What makes something a "sport"?

[KornGeek]

I got this idea from something I heard on the radio yesterday. They were creating a rules list for defining what makes something a sport. Being a morning radio show, they weren't taking it very seriously and the rules were designed to produce the results they wanted. (Rule 10 was that it can't be something they consider "stupid".)

There are activities that are easily defined as "sports", such as baseball, basketball, football (of any sort), etc.

There are activities that some consider "sports" while other's don't, such as figure skating, diving, race car driving, hunting, etc.

There are activities that generally aren't considered sports, but have been known to be lumped in with them (in television programming and such), such as poker, spelling bees, eating competitions, etc.

There are activities that are considered sports to few people if any, such as playing video games, stamp collecting, writing SQL queries, etc.

How do we determine if something is a "sport"?

 

[lewisp]

Any activity in which the spectators are allowed to drink alcohol?

Lapdancing is a sport now? Cool. Roll on London 2012!

 

[SantaMufasa]

An activity that has a competetive element.

Going back to my earlier question: If I am snow skiing, non-competitively, does that mean that I am not involved in the sport of skiing...that somehow my activity is no longer a sport?


I believe that the element of competition is a non-essential component to whether or not a sport is a sport.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[LadySlinger]

Korngeek - sure, why not...if ESPN calls Blackjack a sport then what the heck?

lewisp - it is physical, more so then poker.

 

[snuv]

You may be competing against yourself or the elements; it doesnt have to be against another person.

I wouldnt even claim that the outcome has to be quantified.
You know when you have done well or badly compared to your usual standard.



"If it could have gone wrong earlier and it didn't, it ultimately would have been beneficial for it to have." : Murphy's Ultimate Corollary

 

[SantaMufasa]

You may be competing against yourself or the elements; it doesnt have to be against another person.

I wouldnt even claim that the outcome has to be quantified.
You know when you have done well or badly compared to your usual standard.

So, by this definition, waking up in the morning is a sport, right?

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[SQLSister]

Dave, sadly if that is true, I'm losing badly. Waking up is harder than ever this week.

Questions about posting. See faq183-874

 

[AnotherHiggins]

The movement of an object must be involved (Human, projectile etc (both in the case of dwarf-throwing)).

That term is very offensive.

The preferred term is dwarf-tossing, you insensitive clod.

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Help us help you. Please read FAQ181-2886 before posting.

 

[AndrewTait]

So the old debate as to whether shopping is a sport continues:

the Wife wins, my wallet looses
Physical endurance in carrying bags etc.
Mental challenge in choosing what to buy
Alcohol needed by me afterwards

Need I go on...


Guys, please redefine sport, for the sake of my financial future!!!!

=======================================
So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains
And we never even know we have the key

Ne auderis delere orbem rigidum meum
======================================

 

[snuv]

An activity that has a competetive element.

The movement of an object must be involved.

Some physical prowess should be involved.

Finishing place should not, normally, have a significant long-term effect on the human competitors other than financial.

You have to want to take part of your own free will, as opposed to staving off the consequences of non-participation


"If it could have gone wrong earlier and it didn't, it ultimately would have been beneficial for it to have." : Murphy's Ultimate Corollary

 

[r937]

the movement of an object must be involved???

this would eliminate olympic track events like the 100-metre race

unless you count yourself as an object being moved as you run...

r937.com | rudy.ca

 

[snuv]

Yup that counts. see dwarf-throwing. (hurling and tossing could have other connotations)

Maybe that should be changed slightly
The main object should normally travel a distance further than its greatest dimension.

Dropping the javelin so that the tip just crosses the line doesnt invalidate the rule because normally it goes much further.

100 metres qualifies, channel-hopping from your favourite arm-chair doesn't (the remote counts as part of the televison)


"If it could have gone wrong earlier and it didn't, it ultimately would have been beneficial for it to have." : Murphy's Ultimate Corollary

 

[MallardVHS]

My daughter is a cheerleader & she's a flyer...

Same name, different sport? My daughter's a Flyer too.

Her Mom and I stick her under windshield-wipers and mailbox flags with great flourish. Great sport, even if the other kids won't join in; in fact, some make sport of her.

It's sad, their lack of athleticism.

Doon



[blue]________________________________________________________
Some folks put their money where their mouth is. I just pay my bill. [/blue]

 

[Lunatic]

Hmm... so much to respond to ;p

I didn't mean to raise a ruckus and then disappear. Work happened. I think it might be slowing down slightly.

***************************************
Have a problem with my spelling or grammar? Please refer all complaints to my English teacher:
Ralphy "Me fail English? That's unpossible." Wiggum

 

[Bandenjamin]

if you can see it on ESPN, it's a sport

otherwise, it isn't

One friday night around 11 pm while I was playing poker (not really a sport) I came across the national rock paper scissors championships on ESPN 2. Can that be a sport? These two guys were very intense and the lights were dim like on who wants to be a millionaire.....

Dan.

 

[johnherman]

As I stated earlier in the thread, ESPN stands for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, so being on ESPN does not define an activity as a sport.

Here's a few for thought:

Billiards? Requires skill similar to golf (hand-eye coordination) but does not involve walking the course.

Darts? (see Billiards).

Chess? Nope - no hand-eye coordination

Walking? Definitely athletic but what constitutes a win?

Sleepwalking? If you are participating but don't know you're participating, is it a sport?

-------------------------
The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was - Steven Wright

 

[snuv]

According to my rules...for what thats worth

Billiards is a sport
the balls are the main object and travel further than their greatest dimension (mostly)

Ditto for darts

Chess - nope - No physical prowess is required

Walking is an Olympic sport and the first one (that hasn't been disqualified) across the line wins.

Sleepwalking - nope - You have to want to take part of your own free will

Rock Paper Scissors - nope - The human doesn't move enough and no physical prowess is needed







"If it could have gone wrong earlier and it didn't, it ultimately would have been beneficial for it to have." : Murphy's Ultimate Corollary

 

[columb]

Chess - nope - No physical prowess is required

Here in the UK it is recognised that fishing is Britains biggest participatory sport. The vast bulk of fishing is course fishing as opposed to fly fishing or big game fishing and, as far as I can see, course fishing involves very little physical prowess.

Whilst I completely agree that chess is not a sport, I'm not sure that physical prowess is the defining aspect. As someone said many posts back, sport is like pornography, I can't define it, but I know it when I see it.

Ceci n'est pas une signature
Columb Healy

 

[MallardVHS]

My amazing Chinese chef swears that [blue]Wok-ing[/blue] is in fact a sport.

I still recall his favorite dish; he made me say it over and over until I could say it from memory.

Argggh! Rotes Ducky!!




[blue]________________________________________________________
Some folks put their money where their mouth is. I just pay my bill. [/blue]

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
My simple definiion is:
"If I can bet on it, it is a sport"

Not very restrictive, since you can bet on almost anything, but the act of betting on it ( In my view) makes it a sport..




To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[rjoubert]

If a participant has been busted for use of performance enhancing drugs, then it's a sport.