What do you classify as a sport?

[Clintos]

I wasn't having a dig - I was genuinely interested.

I don't think too many people actually understand cycling. Particularly the road races like the Tour De France. Truth be told there is a great deal of strategy involved in it. I would go into to it but I get the feeling you don't care too much.

Understanding the strategy involved in both sports I would honestly prefer to watch professional cycling over soccer. I just think there's more strategic aspects involved in cycling and the sprint finishes are incredibly exciting.

Each to their own of course though.

Gymnastics is a yes and no for me. The pummel horse and the bars are much more acrobatic than the ribbon thing -- and therefore have much more of a basis for being a sport.

 

[Black Philip]

The fact that it's a definition makes it a non argument mate.

I can go and say that I'm of the opinion that the moon shouldn't be considered a celestial body, but it wouldn't change the fact that it is defined that way.

Who says that the definition for something as trivial as sport shouldn't be subject to change though? Just trying to start a discussion here. I didn't realise so many people would get worked up about it.

 

[Black Philip]

I wasn't having a dig - I was genuinely interested.

I don't think too many people actually understand cycling. Particularly the road races like the Tour De France. Truth be told there is a great deal of strategy involved in it. I would go into to it but I get the feeling you don't care too much.

Understanding the strategy involved in both sports I would honestly prefer to watch professional cycling over soccer. I just think there's more strategic aspects involved in cycling and the sprint finishes are incredibly exciting.

Each to their own of course though.

Gymnastics is a yes and no for me. The pummel horse and the bars are much more acrobatic than the ribbon thing -- and therefore have much more of a basis for being a sport.

As I said, my opinion on it is ignorant :P

I'm sure there is a shatload more involved than what I see on face value, but as you said, I just don't really care. To me its just a few blokes going for a bike ride in the French countryside.

 

[Ari Gold]

Who says that the definition for something as trivial as sport shouldn't be subject to change though? Just trying to start a discussion here. I didn't realise so many people would get worked up about it.

Have to agree.

Personally speaking, I'm dubious about any sport that has judges to decide the outcome. To me that make's it subjective, so it's more of a performing art than a sport per se (Gymnastics, Ice Skating, Diving etc.). The exception to that is probably Boxing, though personally I find that pretty boring as well. (It's just a lot different to the things I listed as a performing art).

 

[dukey]

Ya know I didn't mean to offend you lol

To me they aren't. By definition they are obviously, but I just think there should be more to it for it to be considered a "sport".

I'm not offended. I don't follow any of the things listed.

 

[Black Philip]

I'm not offended. I don't follow any of the things listed.

No worries mate, you just seemed pretty intent on catching me out is all ;)

 

[dukey]

No worries mate, you just seemed pretty intent on catching me out is all ;)

I'm genuinely interested in your opinion, mate. That's all it is lol. Do you think a sport has to involve a ball to be a real sport?

 

[Black Philip]

I'm genuinely interested in your opinion, mate. That's all it is lol. Do you think a sport has to involve a ball to be a real sport?

Nah, that's not the deal breaker for me. To me boxing is very much a sport. That said, it makes me look hypocritical. If the Tour de France is just blokes going for ride, then boxing is just two blokes punching on.

I suppose at the end of the day it's just me acting like a nit picky old woman. Something irks me about the lack of excitement in things like synchronised swimming or figure skating.

 

[Ari Gold]

Nah, that's not the deal breaker for me. To me boxing is very much a sport. That said, it makes me look hypocritical. If the Tour de France is just blokes going for ride, then boxing is just two blokes punching on.

I suppose at the end of the day it's just me acting like a nit picky old woman. Something irks me about the lack of excitement in things like synchronised swimming or figure skating.

I totally get the first point. Some sports bore some people and not others. Just a taste of preference really (Cycling, AFL, Soccer, Boxing for instance).

But at least all of those things involve people actively trying to beat each other (in a sporting sense). But things like Synchronized Swimming and Equestrian Events and Figure Skating... surely that's a performance art? FFS two of those things involved the "competitors" hiring choreographers. If you hire choreogreophers than it's not a sport! How's that for a definition?

 

[Kaz]

I know Gymnastics is gay but if it isn't a sport what is it??

Boring

 

[Porthoz]

Nah, that's not the deal breaker for me. To me boxing is very much a sport. That said, it makes me look hypocritical. If the Tour de France is just blokes going for ride, then boxing is just two blokes punching on.

I suppose at the end of the day it's just me acting like a nit picky old woman. Something irks me about the lack of excitement in things like synchronised swimming or figure skating.

I understand what you mean, but you're moving into the realm of the adrenaline rich sports as opposed to the boring as hell sports.

There's a hell of a lot of difference between synchronised swimming, 50 metres free style or water polo. While the latter two are more exciting to watch, the first is probably the more physically demanding...

To me, nothing beats the edge of your seat stuff that keeps me glued to the TV or makes me pee on my seat so I don't miss anything... Oh wait! :duh:

 

[Coxy]

IMO, a "sport" should be a competitive, physical endeavour where the winner is determined either by directly scoring the most points, or doing it in the quickest time, and where the competitor's body is the primary driver to success.

Where the line gets blurred is with a lot of "sports" that rely solely on the subjective opinion of judges. That includes diving, synchronised swimming, gymnastics, ballroom dancing, surfing, aerial skiing, boxing (without a KO), equestrian, figure skating etc etc. To me, those are "competitions", not sports.

It's not to say they're any less fit or talented than those who engage in sports, but I object to "judgement" contests being listed as sport.

Similarly, as I stipulated with my definition of sports, the competitor's body has to be the main force behind their competitiveness. That rules out horse racing and motor sport because thats almost entirely due to the training of the animals and the quality of the mechanics behind the scenes. The rider/driver is to a large degree irrelevant, despite the inherent skill required (particularly with motorcycling).

 

[Charmamba]

I can't believe you just included Boxing in the same class as gymnastics, ballroom dancing and surfing.

 

[Coxy]

I can't believe you just included Boxing in the same class as gymnastics, ballroom dancing and surfing.

It involves judging to decide whether you score "points" or not. Thus it's prone to the same BS judgment that the other "sports" are.

Boxing is gay anyway.

 

[Bucking Beads]

A Sport is something a man does../

Thread!

 

[Charmamba]

A Sport is something a man does../

Thread!

So League is a sport, Except the NSW origin team?

 

[Porthoz]

I don't think you have an understanding of how physical motorsport can be and how fit you need to be for it. It easily fits into your description Coxy!

 

[Coxy]

Not denying that. But it's still driving a machine. Therefore the driver's skill and fitness isn't the be all and end all. Therefore, not a sport