Glossy or Mat Finish?

This just in from the "This is the STUPIDEST Thing I've Ever Heard" Department.

There is talk of removing wrestling from the Olympics.

There is also talk of including...I'm so embarrassed here I can't stand it...talk of...I don't think I can say it...hold on, I'm trying to gain my composure...ok, I'm good, let go of my arm please...

...talk of including...I can't believe I'm writing this...of including...

ICE FISHING!!

Ice Fishing...?

uh...ICE FISHING!!??

What the hell kind of sport is ice fishing?  Everyone knows that ice fishing is simply an activity for lunatics who want to, 1) sit on the ice, drill a hole, wait for a fish and drink or, 2) an activity for lunatics who want to drag a small house complete with a television, heat, a refrigerator, food and a chemical toilet out on the ice, drill a hole, wait for a fish and...drink!

Where's the competition?  Where's the training?  Where's the sacrifice?

Wrestling is about strength and cunning and the ability to size up an opponent and, by virtue of conditioning and skill, be able to pin the other guy, who may very well be bigger and stronger and smellier.

Ice fishing is about the cold and random selection and BOREDOM!!!

One of the worst things about fishing, in general, is the tedium of waiting for the fish.  Once the enjoyment of getting there and fooling around with the pole, tackle and bait has subsided, it's all about sitting and watching and maybe, just maybe, after an interminable amount of time, maybe a fish will, at a minimum, nibble and possibly take the bait...and the hook, mind you...and then you can try to reel him in and then...usually...let him go.

Which seems stupid in and of itself...and cruel too. 

Go fishing, catch a fish, clean it and eat it.

Fine.  But the "catch and release" portion of the program seems somewhat silly.  I grant you, the fiddling around with the gear part is fun and being on, or near, the water, especially on, is one of life's great pleasures.  And the trying to catch a fish and actually reeling one in can be thrilling but it is all put into perspective when you think of the poor fish gasping for air while experiencing the pain of a hook in the mouth.

Kind of puts a damper on the whole enterprise if you ask me.

So an Ice Fishing event in the Olympics seems to me to be a bit ridiculous.

A gold medal for sitting on your ass on a frozen lake waiting for a fish.  Holy Jehosaphats!

What will the rules be?  A time limit?  A size limit?  What?  And how would one qualify?  Size of pole?  Sharpness of hook?  Stinkiness of bait?  What?  How?  WHO!?

So...Wrestling out, Ice Fishing in?

Athletes out...Couch Potatoes in?  What's next...Track out, Shopping in?

" And the gold goes to Marge of Lithuania for bagging the most groceries!"

Yay!  Way to go Marge! 

Marge on the Wheaties box, Marge in the Nike ads.

Jeeeeeesuz!  There goes the neighborhood...