What Is A Sport? The Debate Thread

[cursona pirate]

Im very bored right now so i decided to make a debate thread towards sports. I want to see if this works out good. Then i will create more friendly topics to discuss.

[size=5][color=#008000]DEBATE THREAD 1: What is a Sport?[/color][/size]

[color=#0000cd]So here are some things to think about in this debate:[/color]
[color=#0000cd]1) What is the proper meaning of the word "sport" [/color]
[color=#0000cd]2) Would chess, cheerleading, or something be considered a sport[/color]

[color=#ff0000]Rules:[/color]
[color=#ff0000]1) If we can all come up with a general meaning to sport and what is considered a sport then the debate will be over[/color]
[color=#ff0000]2) Have evidence(links, books, etc) to support your arguments[/color]
[color=#ff0000]3) Keep it fun and clean[/color]
[color=#ff0000]4) if you like this idea please tell me! [/color]

[b]So with that let the debating begin! [/b]

[Alexir]

[size=4][font=arial, sans-serif]An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.[/font][/size]

[font="arial, sans-serif"]Whether they are classified or not as sports, I will never call Nascar or Horse racing a sport. Curling is more of a sport than that.[/font]

[hawkprey]

Any head-to-head competition requiring a display of athletics.

[u]Under this definition, the following are not sports:[/u] Golf, chess matches, track and field, swimming, the bobsled, hula hooping, eating contests, competitive sitting, extreme yawning, parking cars, heart surgery, the alphabet, smelling bad, or swimming.

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='hawkprey' timestamp='1328738911' post='989703']
Any head-to-head competition requiring a display of athletics.

[u]Under this definition, the following are not sports:[/u] Golf, chess matches, [b]track and field, swimming[/b], the bobsled, hula hooping, eating contests, competitive sitting, extreme yawning, parking cars, heart surgery, the alphabet, smelling bad, or swimming.
[/quote]
Swimming i believes shows a display of athletics. Swimming requires a lot of energy, way more than most sports do. Swimming is usually head to head against some one else. Same goes with sprinting and hurdling in Track and Field.

[Gordo52]

I dont think cheerleading,board games, or any video games are true sports

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='Ravens<3' timestamp='1328740069' post='989724']
I dont think cheerleading,board games, or any video games are true sports
[/quote]
Why so? What is your defintion of sport?

[Gordo52]

[quote name='cursona pirate' timestamp='1328740277' post='989730']
Why so? What is yor defintion of sport?
[/quote]
Its hard to say lol. I guess anything that takes personal physical skill that someone requires. And they have to control the outcome of the game with that skill while competing with someone else trying to do the same thing.
Its real hard to say actually lol. Idk why some things have the same concepts but I just dont consider them sports.

[bdravens]

If you think NASCAR isn't a sport, try driving one race. It is unbelievable the stamina that is required for that sport. Your locked in a car with no doors, 100+ degree temperatures, going close to 200 mph for upwards of 3-4 hours.

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='bdravens' timestamp='1328741801' post='989751']
If you think NASCAR isn't a sport, try driving one race. It is unbelievable the stamina that is required for that sport. Your locked in a car with no doors, 100+ degree temperatures, going close to 200 mph for upwards of 3-4 hours.
[/quote]

very true. The physical struggles are a bit diffrent than say football or soccer. Driving does take skill. Espically at 200 mph. So with what Ravens<3 said NASCAR shoulden be a sport if it doesent show physical skill. Therfore Nascar could be a sport under Ravens<3 definition. So are you agreeing with his definition except for his opinion on NASCAR?

[JO_75]

[quote name='bdravens' timestamp='1328741801' post='989751']
If you think NASCAR isn't a sport, try driving one race. It is unbelievable the stamina that is required for that sport. Your locked in a car with no doors, 100+ degree temperatures, going close to 200 mph for upwards of 3-4 hours.
[/quote]

Oh plus.... in any other sport, players are forced to miss weeks after having surgery. In the past two seasons in NASCAR, two drivers have had surgery and raced just a couple days later, even winning races. One driver last season had a fractured ankle and raced just 4 days later. Now consider most of a race is using your foot to hit the gas and brake pedal, you would think with a fractured ankle it would impossible to race just days later yet one driver did just that... and won! Tony Romo sat out due to a broken finger, yet a NASCAR driver with a fractured ankle races just 4 days later, add in the above of going close to 200MPH, the temperature rising in the car, especially in the summer time, it is a sport.

