Sports vs. Activities

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

All right I just had this argument with someone so I figured it be an interesting topic. I stated I didn't believe Cheerleading was sport. Mainly because the main criteria for winning is someone's opinion. The same thing goes for Figure Skating, Diving, anything showmanshippy basically. My criteria for a "Sport" is to have a set scoring system that doesn't change really. To me basically because it's judged on Showmanship and that can vary between "judges" So there is no definitive scoring system. That's not to take anything away from the athletic ability required to do the activities I just don't think that they are "Sports"

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Well, you would have to remove boxing, MMA, and all X-game events as well if that's your main criteria. When I think of a sport, I think of something, an activity.. that is extremely difficult to achieve at a high level and only the best of the best could do and compete in.

Cheerleading is not a sport because of the judges really.. More so, it's not a sport because there's nothing performance wise that they do that any ordinary person couldn't do. So they do flips and learn routines? I understand it might be tough, but with enough practice, anyone could learn it.. just like dancing.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

I think Boxing is a teetering sport mainly because you can knock someone out and that's not anyone's opinion. It's a set and defined criteria. However when it comes to a decision then it's kinda ~_~

Freak

It's an age-old argument, but for me it comes down to two things: One, "activities" like figure skating and diving have been institutions in the world of sports for many, many, many years; and two, it takes an incredible amount of physical skill to do both.

There are obviously ethical dilemmas in any judge-based sport, as seen in figure the skating the past decade or so, but I have absolutely no problem calling figure skaters athletes. The stuff they pull off is incredible.