I miss the 90's thread

[karamazov80]

I think the nature of sports means there is some kind of competition, where there can be a winner and loser. So, Nascar and shooting guns could require very little athletic ability, but can still be a sport as they are covered on ESPN and/or are in the Olympics (video game playing and poker are also sometimes on ESPN). Ballet requires very high athletic skill to do well, but usually is performance, not a sport. No more than acting is a sport.

Personally, I think the definition of sport should be a bit narrower, to imply some athletic requirement, but I don't reckon I get to decide such things.

 

[Jen]

so all it takes to make ballet a sport is being in a competition?
that's it? that's the reason it cannot be considered a sport?

it that is the case then fine, it is not a sport, all it needs is to be a competition
but Archery should not be called a sport either, Fencing is much more less of a sport than ballet,

for that matter,
how the hell, is this, a sport??? yet it is in the olympics

We can argue until the cows come home. Let me know when ballet is in the Olympics and I'll reconsider my classification.

 

[brucecamblzchin]

No, I agree I am just enjoying watching people tie themselves in knots with their posts Ballet is not primarily a "sport" although there are competitions where the best dancer is judged by an expert panel which gives it a strong competitive aspect. There are auditions for dance companies which are essentially try-outs.

 

[Jen]

No, I agree I am just enjoying watching people tie themselves in knots with their posts Ballet is not primarily a "sport" although there are competitions where the best dancer is judged by an expert panel which gives it a strong competitive aspect. There are auditions for dance companies which are essentially try-outs.

There are competitions for just about anything. There are auditions and competitions for acting, music, art, poetry, etc...but they are not considered sports.

 

[devilof76]

I don't think competition is enough to make something a sport. Is war a sport? What about business?

 

[karamazov80]

Well I think the fact that these are theoretically "games" or places where rules of "sportsmanship" trump other considerations (such as not killing or bankrupting your competition ) is a component of all traditionally recognized "sports" that excludes pure business efforts or armed conflict. I guess you could go bankrupt gambling, though.

 

[brucecamblzchin]

There are competitions for just about anything. There are auditions and competitions for acting, music, art, poetry, etc...but they are not considered sports.

Cake decorating. Extreme cake decorating, covered by ESPN 8 I believe.

 

[crows]

this is a sport.........

 

[brucecamblzchin]

SO things which are sports generally have a competitive aspect but things which have a competitive aspect are not necesarily sports is the lesson ITT

 

[Jen]

Cake decorating. Extreme cake decorating, covered by ESPN 8 I believe.

Yeah...it may be covered by ESPN...though I think it would more likely be the food channel...still not a sport, imo.

 

[karamazov80]

SO things which are sports generally have a competitive aspect but things which have a competitive aspect are not necesarily sports is the lesson ITT

Well I think that's true. I'm not totally sure on where the line between sport/not sport should be drawn, though. I don't think NASCAR should be a sport, but I think it is a sport.

 

[brucecamblzchin]

we have reduced the argument to its lowest common denominator

 

[thenammagazine]

I don't think competition is enough to make something a sport. Is war a sport? What about business?

Depends on who you ask.

Cake decorating. Extreme cake decorating, covered by ESPN 8 I believe.

Irrelevant. When's the last time Mtv, "Music Television," played music videos?

 

[crows]

Well I think that's true. I'm not totally sure on where the line between sport/not sport should be drawn, though. I don't think NASCAR should be a sport, but I think it is a sport.

if NASCAR is a sport, videogame playing should be a sport too..

I think this whole Sport vs Non sport is very hypocritical and biased,
how can NASCAR be a sport, but Ballet isn't, or gaming,
Who makes this crap up? who puts these titles?

 

[devilof76]

The purpose of the activity is integral to determining its nature.

Depends on who you ask.

I don't ask people.

 

[Jen]

if NASCAR is a sport, videogame playing should be a sport too..

I think this whole Sport vs Non sport is very hypocritical and biased,
how can NASCAR be a sport, but Ballet isn't, or gaming,
Who makes this crap up? who puts these titles?

I don't know...but when you figure it out...write them and then get back to us with the answer.

 

[karamazov80]

if NASCAR is a sport, videogame playing should be a sport too..

I think this whole Sport vs Non sport is very hypocritical and biased,
how can NASCAR be a sport, but Ballet isn't, or gaming,
Who makes this crap up? who puts these titles?

I think you have to go with the consensus view by those who use the term. If it's on ESPN, it's probably a sport, whether you like it or not. You can call whatever you want a sport, but some collective understanding has to define the phenomenon.

If you want to focus on the physical angle, how physical must something be to constitute a sport? Is driving, golfing, poker, or playing video games insufficient? If so, why? Where do you draw the line? All involve some level of physical activity. I think that line of thought is probably what allows competitive baking to be considered a sport on ESPN or whatever. Some baseball players are fat *******s who are in terrible shape, but it is undeniably a sport. Some swimmers are probably 50 times the athletes that some shot putters are, but does that make their sport more legitimate?

 

[crows]

[ame]https://youtu.be/1bKyKX6hNVQ[/ame]

 

[brucecamblzchin]

Wait, everybody knows I was joking about the cake decorating right?

This thread is deep.

 

[devilof76]

Cake decorating is serious business.

Women use it in times of peace so that they will not be unprepared in times of war.