how is Zidane on Materazzi not on this list?

Also, I'm sorry that Mr. Senna died, but I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of auto racing as a "sport". Mentally, I kind of group it in with things like chess and competitive eating, which also require training and specialized equipment, but aren't really sports.

You'd be wrong, kind of ignorantly so, but ok.

Turning the wheel of a Formula 1 car is roughly the equivalent of turning a 15-20 lb weight.
Not much you say? Most Formula 1 circuits have about 12-16 corners in them. Most Formula 1 races require anywhere between 60-75 laps. So that's anywhere from 700-1200 lifts of a 15 lb weight in a space of under 2 hours. And in Senna's time, you couldn't shift by flicking a paddle on the wheel, so Senna had to turn his car one handed half the time. Furthermore, you have to do this lifting under extreme g-force pressures of anywhere from 2 to 4 g's. Furthermore, you work in an environment roughly the size of a full-body straightjacket, and in temperatures over 100 degrees, regularly causing the driver to lose 6-7 lbs during the course of a race.

It is exceptionally difficult for me to pass off Formula 1 as being less of a sport when the athletes who drive the cars are about as fit as decathletes. Go and look up every Formula 1 driver of the last 25 years and you'd struggle mightily to find anybody who wasn't very very fit. Nigel Mansell was the only one I can think of, and Nige still had the arms and neck of a blacksmith, and by the time he became a bit rotund, he was at the end of his career anyway.

Michael Schumacher's fitness routine was 2-3 hours of cycling at his Swiss home (so in high altitude), another 2-3 hours of lifting weights for his arms, legs, torso and neck, and if he felt like having fun, maybe a game of soccer down at the local club. His cardiovascular levels at 35 were comparable to a 25 year old world-class distance runner.

When you compare that to the number of successful yet overweight baseball players or successful yet grossly obese football lineman, it's a little hard to write it off as not a sport.

Turning the wheel of a Formula 1 car is roughly the equivalent of turning a 15-20 lb weight.
Not much you say? Most Formula 1 circuits have about 12-16 corners in them. Most Formula 1 races require anywhere between 60-75 laps. So that's anywhere from 700-1200 lifts of a 15 lb weight in a space of under 2 hours.

That makes it difficult. That means you have to be in shape to do it. That doesn't mean it's a sport, anymore than juggling heavy rocks is a sport.

Michael Schumacher's fitness routine was 2-3 hours of cycling at his Swiss home (so in high altitude), another 2-3 hours of lifting weights for his arms, legs, torso and neck, and if he felt like having fun, maybe a game of soccer down at the local club. His cardiovascular levels at 35 were comparable to a 25 year old world-class distance runner.

And despite all this I have a hard time calling racing a sport. I have no problem saying it is difficult and that you need to be in shape to do it. That can be said of a lot of things that are not sports, like the aforementioned ballroom dancing. I look at racing as an event.

Other things I have a hard time calling a sport: Fishing, Hunting, Bobsledding, Curling, weightlifting, Luge, biathlon (the shooting part making it a "bi" sport),Equestrian (at least for the person),Table Tennis, Shooting, Archery, Synchronized swimming, Dodge ball and Horse racing (at least for the jockey)

Who, you?

Racing not a sport, fine. Golf not a sport, fine.

Volleyball is a sport. Tennis is a sport. Swimming is a sport. Water polo is a sport.

Edited to add: ,Sugar Bear.

"You'd be wrong, kind of ignorantly so, but ok."

I'm not saying that it's not extremely difficult to do, or that it doesn't require good physical conditioning of certain types to do well, but... there are lots of things that are extremely difficult to do and require good physical conditioning to do well, but still aren't sports.

Sports can be played badly by a group of untrained, out-of-shape, drunken stumblebums, without damaging their status as sports. Just look at softball.

HOT DOG EATING - SPORT!!!

I'm pretty sure on a gut level that biathlon is a sport, I have to abstain on weightlifting due to COI issues, and I keep going back and forth on bobsledding, but I agree with most of that list.

