Open Mic: The Unattainable Definition Of Sports

"He could feel the single bead of sweat silently roll down his scalp, edging closer to the brim of his cap. 

"In that moment, he froze, as still as stone, an immovable object. He waited until the sweatband absorbed that single drop and then he exhaled, slowly, imperceptibly.  He didn't want to appear impatient or expecting.

"He knew he had him, knew it with every fiber of his being.  He had run through countless calculations in his head, positive there was little his opponent could do to beat him. Luck was on his side but, as it has been said, the only sure thing about luck is that it will change. 

"Then, the words he longed to hear.

'All in.'

It was almost whispered but he heard it, as loud as a gunshot.  He quickly made the call, and with a flick of his wrist, a pair of pocket kings circled through the air, landing face up on the green felt, the dead eyes of the king of hearts and the king of clubs staring at the tens they faced."

It's every bit as tantalizing as overtime and as enticing as the last-second field goal attempt.

And while this scenario, and many more like it, play out on the sports networks almost daily, many argue poker is just a card game, not a sport.

But defining sport—is not an easy task and one that may be impossible.

There is, of course, the literal definition of sport which is an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.

That definition, then, applies to baseball, football, hockey, tennis and others that require fit and well-chiseled individuals to compete against one another. 

It can be argued, however, that skill—which is an essential part of sport—applies to all competitive events, whether it's a physical activity or not.

Skill is the ability, coming from one's knowledge, aptitude, practice, etc., to do something well.

That definition, then, applies to racing (Formula One or NASCAR), golf and even things like poker, bowling and billiards, all of which get a fair amount of air time on ESPN, TSN and other networks. 

It does not, however, apply to competitive eating events since all human beings currently not breast-feeding learn to eat at an early age.  Eating is not a skill, it's a survival method.

So, if skill is an essential part of sport, it's fair to say that any competitive event that calls on an individual to rely on his or her skills to succeed—either as an individual or part of a team effort—can be considered a sport, regardless of whether there's a championship ring, trophy or just cold hard cash going to the victor.

It's hard to admit, though, that some fat guy in "Top Gun" sunglasses, chomping on a cigar and coveting a pair of aces is an athlete.  Others would also refuse to call some 12-year-old kid who consistently crushes their soul at Halo on the X-box 360 an athlete but that has more to do with spite.

Deciding what is sport and what is not will, most likely, forever be debated and argued by fans of baseball and football, NASCAR and golf but before the ongoing war of words continues, consider this quote by Dr. George A. Sheehan, a cardiologist and long time sports writer:

"Sport is singularly able to give us peak experiences where we feel completely one with the world and transcend all conflicts as we finally become our own potential."

With that in mind, perhaps a new definition is in order:

Sport—n. A venue that allows a select few to live up to their potential and teaches others how to do the same