Just reading about the new video game betting service (which mentioned that it was a sport) and it got me thinking.

What is a sport?

I definitely wouldn't call playing SSFIV a sport. It's a game, it requires skill and one can get very good at it but it definitely isn't a sport. For one thing there is no physical prowess required.

According to dictionary.com...

In my mind that rules out snooker as there is no physical prowess require to play. (Quite how fishing got onto that list I'm not sure...?)

Similarly to darts.

I am not saying they are lesser games or not worthy of being broadcast on TV but I don't think they are sports.

There is physical prowess there. It's not necessarily strength or endurance, but you need a steady hand and good hand-eye coordination.

Or Hunting ........

Compare Archery or shooting. It's about the accuracy, which is a physical skill.

Archery does require some degree of strength, and muscle mass to be able to comfortably hold a high load steady. Even those who shoot compounds (wheely-bows) have to pull the cams through up to 60lbs of load.

I don't think snooker is any more a sport than playing cards or birdwatching.

Depends on the bow. I’ve successfully pulled an 80lb compound bow. Get over the “barrier” and there is little resistance to hold it. I failed to pull a wooden longbow at 40lbs to full draw, despite at the time doing pretty well on a 30lb recurve bow.

Firing the compound bow was bloody frightening. The arrow just went in a straight line.

Is that not the idea??


Didge

as much as cricket is a sport i reckon... Hit a ball... look for it for 10min. Hit again... loook for lost ball. thrilling!

Well yes, the whole point of compounds is that the holding weight is a tiny fraction of the peak draw weight (normally ~20%? I don't know - I shoot recurve), but you still have to pull it through 60lbs (I think this is the maximum allowed poundage for competition bows), and depending on how attacking the cams are depends on how easy it is to roll the cams over.

You are possibly the only person in the world to be disapointed with cricket, having watched three balls being bowled, 2 of which were hit for 6 (hence the breaks whilst they had to climb up onto the road to find it).

Baseball is more interesting than cricket, and that's not saying much about either disciplines

um no she isn't

It's the ideal, yes. But with recurves the arrows fly in an arc. With compounds most archers shoot 50-60lbs, because the finger-weight at full draw is < 20lbs due to the cam(s). With recurve we shoot much lower poundages, so less force --> less arrow speed --> needing to aim up. 90m can be interesting.

You need to understand it to enjoy it, which can often be a barrier.