The Dewey Decimal System is pretty good when it comes to defining sports. In the 790s 796 is usually the borderline between games and sports; anything 796 or higher is a sport. Anything lower is a game. This does not apply to bowling. Another common sense question to ask is if it is in your local fishwrap's Sports section. Thus, competitive Scrabble, poker, spelling, and eating aren't sports. They are the E in ESPN.

And despite all this I have a hard time calling racing a sport. I have no problem saying it is difficult and that you need to be in shape to do it. That can be said of a lot of things that are not sports, like the aforementioned ballroom dancing. I look at racing as an event.

This has got to be the only forum on earth where someone can actually try to compare a NASCAR driver to a ballroom dancer. I love it.

OTOH, my standard for sport is maybe even dumber than that: If you can use your hands, and it involves a highly advanced level of eye-hand coordination to play it at the top levels, it's a sport. Plus boxing.

You don't think boxing is a sport?

<Carlin>Boxing is not a sport either. Boxing is a way to beat the #### out of somebody. In that respect, boxing is actually a more sophisticated form of hockey. In spite of what the police tell you, beating the sh*t out of someboby is not a sport. When police brutality becomes an Olympic event, fine, then boxing can be a sport.<\Carlin>

Sports can be played badly by a group of untrained, out-of-shape, drunken stumblebums, without damaging their status as sports. Just look at softball.
Except beer league softball isn't the World Series.

I don't get this stuff anyway. If it's widely agreed as a sport, then it's a sport. Go get laid or something if you actually are arguing this stuff.

I've got to say I find few things sillier than arguing what is and isn't a sport. If the kid who plays chess or the 50-year-old who ballroom dances wants to call their competitions sports, why the #### should anyone else care?

Another example of Carlin being an idiot.

"Except beer league softball isn't the World Series."

No, but it's still a sport.

"Go get laid or something if you actually are arguing this stuff."

Always good advice, though regrettably I'm at work right now.

Turning the wheel of a Formula 1 car is roughly the equivalent of turning a 15-20 lb weight.
Not much you say? Most Formula 1 circuits have about 12-16 corners in them. Most Formula 1 races require anywhere between 60-75 laps. So that's anywhere from 700-1200 lifts of a 15 lb weight in a space of under 2 hours. And in Senna's time, you couldn't shift by flicking a paddle on the wheel, so Senna had to turn his car one handed half the time. Furthermore, you have to do this lifting under extreme g-force pressures of anywhere from 2 to 4 g's. Furthermore, you work in an environment roughly the size of a full-body straightjacket, and in temperatures over 100 degrees, regularly causing the driver to lose 6-7 lbs during the course of a race.

Excellent points. The extreme g-forces the drivers incur is a particular point that should be stressed. Here's another -- when incurring all those physical forces, one also has to contantly maintain peak concentration, not only on the road, but on other drivers, road conditions, issues with the car, and radio contact with the pits.

Joking aside, I personally find Jeff's criteria ridiculously arbitrary (such as "no hitting a ball over a net") and quite parochial. I also don't see a whole lot of justification on why those American competitive activities are sports, yet auto racing (specifically, Formula One) isn't. Hundreds of millions of fans would disagree with this assessment.

If boxing is an exception, why isn't wrestling? How about track events, nearly all of which don't involve a ball or other "object d'play"?

On the other hand, what is it that makes, say, basketball a sport? All it is is a bunch of pituitary cases throwing a ball through a net. It seems to me that one cannot call it "sport" simply because the media does; rather, you need a definition on what makes something a sport.

Let me offer one: It seems to me that what makes these events "sports" is the fact that they are (a) physical events and (b) competitive. Chess isn't a sport because it doesn't tax anything other than concentration, and ballet isn't a sport because there isn't a competitive aspect.

"one also has to contantly maintain peak concentration, not only on the road, but on other drivers, road conditions, issues with the car, and radio contact with the pits"

Short of the radio thing, what sets that apart from plain old regular driving?

Why can't people admit that there are some sports that are just awful? We (males) almost universally have this hang-up where we declare any disdained athletic competition to be "not a sport." And it's usually followed by a lame rationalization. The truth is that, for some reason, we want anything graced by the word "sport" to be awesome. If you admit that some sports are crappy, then you are lowering the value of the sports you love by association.

Short of the radio thing, what sets that apart from plain old regular driving?

