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Define A Sport

Rocky4

By Rocky4
in The Gibson Lounge

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Rocky4

Rocky4

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What defines a sport? My buddys at work were talking about this a while back and I thought it would be interesting to post it here to get some input. I think their are four categories to consider.

 

Competition

 

Athleticism

 

Skill

 

The ability to defend- I believe this is a part of sport, but some people found it debatable. The ability to keep your opponant from scoring.

 

Football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, rugby, volleyball, etc. All clearly make the cut.

 

Golf and bowling. People go on bowling dates, and pick vacation spots based on the location of a golf course. I think these two are more recreation than sport. Skill is involved. Athleticism is questionable. As far as the ability to defend goes, you can bowl a 300 by yourself. It doesn't matter that you're in a tournament. The same goes for golf. Nobody has the chance to keep you from scoring a hole in one.

 

Auto Racing. A tough one here. I don't see athleticism, you just can't be fat. You have to be able to fit in that small seat. The argument for stamina comes up, but truck drivers drive all day too. I've driven 24 hours from Illinois to Florida before. Their is a lot of skill involved. I think racers are more skillfull than, say an offensive lineman. The ability to defend is present, racers can block and pass other racers.

 

Figure skating- Athleticism and skill are there, but I see it as more entertainment.

 

 

 

Any more thought?

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Big Bill

Big Bill

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Sport does not necessarily have to be athletic. Skill and competition and working within a set of rules are part of sport.

 

 

Is Monopoly a sport or any other board game? I think athletics along with what you have described make up sports.

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Artie Owl

Artie Owl

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Women's beach volleyball is over-rated, usually they're flatter than a board and if you bumped into one in the dark you wouldn't know if she was coming or going. Just my opinion I guess.

 

As for the definition of sport well, I took a course in university called "History of Sport" and that was one of the questions the prof posed, and we couldn't answer it, the "definition" would fill a book.

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FirstMeasure

FirstMeasure

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I usually go to the dictionary for Definitions.

 

Main Entry: 2 sport

Function: noun

Date: 15th century

 

1 a : a source of diversion : recreation b : sexual play c (1) : physical activity engaged in for pleasure (2) : a particular activity (as an athletic game) so engaged in

2 a : pleasantry, jest b : often mean-spirited jesting : mockery, derision

3 a : something tossed or driven about in or as if in play b : laughingstock

4 a : sportsman b : a person considered with respect to living up to the ideals of sportsmanship <a good sport> <a poor sport> c : a companionable person

5 : an individual exhibiting a sudden deviation from type beyond the normal limits of individual variation usually as a result of mutation especially of somatic tissue

synonyms see fun

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deepblue

deepblue

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Women's beach volleyball is over-rated, usually they're flatter than a board and if you bumped into one in the dark you wouldn't know if she was coming or going. Just my opinion I guess.

 

 

I dont watch it for the competition. lol

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SweetMarie

SweetMarie

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The ability to defend- I believe this is a part of sport' date=' but some people found it debatable. The ability to keep your opponant from scoring.

[/quote']

 

That would rule out most field events (pole vault, javelin, high jump etc.), as well as any sport not requiring direct competition (swimming comes to mind)- wouldn't it?

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Rocky4

Rocky4

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That would rule out most field events (pole vault' date=' javelin, high jump etc.), as well as any sport not requiring direct competition (swimming comes to mind)- wouldn't it?

 

[/quote']

 

Almost in the bowling and golf category but, with athleticism added.

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retrosurfer1959

retrosurfer1959

Posted
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Sport is competition and the chance to win or lose the bigger the risk the bigger the sport - Michael Jordon said that golf is a sport so that's good enough for me. And talk about stamina how many men could keep up with Tiger :-

 

 

What about surfing - Your competing, takes a hell of a lot of stamina, skill and smarts are required in equal measure. plus if you screw up you can die which has to count for something. Plus if that's not enough add in sharks, coral reefs, undertow and huge wave sets plus the spectators are usually in bikini's. oh and if you require defense like the original post you can cut other surfers off and steal waves you might get stomped but you can do it.

 

SO that makes surfing the best sport ever invented correct? [blink]

 

Were coming off of the best winter for surfing in the last 30+ years with big swells everywhere the pipe master had two days of surf approaching 25 foot swells let's see a ping pong player or even a pro football player survive that.

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ChanMan

ChanMan

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Apparently, a "sport" has more to do with physical competitions for whom the outcome is left to chance, and not predetermined.

Or at least I imagine that would be what folks at the WWE would tell you.....

 

 

Perhaps athleticism, certain skills, and things such as that, are really more personal preferences for which sports one may tend to enjoy. But, must "defence" be of a physical nature, or of some established territory? Can one not defend a title, or one's honor as well?

 

 

I think, given these criteria, that activities such as baseball as well as bowling can be seen as "sports".

 

 

"Quarters" is a drinking game, and a bit frivolous in a topic that is well worth discussion, imho.

 

[biggrin]

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ZenKen

ZenKen

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My opinion? A properly executed golf swing is perhaps the most athletic move in all of sports. If you don't think so, you don't understand the sport. And arguably the most gifted athlete playing any sport today - Tiger Woods (his current problems notwithstanding). Sure there are pro golfers who appear out of shape (far fewer today than 15 years ago) but there are also plenty of pro baseball and football players that look like they have had more hot dogs than reps in the gym. And I don't know bowling but I'd bet those playing the game at the highest level take their training and conditioning seriously and consider themselves athletes. [cool]

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Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural

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Hunting and fishing are sport. TOURNAMENT fishing is a game.

 

A pitcher facing a batter is sport. A full nine innings of baseball is a game.

 

A D-lineman fighting to get around an O-lineman is sport. Four quarters of football is a game.

 

A guy playing a round of golf by himself is sport. Playing in a foursome and comparing scores at the end of eighteen makes it a game.

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