Sport or Activity?? (hint: swimming is a sport, diving is an activity)

Javery

Javery

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I'm sure at one time or another you have had this debate with a friend. Does X qualify as a sport or merely an activity? You could go on for hours arguing that Nascar is not a sport because the car "does everything" but you would be wrong - it's a sport. You could also argue that gymnastics is a sport because the athletes are in such good shape but you would also be wrong - it's an activity - it may be physically demanding and require talent but at the end of the day it's just an activity.

Confused? Not anymore!! Here is javeryh's be-all-end-all definition of what constitutes a sport and what is merely an activity! It's simple: If two people (or teams of people) are in direct competition with each other without the need of a third party judge, it's a sport. Examples include baseball (team with the most runs wins), golf (person with the lowest score wins) and weightlifting (whoever can lift more weight wins). If the activity in question requires a neutral third party judge to determine the scoring, it's just an activity. Examples here include gymnastics, diving and skateboarding.

Note that most every sport or activity require neutral third parties (umpires, referees, line judges, etc.) but for the most part in sports they do not directly determine the score. Also note the role of athletes within sports and activities: You don't have to be an athlete to play a sport (darts, bowling, and nascar come to mind) but you might have to be an athlete for certain activities (figure skating, diving and snowboarding - 1/2 pipe, not downhill - come to mind).

There are some that walk the line between sport and activity - boxing, for example, is clearly a sport (whoever knocks out the other guy wins) but what happens when the fighters go 12 rounds and the judges have to determine a winner? They just participated in a very tiring activity.

I hope this clears things up. :p
 
All it comes down to is the definitions you choose, though. If you think "sport" necessarily involves direct competition and "activity" necessarily does not, then, obviously, everything else you say follows. However, you have no basis for asserting these definitions, as far as I can tell. Which dictionary did you definitions come from? None, probably. From your head. These are your feelings on the definitions of "sport" and "activity" and nothing more profound or official than that.

By the way, I assume you consider chess and head-to-head Street Fighter to be sports, yes? Based on your definitions, and your acceptance of NASCAR?
 
[quote name='BigNick']I think a sport is anything that involves competition.[/quote]

Wow that is a broad definition. Could be true though.
 
[quote name='Franklin WI']By the way, I assume you consider chess and head-to-head Street Fighter to be sports, yes? Based on your definitions, and your acceptance of NASCAR?[/quote]

Yes. They are both sports - and as much as I hate nascar it too is a sport...
 
Olympic boxing is basically only decided by the judges.. so that makes it an activity? And no, chess is not a sport. Basically your definition is too flawed, its a good start.. but not there yet.

edit - From dictionary.com...

An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.

I think that sums it up nicely.
 
i dont know but he`s right about swimming not being sport you do it not to drown. What about bike riding? What do you guys see it as. I could see it as the same as swimming. You pedel to keep from falling to a side.
 
[quote name='Chris Dillon']i dont know but he`s right about swimming not being sport you do it not to drown. What about bike riding? What do you guys see it as. I could see it as the same as swimming. You pedel to keep from falling to a side.[/quote]

Actually you use opposing lateral motion forces to keep from falling to a side :)

However, swimming to keep from drowning is different from the using physical ability and skill to compete in a swimming race.. swimming is not a sport, swimming as far as racing is.
 
[quote name='Cornfedwb']Olympic boxing is basically only decided by the judges.. so that makes it an activity? And no, chess is not a sport. Basically your definition is too flawed, its a good start.. but not there yet.

edit - From dictionary.com...

An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.

I think that sums it up nicely.[/quote]

Damn you! This is exactly what I was thinking while reading the OP! :)
 
Bike racing is a sport, the bike trick competition is not - just like synchronized swimming is not a sport but the 400m swimming race is... the dictionary.com definition is not specific enough, IMO...
 
[quote name='javeryh']Bike racing is a sport, the bike trick competition is not - just like synchronized swimming is not a sport but the 400m swimming race is... the dictionary.com definition is not specific enough, IMO...[/quote]


The dictionary.com definition doesn't have glaring holes because it includes all sports. According to your definition olympic/amateur boxing is an activity while checkers are a sport. It just does not work.
 
Interesting article...(Don't know if I agree, but, whatever)

Personally I consider gymnastics and figure skating sports, because I participated in them. My voice teacher also calls singing a sport, because of the physical exertion...I don't know about that one.