(a) the competition;
(b) the physical strain;
(c) the mental strain.

Furthermore, by your argument, you are essentially saying that any swimming event, skiing event, running event, or weightlifting event aren't sports because anyone could swim, ski, run, or lift a weight.

For that matter, let's look at American sports. What is it that sets basketball apart from horseshoes or darts?

It's apples and oranges. These events are sports because they aren't just what someone does in their ordinary life. Do you regularly drive 200 mph and endure 4-5 g's every time you brake or turn? If so, I'd love to see your car!

Let me offer one: It seems to me that what makes these events "sports" is the fact that they are (a) physical events and (b) competitive. Chess isn't a sport because it doesn't tax anything other than concentration, and ballet isn't a sport because there isn't a competitive aspect.

That's actually the first sensible and non-partisan definition I've read here yet, including my own previous one. I think I'm going to steal it from you anytime this subject re-surfaces, and maybe condense it even further to "competitive physical events."

Let me offer one: It seems to me that what makes these events "sports" is the fact that they are (a) physical events and (b) competitive.

My definition would change "competitive" to "directly competitive." It must be a component of a sport that one player's actions have an effect on the other player's. That's why I wouldn't consider "long jump" a sport (although it is both physical and competitive).

I should note that a competitive chess game is taxing in the sense that you burn a not insignificant amount of calories, although I still wouldn't call it physical.

I've always thought it was funny that people take something not being called a sport as an insult to their chosen 'sport'.

It's not an insult to Waterboy to say it's not a science fiction movie. It's not insulting to racing to say it's not a sport. They are athletes sure, but when your primary method of movement isn't powered by the athlete, I don't see how it could be a sport. As a Bowler I don't find it at all insulting to say bowlings not a sport, I imagine golfers shouldn't be insulted to hear that golf isn't a sport, and racers(car/horse) shouldn't be insulted to hear that their recreation isn't a sport either. It doesn't diminish any of their accomplishments or skills, but they aren't sports.

My definition would change "competitive" to "directly competitive." It must be a component of a sport that one player's actions have an effect on the other player's. That's why I wouldn't consider "long jump" a sport (although it is both physical and competitive).

Long jump does directly effect others -- they react to another's jump and have to better it. By your definition, any track event, swimming, or skiing aren't sports.

I should mention that I don't care whether something is a sport or not outside of simply enjoying a semantic discussion. I prefer checkers to soccer regardless of its classification.

It's not an insult to Waterboy to say it's not a science fiction movie. It's not insulting to racing to say it's not a sport. They are athletes sure, but when your primary method of movement isn't powered by the athlete, I don't see how it could be a sport. As a Bowler I don't find it at all insulting to say bowlings not a sport, I imagine golfers shouldn't be insulted to hear that golf isn't a sport, and racers(car/horse) shouldn't be insulted to hear that their recreation isn't a sport either. It doesn't diminish any of their accomplishments or skills, but they aren't sports.

I understand your point, though I disagree. Also keep in mind -- in the case of F1 at least -- that it isn't just the driver; the team has to design and build the cars they race. Each car has variations from one to the next, and many times the car is built with the specific driver's tastes in mind.

I'm not saying that's what makes it a sport; I'm just saying that the driver isn't exactly a passive passenger. Instead, he and the team are actively involved in every step of the process.

It's a team event or whatever, but you are still 'just driving a car' when it's all said and done. It doesn't matter the competitive level that is involved, it's still just driving.

An 8 year old playing wiffle ball in his back yard is playing a sport, a 16 year old revving his engine up to race a guy at a stop light is not playing a sport. I don't care about the final form that the event takes, it still boils down at it's simplest, driving a car.

I know that the dictionary definition of sport supports the viewpoint that basically everything is a sport, but most people don't really think of racing as a sport, if you aren't providing the propulsion I really can't see it as a sport (bike racing = sport, 100m dashes and marathons = sport, horse racing, car racing, motocross and even riding lawnmower racing = not a sport)

Long jump does directly effect others -- they react to another's jump and have to better it. By your definition, any track event, swimming, or skiing aren't sports.

