Mysteries in sport

[Wongo]

I know a lot about sport but there are things that I still don’t quite understand. For example

1. In soccer why do they have to take their shirt off after scoring a goal :confused:
2. In tennis the score goes 15, 30, 40 and game :confused: :confused:
3. In athletics why do 100m and 200m sprinters wear watches :confused: :confused:
4. Equestrian and sport :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:
5. You are allowed to run a half marathon but you cannot do a half high jump or half triple-jump :confused:
6. In AFL 6 points for a goal and only 1 for a behind :confused: :confused: :confused:

Any thoughts?

[silentC]

1. In school we used to play soccer and one team would take off their shirts so that you would know who was on what team. Some sneaky buggers on the shirts-off team used to put their shirt back on so they could surprise the shirts-on team by sneaking up on the goal. They would then pull their shirt over their head and run around to show that they were really on the shirts-off team. The tradition stuck.

2. Because it was invented by the French.

3. So they know what the time is.

4. Beats me as well. Even the commentators admit it is dull to watch.

5. If you did a half high jump you would bang your head on the cross bar. You would need 1 and a half legs to do a half triple jump.

6. This is because AFL players are poor kickers and if they didn't give them something for missing the goal, they'd all cry and go home to their mummies.

Hope this helps.

[simon c]

The tennis scores are based on the clock - not sure why the 45 mins changed to 40 though.

Also, the reason that 0 is called love is that it sounds like "oeuf" which is french for egg which looks like a 0

Simon

[adrian]

7. In a rugby league play the ball you have to obey the rule that says you must play the ball with your foot, unless of course you don't want to. Then you have to at least make it look as if you made an attempt to play the ball with your foot.
8. In breast stroke the hands go nowhere near the breast.
9. You are not allowed to play baseball in the US unless you can learn to spit.
10. World Series??????????

[barryr]

1) they dont anymore (you get sent off)

the rest , who knows .

As for rugby , I heard it appropriately described the other week as
"four men trying to push three men up two mens bums !

if you don't understand sport then contemplate that one for a bit - the mental picture is hard not to laugh at .

[johnmc]

1. Sometimes to make a statement (political, personal, profitable). There have been instances of players wearing singlets under their jersey with sponsor logos, political statements, etc. A few years back, Ian Wright (a striker with Arsenal) was approaching a significant milestone in goals scored (can't remember the exact number of goals). In the game in which he scored the goal which passed the milestone, he took his shirt off to reveal to the crowd and the television audience his great achievement.

2. Also, duece is derived from the French word "deux" to indicate an advantage of two points.

3. Purely for sponsorship - the 100m and 200m are high profile races with lots of prestige attached. Watch companies pay the athletes to be seen wearing their watches.

[LineLefty]

The biggest mystery for me is when Western Australians say they dont understand rugby league. Run forwards throw backwards, put the ball over the line........or stop them doing it. Thats it!

Also, why do the grid iron players need all that padding?

[HappyHammer]

11. Why are american commentators allowed to invent words like "winningest" ??

[silentC]

12. Why are american commentators allowed?

[Termite]

Also, why do the grid iron players need all that padding?

The game is American football, the field it is played on is called a gridiron.

[HappyHammer]

13. Why are americans allowed?
14. How did the Irish midget Tommy Smith (or whatever his name is) ever get a job as an ESPN soccer commentator, he has an annoying voice and knows SFA about soccer.
15. Why isn't Darts an olympic sport

[silentC]

15 - because it would give the 'Old Dart' too good a chance of 'medalling' and we can't have that

[HappyHammer]

16. Is snooker a sport or a game like Poker?
17. Why is table tennis so popular in China?
18. Why can't England win the world cup in soccer as well as Rugby?
19. Who can understand Kenny Dalglish?

[bitingmidge]

20. Why is it called Motor Racing when they use a whole car?

[HappyHammer]

21. Where did the word puc come from in Ice Hockey
22. What will we do when we runout of animals to name national sides after?