Which of these do you consider a sport?

[SaggyWoman]

Your thoughts?

 

[SolaSaint]

These what?

 

[annsni]

Each of them take skill to get to the championship levels. I'd say they are all sport. It's just that some require more physical strength and agility than others.

 

[InTheLight]

This is a pet peeve of mine. In order for something to be called a sport there must be an element of defense. There must be someone preventing you from accomplishing your goal. Also, score must be kept and the method of keeping score must be an objective way of keeping score. Finally, there must be some athletic ability needed to play.

Otherwise, the activity is merely an exhibition of skill. For example, most olympic events are not sports.

For example, these are sports:
Baseball, football, hockey, basketball, lacrosse, NASCAR, soccer, volleyball, foosball, curling, table tennis, etc.

These are NOT sports, these are activites or exhibitions of individual skills:
Golf, bowling, almost all gymnastics, most track events (sprints, high jump, javelin, etc.) skeet shooting, archery, hunting, fishing, etc.

Things like billiards, chess, checkers, tic-tac-toe, poker, etc. while including the element of defensive play does not require athletic ability and/or there is no score kept, only winners and losers. These are called games.

 

[annsni]

This is a pet peeve of mine. In order for something to be called a sport there must be an element of defense. There must be someone preventing you from accomplishing your goal. Also, score must be kept and the method of keeping score must be an objective way of keeping score. Finally, there must be some athletic ability needed to play.

Otherwise, the activity is merely an exhibition of skill. For example, most olympic events are not sports.

For example, these are sports:
Baseball, football, hockey, basketball, lacrosse, NASCAR, soccer, volleyball, foosball, curling, table tennis, etc.

These are NOT sports, these are activites or exhibitions of individual skills:
Golf, bowling, almost all gymnastics, most track events (sprints, high jump, javelin, etc.) skeet shooting, archery, hunting, fishing, etc.

Things like billiards, chess, checkers, tic-tac-toe, poker, etc. while including the element of defensive play does not require athletic ability and/or there is no score kept, only winners and losers. These are called games.

But that is YOUR definition - not the official definition.

From Dictionary.com

"an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. "
(based on Random House Dictionary)

" an individual or group activity pursued for exercise or pleasure, often involving the testing of physical capabilities and taking the form of a competitive game such as football, tennis, etc "
(Collins Dictionary)

 

[SaggyWoman]

These what?

Huh? What are you talking about?

 

[InTheLight]

But that is YOUR definition - not the official definition.

From Dictionary.com

"an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. "
(based on Random House Dictionary)

" an individual or group activity pursued for exercise or pleasure, often involving the testing of physical capabilities and taking the form of a competitive game such as football, tennis, etc "
(Collins Dictionary)

Explain to me where the athletic activity and physical prowess comes into play with golf, fishing, hunting? These are activities, not sports. What's the score in fishing? Who's winning?

 

[webdog]

Explain to me where the athletic activity and physical prowess comes into play with golf, fishing, hunting? These are activities, not sports. What's the score in fishing? Who's winning?

They do compete. In a sense all of those you stated were not sports could be sports given the competition and / or competition level. Now I will agree that merely competing does not constitute a sport. I have a hard time calling anything a sport where it doesn't push you both physiologically and psychologically.

 

[annsni]

Explain to me where the athletic activity and physical prowess comes into play with golf, fishing, hunting? These are activities, not sports. What's the score in fishing? Who's winning?

Golf: I could hit that ball a thousand times and still not get it in the hole. Even minigolf is beyond me! I'd say that it takes skill to play golf.

Fishing: It takes a LOT of physical prowess to be able to bring in some of the fish I've seen - and skill to know where to fish and to know what to use to catch fish.

Finally hunting - Have you tried to shoot something? I'm a pretty good shot but still not skilled enough to shoot an animal at this point. I'd say that takes some physical prowess. Then of course there is the lifting of some of those game animals.

 

[InTheLight]

Golf: I could hit that ball a thousand times and still not get it in the hole. Even minigolf is beyond me! I'd say that it takes skill to play golf.

Agree that golfing is an individual exhibition of skill. But athletic? Hardly.

Fishing: It takes a LOT of physical prowess to be able to bring in some of the fish I've seen - and skill to know where to fish and to know what to use to catch fish.

