I was watching the Missouri Valley conference championship game on Sunday, Southern IL against Bradley. When they came back from a commercial in the second half they were showing a cheerleader being attended to because she fell from the top of a three-person high pyramid. CBS even had a replay of it, even though it happened during the commercial break, from a camera behind the backboard.

Now, here's the part that verifies to me that cheerleaders are a different breed. They had her strapped to the cart, with a full neck brace on, because she had cracked neck vertibra and a concussion. But as she's being wheeled off the floor, she's doing her cheerleading hand motions and clapping to the band! While laying flat on the cart! I thought she was going to whack one of the paramedics in the head. I know if I fell that distance unto a wood floor, I'd be happy to just be just awake enough to wave "Hi Mom" to the cameras. But here she is going through her routine. I wonder if her legs were strapped down, otherwise she might've kicked someone...

I was reminded of it last night when our local news did a story on her, because she's from the area. She will be fine.

And the crowd went nuts when she started her cheering movements! :)

I think she was just trying to show everyone that she was going to be okay.

I heard about this yesterday...the conference officials have banned throwing stunts and pyramids in excess of two levels...probably an over-reaction.

As the father of a high school competitive cheerleader who has been on 4 National Championship squads and who will be competing at this years Cheerleading World Championship I can tell you they are definetly athletes...and most certainly a different breed :D

I know many don't consider it a sport because it is judged and the scores are subjective. However, I will brag and say there are few people that can perform at the level of my daughter's squad. There is no way in...well you know...that I could ever have done what she can do.

Yep, that's exactly what she was doing:
http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebas.../story/9292183

How refreshing to find a kid who's worried about her squad, and the team, and not just herself. Hopefully this is a sign the world isn't going to he!! in a handbasket.

Larry - I was partially kidding about the "sport - not a sport". Cheerleaders at that level are definitely athletes, and put in approximately the same amount of time and training as other athletes in other sports.

But, can you imagine a player on the cart practicing his free throw form while he's being wheeled off?...

Honestly, I don't think it's an over-reaction. Every time I watch these young women, I cringe in fear over what could happen. When something bad happens (which I admit is not often for the number of squads out there), it's a young girl falling 15-20 feet onto a hard surface, possibly head-first. I wish that HS cheerleading had the limits that the conference imposed. But that's just me.

Yes, they're athletes, no question. Nah, it's not a sport. Again, that's just me. :)

I knew that. A friendly word of advice...don't ever tell my daughter it is not a sport...you will be in for a ten minute tirade...and she will point to boxing, gymnastics, diving, dresage, etc. as things the majority view as a sport that also have judging involved.

Then she will walk away...and I'll have to live with her for the rest of the day :(

I read an article about her yesterday, I was quite amazed that she would still 'do her job' (cheer) while strapped to her back after literally breaking her neck. Says a lot about that young woman, IMO.

Chuck, you say she's an atlete yet her athletic activity is not a sport.

How do you define sport?

Injury aside, I thought it was freaking hilarious.

If you have to be judged to determine you have won something, that is not a sport. Just because you do something athletic, does not make it a sport. The circus is full of world class athletes, but do you call that a sport?

Real sport is when you have to beat someone at something that is easily measurable. In basketball, football and baseball I have to out score you with more points and runs. In Golf I have to shoot a lower score than you do to win a tournament or match. In cheerleading most of the time you are not even competing in anything. If they do a competing you have to be judged that your routine is better than everyone else. I do not consider the NBA Dunk contest a sport, why figure skating and cheerleading?

Peace

Yes, ... on her head and on the Today show this morning.
Cracked the front of her first Lumbar Vertebra.

Using your definition examples of real sports are nascar racing, competetive pistol shooting & dog track racing.

Examples of non-sports are boxing, free style skiing, most if not every form of gymnastics and to a lesser degree scholastic wrestling and olympic weight lifting.

Not a sport, but...
 

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a cheer competition at the local community college. I went away with the impression that most of these girls were incredibly athletic and coordinated, and some had no small amount of courage (and trust). In fact, at my daughter's high school cheerleading is only a winter activity (they cheer at basketball games). When spring season comes, several of the girls play rugby on my daughter's team. As to whether cheer a sport...that's one of those astroturf-no astroturf arguments best discussed over a pint or two.

Don't forget poker.

Shana Hiatt - now there's a sport!

I think all of these are sports.

If you knock someone out there are no one to judge in boxing. They are judged in boxing about as much as we do in basketball. We have to determine if they follow the rules and if you leave to the officials, you might not like the result.

I never said I thought gymnastics was a sport. Just because the sport is in the Olympics does not make it a sport if you ask me.

Peace

I don't have the statistics but most boxing matches are not settled by knockout I believe, especially at the amateur level. In any event, all boxing matches are scored subjectively by ring-side officials. Non-knock out matches are decided by these scores.

Like gymnastics and cheerleading.

The great thing about this country is you can think whatever you like. I just do not consider something where you have no direct interaction with an opponent and are completely judged on win the event a sport. If you feel gymnastics and cheerleading are sports, you have that right. ;)

I do not even watch these things when the Olympics come around, so I personally do not care either way.

Peace

Don't forget that basketball is not a sport since the game is always decided by the refs! I've had an ongoing conversation about this with some friends and I even had my 5th grade students write on it. To me a sport has a clear winner and loser because of points scored, who finishes first, etc. I consider any subjective competitions, figure skating, almost all of the so called X-games athletic exhibitions. I have no doubt that the competitors in these areas are gifted athletes, I just don't think it constitutes a sport.

