Gaming - Is it a sport? [Raphael's Gazette: Issue I]

[raphael2040]

Welcome to your first weekly publication of Raphael's Gazette.

RG, as it will be known, will be published every Sunday, covering a certain topic of interest from a [soon to be] 18 year old's perspective.

This week I bring you a gaming theme, and with the age-old question;

Gaming - Is it a sport?

Read the article here;

http://www.aoaforums.com/frontpage/content/view/3060/1/

Your comments and thoughts about this week's topic would be much appreciated!


So what do you guys think? Should it be classed as a sport? Or remain an e-sport for all of eternity? Let us know!

[Seperah]

No No No NO!!

Its not a sport - sure, an Esport maybe. But anything that you can do well and be a fat, lazy slob... (Que some of the WoW players I've seen) isnt a sport. --- sorry, I love my games to death; however I've played golf, football, baseball, wrestling team.... all of those sports; gaming - competitive yes, sport no.

[Toro]

your definition specifies use of physical ability. It does use physical ability, your hand/eye coordination and your general reactions. These are physical things.

So if darts can be classed as a sport, then why not online gaming?

(I am not saying necessarily that online game should be "sport", just being devil's advocate)

[Pitch]

Is Chess a sport?

[Toro]

other than moving the pieces around, there is nothing physical. chess is a show of metal strength and grasp of tactics within limits. IMO

[raphael2040]

I don't believe Chess is a sport, but I am aware that they were considering Poker to be a sport.

Which is just scandalous, imo.

I don't think gaming should be a sport, tbh. I think it should be widely recognised as an e-sport, but to class it as a sport would be putting it on the same lines as football or basketball, or cricket, or golf.

It's just not at that level yet. But I do hope it becomes widely recognised.


[PS: Do tell me what you guys think of the article, too. =P ]

[IceRaptor]

No

[Samuknow]

The article is well written. I really do enjoy a personal perspective type article. This may have a future. If a fan base and spectator base could be achieved, then money could be made.

To me gaming is quite physical. I am usually quite spent after gaming. When I get fully involved, I tend to tense up and move around quite a bit. And as mentioned there is a lot of hand eye coordination used.

[dsio]

Shooting is a sport. Shooting is even an Olympic sport. It consists of aiming an instrument at a target, pulling a trigger, and testing your accuracy and reflexes.

Given that, I definately consider gaming a sport.

[chrisbard]

Gaming is a sport.

[danrok]

Gaming is gaming.

Why does the question even arise?

In any case, it would be far too much of a generalisation. All official sports are games or activities with very specific rules. Video games vary greatly. I don't see how you could just lump them all together, and call it a sport.

[Seperah]

I'm sorry, but you can't install aimbot while shooting in the Olympics....



gaming is NOT a sport

[dsio]

A laser sight == same difference.

In any case, cheating is in every sport.

[Seperah]

except you cant hide among billions of IP's if you doing the real thing....

and sorry, a laser sight isnt much difference, you still have to lead the target and time your shot.

[dsio]

I don't know about you, but I generally find a stationary paper target to be... somewhat stationary. Vodka changes the situation somewhat, and I'll admit after a few glasses, leading the target /may/ be necessary, but typically, they don't run away on you.

[Seperah]

I was commenting more along the lines of clay pigeons....

[Daniel ~]

Originally Posted by Toro

your definition specifies use of physical ability. It does use physical ability, your hand/eye coordination and your general reactions. These are physical things.

So if darts can be classed as a sport, then why not online gaming?

(I am not saying necessarily that online game should be "sport", just being devil's advocate)

How about speed reading, I move my eyes and blink? ":O}

[Daniel ~]

I think were having difficulty in finding agreement because they broke our langauge.

Sport
Sport Sport (sp[=o]rt), n. [Abbreviated from disport.]
1. That which diverts, and makes mirth; pastime; amusement.
[1913 Webster]

It is as sport to a fool to do mischief. --Prov. x.
23.
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Her sports were such as carried riches of knowledge
upon the stream of delight. --Sir P.
Sidney.
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Think it but a minute spent in sport. --Shak.
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2. Mock; mockery; contemptuous mirth; derision.
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Then make sport at me; then let me be your jest.
--Shak.
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3. That with which one plays, or which is driven about in
play; a toy; a plaything; an object of mockery.
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Flitting leaves, the sport of every wind. --Dryden.
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Never does man appear to greater disadvantage than
when he is the sport of his own ungoverned passions.
--John Clarke.
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4. Play; idle jingle.
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An author who should introduce such a sport of words
upon our stage would meet with small applause.
--Broome.
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5. Diversion of the field, as fowling, hunting, fishing,
racing, games, and the like, esp. when money is staked.
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6. (Bot. & Zool.) A plant or an animal, or part of a plant or
animal, which has some peculiarity not usually seen in the
species; an abnormal variety or growth. See Sporting
plant, Sporting.
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7. A sportsman; a gambler. [Slang]
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In sport, jest; for play or diversion. "So is the man
that deceiveth his neighbor, and saith, Am not I in
sport?" --Prov. xxvi. 19.
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Syn: Play; game; diversion; frolic; mirth; mock; mockery;
jeer.
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-- From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Sport Sport, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sported; p. pr. & vb. n.
Sporting.]
1. To play; to frolic; to wanton.
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[Fish], sporting with quick glance,
Show to the sun their waved coats dropt with gold.
--Milton.
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2. To practice the diversions of the field or the turf; to be
given to betting, as upon races.
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3. To trifle. "He sports with his own life." --Tillotson.
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4. (Bot. & Zool.) To assume suddenly a new and different
character from the rest of the plant or from the type of
the species; -- said of a bud, shoot, plant, or animal.
See Sport, n., 6. --Darwin.
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Syn: To play; frolic; game; wanton.
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-- From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Sport Sport, v. t.
1. To divert; to amuse; to make merry; -- used with the
reciprocal pronoun.
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Against whom do ye sport yourselves? --Isa. lvii.
4.
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2. To represent by any kind of play.
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Now sporting on thy lyre the loves of youth.
--Dryden.
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3. To exhibit, or bring out, in public; to use or wear; as,
to sport a new equipage. [Colloq.] --Grose.
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4. To give utterance to in a sportive manner; to throw out in
an easy and copious manner; -- with off; as, to sport off
epigrams. [R.] --Addison.
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To sport one's oak. under Oak, n.
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You see it didn't even start out meaning "organized phycial activity where individuals and teams compete for prizes and glory and bunches of people gather to watch."

Which is what I and I think most people have in mind when we think of sports.

We borrowed a word and never really defined it. The genus part is now the conversations in bars and taverns will never have to end!":O}