What defines a sport ?

Speed Walking does not consume more energy than running!
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I was referring to some of the times on this page:

http://www.racewalk.com/Results/MensRecords.asp

Where someone racewalked a mile in 5:38.2. Those dudes are fit.

Walking at 10 miles/hour takes more energy than running 10 miles/hour. But not more energy than running 15-18 miles/hour.

Now if speedwalking is different than racewalking then I guess you're right.
 
ooh, some good posts while I was typing.

"Hunting is considered a gentleman's sport, but the gun is doing the work. What's sporting about that?" -Yankee

That's how I feel about it.

Sailing.. surfing, very good question.. as it's the wind/water dooing the work. THe person is workign to harness it though. I'd say yes, becuse withotu the physical ability they can't harness it, just as you need physical ability to harness, and react to the enegery form other players, or graviyt in say soccer or hockey.

But what about harnessing the power from the gun? I still think no, the person is having no physical effect on the energy from teh gun, other than it's direction. Thye arn't working against it.

Golf is sitll a good quesion. I think i'm goign to go with "yes", beacuse the enegery is provided in teh swing. A "stronger" golfer can hit the ball furthur, and this is advantegious to the play. Driving (golf) is definatly a sport, but one you get to putting i'd say the sport element tends to die down a little. Mini golf is NOT a sport.

As for all these computer games Nope, not even close. they may be SIMULATING sports, but they are not dooing the actual act themselves. Swimming is only a sport if you get wet.

- Mikko
 
Mikko,

Good points. Sure sailing can be done while drinking beer, I do it all the time. But RACING is hard work. Watch the gorillas cranking the sheets during an Americas Cup race sometime, it requires brains and brawn. As for surfing, if you ever "paddle" a board out in choppy water to catch a wave an eighth to a quarter mile out, you will definitely think it's a sport. Not to mention the physical agility required to ride the board once you get up...

And hey, if "Curling" is a sport then golf certainly is...
 
The reason some of you are not considering it a sport is because the lack of intensity on the physical side right? For instance, would you consider it a sport if it was actually a race at the same time? What if you hit the ball, then have to run as fast as you can and hit it again, and the one w/ the best time wins? Then I think you would consider it a sport.

So the issue isn't really whether golf is a sport. The issue really is how much physical intensity does an activity need to be considered a sport?

I think that what something needs to be considered a sport is this:

-A physical aspect that goes well above what the average human would do normally throughout the day: Think of the muscles used when-swinging a club, walking the green, drinking the beer, throwing your club at the caddy.

-An opponent of some kind

-Something that requires strategy, USUALLY agreed upon by a team.

So-Based on my definition is surfing a sport? Maybe- Is hunting? I would say yes. The gun doesn't walk you up mountainsides, you tackle gruesome terrain, stalk animals and compete w/ people and mother nature. (I don't hunt-BTW) Is golfing? Definately.
 
who cares?




ha...that was my john hudson impersonation from other threads.

again, just joshin there J.H. :cheesy:
 
Rich Lee said:
who cares?




ha...that was my john hudson impersonation from other threads.

again, just joshin there J.H. :cheesy:
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Much <3 Lee, I concur.
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Oh, and John, I stand by my original definition - however I believe you mis-interpreted it.

People are paid and sponsored to play Golf - a *game*. When you are paid a good amount of money to play a game you become a "professional". Professionals dont play games they play sports.

I wasn't insinuating that everything needs to have a price tag or that we need to somehow belittle those that aren't paid and who are doing it for the love of the game. My belief is that there are sports that don't have people who are paid ludicrous amounts of cash to play them, however the ones that are out there (any MAINSTREAM sport, baseball, football, hockey, tennis, GOLF) are inded sports.

John, you can't deny it, they are broadcast - millions of people watch, players are endorsed, there are commercials for golf equipment and gear, there are golfing schools, clubs, VIDEOGAMES.

To say that just because it requires skill versus physical stamina and endurance is absurd. That's like saying, "Well, Racing cars doesn't count, its just the skill of the driver, the machine is doing the work." Well obviously we have motocross, nascar, etc. Lots of people pay to see that, and are rabid fans of the SPORT.

Also - I believe Terry was NOT trolling, and was just voicing his opinion, perhaps you should re read some of his posts - as to me you came off more of the instigator than he did. No offense :)


Just my 2 cents
 
Monte,
I'm going to respectuflly disagree

I *did* say that racing cars doesn't count. It's a "motorsport" which i think is a fine name, as it is the motors that are doing the "sport" bit. :P

I think money has NOTHING to do with the defenition of a sport.

Heck, you can't take part in the Olympics if you are an profesional.

And just because I get paid to do somethign does not make it a sport.

- Mikko
 
When we as a society are paying to watch PROFESSIONAL teams and players compete - in whichever arena - we are watching a sport.

Yes, not all athletes that perform in sporting arenas are PAID PROFESSIONALS but the ones that are - ARE DEFINITELY playing a sport. I know this may sound convoluted, but hear me out ...


It's kind of like musicians - the ones that are paid and make a living (think big name artists, Eminem, Nine Inch Nails etc..) are DEFINITELY musicians, although there are tons of people out there that are musicians, when you get up to a certain level you can't DENY that the person isn't a serious musician and that that person isnt an artist.

You can't do it. I'm not saying you HAVE TO BE PAID to be considered a sport, I'm just trying to get around Hudson's mentality in this thread in reference to what concerns a sport.

I hope this makes sense, I'm a bit convoluted tonight, and wish I could get my thoughts out with more clarity and celerity.

best wishes
 
This thread is great

Rich! You bastard. :beer:

Curling is not a sport. Come on ! :angry:

Monte; I dig it. But being paid does'nt make it so ? I played basketball tonight fullcourt; guys are diving over loose balls, dudes are dunking the ball, being are going to the wood; that was'nt some game out there. We were playing a sport. And we aint getting a check.

