A) Make sure the gates in our walls are properly secured, and
B) Don't drive head-on into the ends of walls.
The following image has been commented upon for dramatic effect and to help those of you with exactly zero knowledge of NASCAR. It is also a bit graphic.
This shows how well the cars are put together.The guy can total the car to the point that one side of a car is gone then get hit by a guy going 150 MPH and walk away with a bruise.
Rebecca: Oh,face it,you just hate everybody.
Enid: That's not true.I just hate all these extroverted,obnoxious,pseudo-bohemian losers.
Hard to say that auto racing isn't a sport. While the drivers do work with the cars, the drivers still exert a lot of physical skill and energy. Two plus hours in a car (more likely three plus hours) constantly making mental adjustments with "cockpit" temperatures of 100 degrees and much, much higher. Factor in the danger element and it would be hard not to consider racing a sport.
What I've wondered for quite some time is this......
How do these guys, um, take a leak during a race? Do they sweat so much that their bladders never fill? How uncomfortable would it be to hold it for two hours while traveling at those speeds and bumping all over the place?
Now THAT would make NASCAR really fun: have the Space Shuttle bathrooms in the car seats with them, and when someone feels the need to go, they use that, and the, uh, excess travels out of the car and gets shot back at the drivers chasing them.
"Oh, and Dale Jarrett pinched that one off just in time to keep Ricky Rudd off his bumper!"
But that's if NASCAR wanted to be fun; considering they stop every time someone dings the wall, they clearly don't care about fun.
I'm with the camp that does not categorize auto-racing as a sport. You can look up the definition of "sport" if it helps you figure it out. If NASCAR is a sport, so is dogfighting during a war. The pilots are going a helluva a lot faster with more physical stress and there's definitely competition. Here's a good measure: Ask yourself if you could perform the activity at the same level while smoking. If you can, it's not a sport. What about golf, you say? Though I have taken it up, I classify it as a game, not a sport. Though a game may involve a great degree of physical skill, it is not necessarily the level of athleticism inherent to a sport.
Cheerleading as a sport...talk about the tail wagging the dog!
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Originally posted by RudoublesedoublelHard to say that auto racing isn't a sport. While the drivers do work with the cars, the drivers still exert a lot of physical skill and energy. Two plus hours in a car (more likely three plus hours) constantly making mental adjustments with "cockpit" temperatures of 100 degrees and much, much higher. Factor in the danger element and it would be hard not to consider racing a sport.
What I've wondered for quite some time is this......
How do these guys, um, take a leak during a race? Do they sweat so much that their bladders never fill? How uncomfortable would it be to hold it for two hours while traveling at those speeds and bumping all over the place?
i take regular 5+ hour trips on my motorcycle, with 1 or 2 pit stops at most, through the West Virgina mts. does that make me more athletic than they are?
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I don't understand any of you. Define a sport for me. What seperates Running, Basketball, Baseball, Weightlifting, Racing, Fishing, Hunting, Ultimate Frisbee from being sports/not sports?
-Jag
Note: You also broke the tables ManiacalClown, but because it stays within my browser window, I forgive you. I'm table happy tonight! Wheeeeeee!
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Originally posted by JaguarI don't understand any of you. Define a sport for me. What seperates Running, Basketball, Baseball, Weightlifting, Fishing, Hunting, Ultimate Frisbee from being sports/not sports?
None of them are scripted for Dale Jr. to win!
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Originally posted by WyldeWolf1I'm with the camp that does not categorize auto-racing as a sport. You can look up the definition of "sport" if it helps you figure it out.
OK, that seems like a reasonable request. According to Random House "sport" is defined as "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature." So as not to leave any stone unturned, we should also define "athletic". Again turning to Random House, "athletic" is defined as "1. physically active and strong. 2. of, like, or befitting an athlete." Oh man, this is starting to turn into work! Still, for the sake of completeness, we should define athlete. According (once again) to Random House, "athlete" is defined as "a person trained to compete in contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strenght; a trained competitor in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill."
Just my opinion, of course, but having now looked up and read the definitions above, race car drivers fit the definition of athlete, and IMHO auto racing fills the definition's requirements of being a sport.
