Unpopular Opinions (sports edition)

[Alps]

- Poker shouldn't be displayed on ESPN.

Preach it, brother!  Amen!

- If you fish as a sport or watch it, please seek help!

I forget now who said it:  Fishing isn't a sport, it's a form of alcoholism.

Throw bowling in there too. 

And no one should ever watch others bowl, fish, or play golf.

I grew up watching bowling. It's a sport. Just because you suck at it doesn't make it illegitimate.

[tchafe1978]

There are many sports where you don't have to be a great athlete to play them, bowling, fishing, and golf among them. I'd call those activities more of a sport than say, gymnastics or figure skating. Bowling, fishing, and golf your outcome at the end of the game or tournament is entirely dependent on your performance. Now gymnasts and figure skaters might be superior athletes to bowlers, fishers, or golfers, but the outcome of their competition isn't based purely on your own performance, it is based on judging, and therefore open to interpretation.

[kphoger]

There are many sports where you don't have to be a great athlete to play them, bowling, fishing, and golf among them. I'd call those activities more of a sport than say, gymnastics or figure skating. Bowling, fishing, and golf your outcome at the end of the game or tournament is entirely dependent on your performance. Now gymnasts and figure skaters might be superior athletes to bowlers, fishers, or golfers, but the outcome of their competition isn't based purely on your own performance, it is based on judging, and therefore open to interpretation.

I'm kind of confused by your take.  Could you succinctly say what's the difference between a sport and a non-sport activity?

[tchafe1978]

There are many sports where you don't have to be a great athlete to play them, bowling, fishing, and golf among them. I'd call those activities more of a sport than say, gymnastics or figure skating. Bowling, fishing, and golf your outcome at the end of the game or tournament is entirely dependent on your performance. Now gymnasts and figure skaters might be superior athletes to bowlers, fishers, or golfers, but the outcome of their competition isn't based purely on your own performance, it is based on judging, and therefore open to interpretation.

I'm kind of confused by your take.  Could you succinctly say what's the difference between a sport and a non-sport activity?

I was trying to say a non-sport activity is one where the outcome is based not solely on your own performance, like say bowling a higher score than your opponent. But one like gymnastics or figure skating where the outcome is based on a judge's opinion on your performance. Gymnasts and figure skaters are given ratings based on a judge's opinion, and there have been controversial results in the past based on judge's ratings in the Olympics. Bowling, or many other sports, your score is your score, and there is no disputing that.

[Scott5114]

There are many sports where you don't have to be a great athlete to play them, bowling, fishing, and golf among them. I'd call those activities more of a sport than say, gymnastics or figure skating. Bowling, fishing, and golf your outcome at the end of the game or tournament is entirely dependent on your performance. Now gymnasts and figure skaters might be superior athletes to bowlers, fishers, or golfers, but the outcome of their competition isn't based purely on your own performance, it is based on judging, and therefore open to interpretation.

I'm kind of confused by your take.  Could you succinctly say what's the difference between a sport and a non-sport activity?

I was trying to say a non-sport activity is one where the outcome is based not solely on your own performance, like say bowling a higher score than your opponent. But one like gymnastics or figure skating where the outcome is based on a judge's opinion on your performance. Gymnasts and figure skaters are given ratings based on a judge's opinion, and there have been controversial results in the past based on judge's ratings in the Olympics. Bowling, or many other sports, your score is your score, and there is no disputing that.

This would mean that chess is unquestionably a sport, and poker almost certainly is (while randomness is introduced into the process by the cards, the skill being tested is how to effectively manage that randomness, e.g. by choosing not to play when one receives unfavorable cards). 

[Roadgeekteen]

Chess is not a sport because it requires no physical activity.

[triplemultiplex]

Chess is not a sport because it requires no physical activity.

Same for racing automobiles.

[Scott5114]

Chess is not a sport because it requires no physical activity.

That could actually make it more competitive, though–how many skilled athletes are forced to retire because of injuries that make them unable to continue playing?

[formulanone]

Chess is not a sport because it requires no physical activity.

Same for racing automobiles.

Take away HVAC, throw in many more curves, remove 80% of the suspension movement, tackle turns at 2-4 times the forces of gravity, brake 3-4 times sooner, triple your typical commuting speed, make 50 gearshifts every 90 seconds, and compete against 20-40 others who want your job at the same time...just like your daily commute, right? You don't realize the best drivers get a good workout over the event because they're athletes.

[thspfc]

A sport is always a game, but a game is not always a sport. Chess and poker are games. They're not sports. I would make motorsports its own category, separate from regular sports.