My mentality? A paycheck ain't got nothing to with whether or not someone is playing a sport. No way! Tell that to the millions of atheletes out there competing at every level!

Competetive Sailing is a sport; that's exhausting, you are competing against an opponent who is doing things that drastically make you alter you strategy or game plan. Surfing is a sport (although I'm not terribly into judged events).


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So let's see:

1. Moving more than 5 mph; picking up the legs and moving; breaking a sweat by pure intensity.

2. Competing against a person(s) who directly affect your game where you must react either offensively or defensively to reach your goal or prevent them from reaching theirs.

3. A competition of physical domination; either by strength, endurance and/or speed.

Can surfing be a sport under these definitions? I think so. Except it's the wave that is determining your strategy.

I just can't say GOLF is a sport. Those fat bastards are'nt doing anything:

Hit ball

Walk

Hit ball

Walk

Putt into Cup
 
This reminds me of another question: Are we videomakers or filmmakers?

LISTEN UP! Let's settle this right here and NOW! :)

The only time a "sport" is not a "sport" is when you decide to do it "just for fun" or recreation. Tossing the football around, a nice game of tennis with your friend, a quick round of 18 holes, etc. Competition is the main component of a sport. I can not play golf the sport, but I can play golf the recreation.

Golf, Tennis, Curling, Bowling, Poker, Chess, and even Juggling! can all BE sports. They can also BE recreational. Just because it doesn't fit into our stereotype (the players are fat and old people do it on the weekends) doesn't mean it's not a sport. A sport requires competition and years of training and hard work to improve the technique/skills. Could you beat Tiger Woods? No. Could you win Nascar? No. Could you win the lottery? Yes, maybe. So playing the lottery is not a sport. :)

John, in your first post you said golf players don't compete against anyone. Golf players do compete against each other, ...and it is an intense competition. And when they are not they are competing against themselves (our toughest competitor) or against the course itself. Just because they are not on the field or tennis court at the same time does not mean there's no competition. But, as I said earlier, if they are just playing around (just for fun) then they are not actually playing a sport, they are just engaging in a recreational activity.

And we could just as easyily say Tennis is not a sport. "Whack ball with racket." Come on! Just because we don't like a sport or we suck at it does not mean it's not a sport. :)

PK
 
But Hudson, my point is SOMEBODY gets paid to play it! AGH! SOMEBODY! Not necessarily you or I, I mean look at basketball - it wasn't a sport when some janitor was using a broom to pick a basket off a ledge everytime somebody scored a point. It became a sport when there were teams and money became involved!!!!
 
Monte, I really don't know what your point is. Sorry mang! :shocked: :cheesy: You lost me!

And we could just as easyily say Tennis is not a sport. "Whack ball with racket." Come on! Just because we don't like a sport or we suck at it does not mean it's not a sport. :)
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P.K. THat borders on Asinine (not you). Let's keep it real. Tennis is a sport. Dumbing it down by saying 'Whack the ball..' is not even within the ballpark of what were talking about (Whack that ball over to me and see what I do with it :cheesy: )

Now; whomever said something was not a sport because they did'nt like it or were not good at it I don't know. I did'nt. Who did ? I personally love playing the game of golf (playing).

And for what it's worth; I don't know how many of you go out for a friendly game of anything; I go out to win and beat down my opponent. Sometimes i lose and hopefully can take something from it and move forward but what is this 'Friendly game of' nonsense? Maybe call it a 'recreational game of the sport of...' I'm sure it's real friendly; until crunch time or as long as one is winning. :thumbsup:

But this thread is deeper than I ever thought it would be; I assumed 1 or 3 might chime in. It's interesting to see what people construe as Sport. I find the idea of Golf being a sport insulting and my mind cannot be changed.

These guys don't even break a sweat unless it's in the Summer; wearing Docker's in the sun and walking down a fairway in Georgia will make me sweat too.

They compete for a low score against other's but no one else does anything to prevent them from achieving their goals. I can't buy it. I will not. Jason Gore, Athelete? John Daly, Athlete? Please. Not by my definition.

There are sports that have positions or persons within the sport itself that may not even be construed as athletes as well; David Wells ? :shocked: :happy: :cheesy:

Calling bowling, Darts, Chess, Curling or for chrissakes Poker a sport is beyond ludicrous

It seems we all have opinions on the sports themselves; but can we define general rules that may make something sport?

It would surely be a combination of things; not just a competition (Checkers....)
 
oh, I see..... kind of like bodybuilder (works out mostly for him/herself) or professional bodybuilder (strictly for competiton).

it all makes sense now
 
Know what's not a sport? NBA basketball. Those guys are such lazy spoiled prima donnas. Only time they ever pick it up is playoff time. Otherwise it's a snooze fest. All they ever do is dribble, shoot, and pass.

http://www.pookielinks.com :evil:
 
oh, I see..... kind of like bodybuilder (works out mostly for him/herself) or professional bodybuilder (strictly for competiton).

it all makes sense now
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Sarcasm ? :undecided

I don't consider Bodybuilding a sport. Standing a stage flexing ? Naw. The Strongman competition? Yes.

ESPN begs to differ
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I know; makes me insane. I trun on ESPN and thgere's Poker or Lesbian Bowling.

Know what's not a sport? NBA basketball. Those guys are such lazy spoiled prima donnas. Only time they ever pick it up is playoff time. Otherwise it's a snooze fest. All they ever do is dribble, shoot, and pass
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Isacc! Too true!

And maybe not obvious; this is just my opinion. I'm aware I am in the minority with my Golf smack.
 
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