Curling in the Olympics

If curling is going to be an Olympic sport than I believe that shuffleboard should be as well. Yes, one is on the ice and one is on a table, and I am sure the men and women who participate in this sport, and I use that term loosely, believe that not just anyone could compete in the Olympics, but I'm confident after a day of learning the rules and regulations I could do it.

Have you ever really watched a curling match? Its 2-3 hours, yes I said hours of boring TV. I just don't understand the thrill of it, especially in the Olympics. I don't see how anyone could get excited to see 2-4 people move a stone made of granite across a sheet of carefully prepared ice towards a target area. Maybe if I played the game I would get it more, but as just a spectator I don't get it at all.

To me an Olympic sport should exhibit some sort or skill, something that not just anyone off the street could do. Look at the luge, a 21 year old lost his life doing his sport, not just anyone could get off the couch and compete in the luge. Don't get me wrong I'm not just against curling because it's boring because cross-country skiing to me is extremely boring but it takes skill and stamina.

Curling was a demonstration sport in three different games, 1932 Lake Placid (men), 1988 Calgary (men and women), and 1992 Albertville (men and women). Curling apparently was popular enough to become an official Olympic sport, which I'm shocked about. I would love to know what makes a sport considered popular because a lot of people I've talked to, ranging from their 20s to their 40s, agree with me as to why this shouldn't be an Olympic sport. I think the IOC should get input from the general public before adding a sport. I think it would be interesting to see what sports were and weren't added if the general public had an input.

In conclusion I want to say I don't have anything against curling as a fun past time activity, however there are a lot of past time activities that I think should be an Olympic event with that said I believe the IOC should take more into consideration before a sport is an official event in the Olympics so we don't end up with more sports like Curling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonstration_sport
http://www.olympic.org/en/content/The-IOC/