In the past, television air time was considered to be quite valuable. However,
I suppose in this age of reality television and absolutely mundane and literally yawn-provoking television shows, this adage is no longer true. There are more channels than a single person could ever keep track of and oddly, there is less being shown that offers any quality. We know that the media moguls are aware of quality because year after year some of the most creative shows win awards. However, there is still a population that is enthralled with the totally useless view, which often includes watching someone else’s totally bland life.
Sports channels seem to abound on television. I probably have fifteen sports channels, displaying all kinds of games; most of which we ignore. However, a news clip came to my attention and, since it was so obscure, it drew me completely in. There are a number of areas of the U.S. as well as around the world that seem to revel in odd or weird sports games. In some cases these are just played for the sheer silliness, but in some cases, they are completely serious. I am sure that many reading this can add to this number, but I have limited it to just the top five oddest sports.
The throwing of little people became quite the event in bars and pubs around the world. It is credited as starting in New Zealand, but that remains to be verified. The sport is actually the throwing of a little person onto a safety padded area. While many of the gaming participants being thrown have expressed the fact that it is enjoyable, it has been legally banned in the states of New York and Florida.
Wales boasts the game of bog snorkeling. Weird as this sounds, people don snorkels and diving flippers, but are not given permission to actually swim in the peat bog channels.
A Finnish game entitled Wife Carrying has become quite popular in a few U.S. States. It involves a course set up with a series of obstacles. One individual carries a female through the obstacle course and the person (or team) that makes it through in the quickest manner, wins.
Another game that is believed to originate in Wales is the Man vs. Horse. The exact posturing of this game is not quite clear but does seem to involve horses and humans with mounted contestants. Since Wales has appeared twice on this list, it makes one wonder about the people that reside there.
What is a combination of volleyball, football, and martial arts and played on a trampoline? Bossaball, of course. This is a team sport that involves anywhere from three to five members. It seems to be a sport that is catching on around the world and does require a lot of dexterity as well as agility.
While these may bring a smile to your face and a question as to ‘really?’ Given a choice, some of the above might actually be more enjoyable than what some people currently watch. As for me, I am returning my educational television.