Defining "Sport"

[rmered]

Your definition would include ballroom dancing.

Well, the do call it Dance Sport.

http://www.dancesport.org.au/

[slapshot]

golf also doesnt count

**ducks for impending onslaught**

sorry, but golf = hobby

Why do you consider golf a hobby and not a sport? Some people run for a hobby. Are road races not a sport? How about bike riding? Also a hobby, but yet, is it not also a sport?

Just because out-of-shape drunks can play the game doesn't mean it's not a sport. Baseball basketball and football would also fail to be a sport under these rules.

Golf is a sport. The balls don't travel on their own. Clubs don't swing themselves. The pros don't have a cart to transport them up hills during the summer when it's 90+ degrees with 95% humidity. And they can still drive the ball where it needs to go.

[paynomind]

Yeah, by the definition I put forth, Golf would be consitered a sport. Though, I'm not sure what I do every 6 weeks, driving a cart, drinking beer, and whacking carelessly at the ball should be considered a sport. Though, what the pros do, 4 rounds in four days with no cart, maybe should be a sport.

Hmm.

[bhambruiser]

Robin Williams on Golf

...need I say more?

seriously- if you can do it with the same or better skill at 65 than you did at 25 - it ain't a sport.

I can't get over how personally some people take their golf...lighten up- I can have an opinion too- it's all good.

[BBTV]

Poker. It's a card game. Not a sport.

So get it off ESPN.

ESPN = Entertainment & Sports Programming Network.

I thought I saw in one of their specials about their formation, that it was actually the Emerson Sports Programming Network?

Not sure what Emerson is / was.

[slapshot]

Golf is just like a DH in baseball. Both swing clubs to hit balls. The golfer makes contact more often, but the DH swings at a moving target.

[BBTV]

Poker. It's a card game. Not a sport.

So get it off ESPN.

ESPN = Entertainment & Sports Programming Network.

I thought I saw in one of their specials about their formation, that it was actually the Emerson Sports Programming Network?

Not sure what Emerson is / was.

Never mind. I proved myself wrong. D'oh.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sitetools/s/help...n-faq.html#ESPN

[zer0dotcom]

To me, a sport is an activity involving two or more participants, or teams. It is a measure of physical ability between the participants in either one on one situations, or team situations. The winner is determined by some manner of 'score'. A player on one side can directly influence an opposing player, either by defending against them, by 'blocking' their scoring attempts, etc.

I think when you get to 'sports' such as golf, NASCAR and the like, thats when the defination of atheletes comes into play. I think an athelete is anyone who requires mental and physical conditioning to perform a specific task above normal day to day activities.

I would consider NASCAR drivers and Golfers Atheletes, but I wouldn't consider what they do sports. MASCAR drivers have a hell of a stressful situation to put your body through, you lose several pounds through perspiration, have to concentrate for hours on end, it's alot to put your body through.

However, there are too many variables outside of the driver themselves (the car condition, the abilities of the pit crew) for me to consider it a sport. The same with Golf. You have to be physically fit for it, you have to practice to better yourself, but you don't directly compete against the other player. You are both out there, but you cannot influence their play at all. Its like a race, first one into the hole wins.

There is a difference too between a game and a sport. A game you have a goal you work towards, but you are not always in direct competition with another player

[BB61]

My definition puts all other definitions to rest.

The matter is not whether or not there is any phyiscal exertion, but rather the manner of the game itself.

Sport: Defined as any physical event in which the players earn points by a strict set of guidelines (i.e. a goal in hockey is scored by shooting the puck over the goal line and into the net) or in which one player or team (human, animal, machine, or otherwise) completes a perscribed course in a quicker time than their opponent(s).

The following are sports: Hockey, baseball, auto racing, horse racing, fencing, golf, etc.

Not a Sport: Defined as any 'activity' in which points are awarded subjectively by a judge or panel of judges.

The following are not sports: cheerleading, gymnastics, diving, synchronized swimming, half-pipe skateboarding, etc.

That said, the only three real sports in the Winter olympics this year will be Speed Skating, Hockey, Skiing (minue ski jumping and the moguls), and Curling.

[BBTV]

So what you are saying is that for something to be a sport, your actions need to have a direct impact on the performance of those who you are competing against, which would eliminate golf, running, swimming, etc., since you can't really do anything to hinder the performance of your opponent by stealing the puck, tackling them, etc.

[paynomind]

OK, NASCAR-is-not-a-sport folks, what is it, then? Its not a game. I put bowling, darts, pool, etc in the game category. What IS running, NASCAR, swimming, etc?

[BB61]

So what you are saying is that for something to be a sport, your actions need to have a direct impact on the performance of those who you are competing against, which would eliminate golf, running, swimming, etc., since you can't really do anything to hinder the performance of your opponent by stealing the puck, tackling them, etc.

On the contrary, that definition includes golf, running, and swimming. It does not need to be directly head-to-head. Basically what I'm saying is that if it's a race or who does it quickest if it's "let's see who gets the most points or the fewest strokes", head to head or not, it's a sport. If it's judged, it isn't.

[Cujo]

If DirtyCurty measures his post count against other people's post counts (see: competitive activity), and raising that post count means having to move his fingers across a keyboard(see: physical exertion), does Internet Message Boarding get counted as a sport?

Calm yourself, hoss.

I truly hope you don't consider bitching and complaining a sport, because that's honestly all I ever see you do on here.

DirtyCurty = Tank jr.

Edit: When I first saw this, it said +, not =. The + makes it funnier.

