is what we do a sport?

[Big Fil]

Sport no. Fun yes.

[deca]

Originally Posted by mkovalcson

However playing real sports without getting to any meaningful level has value. Once upon a time I used to race bicycles. Now I prefer to mountain bike, but I don't compete, I do it because I enjoy it and because it helps keep me in shape.

I understand what you're saying but still contest that abilities garnered through serious gaming cross over into other pursuits. I have no doubt that the hundreds of hours I've spent playing video games helped me pick up RC helicopters significantly faster than people with no history of hand eye coordination of that nature. Value is a very subjective term, I'd say anything that doesnt directly harm you (and even some things that do) has value attached to it. Playing video games seriously as opposed to just using them to pass time when I'm bored introduced me to huge communities and some of my closest friends today. Also, practicing enough to posses the skill necessary to compete with others in a meaningful way is incredibly enjoyable and satisfying for me.

The only thing you're getting out of traditional sports that you don't in video games is the physical activity, which is nothing to scoff at. However, I'll have you know that my primary form of exercise currently is playing In The Groove and Pump it Up for an hour or two a day until I'm drenched in sweat and can hardly walk out of the arcade Granted, this is a specific exception that certainly does not make the rule, but was amusing enough for me to bring up.

Probably also worth mentioning that I grew up on wheels. Skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline, scooters, skiing and snowboarding and etc. I was also on my HS and (briefly) college Tennis team and try to do semi-regular running in the summers. I have no shortage of physical activities, I don't want to come off as some fat pasty guy who sits in his basement playing video games all day and is afraid to come outside desperately defending/self-validating his lifestyle

Again though, don't take what I'm saying the wrong way. The VAST majority of people who consider themselves "hardcore gamers" are those that dick around for hours equating time invested to dedication without actually learning anything about the games they're playing or developing their skillset in any way. Those interested in and dedicated to mastering extremely difficult and purely skill based games are a fairly small niche, but one that exists and shouldn't be lumped in with the masses.

[th0rg0d]

Yes, though it depends on your definition of "sport". Physical sport, obviously not. Sport as in a competition where people can go head to head and the person with the better skill wins? Sure. Competitive RC is as much a sport as shooting or curling IMO. And both of those are in the Olympics.

[Elios000]

Originally Posted by mkovalcson

Apparently sport is just a name people stick on any activity they want.

Chess is a recognized sport by the International Olympic Committee[3] with FIDE being the recognized International Sports Federation for chess since June 1999.[3][4][5][6] As a member of the International Olympic Committee, FIDE adheres to its rules, including controversially having doping tests.[7][8][9][10] The prospects of chess becoming an Olympic sporting event at some future date remain unclear. The naming of FIDE's team championship as the "Chess Olympiad" is of historical origin and implies no connection between this event and the Olympic Games.

id pay good money to see RC heli as an Olympic sport
hell id pay for extra ESPN channels if they showed F3N, F3C, and 3D stuff
if ESPN can show Magic(the card game) why not helis

[newblueshoe]

Let me clear this up. YOU (including me) were never picked for SPORTS, so we picked up HOBBIES!

[mkovalcson]

When I was an avid waterskier, Greece tried to get slalom skiing into the Olympics.

They decided against it because they said too much was dependent on the boat and boat driver, even with advanced speed control systems that could give a skier passes with split times accurate to within 0.01 seconds. However a boat driver could weave the boat ever so slightly and help or hurt a skier.

Because of the boat they decided slalom skiing would not be allowed in.

No bearing on this, but the fact that Chess is considered a sport by the IOC and slalom skiing is not is beyond me.

[Elios000]

Originally Posted by mkovalcson

When I was an avid waterskier, Greece tried to get slalom skiing into the Olympics.

They decided against it because they said too much was dependent on the boat and boat driver, even with advanced speed control systems that could give a skier passes with split times accurate to within 0.01 seconds. However a boat driver could weave the boat ever so slightly and help or hurt a skier.

Because of the boat they decided slalom skiing would not be allowed in.

No bearing on this, but the fact that Chess is considered a sport by the IOC and slalom skiing is not is beyond me.

and like the judged sports do any better lol like there has NEVER been any controversy in judged sports >.> *cough*figure skating*cough*

[03silver]

Scientists recognize amazing cognitive process behind playing StarCraft
http://mygaming.co.za/news/news/2902...starcraft.html

[Volcano]

Its how you do it, if you compete its a sport, otherwise youre playing around. Same with everything.

