Where to Get Your Weird-Sports Fix, Even Without the Olympics
By David Wescott  Obscure competitions like table tennis and
fencing are part of the joy of the Games. Here's how to keep the
spirit going now.  AP Images  The joys of Olympics-watching
include, but are not limited to, judging the aesthetics of team
uniforms, criticizing the host country's opening and closing
ceremonies, and, of course, rooting for the athletes themselves.
And while the standard fare of basketball and swimming is all
well and good, half of the fun of the games is the delightful
obscurities we're able to spectate. The massive popularity of
curling, in the winter games, and archery, this summer, shows
that sports often considered mere curiosities can have mass
appeal. Would the Olympics be the same without the race walk,
table tennis, or fencing? Of course not.  If the rules of these
sports confound (who knew ping pong "racquets" must be at least
85 percent wood, or that the ribbon used in rhythmic gymnastics
is 7 meters long?), the