Athlete or Not? Ten Questions

[GemParty]

I've looked up formal definitions of (sport) (hobby) (athlete). Do you have to sweat? Must you keep score? This whole argument was focused on the Question.......is a Bowler an athlete?

So are the following Athletes by your standards? WHY???

1. a bowler

2. a golfer

3. a ping pong player

4. a dart player

5. a bocce baller

6. a jockey

7. a Nascar driver

8. a competitive Eater

9. an arm wrestler

10. a cheerleader

 

[Hoophound]

I've looked up formal definitions of (sport) (hobby) (athlete). Do you have to sweat? Must you keep score? This whole argument was focused on the Question.......is a Bowler an athlete?

So are the following Athletes by your standards? WHY???

1. a bowler

2. a golfer

3. a ping pong player

4. a dart player

5. a bocce baller

6. a jockey

7. a Nascar driver

8. a competitive Eater

9. an arm wrestler

10. a cheerleader

Golf, ping pong, cheerleader and maybe arm wrestler yes. The rest, no. All of the ones I listed played at a high level are very demanding athletically.

Race car driver is brutal at times too but I attribute that more to strength of mind and concentration. Those guys are fairly fit but I don't consider it "athletic".

 

[Frank Ivy]

Not one.
My use of athlete would be restricted to somebody who requires substantial cardiovascular conditioning to perform their "sport" and be at the top of their game.

 

[phillionaire]

Not one.
My use of athlete would be restricted to somebody who requires substantial cardiovascular conditioning to perform their "sport" and be at the top of their game.

Have you ever seen Tiger Woods before? Dude is ripped.

 

[babysheep]

Not one.
My use of athlete would be restricted to somebody who requires substantial cardiovascular conditioning to perform their "sport" and be at the top of their game.

Yeah, I'm sure Prince Fielder, CC Sabathia, etc. have great cardiovascular health.

I mean, a third of the guys pack cheeks in the middle of games.

 

[babysheep]

Depends on how you define "athlete," which, I would think, is ultimately affected by the definition of "sport"

Here's what dictionary.com says about "athlete":

noun​

a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involvingphysical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport,exercise, or game requiring physical skill.​

​

derives from the Greek word for "someone competing for a prize"​

​

so, basically, just about any activity can be considered a sport if there is some competitive aspect, and thus anybody participating in said sport is automatically an athlete. I think most people start to try to make a distinction when the alleged intensity level of the activity is lower than some arbitrary level that the person makes up themselves. Maybe one can judge athletes on their relative athleticism/overall athletic ability needed to be good at their sport (e.g. basketball vs. bowling), but they're all still athletes in the first place.​

 

[Husk-E]

Anything that makes you exert yourself and sweat should be considered an athletic sport. I'm not saying that other things shouldn't be sports, but the people that play them shouldn't be considered athletes.

 

[Frank Ivy]

Have you ever seen Tiger Woods before? Dude is ripped.

You seem to have confused "requires CV to be at the top of his game," with "one dude is ripped, so they're all athletes." By your logic, if one single billiard player was "ripped," all billiard players would be athletes playing a sport.

I also have to point out that "being ripped" is not relevant to being in CV shape. I have, at many times in my life, been on the "ripped" side of the spectrum without being able to run a 100 yard dash without being winded. Tiger Woods may be ripped. So what? Dude's heart rate is never over 85 during a tourni unless he's nervous. Not an athletic competition, as I use that word.

Golf does not require CV. Period. One look at Phil and his moobs (not anymore) in old masters clips shows you that. Also the fact that 50 somethings can challenge for the win.

Regarding BBall players - I'd have to say that there is a split. If all you can do is pitch, then you don't get the automatic "athlete" tag. You're a pitcher, you play a sport, but if your only talent is throwing a ball, you're not an athlete.

Meh. Who cares.

 

[babysheep]

Regarding BBall players - I'd have to say that there is a split. If all you can do is pitch, then you don't get the automatic "athlete" tag. You're a pitcher, you play a sport, but if your only talent is throwing a ball, you're not an athlete.

Meh. Who cares.

Careful what you say about Baseball players, lest you forget what happened in the Lacrosse thread.

Also, Fielder, Ortiz, Texiera (whatever), pretty much every first baseman doesn't just pitch and aren't in the best shape. There are a bunch of catchers that certainly don't have optimal cardiovascular health.

What about quarterbacks? Is Peyton Manning not an athlete? Tom Brady? Because pretty much all they do physically is throw a ball.

You really don't think things through very much before you post, do you?

 

[Bezzz]

I need to chime in regarding cheerleading. If you haven't ever seen a competitive cheer competition you have no business commenting. It's worlds away from high school and college sideline yay rah rah cheering.

My daughter just finished her 7th year of competitive cheer. Last year, her team went to NCA Nationals in Dallas and won their division --best of 21 teams. She trains harder than I ever did during my 13 years playing baseball including college varsity. Her teammates are ripped, many of them come from competitive gymnastics seeking the team experience. There is no doubt, they are athletes.