Originally posted by WyldeWolf1Here's a good measure: Ask yourself if you could perform the activity at the same level while smoking. If you can, it's not a sport.
Well, OK. Let's disregard your earlier advice to use the dictionary definition for sport and instead use this new yardstick. Applying the "smoking" qualifier leads to the conclusion that baseball (and its spinoffs, such as softball, etc.) is not a sport. Auto racing, however, still meets this new criteria IMHO, since trying to smoke under one of those helmets seems to me like a sure way to asphyxiate yourself. Interestingly enough, cheerleading still qualifies as a sport under this new guideline.
Are there any other guidelines we sould consider when trying to decide if something is a sport? How about the opinion of others? Suppose we turn to the International Olympic Committe and see what's on their recognized sports list? After all, if the IOC considers it a sport, who am I to argue?
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE RECOGNISED SPORTS LIST
Aeronautics Automobile Bandy Billiard Sports Boules Bowling Bridge Chess DanceSport Golf Karate Korfball Life Saving Water Motorcycle Racing Mountaineering and Climbing Netball Orienteering Pelote Basque Polo Racquetball Roller Sports Rugby Squash Surfing Tug of War Underwater Sports Skiing Wushu
Those interested in seeing the link to the above may Click Here.
Automobile is up there, and I'm going to presume they mean racing one, as opposed to lifting or throwing and catching them. The IOC is more specific when it comes to motocycles, since, I suppose, lifting, throwing and catching motocycles just might catch more than a few sportmen's fancy. I don't see cheerleading, but golf is up there. Apparently chess and bridge also meet the IOC definition of sport. Well, to each their own; which leads me to my final point:
Does it matter? When all is said and done, doesn't the discussion of whether auto racing (or any other activity, for that matter) is or is not a sport boil down to a matter of semantics? We've seen above how dictionary definitions, personal qualifiers, and the opinion of experts can all be used to make a case one way or the other. But in the end, does our terminology really matter? Does the fact that I may or may not consider Dale Jarrett an athlete have any effect on his ability to do what he does on the race track? Or the pleasure so many derive from viewing it? Does acknowledging or refusing to acknowledge Tiger Woods as an athlete detract in any way from his accomplishments on the golf course? Is the enjoyment one may get from watching Jamie Noble perform in the wrestling ring heightened or lessened by labeling him an entertainer, or an actor, or a performer, as opposed to an athlete? To quote Shakespeare, "What's in name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet."
Unless, of course, I was trying to use words and labels to delude myself into thinking that I too can do that which these talented individuals do for a living with the same level of skill that they exhibit. If that were the case, then the only word that would truly apply would be "fool".
First of all while enjoy NASCAR, it is not a sport. NASCAR is a race. The drivers do not have to be in good shape (see Jimmy Spencer) to be good at what they do.
Cheerleading is not a sport. Any athletic event that requires judges to determine the outcome is not a sport. Sport is the athletic endeavor between two oppenents to determine a winner, period. Football, Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, Cricket, Rugby, Field Hockey, Polo, Water Polo, Volleyball, Tennis, Ping Pong those are sports (there are more, but you get the picture).
To recap in the world of ESPN there are 3 families of events: Sports- athletic competition in which one is determined the winner through direct competition with one another Racing- the driving of mechanical machines against one in another in which the fastest machine wins Competition - an athletic endeavor in which a judge determines who was best at said endeavor
I hope that clears it up.
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Originally posted by FfejI hope that clears it up.
Nope . What Downtown Bookie said pretty much cleared it up for me .
Originally posted by FfejThe drivers do not have to be in good shape (see Jimmy Spencer) to be good at what they do .
Whoever said Jimmy Spencer was good at what he does ? Maybe if he got in shape , he would be good !
Originally posted by WyldeWolf1Here's a good measure: Ask yourself if you could perform the activity at the same level while smoking. If you can, it's not a sport
I seen the Sandman smoke when he was rasslin , so I guess I can't call that sports entermainment either .
" You say heaven's for you , but I think it's hell that I see . You tell me your god is true , but I tell you MY devil is me ! " MSD 2002
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