63 year old and 52 year old "athletes" at the Commonwealth Games

[TenPenny]

So, lawn bowling isn't a sport because many people can do it.

I guess running, walking, etc can't be sports, because any idiot can walk or run.
How about shot put; any idiot can pick up a ball and throw it.

 

[karrie]

The Commonwealth Games is not the Olympics. It does not hold the same mandate. I think this describes wonderfully what it is about, and why lawn bowling and elderly(ish) participants are perfectly in line with its goals...

"As a means of improving society and the general well being of the people of the Commonwealth, the CGF also encourages and assists education via sport development and physical recreation.
Underlying every decision made by the CGF are three core values: - HUMANITY - EQUALITY - DESTINY. These values help to inspire and unite millions of people and symbolise the broad mandate of the CGF within the Commonwealth. "

Humanity, equality. Yes, a 63 year old can't compete well at shot put, but there are things where patience and precision DO count, and DO give someone an edge in competition. I applaud them, no matter how someone wants to quibble over what they want to call them.

(edited to add, I was composing this message when Tenpenny was writing, I didn't mean to steal your comparison to shot put... lol)

 

[darkbeaver]

these people are too old to compete competitivly and they are always full of drugs

 

[damngrumpy]

I protest in another year I qualify for Canada Pension. Farming is a sport,
because I am fit and can compete. Of course I jest. Where is it written in
stone that people have to be young to be fit and competitive? Being able
to compete and being fit for your age makes you an athlete in my opinion.
Not only that, there are many seniors who are curlers, and believe me
curling is a sport where you need to be fit and have all your marbles so to
speak.
There are some pretty old hockey players by professional standards who
are making more money than we are. Fit, age, and competitive ability is all
relative

 

[#juan]

I dunno about this... What do we call the people who participate in sports? Athletes. I associate athleticism with superior physical conditioning and stamina and things like that, and for something to be considered a legitimate sport it seems to me it should require athleticism. You can, for instance, be a smoker and drinker and 50 pounds overweight and be a world class curler, so curling's not a sport, it's recreation and entertainment. For the participants. Watching it I find about as exciting as watching paint dry. I'd put golf in that category too. And billiards, bowling, lawn bowling, skeet shooting, dressage (the horse is the athlete there, not the rider), darts, archery, bobsledding, luge, ah the list is endless.

Well Dex, if we remove the "sports" you mentioned, what do we have left? A bunch of runners and jumpers.:smile:
There is something special about competing with the world's best at anything. That fifty pound overweight, smoking, drinking, curler just might be the world's best curler. Somehow that curler has got the right muscles in condition, and has the experience to judge
what weight to throw and what shots to throw. Remember, most Olympic curlers are in great shape but that alone doesn't always win them a medal. Any Olympic gold medalist in any "sport" has competed with the world's best and won. To me, that is an honour.

 

[YukonJack]

"Good point Y.J.- you're lucid this morning."

Who would not treasure such a compliment from a patronizing twit?

 

[JLM]

"Good point Y.J.- you're lucid this morning."

Who would not treasure such a compliment from a patronizing twit?

And here I was starting to think well of you. :smile:

 

[talloola]

the misconception that a sport isn't a sport unless it takes a high volume of physical
excercise is still alive and well.
we who are very familiar with sports and have been, all of our lives appreciate all aspects
of 'quality input' toward a high score, irrespective of how much physical input go into
the task.
eg. pool is a sport, very precise, very detailed, very eye hand co ordinated, lots of
focus required, a steady hand and mind, a hard sport to excel.

there are many that fall into similar catagory, whether they are considered sport or games,
doesn't matter, it's the time and training spent to reach the level of excellence that
makes the athlete able to win or come close to winning.

Winning is not everything, participation and the willingness to be part of the challenge
is everything, trying your best, enjoying the competition, win or lose.

 

[Spade]

Straight from New Delhi!
Bowling - Free Online Games (FOG)

Lawn Bowling - OnlineGames.Net - Play Free Games Online

 

[Bar Sinister]

There seems to be some confusion over the difference between a sporting competition and a skilled pastime. If activities such as golf and lawn bowling are sports in spite of the fact that they require very little physical effort, then lawn darts, croquet, and darts also qualify as sports. And that being the case why not include chess, bridge, and poker (as the sports networks have already done) as sports? After all it does require some physical effort to pick up the cards and chess pieces. Quite frankly I do not consider activities that require less physical effort than going to the mailbox for my newspaper to be sports. This, of course, is merely my opinion. I am sure that there are many lawn bowlers and croquet players who find their activity to be quite exhausting.

 

[JLM]

There seems to be some confusion over the difference between a sporting competition and a skilled pastime. If activities such as golf and lawn bowling are sports in spite of the fact that they require very little physical effort, then lawn darts, croquet, and darts also qualify as sports. And that being the case why not include chess, bridge, and poker (as the sports networks have already done) as sports? After all it does require some physical effort to pick up the cards and chess pieces. Quite frankly I do not consider activities that require less physical effort than going to the mailbox for my newspaper to be sports. This, of course, is merely my opinion. I am sure that there are many lawn bowlers and croquet players who find their activity to be quite exhausting.

I personally don't think that sport has to be physically exhausting. A good example of a sport that isn't would be ping pong or shuffle board. I wonder if it really matters what we call the pastime as long as we are having fun and there is a little skill involved.

