Do judged Olympic competitions qualify as "sports"?

This morning I listened to Ron & Fez on WJFK argue that gymnastics and diving are athletic exhibitions rather than sports. According to them, a sport should involve a contest with an undisputed winner, instead of an opinion from a panel.

I can relate. We watched the gymnastics competitions with our daughters, and I couldn't tell how the judges were determining their scores.

Tonio said:

This morning I listened to Ron & Fez on WJFK

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This morning?

I thought they were night guys.


Do I dare hope that Stern has finally resigned and R&F have taken over his timeslot?

Toxick said:

Do I dare hope that Stern has finally resigned and R&F have taken over his timeslot?

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I wish!

Along with their 7 p.m. show, R&F have a one-hour show at 11 a.m between Stern and O'Reilly. That seems strange to me.

Tonio said:

This morning I listened to Ron & Fez on WJFK argue that gymnastics and diving are athletic exhibitions rather than sports. According to them, a sport should involve a contest with an undisputed winner, instead of an opinion from a panel.

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I have a similar feeling. While it is certainly difficult and demanding, any competition which must be 'judged' to determine a winner doesn't seem much like 'sport' to me. This even includes boxing, when there's knockout or knockdown.

On the other hand, there are certainly 'sports' which rely on some degree of subjectivity, such as wrestling, fencing and taekwondo which depend on observation of the success of certain moves, and for baseball which depends on the judgment of an umpire.

What sport isn't judged? It might not be a panel of people or even a person for timed events, but there is always someone/thing making a determination.

I think the argument is that there are objectively measured sports and subjectively measured sports. If you and I are competing in the javelin, there is no "judging", except to determine faults. If I throw farther, I win. So track sports, swimming and so forth are objectively judged. The same goes for volleyball, baseball, soccer, etc: the points determine the winner.

Sports like diving and gymnastics are heavilly based on style and a point system that is largely subjective. A triple whatnot is given a "DD" rating or something by a judging committe because it's harder than a double whatnot with a twist. Then points are added and dropped based on how /well/ you do a triple whatnot.

Wheter or not subjectively scored sports are really "sports" or not brings up the old argument as to what a "sport" consists of. Is curling a sport? Is paintball? Tag? Golf? Auto-racing? Chess? If I invent "full contact chess" does it elevate chess from game to sport? Your answer depends on how much of a fan you are and how much you understand the sport. NASCAR would seem to me to be an exhibition, its not a measurement of physical skill, it seems to be more about strategy and control. But I'm neither a fan nor an expert.

Me and my bros used to judge female competitors on their hottness factor.

I think that should be included in the next summer games.

Take two female atheletes competiting in pole vaulting. They are both very equally matched. But one of the them (A) is beautiful while the other (B) looks like a pug with a little less hair on the arms.

(A) scores a combined grade of 85.

(B) scores a combined grade of 89.

In the traditional scoring system. This would have contestant (B) beating (A). In the new system, a hotness factor would be awarded (from 1-10) after each event. This could include sexy poses before start, certain stretching manuevers, tight fitting garments, body measurements, etc....

If (A) received a hotness score after her completion of the pole vault (because a sexy dismount must also be factored in) of 8, and (B) received a hotness score of 2. (A) would become the actual champion.

(A)'s hotness score put her at an overall grade of 93. While (B) was left with a big loser score of 91.

Current style and fashion already plays an role in the olympics (some events moreso than others), why not include a hotness factor? :shrug: