[angry pancake]

The sport issue regarding poker doesn't seem to want to die. I take UB's word as gospel regarding this. After reading a bunch of comments that the game is still X percent skill and even last second half court buzzer beaters are also luck. What is the criteria for sport and not? So what makes something a sport?

AP's rule for determining if something is a sport has long been:

1) The game/competition must require athletic exertion of some kind; and
2) The winner is determined by a score or achievement.

Example: Figure skating not a sport by AP's definition. Some athletic movements okay, but you if you need judges to tell you who won, it's not a sport. Speed skating definitely a sport. Diving, not a sport. 200 meter free style, a sport.

But what about cage fighting and such. Bullshit. Unless there's a KO or submissions, it's just an athletic exhibition. There were no decisions in the first UFCs and boxing used to go on and on in the old days. Professional boxing at one time went from being one of the most popular sports in the United States, to being a ho hum after thought. It's been surpassed by professional wrestling and cage fighting. So what is a sport and can be fucked around by rules to not be a sport. It would seem that by AP's definition that pro wrestling, thought by some to be predetermined, would make both prongs of the definition. Meaning a third prong is needed.

I've heard crazy things that in kids leagues for things like soccer and such. Score is not kept. Sport or not? AP cannot comprehend this shit about not keeping score anyway and believes it and removing prayer from school has lead our country right down the shitter.

3) The outcome of the event cannot be predetermined.

So in a situation involving something like the 1919 Chicago White Sox where one team is trying to lose and the other is trying to win, where does that leave us? The Reds didn't know the outcome was predetermined. Many of the White Sox didn't know it either. BUt begrudgingly most people acknowledge baseball as a sport.

So how can an unfixed boxing match, like Olympic boxing, be a sport and not a sport depending on the outcome under this definition? If boxer A knocks out Boxer B, it's a sport. If both boxers give their all and demonstrate great skill and neutralize each others strengths, can it be a non sport. Suppose the boxers are just two gigantic fat asses in a super heavyweight match that really don't do much of anything but hug for three rounds before going to the judges?



There are also gray areas along these lines. Is auto racing a sport? I've before said "no." How does driving a car qualify as athletic ability. There are 18 wheeler drivers who do probably go through more endurance than car drivers. Not that driving a car at 200+ mph for many hours is easily done. But it's really a common thing everyone does, just by adding speed and endurance to it to make it a sport. I'm going to go out there and change my claim to "I don't know" if auto racing is a sport. Much like walking and competition eating. We all eat and we all walk (well not all of us walk), but does putting a timer on something while eating make it a sport? Does seeing who can walk five kilometers first make it a sport. AP would suggest no, neither eating or walking is hardly an athletic exertion.

Back around to the poker argument. Few folks have suggested that because the poker tournaments go on for hours there is increased pressure and physical endurance. But I think that can be said for anything. Monopoly? Chatting with Mrs. Pancake's mom? A video game tourney would do the same thing. In fact, in that regard, there's a fuckload less of the luck element involved and much more skill. So would playing a two player video game, like pac man, count?

AP is curious on the thoughts of other nubblites.