 

[talloola]

I personally don't think that sport has to be physically exhausting. A good example of a sport that isn't would be ping pong or shuffle board. I wonder if it really matters what we call the pastime as long as we are having fun and there is a little skill involved.

that's right, sport or game, it's all the same, and the amount of physicality attached to
it doesn't matter, if it's hand eye co ordination, and if practiced for a long time, and can
reach a high level, enough to be included in commonwealth games or olympics, then good on
them.

I would think poker or whist etc, does not apply, or gambling in a casino, those pastimes
must be in a different catagorie.

but bowling, ping pong, shuffle board, even darts all the way up to the most gruelling
tiring sport one can imagine etc etc., are sports/games, both names apply,
and a sport does not need a high level of physical ability.

 

[Bar Sinister]

sport (spôrt, sp

rt)n.1. a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. b. A particular form of this activity.

2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation.

I agree with the above definitions of sport. So far as I am concerned it is not a sport if the participants exert about the same level of effort as playing tiddlywinks.

Ping pong? Yes it is a sport - it requires a high level of effort and considerable skill to play well. Bowling? - I'm not so sure. My arthritic mother bowled. I suppose to her it was a sport since it took some effort and skill on her part, but I never found the game particularly taxing. I put it in the same category as freestyle bocce, which requires little effort or skill at all.

 

[JLM]

sport (spôrt, sp

rt)n.1. a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. b. A particular form of this activity.

2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation.

I agree with the above definitions of sport. So far as I am concerned it is not a sport if the participants exert about the same level of effort as playing tiddlywinks.

Ping pong? Yes it is a sport - it requires a high level of effort and considerable skill to play well. Bowling? - I'm not so sure. My arthritic mother bowled. I suppose to her it was a sport since it took some effort and skill on her part, but I never found the game particularly taxing. I put it in the same category as freestyle bocce, which requires little effort or skill at all.

When it comes right down to it how taxing is baseball? Except for the pitcher and catcher I'd say the players are involved in strenuous activity for about 5% of the duration of the game.

 

[Kreskin]

If it's that easy anyone can sign up and do what it takes to make the national team.

 

[YukonJack]

sport (spôrt, sp

rt)n.1. a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. b. A particular form of this activity.

2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation.

I agree with the above definitions of sport. So far as I am concerned it is not a sport if the participants exert about the same level of effort as playing tiddlywinks.

Ping pong? Yes it is a sport - it requires a high level of effort and considerable skill to play well. Bowling? - I'm not so sure. My arthritic mother bowled. I suppose to her it was a sport since it took some effort and skill on her part, but I never found the game particularly taxing. I put it in the same category as freestyle bocce, which requires little effort or skill at all.

You mistake the fact of participating as equal to be excellent at.

Obviously you don't measure up to your mom because never tried 10-pin bowling and take your satisfaction in denigrating something you don't know anything about. Bet you could not bowl a 100 game.

Ping pong? Safe bet you could not return a single serve.

But I am sure you are unbeatable at twiddlywinks and serving up ridiculous posts.

When it comes right down to it how taxing is baseball? Except for the pitcher and catcher I'd say the players are involved in strenuous activity for about 5% of the duration of the game.

JLM, I used to have the same opinion until I got recruited to our office team of slow-ptch baseball. Until that time I never had the opportunity of touching a baseball bat or ball.

Well, my condescending attitude changed in a hurry, when a had to hit a ball. Or when, by chance I did and had to reach a base. Or when I had to listen to the coach and score a run.

Once I reached my epiphany, I got hooked, and made a concentrated effort to be as good as I could be. I was an active member of our Old Timers' Slow Pitch League until I moved to be closer to our new Grand child.

DO NOT LET APPEARENCES fool you! Physical exertion, only, is not a measure of what a sport is.

 

[JLM]

I hear you Y.J. I played lots of ball myself as a kid. I never doubted the skills and effort required when called upon. It just doesn't require the stamina that rugby or tennis does, even hockey they only have it cranked up for about 40 seconds at a time.

 

[Bar Sinister]

You mistake the fact of participating as equal to be excellent at.

Obviously you don't measure up to your mom because never tried 10-pin bowling and take your satisfaction in denigrating something you don't know anything about. Bet you could not bowl a 100 game.

Ping pong? Safe bet you could not return a single serve.

But I am sure you are unbeatable at twiddlywinks and serving up ridiculous posts.

Wonderful response, Yukon. You managed to turn an intelligent discussion into a chance to fire insults at me. But just to help you along I will respond to part of your post. First - the game was 5 pin bowling not ten pins. And yes I bowled the game and had little trouble getting a decent score, even with minimal practice.

BTW did you even bother to correctly read my post? It doesn't appear so after your ping pong comment. Try reading it again and you will see that I regard ping pong as a proper sport.

Looks to me as if it is you who is in the category of talking about something he knows nothing about and making ridiculous posts. Try reading more carefully next time before your keyboarding runs ahead of your brain.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

f,,,

 

[TenPenny]

sport (spôrt, sp

rt)n.1. a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. b. A particular form of this activity.

2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation.

I agree with the above definitions of sport. So far as I am concerned it is not a sport if the participants exert about the same level of effort as playing tiddlywinks.

If you agree with the above definitions, as you say, then anything that is 'an active pastime; a recreation' would be a sport.