Since the Winter Olympics are going on, and there’s so much discussion about what is and is not a sport, I thought this was as good a time as any to post this. I’ve thought about the question for literally years… and have decided that it is impossible to draw a line and say, “the things listed on this side of the line are sports, and the ones listed on this side of the line are not sports.”
There are just too many gray areas. There are too many questions that don’t have good answers. For example…
If you say, “Anything where the winner is decided by a judge is not a sport.” then is boxing not a sport?
If you say, “Any activity where you sit on your ass for four hours is not a sport.” then is wheelchair basketball not a sport?
If you say, “Any activity where David Wells/Craig Stadler/ participate cannot be a sport,” then did Babe Ruth not play a sport? Did Gilbert Brown participate in the activity of football or the sport of football?
You can’t create a black and white division on what is and is not a sport. It has to be a continuum, where certain sports score higher than others. If you want to decide for yourself that everything above a certain line is a certain number is a sport, and everything below that number is not a sport, that’s up to you. The highest possible score is 40.
I’ve decided on four different categories on which each prospective sport has to be graded. The first two categories are given a higher point value, as their ratings should carry a little more weight than the other two. Here they are:
Athleticism: To even be considered, an activity must have at least a modicum of athletic ability involved. Accomplishing something must involve at least a bit of physical skill. For example, darts would be included, as success is determined by an actual physical throwing motion. But poker is not included, because it is a card game in which it does not matter how skillfully someone manipulates their cards and chips. And this category is not just a sheer measure of athleticism, but how many different types of athletic skill are involved in one sport. For example, running would get a much higher score than darts, but at the same time, basketball would have a higher score than running. Obviously, running a marathon requires a substantial degree of athletic ability, but basketball requires a greater range of skills. In addition, some categories are difficult to rank because of different specializations within the sports, such as gymnastics and American football. We’ll just have to do the best we can. Maximum score: 15.
Outcomes: How are winners and losers determined? This one is absolutely crucial. Is there a definitive way to decide the victor? The more clear-cut it is, the better off you’ll be. For example, bowling would have a much higher score than figure skating. Scores here are likely to be very high or very low. Maximum score: 10.
Teamwork: A sport is more of a sport if one has to become a part of a team, play the appropriate role, and function within the framework of the group. Obviously, this doesn’t mean things like tennis and golf can’t be sports. Only two possible scores here: 5 for a team sport, 3 for an individual sport. Sports that can be conducted as either will get the 5, but sports where the team aspect is merely a series of individual events, such as running or swimming relays, get the 3.
Non-reliance on equipment: This is a measure of how much of the competition is based on pure human ability, and how much is based on a piece of equipment or machinery. The more a sport relies on equipment, the lower the score will be. For example, soccer will have a much higher score than auto racing. Maximum score: 10.
(Disclaimer: This list is not, nor is it intended to be, complete. Because your favorite sport doesn’t appear here, does not mean that I don’t regard it as a sport. I’ve used summer and winter Olympic sports, as well as popular traditional American sports. In addition, the ratings assigned to various sports in different categories are completely subjective, and in fact, many of them are guesses. Many of these sports, I’ve never tried, and I understand that countless arguments can be made on behalf of various sports for raising or lowering certain rankings. Consider them discussion points. This is also very much a first draft. To do this right may be impossible, and if not, you’d need a huge panel of experts on the human body and mind. All I’ve got is me.)
The Big Picture Says:
March 5th, 2006 at 11:55 pm
they should put this in the dictionary. well done, mjd! but athleticism for auto racing a 6?! they put their fucking foot on a pedal.
the sockk Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 12:25 am
Not bad.
the sockk Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 12:27 am
But John Kruk was a baseball player, I dunno if athleticism should be so high.