If you are so inclined, here is a video of her team competing --a level 4 team. Competitive cheer goes up to level 6 where the tumbling approaches olympic level dificulty. Ignore the hair bows and crazy music (which the girls love).

Central Valley Panthers, Plainville, CT

 

[Fishy]

I would say a bowler is an athlete - I'd say the same for the rest of the list as well. A run of the mill nitwit might not be athletic, but a top level golfer or bowler whatever is certainly doing something that most of us physically cannot do at that level.

I can hit a golf ball, but I can't get the club head up to 900 mph or whatever. I can probably roll a bowling ball down a lane, but I can't roll it at that velocity nor do so with whatever they do to make it curve and hit what they want.

Gonna reserve judgement on the dart guy though. General principle.

 

[Fishy]

Didn't see the competitive eater on there - they're not athletes, obviously.

Not sure swallowing 80 hot dogs a minute is a skill - it might make you some money at Coney Island one day a year. And perhaps more the rest of the year if you hang out down at the bus station...

 

[sledog]

Are the UConn cheerleaders ripped?????? Let's see the evidence!!!!

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Not sure swallowing 80 hot dogs a minute is a skill quote]

Frank Ivy begs to differ.

 

[joober jones]

There's actually quite a bit more that goes into competitive eating than what meets the eye.

 

[sledog]

Driving a car?? Even really fast?? Gimmee a break. They're all .

 

[Frank Ivy]

Not sure swallowing 80 hot dogs a minute is a skill. Frank Ivy begs to differ.

This is actually quite hilarious. I would have given you a like, excepting I couldn't in good conscience give that you tarded it up and still haven't, apparently, figured out how to use the "reply" button.

 

[Frank Ivy]

[Manning, Brady] Because pretty much all they do physically is throw a ball.

You must not watch much football.

 

[hoopsknowitall]

I would say a bowler is an athlete - I'd say the same for the rest of the list as well. A run of the mill nitwit might not be athletic, but a top level golfer or bowler whatever is certainly doing something that most of us physically cannot do at that level.

I can hit a golf ball, but I can't get the club head up to 900 mph or whatever. I can probably roll a bowling ball down a lane, but I can't roll it at that velocity nor do so with whatever they do to make it curve and hit what they want.

Gonna reserve judgement on the dart guy though. General principle.

I was on board with you on bowlers being athletes until a couple of years ago when I saw a guy bowling in the championship game with a cellphone attached to his belt.

 

[babysheep]

You must not watch much football.

I played quarterback for 5 years before and during high school. I know the position, and physically speaking, no, Manning and Brady don't do much more than throw the ball.

Do they scramble often? No
Do they throw blocks? Almost never
Do they catch? No
Do they tackle/play defense? Maybe twice a season after they get intercepted
And in between any of that, do they even do much running? No

What do you think QBs like Manning and Brady do?

 

[babysheep]

I was on board with you on bowlers being athletes until a couple of years ago when I saw a guy bowling in the championship game with a cellphone attached to his belt.

Yeah and didn't Jon Daly smoke on the golf course? Does that make him any less an athlete?

Didn't Babe Ruth eat during games? How do you think his cardiovascular health was?

 

[GemParty]

I love it, we've gone from Questioning bowlers to Tom Brady, Manning, catchers, pitchers, & Tiger.

 

[Huskies4ever]

I need to chime in regarding cheerleading. If you haven't ever seen a competitive cheer competition you have no business commenting. It's worlds away from high school and college sideline yay rah rah cheering.

My daughter just finished her 7th year of competitive cheer. Last year, her team went to NCA Nationals in Dallas and won their division --best of 21 teams. She trains harder than I ever did during my 13 years playing baseball including college varsity. Her teammates are ripped, many of them come from competitive gymnastics seeking the team experience. There is no doubt, they are athletes.

If you are so inclined, here is a video of her team competing --a level 4 team. Competitive cheer goes up to level 6 where the tumbling approaches olympic level dificulty. Ignore the hair bows and crazy music (which the girls love).

Central Valley Panthers, Plainville, CT

Wow, impressive! Thanks for sharing. I've always felt cheerleaders are athletes like gymnasts. I could never do a backflip.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

I played quarterback for 5 years before and during high school. I know the position, and physically speaking, no, Manning and Brady don't do much more than throw the ball.

Do they scramble often? No
Do they throw blocks? Almost never
Do they catch? No
Do they tackle/play defense? Maybe twice a season after they get intercepted
And in between any of that, do they even do much running? No

What do you think QBs like Manning and Brady do?

are you actually making the argument that Tom Brady is not an athlete?

 

[Fishy]

Wow, impressive! Thanks for sharing. I've always felt cheerleaders are athletes like gymnasts. I could never do a backflip.

I suspect gymnasts are the best athletes on the planet.

I would be maimed or killed attempting the easiest thing they do without even exerting themselves.