This is a very open debate, methinks, and I think they need a more clearly offical stance on what is a sport and what isn't.
 
I must admit, I have CornFedwb's back 100% on this one. The OP definition is one of the most flawed definitions of a sport I have ever heard in the age old "what is a sport" debate.
 
[quote name='Cornfedwb'][quote name='javeryh']Bike racing is a sport, the bike trick competition is not - just like synchronized swimming is not a sport but the 400m swimming race is... the dictionary.com definition is not specific enough, IMO...[/quote]


The dictionary.com definition doesn't have glaring holes because it includes all sports. According to your definition olympic/amateur boxing is an activity while checkers are a sport. It just does not work.[/quote]

It does work, you are just having trouble separating the athletic ability of the participants from what is taking place...
 
Javery your definition is flawed. They just showed MathCounts, a math competition for preteens, on ESPN. By your definition, that would be considered a sport. The kids are asked questions, and the first to answer correctly gets a point. The brainiac with the most points wins.

Personally, I consider any competition with athletic ability a sport. The dictionary definition pretty much sums it up.
 
I would say that NASCAR is not a sport. Horse racing probably not a sport... Well, maybe for the horse it would be.

But if you wanted to call NASCAR a sport, you'd have to call horse racing a sport too.
 
[quote name='BigNick']I think a sport is anything that involves competition.

Track and Field is the best sprot ever.[/quote]

Were you one of those crackheads in highschool that supported marching band members getting varsity letters?
 
[quote name='WildWop'][quote name='BigNick']I think a sport is anything that involves competition.

Track and Field is the best sprot ever.[/quote]

Were you one of those crackheads in highschool that supported marching band members getting varsity letters?[/quote]

Hell no! Playing an instrument is not a sport. Track and Field is.
 
[quote name='dafoomie']I would say that NASCAR is not a sport. Horse racing probably not a sport... Well, maybe for the horse it would be.

But if you wanted to call NASCAR a sport, you'd have to call horse racing a sport too.[/quote]

I would call NASCAR a sport due to the fact that after 400-500 miles your arms have to be killing you and you are a complete pool of sweat. Also, I think I heard that the drivers lose like 3 pounds after each race.

Horse Racing is the same way. Both of these sports require smarts and a lot of strategy and strength to win
 
Though I don't like to admit it, horse racing and/or NASCAR is a sport.

For me, "sport" is a category with some members being better members than other. The "best" sports are what we all know and accept as sports (e.g. baseball, football, basketball, etc.) Then there are other "not as good members" such as horse racing, NASCAR, and even bowling.

Personally, for me, a sport has to have two things to be declared a sport:

1) It has to have some sort of competition, where a winner can be objectively declared

2) It has to involve some sort of physical exertion and/or skill.

I guess then according to that definition, even a game of Street Fighter (or any videogaming competition) could be considered a sport, albeit a "lesser" member of the "sport" category.

However, chess is definitely not a sport...no, not even speed chess.
 
Jeez guys... I cant believe someone posted this. This was gonna be my idea for my 1000th post contest, giving a list of 40 "sports" and telling me which ones are sports and which ones aren't

Well, I may still do this, but here are some of my feelings.

Ballroom Dancing and Curling are not olympic sports. They should be stricke nand removed form the olympics forever.
 
[quote name='magilacudy']Javery your definition is flawed. They just showed MathCounts, a math competition for preteens, on ESPN. By your definition, that would be considered a sport. The kids are asked questions, and the first to answer correctly gets a point. The brainiac with the most points wins.

Personally, I consider any competition with athletic ability a sport. The dictionary definition pretty much sums it up.[/quote]

What's wrong with a math competition being a sport? Whoever gets the most questions right wins - that makes it a sport. There's not much difference between that and racing a car - both involve quick thinking decision making but it's easier to say nascar is a sport because we are told so by the media...
 
[quote name='javeryh']What's wrong with a math competition being a sport? Whoever gets the most questions right wins - that makes it a sport. There's not much difference between that and racing a car[/quote]

There's a hell of a difference. Stephen Hawking may be one of the finest math minds in the world today, but I don't think he'd be much of an athlete. You can be good at math without having any physical ability at all.

Video games? I don't know, but I'd rank them ahead of chess, Scrabble, poker, and the like.
 
[quote name='javeryh'][quote name='magilacudy']Javery your definition is flawed. They just showed MathCounts, a math competition for preteens, on ESPN. By your definition, that would be considered a sport. The kids are asked questions, and the first to answer correctly gets a point. The brainiac with the most points wins.

