Sports vs. Not Sports

[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.

[DJ FC]

I've always contended that auto racing is a sport and have met criticism for this stance.

Driving a car professionally in that manner takes serious physical skill. And that skill is apparent when seeing better drivers defeat lesser drivers.

[Ugly Bastard]

It's a sport if the people participating are athletes.

[Cocktooth]

Golf and Bowling are not sports then by that definition.

[Ugly Bastard]

I think you can make a case that both golfers and bowlers are athletes. There is one another qualifier that makes something a sport: an objective scoring system. Ballerinas are athletes but ballet is not a sport since there is no score being kept.

[BigDongedHoe]

Hand eye coordination is athleticism cocktooth

[Cocktooth]

Originally Posted by Ugly Bastard

I think you can make a case that both golfers and bowlers are athletes. There is one another qualifier that makes something a sport: an objective scoring system. Ballerinas are athletes but ballet is not a sport since there is no score being kept.

You can't keep adding to the guide lines. I think a sport is when you go head to head, collectively or indivdually in a sport where winning is top priority. Is scrabble a sport, hell yes it is. You can make a sport out of anything. Back in the day, we came up with a knockout frisbee game, and that is a sport.

[Orgazmo]

Is war a sport, motherfucker?

And not the god damned card game.

How about trying to get a job? Is that a sport?

What about taking an Ambien and trying to beat off before you fall asleep?

According to your guidelines (except for the part where you refer to "sport" in the definition of "sport"), these are all sports. Obviously, though, they are not.

Except the Ambien thing. That one is definitely a sport.

[Mr. Blonde]

Shaw just wants to be able to say he actually plays sports while spending his weekends playing wiffle ball and scrabble.

[angry pancake]

Originally Posted by Orgazmo

Is war a sport, motherfucker?

And not the god damned card game.

How about trying to get a job? Is that a sport?

What about taking an Ambien and trying to beat off before you fall asleep?

According to your guidelines (except for the part where you refer to "sport" in the definition of "sport"), these are all sports. Obviously, though, they are not.

Except the Ambien thing. That one is definitely a sport.

AP has given too much reputation right now. IOU +1 posrep.

[THEINCREDIBLEdork]

I'll bet Shaw cheats at Scrabble.

[Cocktooth]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mistoffelees

I'll bet Shaw cheats at Scrabble.

I was putting an ass beating on BDH in words with friends, before deleting it off my phone.

[Cocktooth]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blonde

Shaw just wants to be able to say he actually plays sports while spending his weekends playing wiffle ball and scrabble.

I retired for wiffleball,Blonde. I have moved myself onto my new career and that is Cornhole. I'm slumping right now as my team pulled a 5th place finish at the College Football Hall of Fame tourney. At that tourney is 5 time reigning King of Cornhole, Matt Guy, along with 5 top 10 teams in the world. If I'm hitting my stride, we win that tourney. As it played out, I had my worst night of the season.

[f3lix]

So video games are a sport?

[Dent]

yes, so is listening to music.

[Mr. Blonde]

StarCraft: Brood War professional competition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Cocktooth]

Originally Posted by f3lix

So video games are a sport?

100% IT's a sport to me. ALl of these are. They are all competitions!

[DDTempest]

Any competition where a 100lb man and a 600lb man can compete on a level playing field is not a sport.

[thekremlin]

I would argue that the following things are sports:
1) Scuba-diving
2) Chess
3) Chess-boxing
4) A bouncing tennis ball
5) Deoderant
6) The color orange
Anyone who disagrees with me is wrong because I was an NCAA athlete.

[Cocktooth]

What did you play?!?1

[DJ FC]

Ironically Kremlin didn't play a sport as Wrestling isn't a sport. Nothing can be a sport if it requires judges to award the points.

[angry pancake]

Originally Posted by thekremlin

I would argue that the following things are sports:
1) Scuba-diving
2) Chess
3) Chess-boxing
4) A bouncing tennis ball
5) Deoderant
6) The color orange
Anyone who disagrees with me is wrong because I was an NCAA athlete.

For a while I thought all of krem's posts were gold and infallible.

[THEINCREDIBLEdork]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blonde

StarCraft: Brood War professional competition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I watch a fair amount of pro starcraft. It never ceases to amaze me the speed at which those people multi-task and make decisions.

[Orgazmo]

I'll trade you one package of internets for a link to the best pro starcraft video you've ever seen.

[Mr. Blonde]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mistoffelees

I watch a fair amount of pro starcraft. It never ceases to amaze me the speed at which those people multi-task and make decisions.

Yeah, Koreans are pretty much Vulcans when it comes to procedure, minus all the logic. Also no creativity and can't think outside-the-box worth a god damn, though, so whenever you want some dreamy Kirk action, you're going to get shut down pretty quick.


I find it humorous that once you live in a place long enough you are able to easily learn and explain the common misconceptions/stereotypes about a race of people, only to familiarize with them enough to hate them for something much less mainstream.


What i'm trying to say is living abroad makes you a hipster racist.