That's precisely what I'd call "indirect competition." The other competitor doesn't do anything during your jump that makes you more or less likely to succeed.

Auto racing would be a sport because the nature of the race has direct interaction via drafting and bumping. I also wasn't aware of the effort exerted in turning, which definitely lays to rest the idea that it's not physical.

Laned track events/swimming don't feel like sports to me because there's no direct interaction. Is a regular race (race you to the tree and back) a sport? It doesn't feel that way.

Otherwise every physical contest is a sport because we can always create the element of competition.

Has anyone considered just looking the ####### word up in the dictionary? All this work was done for you already.

1 a : a source of diversion : RECREATION b : sexual play c (1) : physical activity engaged in for pleasure

Wow, I should have lettered in masturbation in high school based on m-w.com's definition. I could have competed internationally.

(You know what the definition of a true competitor is? The guy who finishes first and third in a masturbation contest.)

Has anyone considered just looking the ####### word up in the dictionary? All this work was done for you already.

I did that, and hunting was one of the first examples listed. I object to that because it isn't competitive. Maybe if you're weighing the size of the deer you shot, it's close. For it to ideally fit the definition we seem to be approaching a consensus on, two men would be released in the same area with 2 hours to shoot as many pheasants as possible.

Which, by the way, would be a sport I would happily watch on tv.

I should mention that I don't care whether something is a sport or not outside of simply enjoying a semantic discussion. I prefer checkers to soccer regardless of its classification.

I agree. As I said in the Lounge, my definition of "sport" or not is in no way a denigration of the activity or those who play it. Juggling heavy rocks is tough, so is F1 racing. I'd prefer to watch tennis over wrestling (which would probably get the same exemption as boxing.)

They're just not sports.

Oh, and I posted this in here because I figured it would generate discussion, which it did (well, and AJM called me out.) I posted it in the Lounge as part of an anecdote.

I did that, and hunting was one of the first examples listed. I object to that because it isn't competitive. Maybe if you're weighing the size of the deer you shot, it's close. For it to ideally fit the definition we seem to be approaching a consensus on, two men would be released in the same area with 2 hours to shoot as many pheasants as possible.

Don't they have hunting contests like that? Isn't that the way those Bassmasters competitions work?

Let me offer one: It seems to me that what makes these events "sports" is the fact that they are (a) physical events and (b) competitive.

My definition would change "competitive" to "directly competitive." It must be a component of a sport that one player's actions have an effect on the other player's. That's why I wouldn't consider "long jump" a sport (although it is both physical and competitive).

The only problem with that is that it leads to some rather arbitrary distinctions, such as pool (sport) and golf (non-sport). But on any intuitive level those two sports are roughly comparable in terms of the sum of their physical and mental requirements, and to call one of them a "sport" and the other a "non-sport" doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. I think deJesus's definition is about the best we're going to come up with.

The Dewey Decimal System is pretty good when it comes to defining sports. In the 790s 796 is usually the borderline between games and sports; anything 796 or higher is a sport. Anything lower is a game. This does not apply to bowling. Another common sense question to ask is if it is in your local fishwrap's Sports section. Thus, competitive Scrabble, poker, spelling, and eating aren't sports. They are the E in ESPN.

The Dewey Decimal System is pretty good when it comes to defining sports. In the 790s 796 is usually the borderline between games and sports; anything 796 or higher is a sport. Anything lower is a game. This does not apply to bowling. Another common sense question to ask is if it is in your local fishwrap's Sports section. Thus, competitive Scrabble, poker, spelling, and eating aren't sports. They are the E in ESPN.
OR

Also, Horsemen of the Esophagus is listed somewhere in the 600's. Hat tip to Fly_.

"Furthermore, by your argument, you are essentially saying that any swimming event, skiing event, running event, or weightlifting event aren't sports because anyone could swim, ski, run, or lift a weight."

No, I'm saying that pretty much anyone operating a motor vehicle needs to "maintain peak concentration, not only on the road, but on other drivers, road conditions, [and] issues with the car". You cited the fact that race car drivers pay attention to these things as evidence that they're athletes, when in fact it's only evidence that they're drivers.

