04/20/24
February 14, 2004
The votes are in(conclusive): GOLF is A SPORT (14-2) however we have a TIE as to whether or not GOLFERS ARE OR ARE NOT ATHLETES (8-8).
So we've solved nothing.
=next week's challenge inside=
posted by forksclovetofu to navel gazing at 01:59 AM - 36 comments
No, Skateboarding is NOT a sport, as you have no way of telling whether one person is better than another without resorting to some sort of judge. Skateboarders are atheletes however (well the good ones anyway).
posted by BigCalm at 04:37 AM on February 14, 2004
When was there a vote for Golf being a sport?! Golf is NOT a freakin' sport! Its an activity, like putting model planes together.
posted by StarFucker at 05:28 AM on February 14, 2004
Not a sport - its just an exhibition event, really Not athletes, really.
posted by dng at 06:49 AM on February 14, 2004
not and no.
posted by jerseygirl at 09:12 AM on February 14, 2004
SKATEBOARDING: SPORT SKATEBOARDERS: ATHLETES
posted by jasonspaceman at 09:40 AM on February 14, 2004
Maybe and yes. Actually, let's go with no and yes, given the need for judges.
posted by yerfatma at 09:42 AM on February 14, 2004
So gymnastics is not a sport, nor is figure skating or snowboarding? Both of those need judges to tell the difference between elite athletes. Sport and athlete. Anyone who's done it knows that it's a grueling physical activity governed by a set of rules and regulations, which is the definition of sport.
posted by dfleming at 09:46 AM on February 14, 2004
For now and forevermore, golf IS a sport but I'm damned if I know if golfers are athletes. You people are too damn complicated. In the event of a tie, don't you get to cast the deciding vote, forks?
posted by dng at 09:52 AM on February 14, 2004
Sport: I'm too old to answer Athlete: Wouldn't want to run into one of these guys in a dark alley
posted by billsaysthis at 10:59 AM on February 14, 2004
starfucker: this would be the second time you showed up late and complained that the previous vote was incorrect and then didn't vote on the issue at hand. I sense a pattern. dng: I removed myself from voting, as the awful power to declare (let's say) golfers athletes (or not) is too intoxicating for this frail mortal form. The sweet taste of that raw tyranny could corrupt my mind, nay: MY VERY SOUL! Besides I'm very busy with my two hundred issue Thor reading marathon. You'll excuse me.
posted by forksclovetofu at 12:58 PM on February 14, 2004
So gymnastics is not a sport, nor is figure skating or snowboarding? No, not in my book, and I'd go so far as to exclude boxing most of the time, though I freely admit that that's not the point of view of most people.
posted by BigCalm at 02:17 PM on February 14, 2004
Well, boxing would be a sport if it wasn't fixed.
posted by dng at 02:53 PM on February 14, 2004
ZING! Skaters: Not athletes, but amazingly skilled. Ever watched the Xgames or anything similar? Most of them can't keep their wind for the 60 seconds they have to score points: slackers turned quasi pro athletes. Ya gotta luv it. Skateboarding: Definitely. So is surfing, snowboarding, skiing, etc.
posted by garfield at 03:34 PM on February 14, 2004
I agree with you, BigCalm. Skateboarders: Not athletes. Skateboarding: Exhibition.
posted by scully at 03:38 PM on February 14, 2004
I agree with the Viler, except on the boxing which is a sport despite the judges. I know it ain't consistent, but that's just the way I feel. So.. Sport - No Athletes - No.
posted by squealy at 06:18 PM on February 14, 2004
sport: no athletes: no
posted by goddam at 06:35 PM on February 14, 2004
SKATEBOARDING: SPORT SKATEBOARDERS: ATHLETES Some of the shit those kids do takes as much skill and athletic ability as other activites that nobody would question their sportitude. And as for judges, I don't think that's a good enough arbiter of sportitude, because of boxing, which is so clearly a sport as to (IMHO) render any argument to the contrary ridiculous.
posted by vito90 at 07:47 PM on February 14, 2004
OT: Vito, did you ever get my email from like a week ago? But seriously Vito, "render any argument to the contrary ridiculous" and IMHO cannot logically exist in the same sentence, has to be either or so shit or get off the pot.