Yes, I will agree with you that ocean fishing for big fish can be challenging, and physically exerting. But athletic?

Finally hunting - Have you tried to shoot something? I'm a pretty good shot but still not skilled enough to shoot an animal at this point. I'd say that takes some physical prowess. Then of course there is the lifting of some of those game animals.

Yes, hunting and being a good shot is an individual exhibition of a skill. What defense does a deer put up when faced with a bullet? What's the score of hunting?

 

[Melanie]

Hey, you missed my favourites......beach volleyball and that amazingly pointless although pretty....syncronised swimming.

Both seem to favour females in cossies and flashing lots of leg:smilewinkgrin:

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Golf: I could hit that ball a thousand times and still not get it in the hole. Even minigolf is beyond me! I'd say that it takes skill to play golf.

Fishing: It takes a LOT of physical prowess to be able to bring in some of the fish I've seen - and skill to know where to fish and to know what to use to catch fish.

Finally hunting - Have you tried to shoot something? I'm a pretty good shot but still not skilled enough to shoot an animal at this point. I'd say that takes some physical prowess. Then of course there is the lifting of some of those game animals.

I agree -- golf is indeed a sport. It does take physical ability and prowess, mental toughness and loads of skill. You do compete against others. From a physical standpoint, you are walking about 5 miles a day. Try playing 18 holes for four days straight. Compared to other sports - it is a lot more physically demanding than that of a pitcher in baseball or a punter in football -- just to name a couple.

Fishing and hunting? Not so much.

 

[InTheLight]

I agree -- golf is indeed a sport. It does take physical ability and prowess, mental toughness and loads of skill. You do compete against others.

Elaborate. How does one golfer compete against another? The score is kept vs. the golf course. The other golfers do nothing to impede your game.

From a physical standpoint, you are walking about 5 miles a day. Try playing 18 holes for four days straight. Compared to other sports - it is a lot more physically demanding than that of a pitcher in baseball or a punter in football -- just to name a couple.

I golf and I coach youth traveling baseball. I threw over 300 pitches last night for batting practice. I can definitely tell you that pitching is more physically demanding than walking 5 miles and swinging a golf club that weighs less than a pound once every 5 minutes.

 

[annsni]

Elaborate. How does one golfer compete against another? The score is kept vs. the golf course. The other golfers do nothing to impede your game.

Where in the definition of sport is "must have opponent impede your game"? I ride horses and have done it in shows as well. We also do not have opponents but instead ride for a score and the best score wins.

I do not understand why one must have an opponent impeding the game.

 

[InTheLight]

Where in the definition of sport is "must have opponent impede your game"? I ride horses and have done it in shows as well. We also do not have opponents but instead ride for a score and the best score wins.

I do not understand why one must have an opponent impeding the game.

It's my personal definition. If no one impedes your progress it is an individual exhibition of skill.

Is singing on American Idol a sport? It takes physical ability, mental toughness and skill. People are scored on their performances.

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Elaborate. How does one golfer compete against another? The score is kept vs. the golf course. The other golfers do nothing to impede your game.





I golf and I coach youth traveling baseball. I threw over 300 pitches last night for batting practice. I can definitely tell you that pitching is more physically demanding than walking 5 miles and swinging a golf club that weighs less than a pound once every 5 minutes.

Yes and no. Of course, you are playing the golf course. But you are also playing against other golfers. It impacts your game tremendously.

I agree with you if you are throwing ball for batting practice. However, what if you are a relief pitcher or a closer who throws 10 pitches?

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Where in the definition of sport is "must have opponent impede your game"? I ride horses and have done it in shows as well. We also do not have opponents but instead ride for a score and the best score wins.

I do not understand why one must have an opponent impeding the game.

Don't tell the people I know who ride tell them it's not a sport. They'll run you over with their horses.

Equestrian is now listed as a college varsity sport --see http://www.varsityequestrian.com/about/history.html

 

[annsni]

Don't tell the people I know who ride tell them it's not a sport. They'll run you over with their horses.

Equestrian is now listed as a college varsity sport --see http://www.varsityequestrian.com/about/history.html

Exactly! :wavey:

 

[Arbo]

Foosball's a sport? :laugh:

Football (or soccer) is a sport.

 

[SaggyWoman]

I forgot about synchronized swimming!