Open Thread: What Is a Sport?

This is a question that Jay, Ben and I used to debate all the time on our sports talk radio show, "Double Overtime", on WBRS. It's also a question I debated with my co-workers yesterday. What is a sport? It's not a question just for water-cooler talk either: as Jay wrote a few weeks back, the courts have taken an interest in this question as well, especially pertaining to cheerleading (the courts said no in this instance).

Are these pictured the only real sports?

So while I think few would argue that the Major 4 sports (baseball, hockey, basketball and football) and probably soccer are sports, the rest seem up for debate. What are the criteria for being a sport? How would you define it (since the web definitions vary quite a bit) Can horse racing and car racing (like NASCAR) be considered sport since the actual physical exertion is non-human? Some people don't consider golf a sport but many others will argue with that.

Is the main requirement that ESPN covers it? So does that put poker in that category or is that more of a "game"? What about pool? Tennis? Ping pong? Beer pong? Flip cup? Darts? The hot dog eating contest? Cheerleading? Gymnastics? Chess? Boxing? Swimming? Wrestling? WWF wrestling? Strongest man competition? Or does it have to by in the Olympics to qualify as a sport?

The subject is open for debate and I'm curious your decision. Where do you draw a line? What is your definition of a "sport"? Let us know in the comments below.

It's official (sort of) -- cheerleading is NOT a sport

BRING IT ON, said Quinnipiac University and its proposed cheerleading squad, without a hint of irony.  Well, it has been brought, and it's now official: cheerleading is not a sport.  Not for Title IX purposes, anyway, said U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill in a 95-page opinion (!) released today in Bridgeport, Conn.

This development has generated a lot of news coverage, including local pubs such as the Hartford Courant and the Connecticut Post, as well as national outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, The Big Lead, and Jezebel.  And rightfully so.  The case deals with an important junction of law, sports, and women's rights.  (For those who don't know, Title IX is part of a 1973 federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in public educational programs.  Sports-wise, it is most often used to balance school spending on men's and women's sports.)

Here's the gist of the case.  In March 2009, Quinnipiac University decided to cut three sports teams: men's golf, men's outdoor track, and women's volleyball.  To remain in compliance with Title IX, Quinnipiac tried to replace women's volleyball with competitive cheerleading.  The ACLU (you were expecting someone else?) sued the school on behalf of 5 female volleyball players, arguing that Quinnipiac failed to provide equal opportunities for male and female athletes.  Judge Underhill determined that competitive cheerleading is not a collegiate sport for Title IX purposes.  Quinnipiac, therefore, is in violation of Title IX and now has 60 days to announce how it will comply with that law.  This amounts to a victory for the volleyball-playing plaintiffs (Underhill ordered the reinstatement of the women's volleyball team for the 2010-11 season) but a tears-inducing loss for cheerleaders.  As you can see, Kirsten Dunst is pissed.

Check out the two money quotes from Judge Underhill after the jump.

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