One of the most popular forms of American entertainment is sports. I believe it is safe to say that everyone has at least participated in or viewed at least one sporting event. There are many "sports" that people can be involved in (as a participant or viewer). From American Football to Table Tennis, people claim to play or watch "sports." This blog outlines my argument for why most things we call "sports" are really just "games."
Let us start with my definition of "Sport."
Sport - a physical and mental activity that requires movement of the body as well as tactics and strategy to defeat an opponent individually or in teams.
I wish I could list all of the "sports" people participate in throughout the world, but that list would be far too extensive for this brief blog. Here is a concise list of sports that most people would agree on:
First, I will lay out my criteria for what a recreational activity must have before it can be called a Sport:
It must have:
Next are the criteria that will eliminate many of peoples dear "sports." These deal with the the actual execution of the sport. They are mostly what a sport would not have.
I admit that many of the things that people call "Sports' requires physical strength, agility, and endurance as well as mental capabilities like concentration, perseverance, and real-time adaptation to different scenarios. I also acknowledge the amount of time and dedication it may take to develop one's skills as well as a natural-born talent. I have no problem if people would refer to these non-sports events as games, but the word Sport has taken on the connotation that it is something you can casually do just whenever. And calling a person who plays Table Tennis an athlete is crazy. Sports need to uphold the fundamental reason for why sports were made; the competition. It is a showcase of who is the fastest, strongest, smartest. You are given just one shot and determining the winner. It does not involve overly-involved tactics, strategies, or plays. Just raw game-time decision making coupled with the superior qualities of athlete should should allow the better athlete or team to win.
But most of all Sport needs to consume ones life. It defines the person who participates in it. I am not just talking about being a fan, you have to eat, sleep, and drink your sport. The problem with this argument is the fact that many other "games" demonstrate this kind of dedication. This is where my bias shows through because I am a runner (and always will be) and I have played soccer since I was 5. To me sports are just a medium in which people can demonstrate the strength of the human will. I push myself everyday with my running, always searching for new ways to challenge my mind and body. I have heard people describe running as "one-dimensional." This is not true at all; it involves every inch of your body, every speck of your mind, and every ounce of your being. It is a beautiful thing because the goal is not a victory or championship, but progress. Your goal could be those things but it is the progression towards perfection, or at least contentment. Once you achieve a goal you aim for the next one and the next one. I always want to improve my abilities and become a faster and stronger runner.
I know that fans of Football, Basketball, Baseball and other games will not agree with me, but that is ok with me.
Feel free to comment. Convince me otherwise if you can.
[Post-script: June 9, 2011]
This definition is not set in stone. I do not mean to offend anyone's beliefs. Do not take it too personally. I do not strive to undermine the legitimacy other people's sports (or games). There exists a connotation that a "game" is childish or not very serious, whereas a "sport" is something mature, serious, and therefore more important. I did not contrive this connotation. Just do not think that I am trying to make anyone's "games" or "sports" less important. I think it is great that people participate in the various "games" and "sports" around the world, some which I may have never been exposed to. I welcome any and all comments!
Let us start with my definition of "Sport."
Sport - a physical and mental activity that requires movement of the body as well as tactics and strategy to defeat an opponent individually or in teams.
I wish I could list all of the "sports" people participate in throughout the world, but that list would be far too extensive for this brief blog. Here is a concise list of sports that most people would agree on:
- Archery
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Cricket
- Cross Country
- Extreme Sports (various)
- Football
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Hockey
- Horseback Riding
- Lacrosse
- Rugby
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming (various)
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Water Polo
- Weight Lifting (various)
- Volleyball (Indoor/Outdoor)
First, I will lay out my criteria for what a recreational activity must have before it can be called a Sport:
It must have:
- An official set of rules/guidelines
- An official governing body to regulate events and organizations
- An officially sanctioned league, either national or international
Next are the criteria that will eliminate many of peoples dear "sports." These deal with the the actual execution of the sport. They are mostly what a sport would not have.
- Competitions do not involve a "series" or "best of..." to decide a winner. (There goes Badminton, Baseball, Softball, Basketball, and Hockey)
- Competitions must have fluid play, meaning there are no frequent breaks or interruptions, including "rounds" and "time-outs." (There goes Boxing, Cricket, Football, Lacrosse, Tennis, Water Polo and Volleyball)
- There must not be any judging based on a points system. (There goes Gymnastics, Extreme Sports, some swimming events, and Equestrian events)
- Sports cannot use machinery to execute competition (There goes Auto-racing and Sailing)
- There cannot be the use of a table. (There goes Table Tennis and games like Billiards and Chess)
- Movement implies changing ones position either by walking, running, swimming, or some other change in direction. (There goes Archery and Weight Lifting)
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Rugby
- Soccer
- Swimming (races)
- Track & Field
I admit that many of the things that people call "Sports' requires physical strength, agility, and endurance as well as mental capabilities like concentration, perseverance, and real-time adaptation to different scenarios. I also acknowledge the amount of time and dedication it may take to develop one's skills as well as a natural-born talent. I have no problem if people would refer to these non-sports events as games, but the word Sport has taken on the connotation that it is something you can casually do just whenever. And calling a person who plays Table Tennis an athlete is crazy. Sports need to uphold the fundamental reason for why sports were made; the competition. It is a showcase of who is the fastest, strongest, smartest. You are given just one shot and determining the winner. It does not involve overly-involved tactics, strategies, or plays. Just raw game-time decision making coupled with the superior qualities of athlete should should allow the better athlete or team to win.
But most of all Sport needs to consume ones life. It defines the person who participates in it. I am not just talking about being a fan, you have to eat, sleep, and drink your sport. The problem with this argument is the fact that many other "games" demonstrate this kind of dedication. This is where my bias shows through because I am a runner (and always will be) and I have played soccer since I was 5. To me sports are just a medium in which people can demonstrate the strength of the human will. I push myself everyday with my running, always searching for new ways to challenge my mind and body. I have heard people describe running as "one-dimensional." This is not true at all; it involves every inch of your body, every speck of your mind, and every ounce of your being. It is a beautiful thing because the goal is not a victory or championship, but progress. Your goal could be those things but it is the progression towards perfection, or at least contentment. Once you achieve a goal you aim for the next one and the next one. I always want to improve my abilities and become a faster and stronger runner.
I know that fans of Football, Basketball, Baseball and other games will not agree with me, but that is ok with me.
Feel free to comment. Convince me otherwise if you can.
[Post-script: June 9, 2011]
This definition is not set in stone. I do not mean to offend anyone's beliefs. Do not take it too personally. I do not strive to undermine the legitimacy other people's sports (or games). There exists a connotation that a "game" is childish or not very serious, whereas a "sport" is something mature, serious, and therefore more important. I did not contrive this connotation. Just do not think that I am trying to make anyone's "games" or "sports" less important. I think it is great that people participate in the various "games" and "sports" around the world, some which I may have never been exposed to. I welcome any and all comments!