[big hits and ball hawks]

I'm going by the same definition as Alexir, but I don't think anyone else's definition is wrong.

Chess is not a sport. Competitive chess players have a ton of smarts, skill, and they compete, but no physical exertion. No disrespect though, if you're an excellent chess player and win enough to be sponsored and win money than I think that's impressive.

Cheerleading is very much a sport, well competitive cheerleading is anyway. The whole standing on the sideline cheering on the football team (or court side cheering on the basketball team) can be debated, but when it's competition time and schools or recs are going head to head I don't see how it's not a sport. Plus, their practices are no cake walks.

However, professional cheerleading isn't a sport because there's no competition. At least I've never seen any competition between them (I'm thinking like Ravens' cheerleaders vs. opposing teams' cheerleaders type thing), unless there's another type of professional cheerleading. They still train hard and there's that physical exertion part and skill, but still no competition.

So, basically if it hits all three marks of that definition it is a sport.

[1/28/01]

As a 9 handicap, I will say golf is most certainly a sport!

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='big hits and ball hawks' timestamp='1328746921' post='989805']
I'm going by the same definition as Alexir, but I don't think anyone else's definition is wrong.

Chess is not a sport. Competitive chess players have a ton of smarts, skill, and they compete, but no physical exertion. No disrespect though, if you're an excellent chess player and win enough to be sponsored and win money than I think that's impressive.

Cheerleading is very much a sport, well competitive cheerleading is anyway. The whole standing on the sideline cheering on the football team (or court side cheering on the basketball team) can be debated, but when it's competition time and schools or recs are going head to head I don't see how it's not a sport. Plus, their practices are no cake walks.

However, professional cheerleading isn't a sport because there's no competition. At least I've never seen any competition between them (I'm thinking like Ravens' cheerleaders vs. opposing teams' cheerleaders type thing), unless there's another type of professional cheerleading. They still train hard and there's that physical exertion part and skill, but still no competition.

So, basically if it hits all three marks of that definition it is a sport.
[/quote]
great post. you hit it good. I also agree that sometimes cheerleading is a sport. When entertaining and not competing it isint.
Physical exertion is required in the definition of sport. Do you agree Nascar racing is a sport?

Would horse racing be considered a sport too?

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1328747234' post='989808']
As a 9 handicap, I will say golf is most certainly a sport!
[/quote]

Golf does take a lot of skill but not as much physical exertion. So what would be your definition of sport?

[BirdWatcher]

[quote name='cursona pirate' timestamp='1328748430' post='989815']

Golf does take a lot of skill but not as much physical exertion. [/quote]

Really? Have you ever lugged a full golf bag around 18 holes? Heck, just walking a hilly course is physical exertion. Besides, golf involves a ball so it is pretty much a sport by my definition (anything that involves throwing or hitting a ball is automatically a sport).

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='Moderator 3' timestamp='1328748832' post='989820']
Really? Have you ever lugged a full golf bag around 18 holes? Heck, just walking a hilly course is physical exertion. Besides, golf involves a ball so it is pretty much a sport by my definition (anything that involves throwing or hitting a ball is automatically a sport).
[/quote]

not much exertion compared to soccer or football.
I agree its a sport. But how much physical energy is needed in a competitive atmoshpere for it to be a sport? Based on Alexir's definition(which most people are agreeing with) physical energy is needed. But how much?

[The Raven]

[quote name='hawkprey' timestamp='1328738911' post='989703']
Any head-to-head competition requiring a display of athletics.

[u]Under this definition, the following are not sports:[/u] Golf, chess matches, track and field, swimming, the bobsled, hula hooping, eating contests, competitive sitting, extreme yawning, parking cars, heart surgery, the alphabet, smelling bad, or swimming.
[/quote]

Track and field? Swimming? Not sports? What?!?!

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='The Raven' timestamp='1328749253' post='989826']

Track and field? Swimming? Not sports? What?!?!
[/quote]
Swimming is a sport. It's very competitive and requires so much energy.

[The Raven]

[quote name='cursona pirate' timestamp='1328749958' post='989835']
Swimming is a sport. It's very competitive and requires so much energy.
[/quote]

No no I agree! I had meant to quote Hawkprey.

