DISQUS

introspective snapshots: When a Sport Isn’t a Sport (and no, Figure Skating isn’t a sport)

  • Ehren Cheung · 1 year ago
    Personally I enjoy the NHL and NFL most. I think this is a good fun post Shey but I don't know if your criteria works perfectly ;) I think your key missing criteria is that there must be physical exertion of force or energy.

    Otherwise, I could say that I believe chess is a sport (despite the fact that I don't play). It requires skill (i.e. use of strategic thinking) and using brain power requires energy. It has opposing teams and it incorporates non-subjective scoring with the enforcement of rules. Chess also goes beyond a nation's borders.

    Same could be said of video games which also incorporates opposing forces, brain power, winning/losing sides, enforceable rules, acquired skills, and also that multiplayer games transcends borders. Many teams of video game players train a heck of a lot and plot out team strategies just as teams in the mainstream sports do (i.e. NFL!).

    Ehren Cheung's last blog post..The Meaning of Life On Twitter
  • Shey · 1 year ago
    If Chess is a sport, then where do you draw the line? Are card games sports? Hearts, Bridge, Spades are all card games that require strategic thinking (of course nowhere near the level of Chess).

    I think a sport involves a combination of both intellectual and physical battles — the complete athlete must possess both the hard skills and the soft skills.

    Chess is a great game, but I don't think it's a sport. It's completely intellectual. Which is great for a game, but not a sport in my opinion.
  • Hockey Picks · 10 months ago
    What defines an athlete? Is someone who plays a professional sport considered a professional athlete? It's difficult to make a comparison between, say John Daly (Golf) and Peyton manning (Football). Although I would consider all items on your list a sport, I would not consider all players within those sports athletes.
  • golf · 9 months ago
    Yeah your list is awesome! I would add only one sport i.e. Cricket! you really have to look at the popularity of Cricket, i am sure you will find it appropriate in this list!