Athlete or Not? Ten Questions

[UConn Esq]

Bowler and golfer.

 

[Waquoit]

Last I heard, it isn't a competition.

So for you Dancing with the Stars is a sport.

 

[Waquoit]

What about "extreme sports" like skateboarding, BMX, motocross, inline, etc.?

Skateboarding, halfpipe, moguls, no. BMX, motocross, street luge, yes.

 

[babysheep]

So for you Dancing with the Stars is a sport.

Why can't competitive dance be considered a sport? Why can't competitive dancers be considered athletes? Have you seen what some of those crazy breakdancers can do?

 

[Fishy]

Sometimes, I read this board and I think I am being overly critical of the people here - there's just no way you're all stupid enough to actually cause my head to ache.

And then there's thread like this that just spirals into the abyss and I'm snapped back to reality - it's you, not me.

 

[Waquoit]

Why can't competitive dance be considered a sport? Why can't competitive dancers be considered athletes? Have you seen what some of those crazy breakdancers can do?

I have to close the loop. Dancers are athletes, dancing is not a sport.

 

[babysheep]

sport

   [spawrt, spohrt] Show IPA​

noun

1.​

an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess andoften of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis,golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

2.​

a particular form of this, especially in the out of doors.

3.​

diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime.​

 

[champs99and04]

Let's try to work towards one (or start a whole new debate, depending on your answer)

Would you say that those who play sports (however you choose to define "sport") are automatically athletes?

In technicality, yes. But when I think of an "athlete" I think of somebody who posseses the physical traits that define the term "athlete". As we've pointed out in this thread, there are many professinal athletes who have beer bellies but are able to play sports at the highest level because their positions do not require them to maintain top cardiovascular condition.

Tom Brady is obviously one of the best athletes in the world, but he's not an athlete in the same sense that Michael Vick is an athlete. Some people are able to play professional sports because they have one characteristic that sets them apart from the rest of the field. In the case of Tom Brady, it's the ability to read a defense and deliver a football with precision and velocity in the process of being hammered by three 250 pound men. That's an admirable skill, one that has made him famous. While he has to keep himself in adequate physiccal condition, I doubt he has the type of flexibility, speed, leaping ability, strength, hand-eye coordination, or agility you'd like to see in a prototypical world class athlete.

I don't have the nerve to say Tom Brady or CC Sabathia is not an athlete, because they obviously are in a fundamental sense. But to me, a truly remarkable athlete is a freak of nature, somebody like LeBron James who posseses several of the traits I listed above, and does not simply specialize in one area.

 

[babysheep]

In technicality, yes. But when I think of an "athlete" I think of somebody who posseses the physical traits that define the term "athlete". As we've pointed out in this thread, there are many professinal athletes who have beer bellies but are able to play sports at the highest level because their positions do not require them to maintain top cardiovascular condition.

Tom Brady is obviously one of the best athletes in the world, but he's not an athlete in the same sense that Michael Vick is an athlete. Some people are able to play professional sports because they have one characteristic that sets them apart from the rest of the field. In the case of Tom Brady, it's the ability to read a defense and deliver a football with precision and velocity in the process of being hammered by three 250 pound men. That's an admirable skill, one that has made him famous. While he has to keep himself in adequate physiccal condition, I doubt he has the type of flexibility, speed, leaping ability, strength, hand-eye coordination, or agility you'd like to see in a prototypical world class athlete.

I don't have the nerve to say Tom Brady or CC Sabathia is not an athlete, because they obviously are in a fundamental sense. But to me, a truly remarkable athlete is a freak of nature, somebody like LeBron James who posseses several of the traits I listed above, and does not simply specialize in one area.

Ah, but Brady and CC do essentially specialize in one area (in their respective sports)! In fact, that specialization is what, in my opinion, makes football the greatest, truest team sport in existence!

And you have to remember that the ultimate root translation of "athlete" comes from the Greek word that is used to describe someone who competes for a prize. I understand that that translation can (and probably does) force one to allow that certain participants in certain activities are "athletes" regardless of the physical intensity/scoring objectivity of said activity, and it may cause some kind of disagreement with one's self-determined definitions, but, I mean, that's where the word comes from. Can't really contest that.

PS I'm not contending the fact that Brady or Manning are elite athletes, I was simply using them as counter-examples to ruin someone's (either Waquiot of Frank Ivy, I forget at this point) sub-par trolling.

