by J. Darien Stokes

One of the most common debates in bars or within a group of friends will often begin with a statement that ends; “That isn’t even a sport”. I looked up the definition of “sport” and it says “a physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs often engaged in competively.”

A 2008 CNN report says after extensive research every sport has 6 criteria: Athletic ability, Strength, Endurance, Strategy, Competition, and Defense. If it’s not a sport it usually will fall in one of three other categories. Games like chess, golf, bowling, and curling. Athletic events such as diving, gymnastics, figure skating, and synchronized swimming. These events will all have judges which make the winners all relative to whatever the judges like & can bring more controversy. Lastly is athletic competition like the pole vault and 100 meter dash. So you golfers, cheerleaders, checker players and such should stop referring to your hobbies as sports.

People should also stop calling athletes great all-around athletes if they are not very good in at least 3 things that fall in the above categories; preferably sports. Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson deserve some consideration but there really are only two people in the running for greatest all-around athletes of all time. Jim Brown and Jim Thorpe. All you have to do is check their resumes!