Back to the Olympics, that Bolt guy was incredible.

As, indeed, was the young Aussie diver! That was a special moment!

Japan won softball event. I want to know, overseas did they cover that sport? I think maybe not. I am not interested in it at all, but because they did well I think there was much media coverage here.

Actually, the Oz coverage of the softball was quite good. We had a vested interest, of course, as one of the team (and quite important hitter, too) is from Tamworth, so watched a few bits of the coverage.

Unfortunately, much of the coverage was patchy (and that goes for all sports). They took a feed from a game and stuck with it no matter how predictable the result - even though there was another, very interesting, event on at the same time. Ferexample, why did we bother watching ALL of the Hungary/US (I think it was) mens water polo game when there was a far more interesting, and relevant to Australia, match happening in the hockey?

And why, oh why did anyone have to watch the synchronised sinking at all?

Thats just laughable isn't it.

The BMX thing was quite fun to watch.

I don't get Softball.......why not just play Baseball?

tub, it's a tiny bit different, the lumps on the chest make the hard ball thing a bit dangerous. Anyhow, it's a damn fine game to watch.

Your question is sorta like why play union when you could play league (or the other way around, depending on your point of view). The asnwer is - they are different, so why not?

I don't see that they are different. The only reason I can see is that is a tiny bit safer to play softball as the ball is softer and they throw underhand, BUT they really whip that ball when they throw it so why not just throw overhand and play baseball? Baseball was surely invented first and Softball came to allow kids to play safer, but these women are adults.....so Idon't see why they couldn't just play Baseball

Don't you know that girls cannot throw overhand?? It's a known fact - well documented. Therefore softball was invented so the girlies could have something to do while the blokes were at the baseball.

:ducks and runs: (really fast!!!)

haha thats actually quite true!!

Why is it that girls (just regular lay-girls, not super pumped up athletes) can't throw things properly??

Girls?

As I understand it, from some sports science students I taught once (not that i taught the sports stuff!) the physiology of the female body mitigates against the sort of movements required to throw hard overhand.

The bumps on the chest, as well as the support musculature for them, may have something to do with it too.

That may have some relevance when you are talking about full grown women, but even in pre-pubescent children there are gender differences in throwing. I see it everyday in the playground at the elementary school I work at

Yep, you're right! The physiology is there to accommodate the later developments.