Sport or game
- Thread starter bobroberts
- Start date
Why? Is it somehow better if it is considered a sport rather than "just" a game?
I see aspects of sport in pool without question, and according to most dictionary definitions it qualifies as such. But a part of me considers a sport to be a game that is played by athletes. When I walk into the typical pool room and look around at who's playing pool I wouldn't usually confuse them with those that play hockey, for instance. Except of course, for the fighting. :grin:
I just doesn't particularly matter to me that much either way. I love the game, er sport, uh whatever.
According to Webster's Dictionary; Pool is not a sport, but a game. If you folks who think it's a sport want to make up your own definition, knock yourselves out.
From Merriam-Webster online:
According to #1a I submit it qualifies. Of course, according to #1b so does sex.
And from Dictionary.com:
Given the example of fishing and bowling, pool qualifies under this definition too. And it certainly does under #3. Take your pick.
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From Merriam-Webster online:
According to #1a I submit it qualifies. Of course, according to #1b so does sex.
And from Dictionary.com:
Given the example of fishing and bowling, pool qualifies under this definition too. And it certainly does under #3. Take your pick.
Then is One Pocket a sport? Nine Ball, or Eight Ball? What about Three Cushion, or Caroms? Are they sports?
I believe that Pool is actually a misnomer, in as much as it originates from the gathering, or pooling of wagers, and that if any sport is involved it should be called the 'Cue Sports', which encompasses all of the afore mentioned games.
I'm not arguing with you, my friend. I guess I'm just saying that a dictionary definition doesn't settle anything. Probably the reason the dictionary has such an all encompassing view of what is sport is exactly to include the vast array of peoples idea of what it is.
I'm not really caught up in how people want to label it. It's certainly not hockey, baseball, tennis or basketball. But it is also more sport than bowling, fishing, or archery. To me anyway.
I would like to thank everyone who voted and or stated their opinion on this subject.
After reading all the comments, I have decided it is a sporting game. There really wasn't any wrong answer.Besides it doesn't matter what we call it as long as we all enjoy playing it.That's all that counts really.
After reading all the comments, I have decided it is a sporting game. There really wasn't any wrong answer.Besides it doesn't matter what we call it as long as we all enjoy playing it.That's all that counts really.
It's a sport if your a full time pro....if your on the other side of the food chain it's a game.
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Good Lord! You mean we went through all of that for nothing? Well now I am depressed. I think I'll go to the poolhall and see if anyone wants to shoot a few sports of One Pocket. :wink:
how about "he's got a good solid game"? >_<
I love words and such but I can't vote in this, words "mean" what they gradually evolve to mean in common usage. Even the dictionary isn't a final arbiter of these things. If enough people come to call it a sport then it won't matter what definition or criteria we all come up with. And if only a few people are willing to call it a sport then it doesn't matter how closely it seems to match the textbook definition of sport.
I love words and such but I can't vote in this, words "mean" what they gradually evolve to mean in common usage. Even the dictionary isn't a final arbiter of these things. If enough people come to call it a sport then it won't matter what definition or criteria we all come up with. And if only a few people are willing to call it a sport then it doesn't matter how closely it seems to match the textbook definition of sport.
That would say then, that the Field games of Track and Field are games. e.g.; High jumping, pole vault, discus, shot put, etc.
No that would be considered a profession.:grin-square:
Hmmmm
Well, that makes no sense. You can be an athlete and not that physically fit. Anyone know any fat baseball or football players ?? Heck, Babe Ruth drank beer before games and ate "many" hotdogs during the game. Being physically fit will help an athlete, but it sure does not guarantee success otherwise I would have been drafted out of college !!!
Other sports that are sports but not as physically taxing; but they all require great amount of skill, with hand eye coordiantion and mental toughness, to be very good. If I play "board games" I will get good at them,,, but nobody is going to turn me into a javilen thrower. Just like nobody is going to turn someone with bad eye hand coordination into a very good pool player.
shooting
archery
bowling
Javelin
golf
darts
shot put
ski jumping (yeah, the top guys are fit, but a fat guy coud do it, he just won't go as far because of aerodynamics)
A game requires no physicall skills. A blind man can play in the WSOP. If I play chess and have a grand master telling me what piece to move, I'm going to kick some serious A**,,, but in pool, if Efren tells me what shots to shoot, I still have to make them and get position. And have nerves not to dog it with money on the line or league championship on the line !!!
