Is Pool a Sport?

During an eight hour session he said he had walked 11 miles.
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Walking 1.3 miles per hours is incredibly slow... I think the average stride produces something like 4 mph and THAT is with no effort applied....just walking.

I'm not saying playing high level pool during all day sessions is not a grind,and extremely tough on the mind and body as days wear on...I'm just saying its not a sport.

To put it another way and to twist TXpoolnuts point a bit.....which would you rather do:

Play near perfect pool for twelve hours against strong competition? Or Ribbon Dance for twelve hours at near perfect levels against near perfect competition...everytime your opponent sat down, off you go to "dance". Which do you think would be more difficult to sustain? Why?

And which one isn't a sport?

Think about it.
 
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In my opinion a sport is anything, with skill, to where 2 or more individuals are competing..... Doesn't matter what it is...
 
Could anybody see Buddy ribbon dancing ???

Or Earl swiming with his ankle weights???

Pool is a great game, a game that most all of us adore dearly...... but you have to be trying to fool yourself if you acutally think it is an atheltic endeavor.

Long sessions are tough physically, but so is standing in one spot for 12 hours.... (actually the standing is harder)
 
Very interesting topic. I think what makes poker, curling, billiards, etc, a sport, is that it is a competition of wits. Much like in chess, it takes not only smart moves to win a match, but also a strong mental stamina. Instead of the physical competition most sports are, its a mental competition. Believe it or not, sometimes the physical and mental aspects are linked. Take racing for example. The drivers are expected to concentrate for hours, and thus they are expected to have the top health conditioning. You don't see many overweight drivers, most can do backflips from the top of thier cars.

With that said, I don't think pool will ever be an olympic event, atleast in this generation. I think it has a lot to do with the history of the game. The gambling, smoking, and drinking that was involved in the game. Even today, most pool tables are located inside bars or venues that serve alcohol. Tournaments are frequently hosted in casinos. Unless that changes, I don't see the olyimpic ever supporting this sport. Of course, the most important thing is the popularity of the sport, which could be doing a lot better.
 
As far as the driver question goes....

You try holding several 1000 lbs of metal being pushed into 30 degree banks, in 100 plus degree heat at 160 mphs for hours on end.

It aint easy by any stretch
 
Is pool a sport?

Pool did not conquer the only legal challenge it ever faced, when it comes to determining game-vs.-sport. The Federal Trade Commission expressly forbids any active athlete from endorsing any form of alcoholic product; nevertheless, the late Steve Mizerak was permitted to film his Miller Lite commercials at a point when he was still competitive at pool. For that to happen, the lawyers for Miller Brewing Co. and their ad agency and the FTC would all have had to agree that the Miz was no athlete and pool was no sport. GF
 
George Fels said:
Pool did not conquer the only legal challenge it ever faced, when it comes to determining game-vs.-sport. The Federal Trade Commission expressly forbids any active athlete from endorsing any form of alcoholic product; nevertheless, the late Steve Mizerak was permitted to film his Miller Lite commercials at a point when he was still competitive at pool. For that to happen, the lawyers for Miller Brewing Co. and their ad agency and the FTC would all have had to

Yep George, if ya gotta enough money and a good lawyer, can pretty much make anything your way.
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curling pool

Now maybe if curling was done on a big diamond 40x90 ice table and had 6 pockets you had to shoot the puck in it might start a whole new sport. I can see it now, brooms made by barry zamboti and southwest, and pucks made by belgin aramith. Curling one pocket would take a week to play. dont mind me im crazy today LOL


highrun55
curling 14-1 player
 
The first issue is what definition of "sport" you are advocating. The second issue is who needs to be convinced that definition is right.

You can generate immense amounts of interest and sponsor support if you are successful in marketing your "sport." Poker is a perfect example. IMO, calling poker a sport requires adopting a very liberal definition of "sport."

Even across the most widely recognized "sports" the criteria vary widely. For example, compare the myriad of "soft" Olympic sports with various "hard" professional athletics (boxing, football, baseball, hockey, etc.).

The pool world may never be successful in convincing the world that pool is a sport. But doing so is not necessary for pool to be popular and accepted. There are bigger issues our beloved sport faces...

-td
 
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