posted by billsaysthis at 08:04 PM on February 14, 2004
Here is the best way to judge what is a sport and what isn't... Activities where you go head to head against an opponent = Sport Activities where judges sit around and GIVE you points for your performance = NOT a sport
posted by StarFucker at 08:17 PM on February 14, 2004
fucker, that makes darts a sport. And skating is much more of a sport than throwing darts.
posted by garfield at 11:33 AM on February 15, 2004
Yeah bill - shit man I'm sorry I didn't respond - LAZY AS HELL, me. Those are just clippings and memorabilia from that year's World Cup, they don't hold any value for me, you are welcome to keep them or pass them along with the book...thanks for asking!
posted by vito90 at 11:50 AM on February 15, 2004
garfield, stop stealing fork's future argument topics!
posted by billsaysthis at 12:51 PM on February 15, 2004
Boxing can't count as a spor,t not just because it involves judges, but because said judges have repeated been found to not be on the up-and-up. The French judge in the last Olympics makes it difficult to trust skating offofficials too. The latter, skating, is an exhibition conducted by people with great skills, but its not a sport. If it were, the best of the best certainly wouldn't be doing Ice Capades after their amateur status expired. And technical knockout? Excuse me? You're either out cold or not.
posted by scully at 01:00 PM on February 15, 2004
NOT A SPORT ATHLETES
posted by mbd1 at 06:05 PM on February 15, 2004
Skateboarding isn't a sport and even if the boarder is fit and kicks ass, they aren't athletes. I mean, they don't do rigerous training and most are just dope smoking teens, anyway. (just kidding)
posted by aacheson at 06:08 PM on February 15, 2004
Not a sport. Athletes.
posted by Bryant at 06:28 PM on February 15, 2004
Not a sport. It's an art, like dancing and figure skating. Anything that has the phrase "artistic impression" or "level of difficulty" involved in it can NEVER be a sport. Skaters are athletes.
posted by grum@work at 08:00 PM on February 15, 2004
ok, this might be a first, but I'm going with the exact opposite of my first vote. Skaters are athletes, in their own kinda dope smoking way. But its not a sport, and most skaters wouldn't want it to be anyway.
posted by garfield at 12:39 AM on February 16, 2004
judging by this discussion, can I put my vote in for doing Boxing/Boxers sport/athletes next week?
posted by BigCalm at 02:58 AM on February 16, 2004
Not a sport. Athletes.
posted by MeatSaber at 09:55 AM on February 16, 2004
Not a sport, atheletes, and CORRUPTING TODAY'S YOUTH! Kidding, kidding.
posted by Succa at 11:13 AM on February 16, 2004
big: i was just thinking the same thing.
posted by forksclovetofu at 02:35 PM on February 16, 2004
did we do bowling? surfing? shuffleboarding/shuffleboarders! hot dog eating contests/hot dog eating contestants! barrelling down niagra falls/naked men wearing barrels with just suspenders! channel surfing/channel surfers!
posted by jerseygirl at 02:54 PM on February 16, 2004
by the way, I missed it last week, but: ATHLETES: Not a friggin' chance. If John Friggin' Daly can pick up more than $800K for lugging his big ass around the links (nothin' but love, John — big fan with his own big ass), athleticism is not a primary factor. SPORT: Absolutely. The muscle memory and coordination is key to being successful. It just means that guys who aren't necessarily athletic in the traditional sense (i.e. built like Gabe Kapler) can still compete. Plus, it's each man competing on an easily understood and non-judgemental scale.
posted by wfrazerjr at 04:10 PM on February 16, 2004
see fraze, if you had been here a few days earlier, we'd have a succinct answer. Now golfers are in an Athlete/nonathlete limbo and the Pope cries himself to sleep. It hurts my soul.
posted by forksclovetofu at 06:56 PM on February 16, 2004
For now and forevermore, golf IS a sport but I'm damned if I know if golfers are athletes. You people are too damn complicated. Meanwhile on to our next challenge: SKATEBOARDING: SPORT or NOT A SPORT? SKATEBOARDERS: ATHLETES or NOT ATHLETES? Let's get a clean answer on this one, eh?