[tigermn]

Ok do you really get medals for Ping Pong? I flipped on the Olympics this morning. Ping Pong: China vs Korea and honestly I had to study for a bit to figure out if it was womens or mens. The consensus in the house was womens but I wouldn't bet my life savings on it.

[33teeth]

I'd put trampoline and speedwalking in the same category. I'm sure there are others.

[reststep]

In the first place it is table tennis not ping pong and yes it is a medal sport. It has been an olympic medal sport since 1988. My complaint is that they have always had very little coverage of it in this country. That has now changed and all the matches can be watched on the computer. It may not be a great sport to watch for some but it is a lot of fun to play. The match this morning between China and Korea was a womens team semifinal match which China won and they will play the Japanese womens team in the finals tomorrow. China got the gold and silver medals in both the mens and womens singles event. Everything you ever wanted to know and some stuff you probably did not want to know about what is the difference between ping pong and table tennis.

[The Angry Hiker]

What's next? Olympic Darts? Olympic Air Hockey? Table tennis is not a sport. It's a game. The only reason its in the Olympics is so the Chinese and Koreans can get some medals, too.

[reststep]

You left out synchronized swimming, oh wait a minute that is an olympic sport. According to the dictionary table tennis is a sport. Sport: An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.

[Washakie]

That's why golf was excluded from the summer games in the early 1900's. The key words "physical exertion". Why it's being reinstated for the 2016 Games? I don't know. Probably something to do with money.

[The Angry Hiker]

[Slugman]

I can beat anyone on this website in ping pong, or table tennis. That is, assuming I could spell your last name if you said it to me. And I am a good speller. If you are a good player, I can beat you playing left handed. If you are a great payer, I might have to use my right hand. You may feel free to consider this a challenge.....

[touron]

At one time, I was very into table tennis. I bought a nice Butterfly Yuki paddle. I bought a couple videos from the Paddle Palace. Alas,I never made it to the podium. In fact my improvement was barely perceptable.

[Burke M]

Where can you watch the events? I would LOVE to see the match sprint event but dont have cable or even regular tv reception...

[AR]

I'm gonna have to make an exception for chick volleyball.

[reststep]

Burke, You can watch on the computer at www.nbcolympics.com The only thing is I think you have to have a cable connection. You could take a look at their website and see if it would work. They are using youtube for the videos so maybe later on they will be available on you tube.

[reststep]

Slugman, I am not sure if you were serious or not but I would be up for a friendly game. Do you have a place to play? Do you know about the new rules? Actually they are not so new anymore as they have been in use for several years now.

[The Angry Hiker]

I'd smear all of you at Table Tennis, but it's still not a sport. I noticed that the Pour House has a table, BTW.

[Layback]

The best use of a ping pong ball is a college drinking game we all know as "Cups". I look forward to the day that becomes an event. Seems just as worthy as ping pong and badminton.