What is not a sport?

[s_morrison57]

To me golf, darts and hunting are not sports, game and hobby - yes but sports - no

[URY914]

Define "sport"

[yetibone]

Billiards, bowling, and card games too.

So, why would ESPN broadcast such things instead of, say, WRC, or Rally America Series? Are fat bowlers, or expressionless poker players more marketable for advertisers than motorsport, or stick-and-ball sports?

[widgeon13]

All those folks that stand around watching pros on the course every weekend might disagree with you. Is F1 racing a sport? Unless you are E. Hemingway what difference does it make?

Golf is not a team sport but from my perspective, it's a sport and has been for centuries, more so than baseball. Probably not up there with gladiators but still a sport in my book.

Go out and try to play the game. Most people who don't play or can't play find it silly to chase a ball around a field. I find it silly for 8 grown men to stand around and wait for a ball to be hit to them.

[sailchef]

Originally Posted by s_morrison57

To me golf, darts and hunting are not sports, game and hobby - yes but sports - no

That's not very sporting of you.

[msk1986911]

Not from a reliable source as Wikipedia, but from the Internet nonetheless!

sport (spôrt, sprt)
n.
1. a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
b. A particular form of this activity.
2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation.

I guess it what constitutes "sport" is in the eye of the beholder...

[Turbo_pro]

In a free market, profit dictates content.
Golf, poker, Nascar are all big earners. Viewers determine whether a channel has what they want and if their "sport" is not offered they will go elsewhere.
There is a plethora of activities on sports channels that I would label sleep enhancement rather than entertainment but to each his own.
Hunting a sport? Ski a few miles with a rifle on your back then try to control your breath to shoot accurately, that sounds sporting.

[Dueller]

Simple...if you don't have to change your socks to get a beer it ain't a sport.

[URY914]

Any activity where you have a clear "winner" as in the first to cross the finish line or he who scores the most points or has the best score, those would be sports.

Now the term "Athlete" is another question.

[bell]

Originally Posted by URY914

Any activity where you have a clear "winner" as in the first to cross the finish line or he who scores the most points or has the best score, those would be sports.

Now the term "Athlete" is another question.

damn.....so all those quarters i spent beating my friends in mortal combat was actually a sport? i thought i was being rebellious LOL

[Rick Lee]

Mark my words - one day video games will be Olympic sports, probably Guitar Hero and Rock Band.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

George Carlin addressed this years ago - correctly.

[70racing]

Auto Racing, Bullfighting and Mountain Climbing are the only real sports....All Others Are Games . - Ernest Hemingway

[mattdavis11]

I don't think many experience golf, they just play it as an activity. It's been awhile, but the calendar has a date, and I'll be a sore sob the next day.

I'm already trying to marginalize the damage by studying where I'm playing as well as thinking about hiring a fore caddy. It's a scramble, maybe I won't have to putt. Hopefully, I can root 'em on from the cart this time and the team will produce! I hate having to make 20 footers.

[Nathans_Dad]

Originally Posted by yetibone

Billiards, bowling, and card games too.

So, why would ESPN broadcast such things instead of, say, WRC, or Rally America Series? Are fat bowlers, or expressionless poker players more marketable for advertisers than motorsport, or stick-and-ball sports?

You could make a very good argument that bowling is more of a sport than sitting behind the wheel of a car...

[tangerine911S]

Originally Posted by yetibone

Billiards, bowling, and card games too.

So, why would ESPN broadcast such things instead of, say, WRC, or Rally America Series? Are fat bowlers, or expressionless poker players more marketable for advertisers than motorsport, or stick-and-ball sports?

Technically billiards is a stick a ball sport. Boring as hell, but just sayin...

[on2wheels52]

"Technically billiards is a stick a ball sport. Boring as hell, but just sayin..."

Calling pwd72s

Jim

[Talewinds]

Originally Posted by 70racing

Auto Racing, Bullfighting and Mountain Climbing are the only real sports....All Others Are Games . - Ernest Hemingway

This is the correct answer to the question.

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by sailchef

That's not very sporting of you.

...Exactly.

This is why I do not consider 'Ultimate Fighting' a sport. It is not very sporting to punch a man when he is down. Certainly not punch him lots of times when he is already dazed.

Fish in a barrel, anyone?

[emcon5]

Originally Posted by URY914

Any activity where you have a clear "winner" as in the first to cross the finish line or he who scores the most points or has the best score, those would be sports.

By this definition Yahtzee is a sport.

Originally Posted by Nathans_Dad

You could make a very good argument that bowling is more of a sport than sitting behind the wheel of a car...

Nobody who has raced would make that argument.

Originally Posted by Paul K

This is why I do not consider 'Ultimate Fighting' a sport. It is not very sporting to punch a man when he is down. Certainly not punch him lots of times when he is already dazed.

Yeah, much more sporting to give him a number of standing 8 counts, so he can get dazed a bunch of times.

Fish in a barrel, anyone?

Well, he had to get put in the barrel to begin with.