People don't even know what it takes to wield a stick at a cue ball properly or they wouldn't dismiss the athleticism it takes to perform such a demanding movement.
if Pool is a sport, then define "sport'
- Thread starter smashmouth
- Start date
People don't even know what it takes to wield a stick at a cue ball properly or they wouldn't dismiss the athleticism it takes to perform such a demanding movement.
Hide and seek is more of a sport than pool. Don't get me wrong, I love pool to death and it takes an amazing amount of talent, hard work and control of your mind and body, just like golf... But (to me) not a sport. It takes zero athletic ability to play pool. Swinging your arm in pool is a very similar motion to beer pong and darts.
I didn't notice anyone saying that pro football players aren't athletic so I'm not sure why you're wandering off in that direction.
As to your other "point"- battering someone half your weight isn't a test of strength. It's a test of weight. If I remember correctly, lighter Olympic lifters lift almost twice as much as heavier Olympic lifters as a ratio of body weight to lift weight. It can be looked up.
Then why can't everyone play at a high level?
Lighter Olympic weightlifters in terms of body weight to lift weight can lift much more than heavier Olympic weightlifters. The lighter ones are stronger.
An Olympic weightlifter 2/3 the size of these football players you mention could probably lift just as much if not more.
The last American to win an Olympic Gold Medal for weightlifting was Paul Anderson in 1956. He lifted the same weight as his opponent but won the medal because he also had a lower body weight. Go argue with the Olympic committee.
You say, "Most NFL players not severely overweight can dunk so you're way off base here again". It looks like you're adjusting your earlier statement to exclude overweight NFL players, however that's defined.
A more accurate statement might be, "Some NFL players can dunk a basketball." Football players are tall and I could be wrong but I'd like to see your list of NFL players who can dunk and a calculation of what percentage it represents of all NFL players.
It can be done that way, but thats too easy and the result is a lot of wasted energy.
By your definition anything that has to do with running is a sport. Speed pool would be a sport. It would be more of a sport if you allow your opponent to jump on the table to guard you from your next shot.
How did we get away from the original discussion of whether pool is a sport? We defined "sport" in the first three posts, shouldn't that be the end of it?
You have competitive sports, like soccer and tennis, where your opponent is on the field or court with you and attempting to stop you.
You have individual sports, like bowling and golf, where you play for your own score and compete against your opponent's score.
Then you have crazy sports like billiards and curling, where you and your opponent alternate turns, and your opponent's actions can affect your score, and vice versa.
If your physical dexterity is a determining factor in the game, and the game is not played through a joystick or controller, it's a sport. That's why chess and poker aren't sports, and beer pong is.
If you really want to have a discussion about which is the BEST sport, or the most ATHLETIC sport, be my guest, but this thread is way off base.
You have competitive sports, like soccer and tennis, where your opponent is on the field or court with you and attempting to stop you.
You have individual sports, like bowling and golf, where you play for your own score and compete against your opponent's score.
Then you have crazy sports like billiards and curling, where you and your opponent alternate turns, and your opponent's actions can affect your score, and vice versa.
If your physical dexterity is a determining factor in the game, and the game is not played through a joystick or controller, it's a sport. That's why chess and poker aren't sports, and beer pong is.
If you really want to have a discussion about which is the BEST sport, or the most ATHLETIC sport, be my guest, but this thread is way off base.
DEFINITION OF SPORT:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=sport
1) Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and
often engaged in competitively.
2) A particular form of this activity.
3) An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a
set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
4) An active pastime; recreation.
DEFINITION OF GAME:
1) An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime: party
games; word games.
2)
a) A competitive activity or sport in which players contend with
each other according to a set of rules: the game of basketball;
the game of gin rummy.
b) A single instance of such an activity: We lost the first game.
c) GAMES: An organized athletic program or contest: track-and-field
games; took part in the winter games. [like the Olympics]
d) A period of competition or challenge: It was too late in the game
to change the schedule of the project.
3)
a) The total number of points required to win a game: One hundred
points is game in bridge.
b) The score accumulated at any given time in a game: The game is
now 14 to 12.
4) The equipment needed for playing certain games: packed the children's
games in the car.
5) A particular style or manner of playing a game: improved my tennis
game with practice.
[there are more meanings to "game" but they are not relevent]
DEFINITION OF HOBBY:
1) An activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation
and engaged in primarily for pleasure.
Therefore pool is a sport, game or hobby based on how seriously the individual playing it takes himself
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=sport
1) Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and
often engaged in competitively.
2) A particular form of this activity.
3) An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a
set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
4) An active pastime; recreation.
DEFINITION OF GAME:
1) An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime: party
games; word games.
2)
a) A competitive activity or sport in which players contend with
each other according to a set of rules: the game of basketball;
the game of gin rummy.
b) A single instance of such an activity: We lost the first game.
c) GAMES: An organized athletic program or contest: track-and-field
games; took part in the winter games. [like the Olympics]
d) A period of competition or challenge: It was too late in the game
to change the schedule of the project.
