I was out last night for a couple of hours enjoying a cocktail and conversation with a few friends at the Gilford Park Yacht Club (I was a guest) which offers a beautiful view of the Toms River.

We were watching baseball while talking and I happened to glance at the screen to see a scroll go by which read, “Olympics considering adding breakdancing for 2024.”  In all honesty I didn’t pay much attention to it but after seeing the same scroll go by about five times I finally said something to the guys I was with.

At the time we (as guys basically in their 50s and 60s do) were complaining about the general deterioration of life as we see it.  I won’t bore you with the details but we talked about several topics and the theme was “what’s going on here?”  As is often the case we didn’t solve any of the world’s problems.

However this matter of breakdancing becoming an Olympic sport really bothered me because it seems not just in sports but in life we have gone overboard to create specific things to include everyone and everything.  I’m on board with being inclusive but I think at times we feel the need to give even the smallest of groups a stage to stand on and demand that people turn out to watch.

So back to what put me in this “old guy rant” mood.  It all started when Paris officials requested that the IOC add breakdancing for the 2024 games that will be held in that French city.  That request was formally endorsed and a final decision will be made in December of 2020 but it appears to be a mere formality.

The plan is to have 16 street dance competitors in each of the men’s and women’s medal events in Paris.  I can only imagine the entrance these “athletes” will make during the opening ceremonies.

By the way the Tokyo Olympics next summer will include three new sports: skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing.  Three-card Monte, Tiddlywinks, Marbles, Cheese Rolling, Cardboard Tube Dueling, Moustache Growing and Toe Wrestling have all been tabled for future discussion.

I really am getting old!

 

 

More From Beach Radio