"Also keep in mind -- in the case of F1 at least -- that it isn't just the driver; the team has to design and build the cars they race. Each car has variations from one to the next, and many times the car is built with the specific driver's tastes in mind.

I'm not saying that's what makes it a sport; I'm just saying that the driver isn't exactly a passive passenger. Instead, he and the team are actively involved in every step of the process."

The same could be said for these guys. Are they athletes?

Wow, I should have lettered in masturbation in high school based on m-w.com's definition. I could have competed internationally.

Yeah, when shooting it over your shoulder felt like hitting it out of Yankee Stadium.

"What's not to love?"

Men in speedos. Other than that, though, you're right.

Don't they have hunting contests like that?

I don't know, but now I'm imagining it, and it would be awesome. I'm thinking along the lines of Running Man, with cameras everywhere. I suppose you'd need two seperate pens so the guys don't shoot each other. You could attach locators to the animals in question, and move to a split screen radar-style graphic so the viewer knows exactly where the quarry is and which hunter is closest to making a big killing. Lots of rocks and little ledges so some athleticism is necessary. You would have to have a fairly small area stocked full of animals, and a short time limit for it to be really exciting.

"if you aren't providing the propulsion I really can't see it as a sport"

This is the reason I'm iffy on bobsled, since the start requires human propulsion but the majority of the course is gravity-fed.

Let me offer one: It seems to me that what makes these events "sports" is the fact that they are (a) physical events and (b) competitive.

One of the things I would add about that is that it is powered by humans. I think that is my biggest hang-up on auto-racing.

I am sure I would modify it further based on things like ping-pong or synchronized swimming which meet the criteria but I have a hard time making them sports.

I don't know, but now I'm imagining it, and it would be awesome. I'm thinking along the lines of Running Man, with cameras everywhere. I suppose you'd need two seperate pens so the guys don't shoot each other. You could attach locators to the animals in question, and move to a split screen radar-style graphic so the viewer knows exactly where the quarry is and which hunter is closest to making a big killing. Lots of rocks and little ledges so some athleticism is necessary. You would have to have a fairly small area stocked full of animals, and a short time limit for it to be really exciting.

I think I would go along with this as a sport only if at some point in the game, lets give it 4 alternating quarters, the weapons get taken away and the animals get the opportunity to hunt the humans.

I wonder if this IS how the biathlon got classified as a sport originally?

Next week the top 25 musical milestones of the past 25 years.

The Rolling Stones Farewell Tour.

I'd say a bigger milestone was the Who reunion tour. Not because of the quality of the music, but they pulled off a massively profitable tour without even bothering to try to come up with any new songs or do anything original. It was openly & avowedly a money-making play-the-oldies tour that was huge. A few years earlier, the Stones had their Steel Wheels tour where Jagger & company felt obligated to play some new material to spruce things up. Now the Stones have 3-4 worldwide tours for every new album. No one expects the old acts to even pretend to do new stuff on tour again. From my perspective, the Who reunion seemed to be a tipping point for old '60s acts.

The Dewey Decimal System is pretty good when it comes to defining sports. In the 790s 796 is usually the borderline between games and sports; anything 796 or higher is a sport.


In that case, the OJ trial definately doesn't belong on the list. True crime is in the 300s. Hence by the Ennui method wife-murdering isn't a sport. It's a game.

I think I would go along with this as a sport only if at some point in the game, lets give it 4 alternating quarters, the weapons get taken away and the animals get the opportunity to hunt the humans.

Well, the animals do at all times have the opportunity to hunt the humans. It's just that they are weak and peaceful herbivores, so it wouldn't happen.

The sport would be MUCH better if the men were only armed with an axe and a bow and they had to fight lions and gorillas, but it's difficult to see that coming to pass. As many hares as you can get in 30 minutes is more reasonable.

It seems to me that what makes these events "sports" is the fact that they are (a) physical events and (b) competitive. Chess isn't a sport because it doesn't tax anything other than concentration, and ballet isn't a sport because there isn't a competitive aspect.

This is pretty much my definition. I can understand the other side of the issue; it's just one of those things you're not going to convince people of differing opinion, like peanut-butter-and-jelly vs. peanut-butter-and-honey

The same could be said for these guys. Are they athletes?

