But should American football be part of the games? In 2012, baseball and softball will be dropped from the Olympic roster, and it seems the IOC owes America at least one event, football or otherwise, in which the U.S. would be among the gold medal favorites. Let’s consider the options …
American Football
Pro: NFL preseason games sell out in Mexico and Japan, and last year a regular season game in London was the hottest ticket in town. The rest of the world sees in football the qualities that have made it our number one sport, and including it in the Olympics would only widen its appeal (and allow for a few more friendly wagers, of course).
Con: A 160-pound Namibian wide receiver who learned his craft from a Jerry Rice coloring book goes over the middle and is flattened by a 240-pound throat-slash-gesturing strong safety from the University of Miami. If football becomes an Olympic sport, that scene gets repeated for like the next 60 years.
Golf
Pro: There are world-class golfers from all corners of the globe, and most Olympic host cities already have top-notch golf facilities. It’s a little baffling why golf isn’t an Olympic event already.
Con: Anything that furthers the misconception that golf is an athletic endeavor will just encourage the worldwide obesity pandemic.
NASCAR
Pro: If the Olympics awards equestrian riders medals for prancing pleasantly around a track on a horse, why not let stock car racers go for the gold at 180 miles an hour?
Con: High-strung race car drivers often have post-race scuffles, and a medal stand smackdown is against everything the Olympics stands for.
[Via: asylum]
Frank Wilson is a retired teacher with over 30 years of combined experience in the education, small business technology, and real estate business. He now blogs as a hobby and spends most days tinkering with old computers. Wilson is passionate about tech, enjoys fishing, and loves drinking beer.
