Open Mic: Poker, Competitive Eating, Video Games, Et Al: Are They Sports?

What makes a sport? According to dictionary.com, a sport is "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature."

Break that down into parts for a more explained definition:

"Athletic activity" means you must exert energy to partake in this game, and the game in question must produce sweat from an average Joe playing the game. But note that the sweat produced must be from the energy exerted and not factors such as a nerve-racking situation or the heat.

"Requiring skill or physical prowess" indicates that an average joe cannot play the game in question for the first time and be good at it; or that it must take more than two months of training or practice to become proficient at the game. The added word "physical" denotes that the game must also require athletic activity (see above).

"Often of a competitive nature" suggests that there must be winners and losers; first place, second place, and third place; or gold, silver and bronze medals in this game to make it a sport. Games where there is no winner and are played "for fun" need not be included.

So are poker, competitive eating, video gaming, bowling, and all other "athletic games" sports?

Let's look at each questionable sport and base it off the definition given by dictionary.com; two yeses suggests the game is a sport.

Poker

Does it include "athletic activity"? None whatsoever. Moving your hand back-and-forth to fold your hand or bet chips is not exerting energy.

Does it "require skill or physical prowess"? It depends. Some might believe poker is all luck, with no skill involved; others—myself included—believe skill and strategy affect the outcome of the game.

Is it "often of a competitive nature"? Yes; money is almost always on the line, and tournaments produce winners of first place, second place, and so on.

Conclusion: With one-and-a-half yeses, poker as a sport is still on the fence, depending on your view of the "skill or luck" factor.

Competitive Eating

Does it include "athletic activity"? Somewhat. It does take a whole lot of energy to consume 60-plus hot dogs in 12 minutes, but the "does-it-make-you-sweat" factor leads this answer to a no.

Does it "require skill or physical prowess"? Yes, in fact. It takes an average person about two minutes or so to eat just one hot dog, much less than the 11-second-per-hot-dog pace that Joey Chestnut put on while shattering the world record last Fourth of July.

Is it "often of a competitive nature"? Yes—no explanation needed.

Conclusion: Contrary to popular belief, competitive eating is in truth a sport, with two of the three conditions fulfilled.

Video Gaming

Does it include "athletic activity"? Considering that most major league gamers compete with gaming systems not named Wii, this is a no. Yes, some people move around when playing, either in joy, disgust, or by instinct, but it is not needed to play the video game.

Does it "require skill or physical prowess"? Not really. It takes some people a week or less to become skilled in a particular video game, and even more so if it is simple and not complex.

Is it "often of a competitive nature"? People have been killed over video games, so of course the answer is yes.

Conclusion: With only one of the three requirements fulfilled, video gaming is declared not a sport.

Bowling

Does it include "athletic activity"? No, but only because throwing a big ball doesn't really constitute as exerting energy.

Does it "require skill or physical prowess"? Yes, though you can make the case that it doesn't. By definition, if an average Joe throws a strike the first time he or she bowls, it would be due to luck more than it would skill.

Is it "often of a competitive nature"? Yes. Those Sunday afternoon bowling groups can often lead to fist fights if taunting occurs. (Okay, maybe not, but it is still played to achieve the highest score.)

Conclusion: Two yeses to one no leads bowling to be named an official sport.

Auto Racing

Does it include "athletic activity"? No; as said in the explained definition, sweat produced must be from energy exerted, and not from the heat.

Does it "require skill or physical prowess"? No. There's more than a billion drivers on the road right now, for heaven's sake.

Is it "often of a competitive nature"? Yes, but why anyone want to drive in circles for two-or-more hours is beyond me.

Conclusion: Auto racing is not a sport, with only one yes and two nos. Driving in left turns is not fun, either.

Spelling Bee

Does it include "athletic activity"? Yeah right.

Does it "require skill or physical prowess"? Yes. Most of the competitors in the National Spelling Bee study for hours each and every day—you try spelling those words without studying or looking them over beforehand.

Is it "often of a competitive nature?" Yes; just look at the aforementioned National Spelling Bee.

Conclusion: With two yeses, competitive spelling fulfills the requirements of a sport, though I don't believe it is, nevertheless.

Golf

Does it include "athletic activity"? Yes—just don't look at John Daly and assume there isn't.

Does it "require skill or physical prowess"? Yes. How many times do you shoot over 100 and wish you could shoot a 70 like the pros do?

Is it "often of a competitive nature"? Yes, professional, anyway. And even putt-putt is competitive...sometimes.

Conclusion: Unlike anyone would expect, golf got yeses across the board, so it is as a matter of fact a sport.

And lastly, Table Tennis

Does it include "athletic activity"? Though inexperienced ping-pong players think not, it does, in fact, require energy, as shown by professional ping-pongers.

Does it "require skill or physical prowess"? Yes. It takes skill to put as much spin and power on the ball as the pros do (and get it in, to boot).

Is it "often of a competitive nature"? It's an Olympic sport! Yes, it is.

Conclusion: Like golf, table tennis sweeps the question and is unequivocally a sport.