Everyone thought the US women's softball team was gonna kick Japan's ass in the Olympic finals this week. Didn't happen. To everyone's surprise, Japan won 3-1.
The US women's softball team was like Misty May and Kerri Walsh in beach volleyball, but better—completely undefeated since 2000, with four Olympic gold medals under their cleats. Most of their victories were total sweeps, and the world was convinced that there was no fair match for them anywhere. This belief was so strong that the International Olympic Committee voted to have women's softball removed from the Olympics in 2012. The verdict's out: there will be no women's softball in London.
Does this week's upset change this? The Americans hope so. Star pitcher Jennie Finch is determined to get the gold back in 2016, so she—along with the rest of her team, the Japanese team, and every other softball enthusiast in the world—is lobbying hard to reinstate the sport.
Wild conspiracy time: think the American team threw the game?
Posted by: Jeff | August 22, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Actually, softball (and baseball) are still Olympic Sports... the IOC didn't remove that designation. They just aren't scheduled discplines anymore.
Although the lack of competition arguement has been made for softball, the real issue is the lack of draw to both baseball and softball events. Softball will be back when baseball gets the big name professional players into the games (much like hockey and basketball).
The Americas are due for a summer games... the question is whether they go to Rio or Chicago in 2016. Obviously, if the later gets them, bringing back baseball and softball will by hugely pushed... however, Rio offers bringing the games to South America for the first time and is a friendly timezone for the important US TV coverage.
Posted by: Brent Ross | August 24, 2008 at 08:12 AM