[gr8daynegb]

And I'm thinking if they give competitive eating and spelling bee as much coverage as they do then I've alright with poker lol

[hotdogPi]

They used to show Magic: the Gathering tournaments between 1997 and 2000. The issue with that one is that not everyone knows how to play.

[texaskdog]

And I'm thinking if they give competitive eating and spelling bee as much coverage as they do then I've alright with poker lol

and cornholing

[texaskdog]

They used to show Magic: the Gathering tournaments between 1997 and 2000. The issue with that one is that not everyone knows how to play.

I don't know how to play poker

[JayhawkCO]

They used to show Magic: the Gathering tournaments between 1997 and 2000. The issue with that one is that not everyone knows how to play.

I don't know how to play poker

But much quicker to learn that than Magic: The Gathering.

Chris

[Alps]

And I'm thinking if they give competitive eating and spelling bee as much coverage as they do then I've alright with poker lol

Competitive eating is a sport. If you haven't done it, you don't get it.

[triplemultiplex]

Take away HVAC, throw in many more curves, remove 80% of the suspension movement, tackle turns at 2-4 times the forces of gravity, brake 3-4 times sooner, triple your typical commuting speed, make 50 gearshifts every 90 seconds, and compete against 20-40 others who want your job at the same time...just like your daily commute, right? You don't realize the best drivers get a good workout over the event because they're athletes.

Them drivers sure don't look like athletes.  Bunch of scrawny dudes who look they stepped out of your average cubicle.

[formulanone]

Take away HVAC, throw in many more curves, remove 80% of the suspension movement, tackle turns at 2-4 times the forces of gravity, brake 3-4 times sooner, triple your typical commuting speed, make 50 gearshifts every 90 seconds, and compete against 20-40 others who want your job at the same time...just like your daily commute, right? You don't realize the best drivers get a good workout over the event because they're athletes.

Them drivers sure don't look like athletes.  Bunch of scrawny dudes who look they stepped out of your average cubicle.

An adage from years ago was: "I remember when the drivers were fat and the tires were skinny." On the other hand, pro drivers of the past didn't need a manager/agent to help run their careers and schedules; they carried around their own nerves of steel.

[kphoger]

Take away HVAC, throw in many more curves, remove 80% of the suspension movement, tackle turns at 2-4 times the forces of gravity, brake 3-4 times sooner, triple your typical commuting speed, make 50 gearshifts every 90 seconds, and compete against 20-40 others who want your job at the same time...just like your daily commute, right? You don't realize the best drivers get a good workout over the event because they're athletes.

Them drivers sure don't look like athletes.  Bunch of scrawny dudes who look they stepped out of your average cubicle.

Yeah, unlike golfers.

[Billy F 1988]

I would make motorsports its own category, separate from regular sports.

Well, then, just call it "auto racing" or just "racing", period! Do we have to bitch and gripe about whether or not this one category is a sport or a game?! If chess is a game, call it a game. If E-Sports is not a sport, then call it gaming. If basketball is a sport, call it a sport. I mean, dadgum! Just call whatever that sport or game as it is! I thought that debate was settled years ago as to what certain activities would be known as, whether it's a game or a sport.

[1995hoo]

NASCAR isn't racing. It's racin'.

[SP Cook]

IMHO,

- Judged things, like gymnastics or figure skating are simply not sports.  Someone has decided that there is some "correct" way to turn a flip or roll about on the floor.  OK.  If that is a "sport" then someone could decide a "correct" way to unload a truck and judge that.  Not a sport.

- Motorsports are motorsports.  It is a different category all its own.

- Golf, tennis, bowling, et al, are certainly sports.  They meet every possible criteria for being a sport.  Just because a person does not look like a Greek statue does not make them not athletes.  Ever seen a football lineman? 

[Roadgeekteen]

NASCAR is boring and much worse than even baseball, tennis, or volleyball. The only sport less interesting is golf.

[texaskdog]

NASCAR is boring and much worse than even baseball, tennis, or volleyball. The only sport less interesting is golf.

What's funny is on TV the cautions are the most boring.  When you attend it gets really boring to where you want a restart to kick things up again.

[gr8daynegb]

NASCAR is boring and much worse than even baseball, tennis, or volleyball. The only sport less interesting is golf.

What's funny is on TV the cautions are the most boring.  When you attend it gets really boring to where you want a restart to kick things up again.

With all those I would always put "boring watching on tv", football in person to me is kinda boring.....on TV with all that extra stuff not boring

Guarantee for the driver NASCAR is not boring lol