Friday, August 20, 2004

Beach volleyball

One more thing about Gerard Baker's article (it's pretty long). My favorite part of his article is this:
The other night, searching in vain for some news of how the British team had fared in three-day eventing or clay-pigeon shooting on my various NBC channels, I came across what for a moment looked promisingly like some new reality TV show in which Playboy models compete with second-rate film stars for a moment of real fame.

Svelte, bronzed, blonde Californians with names such as Misty and Kristy were cavorting with a beach ball in little bikinis and sunglasses on a studio lot got up as a sandy beach, eagerly observed by a predominantly male, middle-aged audience (no problems filling seats at this one, I'm guessing).

Now I may be wrong about this, but isn't beach volleyball simply a make-do version of a game developed while on holiday by the sea?
I'm not about to defend beach volleyball. If it's to be taken seriously, then the women should at least wear as much clothing as the men, who wear big tee shirts.

But, what about Baker's choice of sports above? Clay pigeon shooting? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a "make-do" game for toffs while on holiday "in the country"?