Okay, I apologize for going off topic here, but I've got to address this...

I gotta say it's pretty ridiculous how some of you make such a huge :censored:ing deal about post counts. Honeslty, who gives a damn?? It's just some number representing how many times you've had something to say on an internet message board. You act as if this is something to go out and brag about or show it off to friends. There is absolutly nothing to gain or lose from posting and giving an opinion. My post count could be set back to 0 and I honestly wouldn't give a :censored:. I will still continue to come here, and I'll still contribute to the boards and give my take.

[Lee.]

OK, so I very much like coming up with definitions for esoteric terms, or preferences. I like to have a simple rule to apply various things to, that determines their classification.

Lets do "Sport"

I will try and come up with a one sentance definition, apply various games, sports, etc to it, and see if it checks out. If you think it can be tweaked, feel free.

OK

Sport = "A competitive activity that requires agility and physical exertion."

Basketball, check. Baseball, Check.

Anyone want to ammend??

Late to the party, but here goes-

A sport holds the above definition, but with the following addendum- said activity cannot be performed WHILE DRINKING.

Therefore- hockey is a sport. football is a sport. Baseball, bowling, curling? all GAMES.

[paynomind]

I've got to agree. I've often thought that baseball and golf each have far too much of the match not playing.

[zer0dotcom]

So what you are saying is that for something to be a sport, your actions need to have a direct impact on the performance of those who you are competing against, which would eliminate golf, running, swimming, etc., since you can't really do anything to hinder the performance of your opponent by stealing the puck, tackling them, etc.

On the contrary, that definition includes golf, running, and swimming. It does not need to be directly head-to-head. Basically what I'm saying is that if it's a race or who does it quickest if it's "let's see who gets the most points or the fewest strokes", head to head or not, it's a sport. If it's judged, it isn't.

Perhaps 'sports' should be broken down into 'direct competion'(ie team sports/hockey/baketball) and 'indirect competion'.(footracing, swimming)

It should be the athelte performing the majority of work for it to classify as a sport. Like, the person 'competeing' should be performing a physically demanding activity, and their phsyical performance determines the outcome.

NASCAR is something unique. The driver has to be in good shape, and has to train, but the vehicle does most of the work, and more of the race is based on the car's performance rather than the driver IMO (though it is up to the driver to operate it)

[slapshot]

A sport holds the above definition, but with the following addendum- said activity cannot be performed WHILE DRINKING.

Therefore- hockey is a sport. football is a sport. Baseball, bowling, curling? all GAMES.

Cross skiing off as a sport then, thanks to an inebriated Bode Miller.

What about being coked up or high? That would eliminate basketball too.

[FiddySicks]

If DirtyCurty measures his post count against other people's post counts (see: competitive activity), and raising that post count means having to move his fingers across a keyboard(see: physical exertion), does Internet Message Boarding get counted as a sport?

Calm yourself, hoss.

I truly hope you don't consider bitching and complaining a sport, because that's honestly all I ever see you do on here.

DirtyCurty = Tank jr.

Dude seriously, you all need to get over it. So Curtys here a lot, who fu*king cares? He contributes his opinions and finds a lot of new information that contributes to the knowledge that is shared on the boards. If your seriously bitching and moaning about how much a guy you have never met, and probably never will meet, posts on an internet message board, you seriously need to recheck your priorities. Worry about your own :censored::.

[paynomind]

Man, first ICS, now Curty? Geez, Italy... you like Japan and Germany? You think thats gonna work out for you?

[Sterling84]

I used to argue about this ALL the time with my roommate in college (and still very good friend). First of all, it is all subjective as someone said and there will never be a consensus. But that doesn?t have to stop us from trying to find one.

My first disclaimer is that if I label something ?not a sport? it doesn?t mean I don?t like it, respect it, or that it doesn?t take tons of skill and stamina to achieve it.

For instance?climbing Mount Everest. It?s a clear and definable goal because Everest has a top. It takes tremendous physical exertion and skill to achieve this goal. And this goal CAN be measured against other people attempting the same feat?.i.e. you could race up Everest. In the loosest sort of ?Outdoor Life? definition one might say of course that is a sport. But it doesn?t fit my interpretation.

The key to my definition is two-fold. First, all sports are games but NOT all games are sports. I think we can agree on that much.

Secondly, and this has already been very wisely touched on, for my money you MUST be able to actively hinder your opponent from their goal, while achieving your own for it to be a sport. And I mean physically, as in people on a field of play. So that we can rule out Chess or something where you can hinder your opponent by proxy having pieces stand in for people.

I think you need a ball (puck). I think you need a goal (endzone/homeplate/etc) and I think you need a scoring system. I?d love to add that you need a finite time limit JUST to rule out soccer, but unfortunately I think soccer is obviously a sport.

SO that shortens my list quite a bit. It excludes golf, racing, track n field, swimming, skiing, cards, and a host of other REALLY FUN things that don?t quite cut the mustard.

Strangely, I?m wondering if (one of my very favorite activities) paintball hasn?t technically met my definition. Capturing the flag is a goal, and you can physically hinder the other team. It has balls! I?ll throw it on the not sport pile just cause the marker does the work and at it?s core it?s a game of tag.

Good topic.

Last add on track n field events. Jumping high? Running fast? Those cannot be sports. There are skill sets required to play sports. Merely measuring these does not constitute a sport. If so, then the NFL Quarterback Challenge is it?s own sport. He threw the ball far. He is the champion of throwing far. Ummmm, no.