main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

What is sport?

Discussion in 'Archive: The Arena' started by Skiara , Nov 16, 2006.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Skiara

    Skiara ~• RSA FFC •~ star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2002
    There are various things that are belonging to sports like wrestling, boxing, horse riding, yoga, chess and so on. But how do you define sports?

    Does chess or formula 1 belonging to sports? If you play chess, do you say you do sports? How about boxing or horse riding? How about other sports that I haven't mentioned above?

    What's your view on this topic?

    (I'll tell your mine later. :) )
     
  2. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    Well, my most basic, off-the-back observation is that sport has to involve people working in either groups or alone competing against other people (group or individual), but in a friendly manner always.
     
  3. George_Roper

    George_Roper Jedi Knight star 7

    Registered:
    May 1, 2005
    Has to involve athletics. Chess is not a sport.
     
  4. ObiWan506

    ObiWan506 Former Head Admin star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 5, 2003
    So is WWE out for you then?
     
  5. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    So is WWE out for you then?

    Blast! I knew I was leaving something out! :oops:

     
  6. Skiara

    Skiara ~• RSA FFC •~ star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2002
    Coruscant, does chess belong to sport for you then?



    My view about sports is that there are different views about it. My personal view is that everything that can be physically exhausting and is for fun is sport. And I'm pretty sure I forget something in this very short describtion. ;)
     
  7. ObiWan506

    ObiWan506 Former Head Admin star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 5, 2003
    Yeah, I'd agree. But what if we categorized it more? There could be physical sports and mental sports; sometimes even both. Games like Chess are a sport to me. It's a game, just not a physical one. It's strategic and takes concentration. I like that.

    Physical - Any activity that pits an individual, or team, against another opponent in physical competition.

    Mental - Any activity that pits an individual, or team, against another opponent in mental competition.

    Sports in general - Competition involving one, ore more, individuals fighting against each other in a variety of different rigorous activities.
     
  8. Everton

    Everton Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Jul 18, 2003
    Agreed. It's a game. To me there are activites that can only be classed as games, and activites that are both games and sports.

    Darts is a game. Chess is a game. Hungry Hungry Hippos is a game. None are sports.

    There seems to be a general idea that if an activity is robbed of the title 'sport' and stuck with 'game' or 'pasttime' it's somehow of lesser status. This is not so. Sport, Game... these are merely labels.

     
  9. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    No, I wouldn't say chess is a sport, Skiara.

    I think sport requires spectacle. Games don't have that same spectacle.
     
  10. ObiWan506

    ObiWan506 Former Head Admin star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 5, 2003
    What's the spectacle in Golf, Tennis or Bowling?
     
  11. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    I like that distinction between physical and mental sports.

    I don't really know how I'd define "sports" in a broad manner, but a basic summary: I haven't generally considered Chess a sport, (although I love playing) but if we make that physical/mental distinction, it would definitely make it in under the mental category; I don't consider NASCAR/other car racing events sports, though horse racing I do consider a sport (for the record, I don't care for either, so its not a "I like horse racing but not car racing so thats how I'll define it" thing, and I also recognize that NASCAR and the like does require skill and talent, not to mention concentration); I consider boxing and wrestling sports at least in part because of how they date back to Greek and Roman times, and as a classics major, I've studied about them then.

    Oh, and I don't consider cup-stacking and poker sports, either. Sorry, ESPN.

    I think some of what I define sports is going to change, probably. After I figure out a definition.
     
  12. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    What's the spectacle in Golf, Tennis or Bowling?

    Golf: big, big, big golf course. Can't just set up a board and say "Your move, chocolate." :p

    Tennis: a ping pong table writ large, but no longer just a game.

    Bowling: it requires that you go to bowling alleys because you can't merely just set up a bowling alley (unlike a ping pong table) in your home.
     
  13. Everton

    Everton Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Jul 18, 2003
    If you define Chess as a Mental Sport, then you must also include Scrabble and Monopoly in the same category. To me, that's ridiculous.

    Sport must have a large element of physical endeavour. Not necessarily in terms of how the scoring works (Cricket and Golf rely on the mathematical possibilities for their drama), but in terms of elements required to participate.
     
  14. ApolloSmileGirl

    ApolloSmileGirl Jedi Knight star 8

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 2004
    I've never played gold(except mini) and bowling has always seemed kind of questionable, but Tennis is a very athletic sport.
     
  15. ObiWan506

    ObiWan506 Former Head Admin star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 5, 2003
    So then are we defining sports by fan perception or athletic perception? To some, Tennis and Golf are boring to watch but awesome to play. Same is true with Chess.
     
  16. rhonderoo

    rhonderoo Former Head Admin star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 7, 2002
    I would classify both golf and bowling as a sport. They both require concentration and some form of physical prowess/skill that looks way easier than it is.
     
  17. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    So then are we defining sports by fan perception or athletic perception?

    I don't see why it has to be restricted to just one of two.

    Agree with the roo ^.
     
  18. NorCalBirdz

    NorCalBirdz Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 28, 2004
    For something to be a sport I think it must fulfill two requirements.

    1. Constant physical exertion
    2. A highly developed skill or skills of some sort.

    Things like Golf, Bowling, and Auto Racing usually fill one criteria but not the other.
     
  19. rhonderoo

    rhonderoo Former Head Admin star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 7, 2002
    Golf and bowling require more phyisical exertion than it appears. I've taken golf lessons and still can't swing a club to save my life. Bowling.... how many of you bowl 300 when you bowl? Or even 200? There are professional bowlers (considered athletes just like a football player) that can do it all the time. Plus, you lift a 13+ lb. ball every few minutes.
     
  20. ObiWan506

    ObiWan506 Former Head Admin star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 5, 2003
    It's hard to get even a check position against a Chess champion too. I can't do it.

    So where is the line drawn between sports and "just another hobby"?
     
  21. Everton

    Everton Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Jul 18, 2003
    Yeah. Being able to swing a Golf Club once is one thing, but over and over and over again. The body will be taking hits.
     
  22. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    If you define Chess as a Mental Sport, then you must also include Scrabble and Monopoly in the same category. To me, that's ridiculous.

    Scrabble, definitely. Monopoly is a bit more of a stretch, IMO, but I'll concede that too.

    And I definitely consider golf a sport.

    EDIT: And I think golf falls under both Physical and Mental, certainly.
     
  23. Everton

    Everton Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Jul 18, 2003
    It's very hard to draw the line. I can take up Golf as a hobby, but I'm still playing a sport. I can take up Chess as a hobby, but I'm not. I'd say 'hobby' is a term defined by the level of professionalism being displayed, and not suitable for use in dividing up activities into sports and non-sports.
     
  24. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    I'd say 'hobby' is a term defined by the level of professionalism being displayed, and not suitable for use in dividing up activities into sports and non-sports.

    Definitely agree with that. Sports can be hobbies, but hobbies are not necessarily sports (obviously).
     
  25. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    Okay, then, so it appears that the major point of discussion here is whether or not "games of a purely mental nature" should be considered sports. We can choose to divide sports into two: physical and mental-only, OR, that there must be a physical element.

    here's a question to consider... can a one-man physical activity be considered a sport? Like whacking balls at the driving range? Solitaire (if you believe mental-only an be a sport)? Weightlifting? I personally say no. Competition must be involved.

     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.