 

[ZooCougar]

You missed #11 Baseball Player, because that sport is about as athletically intense as any of those.

 

[prankster]

So having physical gifts that you only dream of isn't enough if they don't run in the game they are playing? Hand-eye coordination not important? Mental toughness overrated?

I guess all the alpine skiing events; downhill, slalom, and ski jumping; are all no longer sports, either....

But the three-legged racers of the world are now making last minute application to the Olympic Committee.....for inculsion in the London games.

 

[ZenConn]

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.

That's in case the offensive coordinatator wants to call a play and discuss how the pins are aligned defensively.

 

[Waquoit]

I guess all the alpine skiing events; downhill, slalom, and ski jumping; are all no longer sports, either....

The alpine skiing events where they race against the clock qualify. Ski jumping fails the test because the winner is based on judging.

 

[prankster]

Sailing? Archery?

 

[willie99]

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

yes to 6,7 & 10

2,3 & 9 on the fringe

1,4,5 & 8 are flat out no (I could still compete in these events and not get tired)

 

[babysheep]

I could still compete in these events and not get tired

We've pretty much already established that relative required physical exertion is not the way to determine if an activity is a sport. If it was, and I assume you would wager that a sport requires some kind of elite physical skill in strength, endurance and/or precision, then one could argue that elite death metal drumming would be not only a sport, but one of the most difficult.

 

[Waquoit]

Sailing? Archery?

Yes and yes.

 

[IMind]

I think you guys are dismissing how hard it is to be a pro-golfer. While it's not necessarily that demanding to go out and play 18 holes playing 72 holes of golf and walking all 72 holes over 4 days changes the dynamic completely. I'd say your average PGA/LPGA player is an athlete.

I competed in shot put, hammer, and discus in college... it's a sport and the people that do it at high levels are athletes. It's not just the fat guy you knew in high school. Even Danzz obscenely limited definition (I don't actually agree with it: power lifting/Olympic weight lifting is definitely a sport) would apply. The ability to move fast is very important. You basically are trying to move through a small space as quickly as possible especially where the hammer and discus are concerned.

I think you guys are getting too caught up in how athletic the participants are etc. There's a difference between being a great all around athlete and being insanely specialized at something. Take the Decathlon for instance... what you really have there is a guy that's actually pretty mediocre when you judge the individual sport against the pinnacle of that sport, but the Decathlete is probably more athletic overall than the people that specialize.

 

[Frank Ivy]

You guys are all playing with semantics.
All things discussed in this thread are competitions.
Many of the things are in the genre sports.
A few of the things mentioned involve athletes.

No, sorry, whirling in a circle and chucking a lead weight 20 yards does not make you athlete. You are a competitor, for sure, and you participate in a sport, probably, but no way in hell a 6/2 oaf who runs a 15.4 fifty and would need to hit a baseball past the outfielders to get to first base is an "athlete." No way, no how. Not by my definition, because, if we let that guy in, then pretty much just line up all the people on Letterman doing "stupid human tricks" as well.

Words associated with athlete - lean, muscular, endurance, flexibility, power, dexterity, quickness, body control, explosiveness, and so on. It suggests a person who, while excelling in at least one sport, could easily be very good at others.

Examples - Beckham could be a very good golfer, as could most soccer players. It's hard to imagine phil mickelson being very good at soccer, assuming he can run.

 

[babysheep]

"Athlete" already has a definition, so nobody cares how you define it. It comes from the Greek word meaning "competing for a prize," which, in case you forgot, in Greek times, included discus throwers. They started this little thing called the Olympics back then.

 

[babysheep]

So I guess ESPN thinks spelling is a sport

 

[uconnfan68]

So I guess ESPN thinks spelling is a sport

You mean facial contortions and mental gymnastics don't count?

 

[babysheep]

No, I mean ESPN must consider it some kind of sport if they're featuring all this stuff about it all day.

 

[ZenConn]

You mean facial contortions and mental gymnastics don't count?

Sure. Why not?

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=/watch?v=LqKTKUvbVsA&v=LqKTKUvbVsA&gl=US

Sent from my YP-G70 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Waquoit]

No, I mean ESPN must consider it some kind of sport if they're featuring all this stuff about it all day.

They used to show dominos. Not a sport.