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='The Raven' timestamp='1328750178' post='989837']

No no I agree! I had meant to quote Hawkprey.
[/quote]
oh i was agreeing! i was restating it! lol

[berad]

[quote name='The Raven' timestamp='1328749253' post='989826']
Track and field? Swimming? Not sports? What?!?!
[/quote]

Someone better alert the Olympics, they've been running those poser games forever!

[The Raven]

[quote name='cursona pirate' timestamp='1328750308' post='989838']
oh i was agreeing! i was restating it! lol
[/quote]

Haha I gotcha!

[big hits and ball hawks]

[quote name='cursona pirate' timestamp='1328748369' post='989814']
great post. you hit it good. I also agree that sometimes cheerleading is a sport. When entertaining and not competing it isint.
Physical exertion is required in the definition of sport. Do you agree Nascar racing is a sport?

Would horse racing be considered a sport too?
[/quote]

Nascar and horse racing are a little trickier, I think, because of the fact that you're partnered with a car or horse. I think horse racing should definitely be considered a sport. It hits all three criteria. Jockeys have to have a lot of upper body strength to control a full grown race horse, so there's definitely physical exertion during the race controlling the horse. I'm sure their arms are worn out after a race. Skill also has to be involved with controlling a horse, and riding in general. You can't just jump on and be able to ride. It meets the competition part without explanation.

Nascar is different though. In horse racing the jockey has to control a horse, in Nascar a driver has to drive a car. I think that's where it gets tricky. It meets the competition part and bdravens made a point about physical exertion, if you need a lot of stamina then there must be physical exertion. You brought up in another post how much physical exertion does it take to qualify? or something like that. That's also a tricky thing to answer.

How much physical activity is really going on when the race car driver is really just sitting in a car, pushing on gas pedals, and switching gears? Is all the stamina needed just because of how long the driver is sitting in heat? How much skill is really needed to drive a car fast on a track? Without looking into it, I don't watch nor have any experience in it, I can't really say whether or not it's a sport. If anyone can answer those questions then I'm open to answers. It's way easier to say horse racing is a sport than it is to say Nascar racing is a sport.

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='big hits and ball hawks' timestamp='1328751162' post='989854']

Nascar and horse racing are a little trickier, I think, because of the fact that you're partnered with a car or horse. I think horse racing should definitely be considered a sport. It hits all three criteria. Jockeys have to have a lot of upper body strength to control a full grown race horse, so there's definitely physical exertion during the race controlling the horse. I'm sure their arms are worn out after a race. Skill also has to be involved with controlling a horse, and riding in general. You can't just jump on and be able to ride. It meets the competition part without explanation.

Nascar is different though. In horse racing the jockey has to control a horse, in Nascar a driver has to drive a car. I think that's where it gets tricky. It meets the competition part and bdravens made a point about physical exertion, if you need a lot of stamina then there must be physical exertion. You brought up in another post how much physical exertion does it take to qualify? or something like that. That's also a tricky thing to answer.

How much physical activity is really going on when the race car driver is really just sitting in a car, pushing on gas pedals, and switching gears? Is all the stamina needed just because of how long the driver is sitting in heat? How much skill is really needed to drive a car fast on a track? Without looking into it, I don't watch nor have any experience in it, I can't really say whether or not it's a sport. If anyone can answer those questions then I'm open to answers. It's way easier to say horse racing is a sport than it is to say Nascar racing is a sport.
[/quote]
i believe driving fast is hard to control because the wheels are moving at incredible speeds. Sometimes in NASCAR a little bump could flip the car. I have watched a little NASCAR here and there for a couple years. Its harder than it looks.
I agree with the horse racing as a sport. This makes polo a sport too.


Here is another one that goes down the lines of cheerleading. Figure skating? a sport? How about paintball and airsoft? I think it could be a sport. Archery is questionable as well.

I think we are getting somewhere. I might need to make another debate!

[Bltravens]

In the words of the immortal Kenny Powers "I play a real sport, not trying to be the best at exercise."

[big hits and ball hawks]

[quote name='cursona pirate' timestamp='1328751615' post='989861']
i believe driving fast is hard to control because the wheels are moving at incredible speeds. Sometimes in NASCAR a little bump could flip the car. I have watched a little NASCAR here and there for a couple years. Its harder than it looks.
I agree with the horse racing as a sport. This makes polo a sport too.


