Things I learnt from ESPN Star Sports

As I type, something called the Gaming Championship Series is showing on Star Sports. I love it - a bunch of computer game geeks competing against each other, complete with cheering spectators and over-excited commentators. They even do WWE style intros!

A couple of weeks back, ESPN introduced me to the global phenomenon of "speed stacking" via their telecast of the World Stacking Championship. That was just fascinating. Apart from anything else, all the competitors are kids but take their sport as seriously as any multi-titled professional sportsperson. I especially enjoyed the "doubles" event and the team stack-off event, during which the commentators delighted me no end by discussingz stacking technique.

Other events that I have had the pleasure of watching on ESPN and Star Sports include the World Speed-Eating Championships (featuring competitors that are universally thin but can pack away more in 90 seconds than I do in two days), the US National Spelling Bee (this is SO great!) and the Speed Chess Championship.

It's so great that these sorts of things are being shown on sports channels. I wouldn't normally think of such competitive events as being "sports", but if they're good enough for ESPN and Star Sports, they're good enough for me.