PS: Billiards has been submitted for Olympic inclusion for many years. If it were a game, it would not even have been considered. Yeah, it most likely may not ever make it, but a lot of sports have not been included or have been booted out.
I'll bet a great majority who say it is a game are really not very good players or are very young to begin with because they would know what it takes to play at a higher level. PS: I didn't say "everyone" but a great majority before the flamers starting hitting me to hard....
Back in its hey day in the US, the billiards results were in the sports section, not the baking or any other section in the paper. Why does not an APA 5 move up to a APA 7 quickly. I know many 5's that will NEVER ever be a APA 7, because they just don't have the skill set to do it,,, eye hand coordination, timing, touch, mental toughness. They just can't draw the cue ball well, they don't break well, they can't get the cue ball to things that other top players can no matter how hard they practice....
Well, that makes no sense. You can be an athlete and not that physically fit. Anyone know any fat baseball or football players ?? Heck, Babe Ruth drank beer before games and ate "many" hotdogs during the game. Being physically fit will help an athlete, but it sure does not guarantee success otherwise I would have been drafted out of college !!!
Other sports that are sports but not as physically taxing; but they all require great amount of skill, with hand eye coordiantion and mental toughness, to be very good. If I play "board games" I will get good at them,,, but nobody is going to turn me into a javilen thrower. Just like nobody is going to turn someone with bad eye hand coordination into a very good pool player.
shooting
archery
bowling
Javelin
golf
darts
shot put
ski jumping (yeah, the top guys are fit, but a fat guy coud do it, he just won't go as far because of aerodynamics)
A game requires no physicall skills. A blind man can play in the WSOP. If I play chess and have a grand master telling me what piece to move, I'm going to kick some serious A**,,, but in pool, if Efren tells me what shots to shoot, I still have to make them and get position. And have nerves not to dog it with money on the line or league championship on the line !!!
PS: Billiards has been submitted for Olympic inclusion for many years. If it were a game, it would not even have been considered. Yeah, it most likely may not ever make it, but a lot of sports have not been included or have been booted out.
I'll bet a great majority who say it is a game are really not very good players or are very young to begin with because they would know what it takes to play at a higher level. PS: I didn't say "everyone" but a great majority before the flamers starting hitting me to hard....
Back in its hey day in the US, the billiards results were in the sports section, not the baking or any other section in the paper. Why does not an APA 5 move up to a APA 7 quickly. I know many 5's that will NEVER ever be a APA 7, because they just don't have the skill set to do it,,, eye hand coordination, timing, touch, mental toughness. They just can't draw the cue ball well, they don't break well, they can't get the cue ball to things that other top players can no matter how hard they practice....
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Hmmmmm
Yeah, and a one handed guy use to play the outfield in the pros. And a one handed guy use to pitch in the pros. And some folks were blind in one eye that made it to the top of their game in their sport against two-eyed folks. I'll bet there are a quite a few double amputee folks that can attach two prostethis to their legs and kick my ass in a race every day and twice on sunday.
The wheel chair players are great and they still get to play a sport... but they have not won any championships in any non-wheel chair events that I'm aware.. so I believe they do have a disadvantage, but does not mean any non wheel chair guy is going to win.
Yeah, and a one handed guy use to play the outfield in the pros. And a one handed guy use to pitch in the pros. And some folks were blind in one eye that made it to the top of their game in their sport against two-eyed folks. I'll bet there are a quite a few double amputee folks that can attach two prostethis to their legs and kick my ass in a race every day and twice on sunday.
The wheel chair players are great and they still get to play a sport... but they have not won any championships in any non-wheel chair events that I'm aware.. so I believe they do have a disadvantage, but does not mean any non wheel chair guy is going to win.
Hmmm
SO everyone that plays baseball, football and hockey as a hobby, it is therefore just a game and not a sport?? Really?? I've been playing baseball for 40 years and play on an over 45 league, so I'll have to let my teammates know that no longer a sport because they don't do it professionally, even though we actaully play harder (not better) than 80% of the pros on the planet !!!!
SO everyone that plays baseball, football and hockey as a hobby, it is therefore just a game and not a sport?? Really?? I've been playing baseball for 40 years and play on an over 45 league, so I'll have to let my teammates know that no longer a sport because they don't do it professionally, even though we actaully play harder (not better) than 80% of the pros on the planet !!!!