The track was subsequently fixed to be "less dangerous," but let's go over some other issues here. Luging is a dangerous sport. Of course it's potentially lethal; there's practically nothing between the luger and the unrelenting ice he's covering at speeds at which it's illegal to drive a car. My question is Why is this a sport at all?? I mean really, has no one sat down and considered that the concept of this sport is crazy in the first place? Don't get me wrong, if you want to do it on your own time, be my guest -- I think it sounds like fun -- but to sanction it as an internationally competitive sport is just asking for problems. The competitors obviously want to win, and to do that, it means that they have to go faster. Someone was bound to get on the wrong side of fate sometime.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
2010 Winter Olympics
The winter Olympics are not a big deal to me. The only Olympic sport I've ever followed is women's soccer, and I haven't done that for years. I just dislike the cold, so seeing people willingly participate in sports that require such weather just baffles me. I do like figure skating, though I am always petrified someone is going to slice him- or herself dreadfully on those sharp skate blades.
This year, as I'm sure everyone who doesn't live under a rock is aware, the danger was in luging, however, and that is the topic I would like to dedicate the most time to in this blog. Nodar Kumaritashvili, a 21-year-old Georgian luger, died during a practice run when he hit about 90 mph on the track that was known to be dangerous.
The track was subsequently fixed to be "less dangerous," but let's go over some other issues here. Luging is a dangerous sport. Of course it's potentially lethal; there's practically nothing between the luger and the unrelenting ice he's covering at speeds at which it's illegal to drive a car. My question is Why is this a sport at all?? I mean really, has no one sat down and considered that the concept of this sport is crazy in the first place? Don't get me wrong, if you want to do it on your own time, be my guest -- I think it sounds like fun -- but to sanction it as an internationally competitive sport is just asking for problems. The competitors obviously want to win, and to do that, it means that they have to go faster. Someone was bound to get on the wrong side of fate sometime.
The track was subsequently fixed to be "less dangerous," but let's go over some other issues here. Luging is a dangerous sport. Of course it's potentially lethal; there's practically nothing between the luger and the unrelenting ice he's covering at speeds at which it's illegal to drive a car. My question is Why is this a sport at all?? I mean really, has no one sat down and considered that the concept of this sport is crazy in the first place? Don't get me wrong, if you want to do it on your own time, be my guest -- I think it sounds like fun -- but to sanction it as an internationally competitive sport is just asking for problems. The competitors obviously want to win, and to do that, it means that they have to go faster. Someone was bound to get on the wrong side of fate sometime.
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Every sport is dangerous in one way or another. And remember this is an international competition, many other countries (Germany for sure) can drive plenty faster than lugers... well... luge.
ReplyDeleteThe track definitely could have been safer though.
Mm, but even autobahn speeds aren't THAT much greater than 90 mph because that's already 145 kph.
ReplyDeleteI also have little interest in the Cold Olympics. I'm sure it's because I have never played any of these sports before and aside from ice hockey, I've never seen any of those sports in person, either.
ReplyDeleteThe death of the luger before the Olympics began also put a damper on things, but it's hard for me to discredit any of the sports from being included in the games, other than curling which I don't think I'll ever understand.
I guess my wife and I were the only two people in the world who gave a damn about the Olympics.
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