Should Pool become an Olympic competition?
Arguably, Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante are the best 9 ball players the world has ever known. They are both Filipino, and the Philippines has never won an Olympic Gold.
The Olympics consider disciplines or sports based upon their worldwide prevalence. I believe that some form of Billiards is played worldwide, when considering all the games such as 9 ball, 8 ball, One Pocket, Snooker, Billiards, Rotation, and Straight Pool.
One of these games could be classified as Olympic worthy for they all fall under the same discipline as Pool. Whereas Curling is a sport under Weight Lifting, and Synchronized Swimming falls under Aquatics.
Why not Pool? It is the only game of micro inches that I know of, and the finesse and accuracy required is unrivaled by any sport. Its history dates back to the 1600’s.
Should Pool be an Olympic competition?
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Yes it should. Although the ideals of the Olympics are strictly amateur, this hasn’t stopped tennis. Snooker was recently touted as a future Olympic event as was golf. So why not say I? On a related topic I see Europe kicked American arse in the Mosconi Cup. Much like in the recent Ryder Cup….just sayin :¬)
Hmmm, when I think of the Olympics, I picture more physically intensive sports. If it where up to me, you rould be required to swet and gasp for breath for it to be in the Olympics. To me it should not, having said that, it wont ruin my day if it gets included, it’s not something i feel strongly about either way.
IMHO it takes more skill to play pool than to play badminton and badminton is an Olympic event, so yes, it should be.
No. Summer Olympics celebrates raw human athleticism, winter sports celebrates humans doing mostly crazy insane things in freezing temperatures. I would rather see a new Olympic category of pub and table games and that way darts, and Yahtzee could be included! I love Yahtzee and kick all forms of ass at it!
I could have been a contender, I could have been somebody!
No, any sport where you can handle a bottle of gin and smoke a cigarette while playing it isn’t a sport…sorry…
Only if they can bench press the table ;)
Skeet shooting and trap shooting are Olympic sports. They don’t require intense physical activity. They require precise movements and perfect eye-hand coordination. So does billiards.
Synchronized swimmin may look like a joke but I assure you its a real sport, I did it for years…....next time ur in a pool try going into 12 feet of water and keeping your body above water at near your waist level….it takes much more strength than diving or other aquatic sports, we had to practice laps in sweatshirts and jeans to build strength
I agree that anything you can do with a drink and a smoke isn’t a sport. That encompasses badminton too. Also, lucy needs a few more points to get her to 20K.
You can do anything with a drink and a smoke. Unfortunate that Pool is perceived in that manner from those who only see it played in bars. Please point out the drinking and smoking in the 9 ball tournament link I provided in the OP.
@GladysMensch points out, there is much more to Olympic competitions than strength. Pool is a game of micro inches, requiring a level of finesse, control, and mastery unlike any other game. You’re basically challenged with creating order out of chaos. It unites the strategies of chess with physical ability, geometry, and physics.
What’s up with all the badminton hate? It’s just as much a sport as tennis or volleyball. Go watch the Olympic videos on youtube, and you’ll see things that an amateur could never do. Same goes for ping-pong (table tennis).
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