Here is another one that goes down the lines of cheerleading. Figure skating? a sport? How about paintball and airsoft? I think it could be a sport. Archery is questionable as well.

I think we are getting somewhere. I might need to make another debate!
[/quote]

Good point about Nascar. It definitely takes more skill than driving to the grocery store. I'm still not 100% sure if it should be considered a sport or not.

Figure skating, dancing, gymnastics, and even martial arts all fall into the same category as cheerleading. If you aren't competing than whoever is doing it isn't participating in it as a sport. That's not to take any credit away from the physical and skill aspect of them all.

Football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and things of that nature will always be sports because in order to really play you have to meet the three points of the definition.

I guess paintball and airsoft could be considered sports, they meet the definitions' criteria. It really is an uncertain yes from me on if they're sports, they meet the criteria but not as convincingly as the others I've defended.

As for archery, it definitely meets the skill requirement. It's another activity where you have to be a competitive archer for it to count. The question is whether or not it meets the physical requirement. I'm not sure whether it does or not. I know there's some strength involved in order to shoot an arrow for whatever distance, I'm just not sure if it counts. Archery remains questionable for me.

[hawkprey]

[quote name='The Raven' timestamp='1328749253' post='989826']

Track and field? Swimming? Not sports? What?!?!
[/quote]
I think you are confusing sports and general athletics/competitions. Sports aren't just anything someone can be good at. In swimming, the object of one swimmer is not to halt the other swimmer. Whereas in a sport, say tennis, the object is to specifically outduel one person by making it difficult for them. There has to be head-to-head confrontation for it to be a sport. Otherwise it's just an event.

Being a sport has nothing to do with how hard or complicated it is, as long as there's some athleticism involved.

Most people seem to think calling something "not a sport" takes away from it. It doesn't. It's just a description.

[The Raven]

[quote name='hawkprey' timestamp='1328754745' post='989913']
I think you are confusing sports and general athletics/competitions. Sports aren't just anything someone can be good at. In swimming, the object of one swimmer is not to halt the other swimmer. Whereas in a sport, say tennis, the object is to specifically outduel one person by making it difficult for them. There has to be head-to-head confrontation for it to be a sport. Otherwise it's just an event.

Being a sport has nothing to do with how hard or complicated it is, as long as there's some athleticism involved.

Most people seem to think calling something "not a sport" takes away from it. It doesn't. It's just a description.
[/quote]

So swimming faster than the other dude isn't a head to head confrontation?

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='big hits and ball hawks' timestamp='1328754278' post='989896']

Good point about Nascar. It definitely takes more skill than driving to the grocery store. I'm still not 100% sure if it should be considered a sport or not.

Figure skating, dancing, gymnastics, and even martial arts all fall into the same category as cheerleading. If you aren't competing than whoever is doing it isn't participating in it as a sport. That's not to take any credit away from the physical and skill aspect of them all.

Football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and things of that nature will always be sports because in order to really play you have to meet the three points of the definition.

I guess paintball and airsoft could be considered sports, they meet the definitions' criteria. It really is an uncertain yes from me on if they're sports, they meet the criteria but not as convincingly as the others I've defended.

As for archery, it definitely meets the skill requirement. It's another activity where you have to be a competitive archer for it to count. The question is whether or not it meets the physical requirement. I'm not sure whether it does or not. I know there's some strength involved in order to shoot an arrow for whatever distance, I'm just not sure if it counts. Archery remains questionable for me.
[/quote]
i have been shooting arrows for many years(one of the things im actually decent at) it does take your arm strength out after a bit, however i am a little scrawny so that could be why. there is many competitions for gold out there. Archery is very questionable.

lol how about fishing? it has the skill criteria. Physically not to much except if your reeling in a big one. It has the competition sometimes. I belive in the Pro Bass championship if that's what its called?

[IMissMattStover]

I think a sport is any form of healthy, wholesome competition where particiaption requires some degree of skill and dedication and which requires practice to become better. In that sense, I count things such as chess, marching band (we practiced on average 12 hours and 4 days more a week than our high school varsity team. We also have had 2 State Championships in the past 4 years and 4 in the past decade, while the football team has had 0 ever.)