Mr. Bojangles Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 12:55 am
This is a little more heady than I expected on a Sunday evening. I’ll re-read this in the morning after coffee.
phenyl_engine_rods Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 4:27 am
I like the table, but I’m a little confused about the Equipment category. Why, for example, does basketball get a score of 5, while soccer gets an 8? You need a ball and a basket for one; you need a ball and something to mark off a goal for the other. I don’t see that the one needs significantly more than the other–unless you’re saying to yourself “it’s gotta be the shoes” & counting those.
I can see the specific ratings making sense if your philosophy in this category is “What do I need to enable me to play the game?” as opposed to “How much does an excellent player rely on his/her equipment and mastery of it for that excellence?” It seems to me like it would be hard to justify using the first philosophy to determine what’s a sport, but the second makes sense. (It ties into the athleticism category, to some extent, I think.)
That is, there’s certainly a valid point behind the observation that you need more equipment to start up a game of basketball than soccer–both need a ball, but basketball needs a playground or a gym or a driveway with a hoop at the right height (a specialized bit of equipment), and soccer just needs a few backpacks or sticks or rocks to mark off goals. (But then, rugby, which also gets a 5 here, doesn’t really need anything more than soccer does–though rugby balls are more specialized than soccer balls.)
But I don’t see why the kids’ ability to start up a game bears on whether the game is a sport or not. On the other hand, what does bear on the issue is the fact that being a really good race driver is, in large part, a matter of (a) having a really good car and (b) being really good at using that car.
Can you say more about the ratings in this category?
GoKartMozart Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 8:16 am
I don’t care what kind of metrics you use, figure skating is not a sport. It’s ballroom dancing on ice. Any activity you do that requires extensive detail to your make-up is not a sport.
Rob Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 8:49 am
Reading your four definitions, I tend to agree. Then when I glance through your rankings, I scratch my head.
Curling “more a sport” than gymnastics? That is somewhat unfair, as gymnastics are a collection of several activities, including floor routine, rings, pummel horse, uneven bars, parellel bars, etc. Yes, gymnastics requires more equipment than curling, but consider how that equipment is used.
I am also a bit confused on how you’d grade equipment. You have basketball, football and boxing all at five, but baseball a six. I’m curious as to what you exactly consider equipment. The boxing ring? Shoulder pads? Foul poles? Cup? Golf needs plenty of equipment (clubs, tees, balls, holes, flags, beer) while baseball not so much (gloves, ball, bases, cork).
With regard to NASCAR, it’s more than “(a) having a really good car and (b) being really good at using that car.” You need a good pit crew (ie. teamwork). I would think its teamwork score would be higher.
Overall, I agree with your opening points. Yoru scoring system just seems off. Maybe it’s me.
Doug Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 9:44 am
The equipment rule doesn’t really work too well. I mean I can see how it a car in nascar does most of the work, but in the other sports there’s nothing really close to that. You can’t fault the sport for having equipment, otherwise everything would be cross country.
Mr. Bojangles Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 9:57 am
Agreed on the equipment rule. I say nix it, and instead, have a “Motorized Vehicles” clause at the bottom:
*Operators of motorized vehicles, while athletic and competing, are exempt from this list due to our dislike for NASCAR and all related non-sports.”
VTHokie01 Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 10:49 am
Good job, MJD. I like how you have attempted to remove subjectivity from the discussion of what is and is not sport. This is a very good starting point. I won’t bitch and moan about specifics, since you’ve written that it’s very much a rough draft. I DO think that some of the scores should be re-examined for particular activities, and perhaps the weights need to be adjusted a tad too. But it’s very difficult to cover everything, too. For example, organized football requires field, goalposts, etc. But, almost everyone has engaged in a pickup football game where the field and endzone are decided by random landmarks, and the only equipment required is the ball. Pads and helmet aren’t necessary to play in a minimalist version, but in a real game, dudes wouldn’t be knocking each other out if it weren’t for the “protective” equipment.
Overall, I like what you’ve done here. Good work.
theotheruw Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 11:02 am
Maybe there should be a category for strategy? Luge would involve no strategy, bowling little or none, soccer yes, football yes, auto racing yes.
twoeightnine Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 11:42 am
Luge involves no strategy? Try telling that to a luger. They memorize the courses and have to find the specific line that will make them .1 second faster than the next luger.