3)
a) The total number of points required to win a game: One hundred
points is game in bridge.
b) The score accumulated at any given time in a game: The game is
now 14 to 12.
4) The equipment needed for playing certain games: packed the children's
games in the car.
5) A particular style or manner of playing a game: improved my tennis
game with practice.
[there are more meanings to "game" but they are not relevent]
DEFINITION OF HOBBY:
1) An activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation
and engaged in primarily for pleasure.
Therefore pool is a sport, game or hobby based on how seriously the individual playing it takes himself
Last edited:
So, all sports are games....but not all games are sports.
THAT CLEARS THINGS UP.
Why debate this anyway? Game or Sport, thats why we're here. Because we love it.
THAT CLEARS THINGS UP.
Why debate this anyway? Game or Sport, thats why we're here. Because we love it.
This isn't a definition? Perhaps it isn't the best definition, or one you agree with...but it *is* a definition.
Actually, you couldn't be more wrong. The definition of intellect is specifically *not* intrinsic to my definition of a sport:
My definition only requires that there is *physical skill*. Let me know if you need a definition for that too. (I'm serious...not trying to be sarcastic).
Actually I think it is indeed fairly easy to define. "Intellect is the capacity or operation of the mind to store, recall, process, or otherwise operate on information, generally with respect to problem solving or other specifically mental endeavors." How's that work for you? I had a double major of philosophy and psychology in college. I graduated summa cum laude. I can assure you that I have spent LOTS of thought (over $100k worth
) on the matter of the definition of "intellect". My position is in no jeopardy of changing as a result of a few more minutes of thought on the matter.I guess I would suggest you read my posts a little closer...it seems like you missed some key ideas.
In any case, great conversation!
KMRUNOUT
Very good point...I think ballet dancers are amazing athletes. However, I don't think I would call ballet a sport, because I think it also requires that there is some kind of contest or competition involved. Great example though.
KMRUNOUT
To be fair, he definitely did say that strength *or* speed was required. This means you can have one and not the other and still be considered a sport by his definition.
KMRUNOUT
Absolutely false. Sit in your chair motionless and report back how many balls you run.
KMRUNOUT
Hmmm
OK, "clearly" says no sport and the Int'l Olympic Committe says sport. Nothing personal, buy your opinion is just that, but when we have the largest and oldest international sporting event in the world stating that billiards is a sport, than we no longer have opinions, now we are dealing in facts.
Please provide your evidence so that we may consider your opinion :grin:
SO some folks don't think it is a sport, that is fine. I mean, some folks don't believe we landed on the moon. Again, with hard cold facts that it is a sport, and yet we still have non-believers !!
OK, "clearly" says no sport and the Int'l Olympic Committe says sport. Nothing personal, buy your opinion is just that, but when we have the largest and oldest international sporting event in the world stating that billiards is a sport, than we no longer have opinions, now we are dealing in facts.
Please provide your evidence so that we may consider your opinion :grin:
SO some folks don't think it is a sport, that is fine. I mean, some folks don't believe we landed on the moon. Again, with hard cold facts that it is a sport, and yet we still have non-believers !!
Last edited:
Perhaps you haven't read the whole thread, but I figured you would have at least read your own post, #71 in the thread:
I was specifically addressing this idea. I didn't "wander" anywhere. Just following you :smile:
Regarding your assertion about light strong guys vs. heavy strong guys: One of them is stronger. Strength is the *measure* of the ability to generate force. The guy who can lift 500 lbs is stonger than the guy who can lift 400 lbs. Their own weight is entirely irrelevant, unless you happen to be talking about *strength per pound of body weight*. That is a different thing. Referring to *any* Olympic weightlifter as "weak" sounds absolutely absurd to me.
KMRUNOUT
hmmmm
Yep.... I always wondered why I can't break like JA or SVB, or jump with a full cue like Earl, or hit a ball with enough juice to spin it four rails for perfect position.....
Football is a sport, yet some of those guys are some of the biggest fat arses I ever done seen before.. They are athletes....Earl could give them guys the 4 in a 100 yard race or the three is a race of 5 miles (Earl runs 5 miles every day)
The only difference is Earl could go shoot pool afterwards and the football players would be asking for oxygen.
(and yes they are still athletes and football is still a sport, i'm just making a little example here)
Yep.... I always wondered why I can't break like JA or SVB, or jump with a full cue like Earl, or hit a ball with enough juice to spin it four rails for perfect position.....
Football is a sport, yet some of those guys are some of the biggest fat arses I ever done seen before.. They are athletes....Earl could give them guys the 4 in a 100 yard race or the three is a race of 5 miles (Earl runs 5 miles every day)
The only difference is Earl could go shoot pool afterwards and the football players would be asking for oxygen.
(and yes they are still athletes and football is still a sport, i'm just making a little example here)
I think some of you missed the post that made this thread worthwhile.
It's like........a violin and a fiddle are the same instrument.....
...it just depends on the manner in which it is played