Do the people who build Battlebots tax themselves 1/150th as physically as a Formula 1 driver?

It's a team event or whatever, but you are still 'just driving a car' when it's all said and done. It doesn't matter the competitive level that is involved, it's still just driving.

Anyone can run or jog -- does that mean that no track events are sports?

I think deJesus's definition is about the best we're going to come up with.

I want to change the phrase "physical events" to "athletic events," but that opens another can of worms.

No, I'm saying that pretty much anyone operating a motor vehicle needs to "maintain peak concentration, not only on the road, but on other drivers, road conditions, [and] issues with the car". You cited the fact that race car drivers pay attention to these things as evidence that they're athletes, when in fact it's only evidence that they're drivers.

See above. Auto racing is a sport in the same way that any running event is. Sure anyone can drive, run, swim, or ski, but what makes it a sport is that you are doing to the extreme level, demanding the ultimate in physical conditioning.

Adding: Also, you are doing it competitvely, where there are winners and losers.

4) If it involves batting something back and forth over a net, it's not a sport.

I've gotta say, Jeff, that this requires some explanation. What's the reasoning behind this?

What makes tennis so fundamentally different than raquetball that it falls out of sport-hood?

It's a team event or whatever, but you are still 'just driving a car' when it's all said and done. It doesn't matter the competitive level that is involved, it's still just driving.

Anyone can run or jog -- does that mean that no track events are sports?

I think deJesus's definition is about the best we're going to come up with.

I want to change the phrase "physical events" to "athletic events," but that opens another can of worms.

I never said if anyone could do it, it's not a sport, an 8 year old can get into a foot race with another kid and it's a sport. the physical demands of car racing doesn't start to manifests itself until the highest levels so those that are talking about it as a sport are sometimes saying "at the highest level it's difficult and athletic" but so what, at the highest level bowling is difficult and athletic (you try throwing a 16 pound ball a couple hundred times in a weekend) so what, it's not a sport if at the lowest level of it's existence that it qualifies as a sport. If you are only talking about the extreme situations then I don't see the argument for it to be a sport.

baseball at all levels, t-ball up to the pros is a sport, football, boxing, etc. but claiming that race car drivers are better athletes than baseball players as a reason to classify it as a sport ignores the fact that at any lower level, using the similar rules, that athleticism isn't required.

If you are only talking about the extreme situations then I don't see the argument for it to be a sport.

Whither marathon runners, sprinters, swimmers, and skiiers?


baseball at all levels, t-ball up to the pros is a sport,

We're all taking this for granted, but why? What is it that makes it a sport and not a game?

but claiming that race car drivers are better athletes than baseball players as a reason to classify it as a sport ignores the fact that at any lower level, using the similar rules, that athleticism isn't required.

Driving a car around a track at high speeds is pretty hard no matter what level it is. Stock car racing isn't as demanding as F1 on a lap by lap basis since it's slower and on an oval, but you have to drive for much longer in an enclosed cockpit that turns into an oven at times. Likewise endurance racing benefits from en plein air, but you have to drive for 1,000 miles as a part of a team in the space of 24 hours.

Most drivers in any respectable level of motor racing tend to take fitness seriously.

I look at a sport as something which features a minmal level of physical activity, some type of direct competition(either directly against another human or against a scientific score- time/measurement as an example, not judges ratings), where the majority of the action is controled by human power. Example, bicycle racing is a sport since it's just amplification of human power, car racing, horse racing is not a sport. Javelin throwing, high jumping are sports also because you are competing directly with a non-judgement scoring system, while figure skating is not. Even gymnastics, one of the most athletic endeavors isn't sport because it's a judges scoring system. Bowling and golf aren't sports because they don't meet an admittedly arbitrary level of minimal physical activity, while baseball does.

The level of competition shouldn't reflect whether it's a sport. otherwords go cart racing should be considered a sport if nascar or drag racing or formula 1 is considered a sport. a sub-category of a sport shouldn't be considered a sport unless it's overall category is a sport. Nascar, formula 1, etc is a sub category of Car Racing. If car racing isn't a sport then no sub categories should be considered a sport even if they are more physically demanding etc. (yes I realize I'm kinda repeating myself here)

I disagree with whoever claimed tennis or waterpolo aren't sports.