Brandon Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
I agree with everyone’s confusion about basketball’s equipment rating being 5 and soccer’s 8. I can understand that having to manipulate the ball through the hoop is relying on a more detailed piece of equipment than a big, open net, but the difference seems minimal, especially since the equipment in these instances requires a higher degree of athleticism (unlike the aid offered by a bike or a golf club). Also, competitive sailing, I think, requires an enormous amount of endurance that should probably give it a higher athleticism score. But, I’ve also never sailed, I’ve only seen that John Cusack movie where they use a dude’s corvette as the propulsion system in the motorized portion of the race.
Brandon Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 12:10 pm
Now that I think about it, I don’t think endurance probably factors as heavily in athleticism as it should (or maybe it should factor elsewhere?). Competitive cycling, for instance, is maybe the most gruelling sport on the list from an endurance standpoint. Maybe that should close the athletic gap with tennis which does require a wider range of athletic ability, but nowhere near the physical endurance.
Fish Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 1:25 pm
I’m going to disagree with your hypothesis. I’ll argue that you’ve introduced MORE grey areas with your rankings than one who tries to decide that x is or isn’t a sport. As evidence of this, look at comments others have made — debating your ranking of certain categories, etc.
To me — your questions that don’t have good answers are poor questions to use as criteria for judging whether or not something is a sport. I think it is better to categorize events, then ask the question whether or not the categories are sports.
For example: Create a category for ‘judged competitions’ The definition of a judged competition in this example is one where the ONLY way you can win would be to convince a panel of judges that you were better then the other competitors (thus Boxing is NOT a judged competition). Figure Skating, Diving, gymnastics all fall in this category. Now determine whether the category is a sport.
In many beer-induced bar debates on this topic, my friends and I have come up with the following categories:
No-Brainers: we’ve never decided on a good name for this category. The team events where two teams compete against each other with scores clearly defined and winners (or ties) obvious (i.e. soccer, basketball)
Fights — (i.e. boxing, wrestling, judo)
Races — (i.e. sprints, distance, swimming, speed skating)
Judged Competitions — see above
Field Events (i.e. long jump, discuss, etc.)
Racket Events (i.e. Tennis, Table Tennis)
‘Driver’ Events: We created this category for horse-racing, sledding, auto-racing, etc. Events where, while it takes athletic skill to compete in the event, the ‘thing’ doing the most work in the event is not the driver — but something else (i.e. car, sled).
Doing it this way — you are not judging whether it takes more skill to compete in something like Tennis vs. Table Tennis — (I would totally disagree with your ranking of these two items) — but you’re saying are racket sports really sports?
runzilla Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
A 10 equipment rating for running? Any runner will tell you what a big difference the correct pair of shoes make, especially marathon runners. That rating should be a 9 perhaps? Also, running could be done as a team event (relays, cross country racing), so maybe that rating should be a 4? (I cannot really rate it a 5, since most running events are individual events)
B.J. Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 2:13 pm
One thing I’ve always used to determine whether or not something is sport is this: If the best girls in the world are as good/better than the best guys in the world, then it’s not a sport. Goodbye cheerleading
yogi Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
nice job. i’m glad to see that this is bothering someone else, and even happier that someone actually took the time to think it through.i think you did well.
i do agree with the above comment - if a sports needs make-up then maybe it’s not a sport or else , according to your list , the Miss America pageant can also be considered a sport of some degree.
in any case - lots of food for thought here.
Mr. Bojangles Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Luge goes beyond strategy, it’s practically aerodynamic engineering. Now if only they’d add obstacles and/or trap doors, it’d be fun to watch.