BTW- is any form of waterskiing in the olympics?

[bdbrown4764]

From my skydiving day's.
If you can't die from it, it is not a sport, it's a game.

[Daniel880516]

Yes, it is definitely a sport when my heli drops 100m away and i need to run across the field to rescue it (Also rescuing a flipped rc car and swimming to get my dead rc boats too)

[CrashandBurn]

No it is not a sport. It is a hobby,that's why you buy your parts from a hobby shop and not a sports shop. If running after a heli makes this a sport,then running to catch the bus is also a sport.

[Mixmaster Pilot]

What if the question was put to everyone this way.

Question - Do you play sport? If yes what sport?

Now surely no one here would say - yes I play sport, I build and fly R/C heli's!

Next question - Do you have any hobbies? If yes what hobby?

This is where i would expect everyone to say - Yes, I build and fly R/C helicopters!

[sansone]

golf is.. so any recreational activity is fair game

[Mixmaster Pilot]

Originally Posted by sansone

golf is.. so any recreational activity is fair game

I'm guessing you don't play golf, because if you did, you would know how silly it is comparing it to R/C in terms of sport.

Being big and strong is advantage in golf. Sure you don't need to be, but adding 20 yards to anyone's game will always make them better.

Take an R/C pilot and add strength, and the R/C ability doesn't change.

[Hoosiermo1]

Originally Posted by Mixmaster Pilot

I'm guessing you don't play golf, because if you did, you would know how silly it is comparing it to R/C in terms of sport.

Being big and strong is advantage in golf. Sure you don't need to be, but adding 20 yards to anyone's game will always make them better.

Take an R/C pilot and add strength, and the R/C ability doesn't change.

Hand eye coordination will do more for your game than will size.
I am a small guy and can out drive most of the bigger guys I play with.
The same hand eye coordination will make you a better pilot as well.

[aaronbru]

Best post yet and noone acknowledged it.

And there are way to many posts on this thread to follow it. I got to page 5 and decided you're all a bunch of crazies!

haha and happy flying

Originally Posted by jfluegel

According to "The American Heritage Dictionary": Sport 1) An active pastime; recreation. 2. A specific diversion, usually involving physical exercise and having a set form and body of rules; game.

So by definition 1) it is a sport and by definition 2) it may or may not be a sport.

I think it all depends on the context an activity is done in that determines if it is a sport, or an activity or a hobby. If I go out for a bike ride on or off road that is not really a sport. If however, I compete in a bike race then I would consider it a sport. I can shoot hoops in my driveway that is an activity. If I play basketball on a team and compete against other teams then it is a sport. If I fly my helis purely for entertainment then it probably is not a sport but if I am a sponsered team pilot and compete in competitions and make my living at it then I would consider it a sport.

[gwright]

Three definitions of sport according to multiple online sources. I'd say rc helis fit number three

1.a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
b. A particular form of this activity.
2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation

[Glass Monkey]

still more "nays" sounding off, but the "yays" and the "depends" making gains in the polls! i am admittedly biased but it seems like the only logical argument for "nay" is the physical exersion one, which rules out many activities often considered sports, other than that i just hear alot of "because i said so..." just sayin... I would also like to say to those who view it something we all do instead of physical sports, thats just not true for many of us. many of us are very physically active, and in my experience we are generally a very diverse group (except perhaps for the conspicuous lack of estrogen, lol). I really dont think anyone is trying to call themselves an athlete for competing in it in order to make themselves feel better about their lack of physical exercise, but then my definition of sport doesnt require athletes.

[snjbird]

I'm going with no, not a sport...

Many people do sports as a hobby, but not all hobbies are sport.

In the end it boils down to "your" interpretation of the word...

I hardly see say fishing as a sport, but some guys make big bucks at doing it...

Golf, as low energy as it may be, is sport too. But flying RC is a huge stretch in my mind to be "sport"

May be that the lack of a scoring system makes me think it... I mean if you get 3 buddies and hit the golf coarse, you can make a bet, and the guy with the best score wins, same for tennis, and soccer/football, heck even mini golf... But RC, not so much...