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[misterqueue]

Golf would sure be more interesting if it were set to music and played in tutus, though.

If you could mix this with shots of bourbon and maybe pie throwing, I would actually attend and/or compete in this kind of a "sport".


maybe a little drunken golf carting.

[AlohaDawg]

I can't see putting figure skating in the same category as golf as far as physical prowess. Those women are Amazons. Don't let the outfits fool you. 

Golf would sure be more interesting if it were set to music and played in tutus, though.

The point is, they weren't always. All partici(trousers) in competition are amazons now so you have to kind of adjust for that.

The real question is where do you put bodybuilding?

[smick]

In a sideshow tent.

[Mite]

The point is, they weren't always. All partici(trousers) in competition are amazons now so you have to kind of adjust for that.

The real question is where do you put bodybuilding?

In with beauty pageants, I'd say. What about lumberjack competitions?

I hadn't actually heard that a few of these teams had moved. Coming from Minnesota, you learn that sports teams only break your heart, and then threaten to leave if you don't buy them things. If I'd wanted that, I would have just dated girls.

[KeithHernandez]

I've thought about this a lot and got into a lot of discussions about how golf is not a sport. (For golf to be a sport, we have to consider golfers - picture Tom Weiskopf or John Daly - athletes. I can't do it!)

John Kruk said himself, "I am not an athlete, I am a baseball player."  So yea, it is a pretty hard line to draw between sports and athletic competition.

Activities require more skill then physicality and intellect. (figure skating, golf)

Sports require more physicality than intellect and skill. (Boxing, track and field)

Games require more intellect than skill and physicality. (Chess, Scrabble)

Most things require a combination of the three (especially team sports) but one of the three usually prevails. Baseball is hard to classify, for example. Fielders mainly use skills, pitchers and batters use a combination of physicality and skill.

Baseball is very hard to classify in your system, but harder, maybe, is football.  I don't really like the game, but I have to say it is the ultimate test of all three of these skills (well, maybe boxing as well).  Depending on the position you must master at least two of these.  The quarterback must be reasonably physical, but hell of smart and skilled.  Receivers and running backs must be the same, but more physical (fast).  The linemen must be physical (strong), have intellect (know what holes to open for the running back, blocking schemes, etc.) and skill (the actual ability to block the defender).  They same goes on defense.  The linebackers are basically the quarterbacks, the defensive backfield the receivers and the defensive linemen the linemen. 

This got me thinking, where do you draw the line between skill and physical ability.  Most of the time one must have the physical ability to master the skill (or in bodybuiding, the other way around), most athletic activities are a mixture of both.


And I think bodybuilding is a mix between skill and physical ability.  The skill is just really easy to master, compared to the physical ability one must have.

[wombat]

The real question is where do you put bodybuilding?

On the beach!

[CortJstr]

If you could mix this with shots of bourbon and maybe pie throwing, I would actually attend and/or compete in this kind of a "sport".


maybe a little drunken golf carting.

I remember like 10 years ago seeing Speed Golf on TV. In addition to the regular rules you get 1 stroke for each minute over 30 (for 18 holes). The caddy may use a golf cart but the golfer can't. Throwing of clubs to/from a moving cart is encouraged.

[jough]

I remember Speed Golf and found it hilarious.  It's like cross country skiing, but with golf instead of shotguns.

Chess is actually pretty physical even if it doesn't look it.  Before tournaments I'd have to physically prepare for a few weeks and I was drained after any of them.

The best part about playing chess or concentrating really hard on anything is that I would pee a LOT.  If you're having trouble with fluid retension, I would highly recommend chess as a possible cure.  You have to play a long game and do a lot of mental analysis, though.  Blitz (speed) chess doesn't put you in the same kind of fugue state that the standard three minutes per move (average) does.  It's hard to concentrate on anything for up to six hours straight (two hours per side for the first forty moves, then one hour total each player after that, provided the game lasts that long).

Get into time pressure and you can really feel the physical strain of the game.

I still wouldn't call it a sport, though.

In the meantime, no team has moved into or out of Philly in my lifetime, but I still don't consider teams that didn't exist when I was a kid collecting baseball cards to be "real teams."

Rockies, Marlins, wha?

[Turbo Ninja]

Hey Jough -
As a resident of the greater Philly area (as far as I know), do you know if there exists a quick and/or easy way to get from the 30th Street Amtrak station to the new Phillies ballpark?

I suppose I coulda PM'd you with this one but that "Harrison Ford" guy has scared me away from that end of the pool for a little while.

[jough]

I don't know about directly from 30th St. station (although you probably can do it from there) but if you take one of the regional rail lines two stops up to Market East, you can take the Broad St. Line right down to the stadia.  It drops you off in front of the ball park.

[Turbo Ninja]

Thanks, Jough. 

[melack]

I suppose I coulda PM'd you with this one but that "Harrison Ford" guy has scared me away from that end of the pool for a little while.

What, not a fan of huge uncut Asian jerkboys?

Anyways, a few thoughts: I guess the Sonics move isn't as much of a foregone conclusion as I thought it was yesterday. It's still looking likely, but the new owner has come out and said he'd like to keep the team here if they get a nice arena built. The chances aren't good, but there's a chance.

As far as the sport/non-sport goes, it's a murky distinction. For example, ESPN is really fond of calling skateboarding and snowboarding "sports" during their X-Games circus. In fact, they go as far as to brand them "Action Sports". Me? I grew up with these two activities, and I'm pretty reluctant to call them sports, let alone AXXCTION SPORTZZZ. Much as I love basketball and baseball (and to a much, much lesser extent, football), I think skateboarding and snowboarding are far too spontaneous, personalized and creative of activities--while generally completely devoid of competition, aside form pusing oneself to improve--to  label as sports. In sum, I have no idea what the hell I'm saying. The distinction means different things to different people.

[AlohaDawg]

I think that when there is not head-to-head or head-to-clock competition for the win, but rather subjective judging (like in figure skating or gymnastics) I have more problems calling it 'sport'. So downhill skiiing is a sport, but freestyle aerials is not.

[CortJstr]

I think that when there is not head-to-head or head-to-clock competition for the win, but rather subjective judging (like in figure skating or gymnastics) I have more problems calling it 'sport'. So downhill skiiing is a sport, but freestyle aerials is not.

Indeed. But what about drivers? I guess there's some kind of endurance involved and definitely skill for things like motorcross.

Although I refuse to acknowledge the largest race circuit in the US until they change their name or revert their rules so that the name is no longer a lie.

[jough]

Equestrian is a sport, but only for the hoss.  The jockey/rider is little more than a passenger.