O/T What constitutes a sport?

[CAMiller]

As usual. here in the good ol' US of A on The 4th of July we had the spectacle of the annual Hot Dog Eating World Championship. I think it can be classed as the World Championship as there were contenders there from other countries, including a guy from Leeds representing the UK although he didn't figure in the result. They did say he laid claim to the term Brexit in association with how a full English breakfast can often be subject to making a 'Brexit' after a night on the ale

But is it a sport? What constitutes a sport? There were 45,000 there to watch so it certainly had spectators. I don't think you can 'consume' and keep down 71 hot dogs (and buns) in 10 minutes without some serious training/fitness. The winner, Joey Chestnut won for the 12th time, a feat being paralleled here with Rafael Nadal's 12 French Open victories.

After this on TV (ESPN) there was two hours of live coverage of the Corn Hole Championships. Sounds perverted but basically tossing bean bags into a hole in a piece of plywood about 20' away. A sport? Again there was a large crowd watching and there is some level of skill/training required.

So what is or isn't a sport?

[Lasterman]

I don't know the answer, but 45,000 people turned up to watch people eating hotdogs? I often wonder how Trump became President and it's insights like this that help me to understand. You have to wonder how empty your life might be for that to be the best use of your time on a public holiday.

[CTMilller]

If sport requires a degree of elegance and dexterity then Hot Dog eating definitely does not qualify. I followed some of it last night, too, on the news and watching all those people cramming and mashing bread and sausages into their mouths verged on the obscene! Mind you it might go down well with those people from S6; there was something very porcine and trough-ing about the whole process.

Corn Hole might qualify but like other American sports it will always be predominantly Americans who play. Corn Hole is very July 4th isn't it? I was at a party in the afternoon that included a Corn Hole set-up and had a go. I have to say I thought it a particularly dull pastime; the sort of thing you do when there is absolutely nothing else available and it's too early to go to bed...

[CASPER-64-FRANK]

38 Gramm of brass, some feathers, a few pints 🍺, a beer belly.....oh and a Dartboard...😀

[CAMiller]

If sport requires a degree of elegance and dexterity then Hot Dog eating definitely does not qualify. I followed some of it last night, too, on the news and watching all those people cramming and mashing bread and sausages into their mouths verged on the obscene! Mind you it might go down well with those people from S6; there was something very porcine and trough-ing about the whole process.

Corn Hole might qualify but like other American sports it will always be predominantly Americans who play. Corn Hole is very July 4th isn't it? I was at a party in the afternoon that included a Corn Hole set-up and had a go. I have to say I thought it a particularly dull pastime; the sort of thing you do when there is absolutely nothing else available and it's too early to go to bed...

To be honest CT, it's never too early to go to bed when Corn Hole is the alternative. Mind you I do have a Bocce Ball court in my garden and I suppose that's not much different. Last weekend I stumbled across Major League Bass Fishing on TV and I must admit I can't see how that's a sport despite the fact millions take part.

As for the 45,000 watching the Hot Dog contest, I think they are including the entire crowd at the Coney Island Pleasure Beach because there is no way 45,000 could fit in that viewing area where the event was taking place, maybe 4-5,000.

[Shark27]

To be honest CT, it's never too early to go to bed when Corn Hole is the alternative. Mind you I do have a Bocce Ball court in my garden and I suppose that's not much different. Last weekend I stumbled across Major League Bass Fishing on TV and I must admit I can't see how that's a sport despite the fact millions take part.

As for the 45,000 watching the Hot Dog contest, I think they are including the entire crowd at the Coney Island Pleasure Beach because there is no way 45,000 could fit in that viewing area where the event was taking place, maybe 4-5,000.

I was there the other week. We had a few hours on Brighton beach. I took a picture of the big billboard advertisement for it!!

[CTMilller]

D

To be honest CT, it's never too early to go to bed when Corn Hole is the alternative. Mind you I do have a Bocce Ball court in my garden and I suppose that's not much different. Last weekend I stumbled across Major League Bass Fishing on TV and I must admit I can't see how that's a sport despite the fact millions take part.

As for the 45,000 watching the Hot Dog contest, I think they are including the entire crowd at the Coney Island Pleasure Beach because there is no way 45,000 could fit in that viewing area where the event was taking place, maybe 4-5,000.

Now, at least there is an element of skill and tactics in bocce ball (and its French equivalent - pétanque.) I've enjoyed a good few 'ends' of both. I was the proud winner of a very closely fought pétanque contest at a Club Med somewhere in Asia a good few years ago when my brother in law and I defeated a French pairing who were initially very disdainful of their British opposition...

I don't want to comment on bass fishing. Brin may come out of his vacation idyl on the US East Coast to upbraid me for any criticism. I know he's a keen angler...

[Nardendee]

https://listverse.com/2019/07/01/10-...izarre-sports/

Number 5 is my personal favourite