Cheerleading: Sport or Not?

[agzg]

Originally Posted by 33girl

LOL @ Sen. I'm partial to that one down front on the left.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

That's the one I was checking out.

Me Three. Yum.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by BluPhire

Seriously its not that serious. I can apologize for my part for it even escalating to this point...cause it ain't that serious...its just semantics.

Then shuttup. Seriously.

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Then shuttup. Seriously.

Uhh no. I did shut up until you had to post again to tell me to shut up. Didn't you see about five- ten posts ago. I had moved on.

Sorry now I'm talking.

Go ahead and call me all types of names. Life will go on.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by BluPhire

Uhh no. I did shut up until you had to post again to tell me to shut up. Didn't you see about five- ten posts ago. I had moved on.

Sorry now I'm talking.

Go ahead and call me all types of names. Life will go on.

Okay, idiot.

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Okay, idiot.

I'm still talkiiiiiiiing (in high pitch voice)

And yes I am an idiot. GC has already figured that out by now. Next.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by BluPhire

And yes I am an idiot. GC has already figured that out by now. Next.

Is it competitive idiocy? If so, it is a sport and you win.

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Is it competitive idiocy? If so, it is a sport and you win.

25 year gold medal champ. They retired my jersey and said nobody would ever break my record of idiocy.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by BluPhire

25 year gold medal champ. They retired my jersey and said nobody would ever break my record of idiocy.

There ya go.

This thread is generally about college cheerleading because that's what this policy is regarding. What about high school cheerleading competitions and so forth that have the ability to set the precedent for how cheerleading is perceived in terms of a sport? I think I've seen some high school teams that kicked ass and there are cheerleading scholarships that make it seem more and more like a sport worthy of such recognition.

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

There ya go.

This thread is generally about college cheerleading because that's what this policy is regarding. What about high school cheerleading competitions and so forth that have the ability to set the precedent for how cheerleading is perceived in terms of a sport? I think I've seen some high school teams that kicked ass and there are cheerleading scholarships that make it seem more and more like a sport worthy of such recognition.

Well the ones I see on ESPN, and particular Paul Lawrence Dunbar High in Lexington Kentucky, they do both.

Cheer on the sidelines and when Football season is over they are prepping to go the national cheer competitions.


Personally I respect the work, but don't think it is a sport. But I also believe I have antiquated definitions of what a sport is. I don't believe anything is a sport that has judges on the sideline deciding who wins...except boxing but that has the X-factor of at least winning before it goes to the judges.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by DTD Alum

Lastly, I do not think marching band is a sport either. I'm sure that carrying some of the instruments is intense, but at the end of the day the athleticism required is only a tiny fraction of what is needed to be successful in competitions. Musicality and the ability to play your instrument well are infinitely more important.

I'm not seriously arguing that Marching Band is a sport, however, I disagree on this point. In a competition, there is an entire point category devoted to marching, and one devoted to your colorguard/drill team. They are worth as many points as your musical ability. Plus, the colorguard in and of itself is at least as athletic as cheerleading (ok, I'll give you that super-high level pyramids and tosses are probably more athletic).


And if you want to talk intense practices, band camp are usually 12 hour days - and it isn't indoors, either.

[AlphaFrog]

Double post to say:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Okay, idiot.

Originally Posted by BluPhire

I'm still talkiiiiiiiing (in high pitch voice)

And yes I am an idiot. GC has already figured that out by now. Next.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I never found this amusing.

[IrishLake]

Originally Posted by DTD Alum

I understand that this isn't the official definition of a sport, but I tend to think that a sport is an athletic event that is judged objectively rather than subjectively.

So, for snowboarding, I think if it is a snowboard race I'd see it as a sport, because the winner is simply the person who crosses the line first or in the shortest amount of time. However, if it is being judged on tricks alone than I'd think of it as a very athletic competitive event, but not a sport per say.

By that definition, I do not think that cheerleading is a sport. I do think it is a competitive event that is incredibly athletic, but I don't think it is an official sport.

I don't think athleticism alone makes something a sport...it is widely agreed that ballet is one of the most athletic endeavors one can undertake, but I don't think that the athletic element automatically makes it a sport. Things like snowboarding and cheerleading are closer because they involve competition, but by the basis that they are judged subjectively they seem like incredibly athletic events that veer closer to an art form than a sport.

Lastly, I do not think marching band is a sport either. I'm sure that carrying some of the instruments is intense, but at the end of the day the athleticism required is only a tiny fraction of what is needed to be successful in competitions. Musicality and the ability to play your instrument well are infinitely more important.

You took the words right out of my mouth. Objective versus subjective. Ballet.... holy hell, those dancers are bad ass athletic. But ballet is not a sport.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by BluPhire

Because I'm just hot like that.

I knew I was going to like this guy.

*Senusret I seal of approval*

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I knew I was going to like this guy.

*Senusret I seal of approval*

Run, BluPhire, runnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.