What makes a sport, a sport?

[xc84]

Boxing is certainly a sport. Not professional boxing -- at least, there are some questionable aspects to its legitimacy due to its scoring system. But amateur boxing is a sport. It is an athletic competition, with an objective system of scoring/winning, and a built-in ability to influence/defend against the opponent.

Sprinting? Nope. That's just an athletic competition.

So boxing, with judges subjectively determining the winner is a sport but in cases where a runner or shot putter definitively and objectively wins based on measurement of time or distance, that's not a sport. ok.

 

[All4SU]

So boxing, with judges subjectively determining the winner is a sport but in cases where a runner or shot putter definitively and objectively wins based on measurement of time or distance, that's not a sport. ok.

I knew I'd catch some crud on the boxing thing. I know, it's a sport. I just don't understand how two guys can slug it out and somehow miraculously it ends up being a 2pt difference every time. I don't get boxing.

Shot put and running are tremendous athletic competitions. Not sports. JMHO.

 

[dollarbill44]

Baseball = not a sport. I'm going to take some for that one. I played for years and was very good at 2nd but other then the social aspect during practices and on the bench, it got boring as hell the older I got. Now I'm going to really p!ss people off, tennis is more physically demanding then baseball.

So, you're essentially saying that if you aren't interested in it, it isn't a sport? When you say tennis is more physically demanding than baseball, in what respect do you mean? Endurance? Then sure, I agree. Certainly not sprinting-wise, because the farthest you ever run at one time is about 30 feet, then you change direction. Baseball outfielders, for example, often have to sprint 50 yards while watching a ball in flight, then time a leap or dive to make a catch.

I was at what is considered by many to be the classic match of men's tennis in the last 20 years - the Sampras vs Agassi U.S. Open semi-final in 2001. Sure it was a long, evenly played match, but it was not that exciting to me because half of the points were either aces or ace-return-point. There were few long volleys for points. It was a far cry from the McEnroe-Conners, McEnroe-Borg, Conners-Borg matches I remember watching as a kid.

Side note, I think a lot of people are using their own recreational participation level to define whether or not a certain game is a sport or not. Professional sports are VERY different than recreational and even HS sports.

I love watching nearly all professional sports just for the sheer enjoyment of the skill level the players possess, even the guys who don't see the field or court. The things they can do and make it look easy are mind-boggling to me.

 

[dollarbill44]

how can you say golf is a sport, but bowling is a game? that makes no sense - talk about selectively applying some bs criteria

golf is not a sport, bowling is not a sport, fishing is not a sport, hunting is not a sport and auto racing is not a sport

case closed

I think the main difference between golf and bowling is the varying terrain of golf. A bowling alley in NY = bowling alley in California, same dimensions, same pin setup every time, same distance from release to pins. No wind, not much variation. Golf is full of changes in distance, angle, obstacles, pitch, etc.

 

[xc84]

I think the main difference between golf and bowling is the varying terrain of golf. A bowling alley in NY = bowling alley in California, same dimensions, same pin setup every time, same distance from release to pins. No wind, not much variation. Golf is full of changes in distance, angle, obstacles, pitch, etc.

The are both sports. I like this from wiki:

Sport (or, in the United States, sports) is all forms of competitive physical activity which,through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants.Hundreds of sports exist, from those requiring only two participants, through to those with hundreds of simultaneous participants, either in teams or competing as individuals.

Basketball courts are all the same size and basketball rims are all 10 feet high . That does not eliminate it from being a sport. So bowling is not eliminated simply because bowling alleys are alike.

 

[dollarbill44]

The are both sports. I like this from wiki:

Sport (or, in the United States, sports) is all forms of competitive physical activity which,through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants.Hundreds of sports exist, from those requiring only two participants, through to those with hundreds of simultaneous participants, either in teams or competing as individuals.

Basketball courts are all the same size and basketball rims are all 10 feet high . That does not eliminate it from being a sport. So bowling is not eliminated simply because bowling alleys are alike.

You can't use my example to make the case that basketball wouldn't be considered a sport under my argument because basketball is played with the opponents directly and physically countering each other, while golf and bowling are not. When you are bowling, you do not have to encounter your opponent trying to block you as you roll the ball down the alley, although that sounds like it could be a fun sport for spectators. Likewise in golf, your opponent is not allowed to grab you or stand in front of your ball as you hit it.

Surely, you can see why you can't take my comment on golf-bowling and apply it across all activities.

 

[xc84]

You can't use my example to make the case that basketball wouldn't be considered a sport under my argument because basketball is played with the opponents directly and physically countering each other, while golf and bowling are not. When you are bowling, you do not have to encounter your opponent trying to block you as you roll the ball down the alley, although that sounds like it could be a fun sport for spectators. Likewise in golf, your opponent is not allowed to grab you or stand in front of your ball as you hit it.

Surely, you can see why you can't take my comment on golf-bowling and apply it across all activities.

Yes, I sure can. But you had responded to this question.

how can you say golf is a sport, but bowling is a game?

Your response:

I think the main difference between golf and bowling is the varying terrain of golf. A bowling alley in NY = bowling alley in California, same dimensions, same pin setup every time, same distance from release to pins. No wind, not much variation. Golf is full of changes in distance, angle, obstacles, pitch, etc.

So that does not make a heck of a lot of sense if golf is not a sport. Really, it's not relevant if you are already saying a sport requires the ability of a defender to affect the outcome. So who cares about the varying terrain in golf respective to it being a sport? To me, that (defender requirement) is a rather arbitrary call in any case but everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have not yet seen a published definition of "sport" that included a requirement for a defender.

 

[dollarbill44]

Yes, I sure can. But you had responded to this question.


