Tiger Woods (official thread) - Page 13

Oh8ch · #**181** (**permalink**) 06-20-2008, 05:55 PM

I generally stay out of these recurring "Is he an athlete?/Is it a sport?" arguments because folks want to argue over terms they are unwilling to define. It can not help but be circular.

Wikipedia (who needs Mirriam-Webster) defines an athlete specifically as a competitor in athletics and defines athletics as track and field events.

However, their more general definition of athlete is a "sportsperson" - which is any person who participates in a sport. A sport is then defined as an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.

Until someone comes up with a better definition I submit that Tiger is every bit as much an athlete as anyone this side of Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

I would further submit that those who disagree have an as yet unarticulated definition of "sport/athlete" in mind that somewhere includes the stated or implied phrases "not golf/not golfers" and can therefore not be persuaded to the contrary.

All that said, I watched my grandson graduate from Safety Town today and am well prepared to lead a rousing chorus of "The arguments in this thread go round and round, round and round, round and round...."

Bleed S & G · #**182** (**permalink**) 06-20-2008, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wingate1217

Now is drinking a sport????

What the [censored].. we're Buckeye fans, no?!?

fourteenandoh · #**183** (**permalink**) 06-21-2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

I was going to stay out of this discussion but I just couldn't

.

i think you can take a "pretty good" football, basketball, baseball, or even hockey (had to include that sport for JO) and make an individual into a decent golfer, tennis player, bowler, or Hustler with the proper instruction but if you took that same person and reversed the sports in the majority of instances the person would not be very competitive in the other sport. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you are a athlete with the proper training you could probably be fairly decent at the so-called country club sports but I do not think the opposite would be true.

are you trying to say phil mickelson couldn't play in a pickup basketball league once a week or are you saying he couldn't make the NBA? If you are saying he couldn't play a pickup league you are wrong. if you are saying the latter, you are right. However, it would be just as impossible for said pro athlete to train for golf and become a pro. I hit balls with Charles Barkley once and he told me he spent over 50K on lessons and he still can't keep a wedge within the fences of a driving range. (he used to hit the houses to the right of the driving range at the club i worked at in phoenix).

BuckeyeMike80 · #**184** (**permalink**) 06-21-2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH10

3. People have to stop lumping golf in with pool. It's an absurd comparison, and if you think its at all relevant to the discussion, then I'm sorry, but you're misguided.

Jeanette Lee is an athlete if ya KNOW what I mean

fourteenandoh · #**185** (**permalink**) 06-21-2008, 07:13 PM

I've played some competitive pool as well, and i'd say putting and playing pool are similar. the mental game of both is almost identical (pool has way more strategy though), but theres more to golf than putting.

OH10 · #**186** (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNation27

awww...did i ruffle the feathers of the Tiger lover?

Sorry if I don't eat at the 24/7 buffet that is Tiger Wood's media coverage. That, in no way, relates to me stating that golf isn't a sport. I was responding to somebody who said it was.

need anything else?

Nah. I'm satisfied.

And it would be "Tiger Woods' media coverage." Sorry if the media doesn't want to waste its time following Matt Kuchar around. Somehow they think a 13-time major champion is just more interesting. How irresponsible?

OH10 · #**187** (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourteenandoh

I've played some competitive pool as well, and i'd say putting and playing pool are similar. the mental game of both is almost identical (pool has way more strategy though), but theres more to golf than putting.

Since I am a fairly good pool player and a [censored]ty putter, I'd have to disagree. At least with pool, you don't have to worry about the break - unless, of course, someone stuck a matchbook under one of the legs.