Personally, I consider any competition with athletic ability a sport. The dictionary definition pretty much sums it up.[/quote]

What's wrong with a math competition being a sport? Whoever gets the most questions right wins - that makes it a sport. There's not much difference between that and racing a car - both involve quick thinking decision making but it's easier to say nascar is a sport because we are told so by the media...[/quote]

There is no physical exertion in a math competition as opposed to a NASCAR race
 
It amazes me that nobody here seems to recall the Carlin rant on this subject.

"Soccer is not a sport because there's dots on the ball. My rules, I make them up."
 
here... deciding to look up what some people have called sports, here is my list of NOT SPORTS

curling
ballroom dancing
spelling
math competition
poker
magic: the gathering
Bass fishing, expecially of the Extreme variety(anytime anyone calls a fisherman an athlete I have to correct them)
Bowling (I don't think this needs much explanation)

Margin Sports
NASCAR (pushing it, I still don't think they do a whole lot)
Horse racing of any sort (the horse I guess can be an athlete, the jockey doesn't do much though)
Ping Pong (they don't have to move much, I don't think it really is much of a sport)
Badminton (again, not enough court, I guess since I'm a tennis player I just find this and the one above me to not exert enough energy to be a sport)
Golf (just doesn't use much physical talent)

Basically, a lot of my non sports i listed, I believe anyone who is really overweight and yet can be a champion or high caliber (such as golf or bowling) makes it not a sport.
 
What makes NASCAR, poker, chess and the like sports is the need for long term focus. It may not look physical, but you have to be hyper aware to compete at the highest levels. All those sports test the endurance of the athlete. If you've been playing poker for over 12 hours, some aspect of your physical being is being tested.
 
[quote name='evilpenguin9000']What makes NASCAR, poker, chess and the like sports is the need for long term focus. It may not look physical, but you have to be hyper aware to compete at the highest levels. All those sports test the endurance of the athlete. If you've been playing poker for over 12 hours, some aspect of your physical being is being tested.[/quote]

Focus is not physical at all, its all mental. That's why they are all mental games, a game is not a sport. The only part of your physical being tested in a 12 hour poker game is your ability to flick your wrist repeatedly to toss in cards or chips.
 
[quote name='javeryh']
What's wrong with a math competition being a sport? Whoever gets the most questions right wins - that makes it a sport. There's not much difference between that and racing a car - both involve quick thinking decision making but it's easier to say nascar is a sport because we are told so by the media...[/quote]


While I dont understand your being told by the media point, nor your adherence to the idea that anything with straight up winners can be classified as sport (is the lottery a sport?) I do tend to agree that something depending totally on judges is more an activity. Although, gymnastics is closer to a sport than figure skating, as the judging is based more on specific elements and not artistic elements. Sure a judge can still f it up, but a "judge" can cause a major change in baseball, footballl, etc...
 
I personally don't believe running is a sport. At least at most levels of competetion. When it comes to Olympic level competition, there is a large amount of skill and strategy, but at most lower levels, it is basically all endurance and training. Running is the only thing that is considered a sport that all (able bodied) people can do without having to learn a new skill. You can say that all people can swim, but not the different strokes, it is more of just a dog paddle if you aren't taught.

And I'm sorry javeryh, just because you say something doesn't make it true. I'm sticking with the definition of a sport as a physical activity that is done competitively, even if that means that running has to be considered a sport.
 
Sports should be physical without the need for playing them for "over 12 hours".

Poker, while a mentally demanding game, is just a game, not a sport. Chess, while an uber-mentally demanding game, is just a game. I think you get the picture. I'm not trying to crap on "games" as being lesser. I have the utmost respect for a master poker player or a master chess player. They're just not athletes.

In any case, curling, ballroom dancing, bass fishing, and bowling are margin sports, but still sports. I may not consider participants in those sports as "athletes", in the common use of the word, but they're sports nontheless.

EDIT: Running may not be the most popular sport to watch, but in my mind, it is THE sport that started all sports. Running and Greco Roman wrestling. The basis for all future sports.
 
[quote name='Zoltek99']Running may not be the most popular sport to watch, but in my mind, it is THE sport that started all sports. Running and Greco Roman wrestling. The basis for all future sports.[/quote]

I think that a sport that is equal parts running and greco roman wrestling would be awesome.
 