I've gotta say, Jeff, that this requires some explanation. What's the reasoning behind this?

What makes tennis so fundamentally different than raquetball that it falls out of sport-hood?

It's not the removal of tennis that's the reason behind the rule. It's the removal of badminton and ping-pong, which otherwise would stick, and are clearly not sports. Tennis and volleyball lose through application of the rule, but I'm fine with that.

baseball at all levels, t-ball up to the pros is a sport,

While I agree with your premise, t-ball is not a sport I would classify it for kids as working on basic life skills, things like cart-wheels, putting on a helmet correctly, tying your shoes, and being happy with a slow roller to the pitcher. For parents it might qualify as a sport, it takes endurance, hand-eye coordination (bats flying out of no-where, balls flying out of no-where, trying to take a picture while keeping an eye out for the previously mentioned bats and balls) and competition (just listen to two fathers talk about the game)

I've always thought a sport is something that requires playing defense along with physical effort and competition.

This would include:

Baseball, basketball etc.
Boxing
tennis (reacting to those 100+mph serves must be considered defense)
waterpolo
field hockey

And reject:
Track type activities I would call events,
Bike Racing
Marathons
Swimming
Golf

But that's just me.

"...the weapons get taken away and the animals get the opportunity to hunt the humans."

Squirrels with frickin' laser beams on their heads?

I've always thought a sport is something that requires playing defense along with physical effort and competition.

That was what I was going for with "direct competition." I suppose in the context we're using it, defense is the same thing. The idea is "what one competitor does has a direct effect on the success or failure of the opposing competitor."

I am not a NASCAR fan, but there's definitely a non-trivial amount of playing off what your opponents are doing. Same for horseracing, and both require a non-trivial amount of physical activity. It's not like Eddie Gaedel would have been a star jockey.

Turning the wheel of a Formula 1 car is roughly the equivalent of turning a 15-20 lb weight.
Not much you say? Most Formula 1 circuits have about 12-16 corners in them. Most Formula 1 races require anywhere between 60-75 laps. So that's anywhere from 700-1200 lifts of a 15 lb weight in a space of under 2 hours. And in Senna's time, you couldn't shift by flicking a paddle on the wheel, so Senna had to turn his car one handed half the time. Furthermore, you have to do this lifting under extreme g-force pressures of anywhere from 2 to 4 g's. Furthermore, you work in an environment roughly the size of a full-body straightjacket, and in temperatures over 100 degrees, regularly causing the driver to lose 6-7 lbs during the course of a race.

It is exceptionally difficult for me to pass off Formula 1 as being less of a sport when the athletes who drive the cars are about as fit as decathletes. Go and look up every Formula 1 driver of the last 25 years and you'd struggle mightily to find anybody who wasn't very very fit. Nigel Mansell was the only one I can think of, and Nige still had the arms and neck of a blacksmith, and by the time he became a bit rotund, he was at the end of his career anyway.

Michael Schumacher's fitness routine was 2-3 hours of cycling at his Swiss home (so in high altitude), another 2-3 hours of lifting weights for his arms, legs, torso and neck, and if he felt like having fun, maybe a game of soccer down at the local club. His cardiovascular levels at 35 were comparable to a 25 year old world-class distance runner.

If we agree on things like this, then I think arguing about whether something like NASCAR is a sport is really stupid. We all basically agree on what NASCAR (or boxing, bowling, ballroom dancing or billiards) is. If we all understand the varying types and amounts of skill, athleticism, endurance and hard work required to excel in these activities, what exactly are we arguing about?

In the end, it's just irrelevant semantics. We disagree on the definition of the word "sport", not on the definition of "NASCAR".

I've always thought a sport is something that requires playing defense along with physical effort and competition.

This would include:

Baseball, basketball etc.
Boxing
tennis (reacting to those 100+mph serves must be considered defense)
waterpolo
field hockey

And reject:
Track type activities I would call events,
Bike Racing
Marathons
Swimming
Golf

In that case you just don't understand bike racing. There's a hell of a lot of offensive and defensive strategy involved. Ever heard of "attacking the pelaton?"