Your response:


So that does not make a heck of a lot of sense if golf is not a sport.

Really, it's not relevant if you are already saying a sport requires the ability of a defender to affect the outcome.

Nowhere did I say that a sport requires the ability of a defender to affect the outcome in order to be sport. That was my counter to your assertion that basketball wouldn't be a sport under my example when it is totally unrelated to the golf v bowling item. You're still applying the distinction I made between golf and bowling and applying it across all sports.

So who cares about the varying terrain in golf respective to it being a sport? To me, that (defender requirement) is a rather arbitrary call in any case but everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have not yet seen a published definition of "sport" that included a requirement for a defender.

This is pointless to me because you just want to argue so you take a specific point that was made within the context of an absurd example that you made (bowling and basketball) and expound on it so that it looks like I am making arguments that I never made.

 

[CaliCuse]

My posts may be a challenge for some . It could be considered a challenge but consider my side. I have to wait for inspiration which in inevitably comes from some one here and I'm appreciative for the opportunity to create I've given my son a couple ideas for his pilot he is writing. So far I've gotten a thumbs up on them. When completed and produced its going to show up on Bravo cable. No time line on that yet.

 

[xc84]

Nowhere did I say that a sport requires the ability of a defender to affect the outcome in order to be sport. That was my counter to your assertion that basketball wouldn't be a sport under my example when it is totally unrelated to the golf v bowling item. You're still applying the distinction I made between golf and bowling and applying it across all sports.



This is pointless to me because you just want to argue so you take a specific point that was made within the context of an absurd example that you made (bowling and basketball) and expound on it so that it looks like I am making arguments that I never made.

To this question:

how can you say golf is a sport, but bowling is a game?

Your reply was this:

I think the main difference between golf and bowling is the varying terrain of golf. A bowling alley in NY = bowling alley in California, same dimensions, same pin setup every time, same distance from release to pins. No wind, not much variation. Golf is full of changes in distance, angle, obstacles, pitch, etc.

so, you implied that bowling was not a sport due to its environment (no variation). When I called you on it...you came up with your defender argument:

When you are bowling, you do not have to encounter your opponent trying to block you as you roll the ball down the alley, although that sounds like it could be a fun sport for spectators. Likewise in golf, your opponent is not allowed to grab you or stand in front of your ball as you hit it.

Now you say:

Nowhere did I say that a sport requires the ability of a defender to affect the outcome in order to be sport.

I think even you have to admit your argument is confusing at best. So, to help me out, what's your definition of a sport? Then we'll see where golf, bowling, and basketball fit.

 

[sufandu]

I define a sport as requiring athleticism and skill, and opponents try to prevent one another from scoring while trying to score themselves.

Athleticism alone does not, in my mind, make something a sport, therefore swimming, track and field, and the like are not sports. They are athletic endeavors.

I don't consider golf a sport because there is no athleticism involved. Tiger Woods having difficult workouts does not define the whole activity. I know many guys that kill it in the gym and aren't athletic. Bodybuilding involves difficult workouts and is not a sport.

Other people will argue that golf is a sport because of it's difficulty. Neuo surgery is pretty darn difficult too, but it's not a sport. Difficulty is relative. Michael Jordan could never play golf on a professional level, but could any golfer ever score even one basket on an NBA player that played real defense on him? No.

I group other activities like archery and sport shooting in with golf. I can appreciate the necessary skill, but they're all lacking the requirement of athleticism.

 

[priestp]

I define a sport as requiring athleticism and skill, and opponents try to prevent one another from scoring while trying to score themselves.

Athleticism alone does not, in my mind, make something a sport, therefore swimming, track and field, and the like are not sports. They are athletic endeavors.

I don't consider golf a sport because there is no athleticism involved. Tiger Woods having difficult workouts does not define the whole activity. I know many guys that kill it in the gym and aren't athletic. Bodybuilding involves difficult workouts and is not a sport.

Other people will argue that golf is a sport because of it's difficulty. Neuo surgery is pretty darn difficult too, but it's not a sport. Difficulty is relative. Michael Jordan could never play golf on a professional level, but could any golfer ever score even one basket on an NBA player that played real defense on him? No.

I group other activities like archery and sport shooting in with golf. I can appreciate the necessary skill, but they're all lacking the requirement of athleticism.

I agree on every front.
I also think, that any activity that has one single repetitive motion as the entire game, is up for disqualification as a sport.
An example would be the golf swing, same motion all day. You may switch clubs or speed of swing but it's the same motion. You can't define a sport on one motion much less call it athletic.
I include bowling, darts, bocci, crochet, pool and horseshoes in the same "repetitive motion" category.

Golf is a game, not a sport.

 

[xc84]

I think the requirement to have a defender is very arbitrary. I would view the requirement of a "competition" to be more essential. I agree with those who say that not calling something a sport does not make it less of anything or inferior. However, if you look at all definitions (like in the dictionary), I have yet to see the requirement for a defender. I think people are biased toward the sports they have played growing up and their definition is skewed toward that.

 

[sufandu]

I think the requirement to have a defender is very arbitrary. I would view the requirement of a "competition" to be more essential. I agree with those who say that not calling something a sport does not make it less of anything or inferior. However, if you look at all definitions (like in the dictionary), I have yet to see the requirement for a defender. I think people are biased toward the sports they have played growing up and their definition is skewed toward that.

I don't know that I'm biased. I ran track in highschool and college, and according to my definition, I don't consider it a sport. I think of it as an athletic endeavor. I know my definition may not fit a dictionary, but that's how I distinguish between games, athletics, and sports.

 

[xc84]

Ok...you are not biased. Agreed And I guess there is nothing wrong with coming up with your own definition for words. It's a free country.