[quote name='Tromack'][quote name='Zoltek99']Running may not be the most popular sport to watch, but in my mind, it is THE sport that started all sports. Running and Greco Roman wrestling. The basis for all future sports.[/quote]

I think that a sport that is equal parts running and greco roman wrestling would be awesome.[/quote]

Woohoo! It'd be like American Gladiators (the show)! :)
 
Actually poker causes the heart rate to go up and it's also about the ability to maintain a minimum of motion, i.e. not showing tells.

I've seen tournaments where they strapped heart monitors to the players and watched their reactions. Isn't an increase in heart rate a physical activity?
 
No, my heart rate goes up when I've just eaten 3 bean burritos and am having technical difficulties in the bathroom. That doesn't mean taking a dump is a sport.

The only physical activity present in poker is the moving around of cards and chips, and the competition of the game doesn't depend on the physical activity of moving chips and cards.

Poker is a great game, and requires a lot of mental toughness and acuity, but it's not a sport.
 
"Also note the role of athletes within sports and activities: You don't have to be an athlete to play a sport (darts, bowling, and nascar come to mind) but you might have to be an athlete for certain activities (figure skating, diving and snowboarding - 1/2 pipe, not downhill - come to mind). "
Click to expand...

I don't think some of you read the OP - what does physical exertion or athleticism have to do with determining what is a sport and what is an activity?
 
[quote name='javeryh']
I don't think some of you read the OP - what does physical exertion or athleticism have to do with determining what is a sport and what is an activity?[/quote]

It has everything to with sport, according to the dictionary's definition (from Cornfed's post):

An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.

Your definition is arbitrary. By your rationale, just because you posted it makes it true. You could've posted that buying cheap games was a sport, or even posting on a message board was a sport. That does not make it true.

That's what dictionary definitions are for, and what people go by. Until your definition makes it into a reference book, you can write all you want about what makes up a sport, but until then it is just your opinion.
 
[quote name='magilacudy']An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively. [/quote]

My definition fits that exactly. Everything the hunman body does involves some sort of physical exertion - even if you are just standing still. If anything, I think my definition is a little more precise because you can classify anything that involves competition as a sport or merely an activity. Of course this is all IMO...
 
No it doesn't. Exertion is not just any normal physical body activity. It's about "strenuous" physical activity above and beyond normal physial activity. In fact, according to dictionary.com, it's:

The act or an instance of exerting especially a strenuous effort.

with exerting's definition being:

To put (oneself) to strenuous effort

In any case, as magiculacudy (and others) pointed out...physical exertion is definitely important in distinguishing between a sport and an activity.

The reason we might/might not be taking note of the original post (or at least the reason I'm not) is because it states that figure skating, diving, snowboarding etc. are just activities (as opposed to sports), when, in fact, they actually are sports and their participants are athletes.
 
I found this on ESPN.com Page 2 today, it reminded me about this thread...

Q: I've come up with a legitimate rule to determine whether or not a given activity is a sport. If a girl who's say, at least a B cup DOESN'T need a sports bra in order to participate, it's NOT a sport. This definitely rules out activities such as bowling, billiards and golf. (The only exception here is for sports that take place in water, as the swimsuit acts as a sports bra.) Note that this can only be applied to eliminate activities as sports -- there are definitely activites out there that require a sports bra but aren't sports -- like say, jump rope. Otherwise, I think it works well. What are your thoughts?
--Elizabeth M., Munter, Ga.


SG: I like any sports definition that relies on sports bras and cup sizes to succeed. You need a few more guidelines though:


1. If you can smoke and/or drink while you're competing, it's not a real sport.


2. If you don't need to shower after you're finished competing, it's not a real sport.


3. If judges are deciding the winners and losers, it's not a real sport.


4. If competing at a world-class level means you have to give up your childhood, as well as eating three times a day, having a menstrual cycle, having body hair and breasts, and being taller than 5-foot-3, it's probably not a sport.


5. If you're wearing a shirt that has your name written on the front pocket in script writing, it's not a real sport.


6. If one of the announcers for the sport spawns questions from viewers like, "Hey, is that Ant from 'Last Comic Standing'?" and "Wait a second ... is he crying?", then it's probably not a real sport.


So I'm with you, Elizabeth. Some things should be called "sports," other things should be called "competitions." Both sides can operate under the same sports umbrella ... we just need to remember the difference between the two.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I agree with all those rules, but it's good for a laugh. :D
 
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