What sport is not a sport?

Agentgonzo · Dec 11, 2024

Clint said:
Match fishing fits that criteria.

Standing there doesn't really require physical exertion.
Physical exertion, raised heart rate is what I'm meaning.

If you get all sweaty in match fishing (I don't know what it is) then yes, I'd say it was a sport.

Clint · Dec 11, 2024

Match fishing can be intense. The top anglers are really good at what they do....mostly sitting down.

Agentgonzo · Dec 11, 2024

Clint said:
mostly sitting down.

Then nope. Not a sport IMO. A competitive game, yes. Like chess.

Clint · Dec 11, 2024

Chess...sitting down. Perhaps they should run in circles round the table.

Clint · Dec 11, 2024

Boat driving...nope.

Stu · Dec 11, 2024

Appleton Brews said:
Most American sports.

The what now?

Ice Hockey isn't a sport? I mean, how far do you want to exert your body and need physical attributes before it stops being a game?

See also American Football.

As for Baseball, to a point, I suppose. However, look up Tommy John surgery. I mean, it's hardly Crown Green Bowling.
And also look how hard they hit balls. It's not darts.

Stu · Dec 11, 2024

I'm loving that people are enjoying their golf wandering about without any physical exertion.

Have you lot every actually played it? It's not like Snooker where meh, anyone can hit a snooker ball cleanly (I'm not saying it doesn't need skill to be doing 147 breaks, but literally anyone can hit a ball straight)

If you think y'all can drive a ball 300 yards without even trying. I'd absolutely love to see it

Same with F1 drivers. Blimey, you're exerting yourself at 5 times your bodyweight round a track for an hour and a half. Many drivers lose several pounds during a race.

I'd go further about the exertion. Another question for me would be.....

"Could you do this game without injuring yourself?"

Things that aren't a sport (for me)..... these are pastimes or games
Darts
Bowling
Snooker/Pool
Croquet

I'll think of some more...

Agentgonzo · Dec 11, 2024

Stu said:
I'm loving that people are enjoying their golf wandering about without any physical exertion.

Have you lot every actually played it? It's not like Snooker where meh, anyone can hit a snooker ball cleanly (I'm not saying it doesn't need skill to be doing 147 breaks, but literally anyone can hit a ball straight)

If you think y'all can drive a ball 300 yards without even trying. I'd absolutely love to see it

Yes, I've played a fair bit of golf. Been over 300 yards a few times, normally in summer when the ground was dry and a following wind. Hence why I'm sat on the fence. It requires some exertion, but doesn't exactly work up a sweat. I'd accept the argument either way.

sifty · Dec 12, 2024

Motor and motorcycle racing has some of the fittest athletes on the planet competing. There's a reason it's called motorsport...

The strength, conditioning and reflexes of top competitors are astounding. I think the heart rate is around 200bpm for extended periods, in tremendous heat while wearing helmets and flameproof clothing ...

It's really not tootling round in circles like someone driving down the shops in a corolla...

Chippy_Tea · Dec 12, 2024

Stu said:
If you think y'all can drive a ball 300 yards without even trying. I'd absolutely love to see it

You don't drive 300 yds every time you hit the ball that's why I lean towards game rather than sport.

An Ankoù · Dec 12, 2024

For me, the competitive element has to be directly against an opponent, whether individually or in teams. So match fishing isn't a sport as the fish is not the opponent and there is no physical competition directly against the other competitors. So golf, racing, tossing the caber, darts etc are not sports while wrestling, football, judo, fencing, etc are. Tennis and cricket, too, are sports as the wicket is just an extension of the batsman, which he has to defend.
Marathon isn't a sport no matter how many compete, it's just personal endurance training.
The Olympics is the Olympic Games even though it might contain a few sports.
That's what I think, anyway, innit!
Otherwise entering your beer in a homebrew competition might be deemed a sport.
I have this idea that sport originates from ancient, tribal times as a way of keeping warriors battle-fit when there were no real battles to fight. But I do get some weird ideas now and again.

foxy · Dec 12, 2024

Clint said:
Match fishing can be intense. The top anglers are really good at what they do....mostly sitting down.

Sport is competing against one or more contestants, match fishing is the ultimate because not only is one pitting their wits against other anglers but the fish as well.
One could say gardening isn't a sport, but sport is a competition. Gardeners compete for a trophy then it becomes a sport. Ask Medwyn Williams. He likes to win.

Rodcx500z · Dec 12, 2024

Guy Martin of Isle of Man tt fame discribed football as 22 blokes kicking a bag of wing round a field in their underwear, Ian Wright said of Dennis Bergkamp if the pitch was covered in snow he would leave no foot prints

Agentgonzo · Dec 12, 2024

An Ankoù said:
For me, the competitive element has to be directly against an opponent, whether individually or in teams.

I'd not thought about it like that before, but it's a nice distinction that fits naturally with what fits "as a sport" in my mind. Nice. I'm trying to think of a counterexample and can't come up with one, which is normally a good sign!

Laner · Dec 12, 2024

Rodcx500z said:
Your right it's more, i only realised this after i played a links course, there were some holes were your tee shot had to be 150-200 yards just to get on the fairway, i once managed 68 2 under at Haigh hall Wigan on the belcarres 18 holer

The golf course at Haigh Hall spoils a nice park

Northern_Brewer · Dec 12, 2024

Agentgonzo said:
Clint said:

mostly sitting down.

Click to expand...

Then nope. Not a sport IMO. A competitive game, yes. Like chess.

So by that measure cycling and rowing, generally regarded as the two competitive activities that demand the highest all-round aerobic fitness, are not sports. Tell Chris Hoy and Steve Redgrave that they're not sportsmen...

And other Olympic activities that involve sitting down are sailing, kayaking and equestrian - wasn't it the jibe a few Olympics ago that all GB's gold medals were won sitting down?

Then there's the whole debate about whether sports should have an objective measure of success - who has the highest score or quickest time etc (the "Faster, Higher, Stronger" of the Olympic motto), or whether "subjective" activities with judges like boxing, figure skating, diving, gymnastics and ballroom dancing are sports too.

Agentgonzo · Dec 12, 2024

Northern_Brewer said:
So by that measure cycling and rowing, generally regarded as the two competitive activities that demand the highest all-round aerobic fitness, are not sports.

. Well done in deliberately misconstruing what I had said athumb..

"sitting down" isn't what I would use to determine whether it's a sport. It's the "requires physical exertion". I was using "mostly sitting down" in the case of fishing to mean "requires no physical exertion". Rowing/cycling obviously do require significant physical exertion, even though they are sitting down.

Chippy_Tea · Dec 12, 2024

Northern_Brewer said:
Tell Chris Hoy and Steve Redgrave that they're not sportsmen...

Special shoes for cycling so it's a sport for me

Agentgonzo · Dec 12, 2024

Chippy_Tea said:
Special shoes for cycling so it's a sport for me

You need special shoes (waders) for fishing. Still not a sport

hoppyscotty · Dec 12, 2024

for me its the original olympic ideals...further, faster, stronger. Anything that fits into one or more of those is basically a sport. But some sports have been ruined by professional cheating such that they are now no longer a sport and more about exploiting loopholes in rules to win by any means other than actually playing the sport...I'd put football (proper football) in this category now. Cant watch it, just a pitch of 22 overpaid cheating B'startds these days.

What sport is not a sport?

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