So it's a race, but it's judged. Got it?

I thought I'd start out this post with the question:  "What is the most absurd Winter Olympic sport?"  Then I realized the answer is, of course, "curling".  In fact, "curling" not only answers the question, but brings the conversation to a complete stop.  There is no more absurd Winter Olympic sport than curling.

So, instead of asking that question, I'll ask another question:  "Why are so many Winter Olympic sports absurd?"

Of course, the question could be asked, in some respects, of all sports.  Football?  Heavily padded grown men fighting over an oddly shaped ball, in distances measured by feet (and sometimes inches).  Golf?  Smacking a little white ball hundreds of yards around.  Sprinting?  What lion is chasing you around the savannah, bud?  Cross-country?  Haven't you heard of cars?  (I had to include cross-country, it's my sport.  Or was, in high school.)

But at least those sports have the aura of familiarity--they may be weird, but they are normal weird. 

Some of the Winter Sports are pretty normal-ish:  figure skating, the skiing races, the skating races.  (Although I have never laughed so hard at a race as when I watched a short track relay race.  They don't seem to pass a baton, as in track relays.  They push each other's butts.  It is hilarious to watch.)  Then you have bobsled, skeleton, luge:  I've heard people argue that it's just glorified sledding--any child can sled!  Well, lots of kids can bike, too, and they have cycling races in the Summer Olympics.  Speed makes a difference.  Even snowboarding makes some sense to me.

But the moguls?  That has to be the oddest sport combination ever.  Okay, let's ski down a steep (between 25-39 degrees) slope, and let's put a bunch of weird little hills on it (moguls).  How fast can you go?  Oh, I almost forgot.  We'll put two little ramps and force you to a fancy backflip or double axle twist (like you are a gymnast or figure skater), which we will then judge you on.  So it's a race, but it's also judged.  Got it?

Who thought that up?  I think I admire his/her sick, twisted mind.