So diving, gymnastics, and ice skating are not sports. :)

But bowling and curling are...go figure.

If you mean figure skating or ice dancing, then you're correct. Those are athletic competitions, but not sports. Speed skating is a sport.

They are sports, but not athletic.

As are lawn darts, pitching pennies & (thanks Rocky) curling.

And boxing is athletic, but not a sport?

A sport has to be (1) athletic...but there also has to be (2) offense and defense...basketball has both (1) & (2), therefore it's a sport; billiards has (2), but not (1), therefore it is not a sport. NASCAR (of which I am the anti-fan) is also a sport since it always has (1), and frequently has (2).

I have a lot of friends on our Co-ed team at my college and let me tell you that these kids are athletes, they do things that most people just imagine or wish that they had the talent to do. Also in the SPORT, i reiterate the SPORT of cheerleading there were over 200,000 cheerleaders treated for injury and I am not talking about breaking a finger nail, I am talking about sprained wrist and pulled hamstrings and even though they are hurt they still go out and show more team support, and team spirit than anybody.

Yes, I can agree that it is not a sport when at a basketball game, but at the higher levels of cheerleading, it is about the COMPETITIONS that they attend, to showcase their talent and win the first place trophy. In this type of setting this is most definitely a sport. When any of you can do half of what they do and then do it well enough to win a trophy I will stop considering it a sport because then apparently it wasn't that hard to do in the first place.

RefTN,
Mountain climbers are in better shape than most of us, they sometimes DIE pursuing this activity...but I still wouldn't call it a sport. The one that really teaks me is when folks call golf a sport...puh-leaaaaze.

RefTN,
Mountain climbers are in better shape than most of us, they sometimes DIE pursuing this activity...but I still wouldn't call it a sport. The one that really tweaks me is when folks call golf a sport...puh-leaaaaze.

So golf is not a sport? :confused:

Is double posting a sport? :D

Sports
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.

Hmmm...I see no mention of the words offense of defense.

Using that definition...Yo-yo would be a sport...after all, they do have competitions. Who'd a thunk it...that penciled neck geek with the yo-yo string hanging out of his pocket is actually a world-class athlete :)

By the way...can you tell the season is over? We are on PAGE 3 of a discussion about whether or not cheerleading is a sport. :D

MajorCord needs to read this posting. :D

Peace

Geeze, I don't know how you people could leave out Biathlon, especially after the just-completed Winter Olympics.

It's got everything.

A buncha guys named Lars, Sven and Hans strap on the ol' skis, go like <i>schuss</i> until they puke, then they fall in a snowbank and shoot at some Russians off in the distance. And they keep doing that until France surrenders.

Greatest <b>sport</b> ever imo.

Nope, not a sport.

Not until they shoot at each other and have to play defense.

So.......how would that relate to probably the most widely practised sport in the country?

Fishing?

Hey, have you ever felt a catfish's fins on your hands? Those suckers can be sharp...I'm defending big-time against those!

And besides, I'm always defending to my wife why the size of my cooler is bigger than the size of my tackle box!

Those are pretty short contests then, aren't they...I actually watched the biathlon stuff at the Olympics - mainly because (at first) a kid from near my hometown was competing for the USA, but after that because it was pretty cool. I can't imagine skiing that far, that fast, and then getting the pulse down and the muscles calmed down to be able to shoot like that. That was amazing...

But not really a "sport"...

Hmmmm....nah, let it go.

Anyways...what swims in the sea, carries a machine gun, and makes you an offer you can't refuse?

The Codfather.

What fish terrorizes other fish?

Jack the Kipper.

That oughta be enough.

<B>That's</B> for sure.

Isn't this about the time mick comes along and locks the thread?

Oh, what the heck, before he does -

Why did the Great White not eat the attorney who fell overboard?

Professional courtesy.

What's the difference between a porcupine and a Mercedes Benz full of lawyers?

The porcupine has the pricks on the outside.

I feel a new thread coming on:

Bad jokes - sport or not a sport?

Oh, my !
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by M&M Guy

Quote:

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee Quote: Fishing? Hey, have you ever felt a catfish's fins on your hands? Those suckers can be sharp...I'm defending big-time against those! And besides, I'm always defending to my wife why the size of my cooler is bigger than the size of my tackle box!

Sounds like an Illinois or Mississippi river thing.

Your cooler is obviously large to keep those catfish on ice.
Your tackle box? Well, dough balls don't take up much room.
mick

Re: Oh, my !
 

Hey! I don't go around makin' fun of your rod, so don't be talkin' about my dough balls.

I agree. I think that they should be able to use machine guns though. Or mortars. That's a little more fair....

Sports require defense...

GO CHESS TEAM! :o

My 2 cents, and you might want change
 

It's not a sport. It's a distraction from a sport. I don't care what level it is, it's all about looking at chicks.

I read it JR. We are a pathetic lot. :)

Never understimate how pathetic. Page 4. ;)

Won't be long before an "esteemed member" sends an email to Bob or Brad. . .

psssttt...hey...spring training's here...

if we're reeeeally quiet and act like we're not having any fun maybe we can use this thread to talk about b.a.s.e.b.a.l.l.

ssshhhh...not now, an esteemed member's coming...

I think we left out one of the most popular sports in the South.

Bobbing for french fries.