Rodchester Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 OK...now think about this one for a minute before you respond off the cuff........ Is mountaineering, apline climbing, and "trad" crag climbing really a sport? (I AM NOT INCLUDING SPORT CLIMBING....that is why the call it "sport" climbing.) There are no spectators, there are no real rules with umpires and/or referees to enforce them, there is no score keeping, there is no field or arena, there is no timer running, there is no anything that you have in most sports. How many times have you heard of people dying in a "sport"? Not too damn often (every year an average of one boxer dies and some years a football player will die). I serioulsy do not think that climbing is a sport. But what should we call it? I don't know. Maybe an "activity" or just call it climbing. So the question seeking a response is: Is climbing a sport? Why or why not and if not, what should we call it? (stay of target) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 sport (spôrt, sprt) n. ... 3. An active pastime; recreation. 4. Mockery; jest: He made sport of his own looks. ... 7. Biology. An organism that shows a marked change from the normal type or parent stock, typically as a result of mutation. ... 9. Obsolete. Amorous dalliance; lovemaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieE Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 "There are only three sports - mountain climbing, bullfighting, and motor racing - all the rest being games." - Ernest Hemingway I dunno if that means anything to anyone, but I thought I'd just throw it in - E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yossarian Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 "There are but three real sports; bull fighting, mountain climbing and auto racing. Everything else is just a game." - Ernest Hemingway Now if you excuse me, I'm going to drink some absinthe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yossarian Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 Damn Eddie, you beat me to the punch by one minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 If climbing is not a sport, why are runouts "sporty" as in "This climb finishes with a deliciously sporty 30m runout above the last bolt...". I agree with Rafael's dictionary. It may not be a competitive game but it sure is a game, with various rules, and a recreational pastime. So, sport, hobby, lifestyle - all of those. Not incomplementary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodchester Posted July 31, 2001 Author Share Posted July 31, 2001 DRU: I am not considering "sport" climbing. So a runout above a bolt to me means sport climbing, delicious or not. If all climbing is a sport, why do we call sport climbing, sport climbing? Drinking is a recreational pastime, is it a sport? (some tongue-n-cheek) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offwidthclimber Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 with the way some people bitch and moan about alleged "rules" (pulling on pieces, leading all the pitches, etc) i guess you could call it a "sport." seems like some people are more worried about using the "rules" to validate or invalidate ascents, than they are about the actual climbing personally, it's a hobby to me, but to each their own. peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpine_Tom Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 It seems like what qualifies a "sport" is competition. Otherwise, how in God's name could you call bridge (a demonstration event in the next Olympics) or chess (which Sports Illustrated covered back in the Bobby Fisher days) or bass fishing, sports? If that's the case, than climbing is certainly NOT a sport, since climbing is not about competition. Except, of course, "sport climbing," as mentioned above. So what is it? How do we dignify it? You could call it a "pursuit" or "a way of life" if you wanted to be dramatic, or you could just say, "it's something I enjoy doing." [This message has been edited by Alpine Tom (edited 07-31-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 Drinking is a sport to some people. You can improve at it, for instance. For instance last Saturday night I was able to hold down a Guinness, two or three martinis and several shots of Jagermeister. Not long ago just the martrinis would have had me puking cause I'm a lightweight by nature. Sport climbs have copious bolt protection. I challenge you to call a route with one bolt in a 50 meter pitch a sport climb without laughing. Or even something as well protected as the Bachar Yerian..... I personally like the Soviet system. If you could climb well enough you became a Master of Sport and then did nothing but climb. Sounds like a good life. Yes Comrade Commissar! No Comrade Commissar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offwidthclimber Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 oops. my bad. [This message has been edited by offwidthclimber (edited 07-31-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Rodchester: Drinking is a recreational pastime, is it a sport? (some tongue-n-cheek) Well, then I guess I had a rather "sporting" evening last night with my margarita, compliments of Mr Blister's suggestion yesterday. Very tasty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 Comp. climbing is competitive. Sport climbing is no more competitive than any other type of climbing...look at Watts and Skinner fighting over City Park, a crack climb... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblakley Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 Climbing of all types is what it is. Who cares whether anybody thinks it's a sport or not..it's enjoyable either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodchester Posted July 31, 2001 Author Share Posted July 31, 2001 DRU, Good to see you pushing the limits of your abilities in the sport we share as near and dear to our increasingly decreasing brain cells...drinking. Now that is a sport..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontus Posted August 1, 2001 Share Posted August 1, 2001 "Mountaineering is as meaningless as life. That's why we do it."...Norwegian Mountaineer ...it is a LIFESTYLE. hemingway was a wuzz...p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pope Posted August 1, 2001 Share Posted August 1, 2001 I once had a fellow football coach tell me that soccer is not a sport. He said, "Sports require hand-eye coordination." I thought about this a moment, then asked, "I don't know a single fat chick who can't find her mouth with a corn dog." Sport climbing is neither. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargent_Rock Posted August 23, 2001 Share Posted August 23, 2001 Climbing is a physical activity that seeks a spiritual solution for a mental problem... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_e Posted August 23, 2001 Share Posted August 23, 2001 I say nay on climbing being a sport, at least what modern man defines as a sport. I am sure some climbers think it is a sport though, to them a weekend climb is like a weekend of football, baseball, ect. Of course there are those of us (like myself) who view climbing as personal, often selfish activity, a pursuit that gives us a feeling that nothing else on this earth can! Besides most 'sports' require more than one person, and or equipment. All you need to go climbing is hands and feet, sometimes not even all of those! Dan E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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