I'm not an avid follower of the sport, and mostly watch when Canadians are competing in the Olympics, as others have said it's a fundamental sport, and part of the Games going back long before the modern Olympics. It seems sacrilegious to the proclaimed "spirit" of the games.
-
Looking forward to the game tonight (ha, as if i don't look forward to every game). Hoping Jonas brings it again, and hoping Andrea is back and continues his play since his return, but look most forward to see Rudy vs Iggy.