Like the Olympics…but what about this?

So I’m enjoying the Olympics, as usual. I really like watching the biathlon, probably because there isn’t really anything else like it. So then I start thinking – why do the Olympics have to be the same each time. Why can’t the host country really mix things up. I mean, as it is now, everyone knows what sports will be in the next games, and most people already know, by the end of this Olympics, who from their country will be competing in the following games (barring unforeseen circumstances). Athletes are already deciding on what steroid program will best fit their training. Everything is so…preordained, so…old boy network.

So here’s what I’m thinking. Why can’t the Olympics be more spontaneous, random (relative to now at least). What I’d love to see are Olympic games where the host team announces the line-up for the games (ie: which events it will host) only after they win the bid. Then, everyone has only four (or maybe eight?) years for all the training. All the high-tech analysis and drug programs would have to be done on the fly, training regimes hurriedly developed and athletes learning new events as quickly as possible. Not to mention scouring the country to find potentials and establishing qualifying marks. No more career athletes, now anyone could enter depending on the games chosen.

To me, this would make the Olympics much more interesting. Of course, the home team would have some extra advantage, although, since the host city is not known until just before the events are announced, so the advantage is not huge. Could you imagine South Korea hosting the games again and having 4x4 warcraft or individual and team Unreal Tournament ? Or you could get games like team biathlon-paintball chase, sort of like the cycling chase events, except the teams are on cross-country skis, armed with paintball guns, and can pick off opposing athletes when they get in range. To make this more interesting the track would not be oval, but rather a switch-back form to ensure occasional proximity of teams. Chess could be introduced by some countries or, even more interesting team (or combat) chess and even “short-track” chess where all games are played on a 5 minute timer. They could also introduce urban golf, or the Xtreme version – contact or obstacle urban golf. Or what about GeoCaching? It could be timed, sort of a combination of Eco Challenge and sight seeing, or it could be made more of an artistic merit event, depending on the host country’s preference. The opportunities are endless, so why do we have to settle for the same old sports that the ‘old boys’ think are ‘real’ sports?

Perhaps we could implement this at the grassroots level, sort of an anything goes Xtreme games. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout!

Void Surfer