Whats not a sport?

[jimboston]

I think that before you can decide which or these are or are not a sport you must setup guidelines or define "what is a sport".

Here are my suggested criteria...
1) A sport must involve competition against another person... Or pit two groups against each other. There must be a winner and a loser.
2) The criteria by which a victor is determined must be objective.
3) A sport must involve some element of physical activity... It does not have to be strenuous, but you must use your body in some manner.
4) Tools (i.e. sticks, bats, gloves, shoes, skates, etc.) may be used... mechanical devices (i.e. bikes, sleds, etc.) may also be used, but these must be powered by the competitor not by external sources of energy.
5) Animals may be involved, but human competitors must have be at least X%(?) responsible for determining the victor. If the animal is the main determinable of victory, then it is really a competition between the animals.

Is this criteria agreeable?

I think that's getting somewhere, but there are still plenty of objections, and nuances too:

1) Ties should be possible (yeah- nitpicking)
2) I don't agree on this one. Expert judgement should also be allowed to play a part.
3) I think I'm mostly with you on this one, but then I do actually think chess is a sport, but it's tough to explain why. Perhaps the best way to explain would be to ask if you think an American football coach is really playing a sport when he calls plays, or if he's just managing sports players.
4) This one's tough. I think it depends on how much of an added bonus the design of the equipment gives. Formula 1 racing has a constuctors league as well as a points system for the drivers- good design is as important as driver skill (well- maybe not in terms of fame).
5) The relationship between the player and the animal is pretty key- I don't think many high level sports are either/or.

1) Yes nitpicking... maybe we should allow no ties. Play till you die.
2) This is (I THINK) the most important criteria. I do not consider things like gymnastics, or dancing, or synchronized swimmings "sports". They are athletic activities, they may be competitions in some manner, but I don't think they should be called sport.
3) Chess is a competitive game, not a sport. A football coach is leading the team that is competing in the sport. I am NOT saying that tactics and strategy are NOT part of a sport. They very often are.... but they are not required and having that one element does not make a game a sport. If so... CC is a sport.
4) F1 / NASCAR = Not Sports
5) I am ok with debating this point.

We also must acknowledge that sport should primarily be based on skill and tactics or strategy... but there is an element of luck in most (if not all) sports.

[jimboston]

What about bowling? It' is widely seen as 'not-a-sport', yet it matches a lot of criterias for sport.

Bowling is a sport... as is darts, and curling, and shuffleboard.

[jimboston]

WWE is not a sport, they don't even call themselves a sport anymore. They are sport entertainment, like the Harlem Globetrotters. That being said, I do consider those wrestlers to be athletes.

To clarify WWE is not a sport, but wrestling, as seen in the Olympics, for example, very much is a sport.

I agree with the nutjob.

[bedub1]

WWE is not a sport, they don't even call themselves a sport anymore. They are sport entertainment, like the Harlem Globetrotters. That being said, I do consider those wrestlers to be athletes.

To clarify WWE is not a sport, but wrestling, as seen in the Olympics, for example, very much is a sport.

I agree with the nutjob.

QFT

[AAFitz]

crotchy ball*

*Depending upon the rules you choose to follow.

[AAFitz]

I agree with the nutjob.

We know Jim. We know.

[natty dread]

Yes... I question whether or not NASCAR is a sport. I could understand arguments as-to why motorbike or sailing may be more of a sport... because a person does need to use some part of their body to there is activity involved. I threw these criteria out there for debate... so if more people agree with you we could adjust.

Well I don't know about NASCAR, but F1 drivers at least need to be in really good physical shape to withstand the G-forces etc. they are subjected to when driving a F1 car. So one could argue that physical activity is required in it at least as much as motorbiking... you need to be quite fit to even stay awake at the G:s of an accelerating F1 car.

How fast do NASCAR gars go?

[AAFitz]

Yes... I question whether or not NASCAR is a sport. I could understand arguments as-to why motorbike or sailing may be more of a sport... because a person does need to use some part of their body to there is activity involved. I threw these criteria out there for debate... so if more people agree with you we could adjust.

Well I don't know about NASCAR, but F1 drivers at least need to be in really good physical shape to withstand the G-forces etc. they are subjected to when driving a F1 car. So one could argue that physical activity is required in it at least as much as motorbiking... you need to be quite fit to even stay awake at the G:s of an accelerating F1 car.

How fast do NASCAR gars go?

200ish depending upon the track and conditions (188 is the average). Still though, fighter jets require even more physical stamina, but I wouldnt call dogfighting* a sport.
*The plane type, not the Mike Vick type.

I also wouldnt go so far as to say the drivers were not athletes, but I think some could certainly still drive without being athletes.
Being in shape does not necessarily define an activity as a sport, just as some sports are still sports even though you dont necessarily need to be in shape to play them.

It does open up the idea of speed boat racing, and sport plane racing, which to be honest when watching them...is hard not to consider them a sport.

I think the best answer is its a mechanized** sport, with a different classification, but probably no less a sport in the broadest definition of the word.

**Second time Ive used that word when responding to one of your posts.

[natty dread]

What was the first time?

Also, do you mean mph or kmh?

[safariguy5]

I think that before you can decide which or these are or are not a sport you must setup guidelines or define "what is a sport".

Here are my suggested criteria...
1) A sport must involve competition against another person... Or pit two groups against each other. There must be a winner and a loser.
2) The criteria by which a victor is determined must be objective.
3) A sport must involve some element of physical activity... It does not have to be strenuous, but you must use your body in some manner.
4) Tools (i.e. sticks, bats, gloves, shoes, skates, etc.) may be used... mechanical devices (i.e. bikes, sleds, etc.) may also be used, but these must be powered by the competitor not by external sources of energy.
5) Animals may be involved, but human competitors must have be at least X%(?) responsible for determining the victor. If the animal is the main determinable of victory, then it is really a competition between the animals.

Is this criteria agreeable?

I think that's getting somewhere, but there are still plenty of objections, and nuances too:

1) Ties should be possible (yeah- nitpicking)
2) I don't agree on this one. Expert judgement should also be allowed to play a part.
3) I think I'm mostly with you on this one, but then I do actually think chess is a sport, but it's tough to explain why. Perhaps the best way to explain would be to ask if you think an American football coach is really playing a sport when he calls plays, or if he's just managing sports players.
4) This one's tough. I think it depends on how much of an added bonus the design of the equipment gives. Formula 1 racing has a constuctors league as well as a points system for the drivers- good design is as important as driver skill (well- maybe not in terms of fame).
5) The relationship between the player and the animal is pretty key- I don't think many high level sports are either/or.

1) Yes nitpicking... maybe we should allow no ties. Play till you die.
2) This is (I THINK) the most important criteria. I do not consider things like gymnastics, or dancing, or synchronized swimmings "sports". They are athletic activities, they may be competitions in some manner, but I don't think they should be called sport.
3) Chess is a competitive game, not a sport. A football coach is leading the team that is competing in the sport. I am NOT saying that tactics and strategy are NOT part of a sport. They very often are.... but they are not required and having that one element does not make a game a sport. If so... CC is a sport.
4) F1 / NASCAR = Not Sports
5) I am ok with debating this point.

We also must acknowledge that sport should primarily be based on skill and tactics or strategy... but there is an element of luck in most (if not all) sports.

I think one of the major complaints against soccer is the ability for teams to tie. However, in playoff games, there are rules for breaking a tie (Extra time, penalty shootout). I have no problems with a sport that ends in a tie if there are certain rules that allow for breaking a tie under playoff or special conditions.