Insomniac Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
This is an interesting exercise for a focus point of discussion, but it really gets us no further than when we started. It’s like if we were to create a continuum on which chicks are hot and which aren’t. I might want to allot 25 points for boobs and 20 for ass. But then someone will come along with a foot fetish and make that hte most weighted criteria. Then you have to factor in something like the ability to cook, which isn’t related to a chick’s appearance, but can affect her hotness quotient (similar to our “equipment” category here).
Maybe we can settle both debates by agreeing that sorority oil wrestling is the greatest sport of all!
Rob Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
On the topic of endurance, I’ll throw another one out there - how about exertion? For example, over the course of a game baseball players do not exert themselves to the extent of a cyclist … curling induces nowhere near the sweat snowboarding does … an ice skating performance demands more physical control than golf.
It’s a toss up on how you’d grade NASCAR. Yeah, they sit in a car for hours at a time pushing a gas pedal, but then again how many people can go upwards of 180 mph for hours on end and not get loose on Turn 3? Add in trying to take a piss in your own pants while Tony is going psycho in the rearview mirror, and that’s some pretty hardcore exertion.
SportbookDave Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
That’s a pretty good ranking chart.
I however use the beer ranking chart. If you can drink beer while participating its not a sport. I’m not talking about halftime or between shifts I’m talking about while you are actually participating. Then its a activity not a sport.
I will give some examples. American Football, it’s not possible to drink beer while actually participating in the sport, so it’s a sport. Poker definilty possible to drink beer while playing this so called sports, so NOT a sport. See how easy this is?
twoeightnine Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 4:58 pm
Luge is fairly fun to watch. Actually make that the skeleton. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat. Okay, it was more like sitting up on the couch with a bag of chips on my chest, but I was gripping my beer really tightly.
Adam Says:
March 6th, 2006 at 5:11 pm
How is basketball more dependent on equipment that soccer?
Dynamic Hispanic Says:
March 7th, 2006 at 12:11 am
Boxing under badmitton? Are you crazy? Boxing is probably the toughest sport there is. You need stamina, strength, speed, brains, and many other things. It is a team sport if you think about it with all of the training and sparring and such. Without that aspect a lot of fighters wouldn’t be successful.
Jimbo Mercy Says:
March 7th, 2006 at 12:53 am
Say folks. You think boxers aren’t athletes? I want you to take an egg timer, set it to three minutes, and dance around while shadowboxing. Then tell me those guys aren’t athletes. Whoo, pardner!
Z Says:
March 8th, 2006 at 3:36 am
“But John Kruk was a baseball player, I dunno if athleticism should be so high.”
He may not have been your perfect body image, but he was damn good at hitting a 90+ mph fastball, and nasty sliders and curves and everything else, which I’m told is pretty hard to do.
Les Says:
March 9th, 2006 at 12:30 am
I think what some people are getting into is which sport has the best athlete. I’m not quite sure being an athlete is a necessary requirement to being somewhat who plays sports (dance being one example where although not a sport, most people who participate are in better shape than probably mos baseball players).
Also disagree with the ranking boxing gets. It doesn’t get any basic in terms of equipment than gloves and hitting one another with your fists. It’s a sport that consists of direct contact between two individuals- no ball, no car, no dartboard. In terms of athleticism, you really won’t get anybody in better shape than a boxer. It’s a sport that requires anaerobic and aerobic fitness.
Another thing that is hard to quantify is specialized skill (which may not have anything to do with being in shape) and athleticism. This is actually a pretty hard debate. Now if I were to get out of an open and accepting point of view and go to a more cynical and judgmental viewpoint, I’d call everything but racing a sport for a couple of reasons. One, anything where men, women (in or out of shape) can compete on the same level professionally probably doesn’t have to do too much with athletic competition. Second is the problem of equipment. You’re not going 200 mph, the car is.
HaywoodJablomie Says:
March 10th, 2006 at 10:30 am
“You’re not going 200 mph, the car is.”
That’s not really true (from a physical standpoint). Both car and driver are going 200 mph. Like … when the car hits the wall the car abruptly stops … the driver doesn’t. Ask Dale Earnhardt.