what sport is the most difficult to master skillwise?

[soulcougher73]

Evidently competitive whiffleball ain't no joke and you can see some seriously filthy pitching in this video.

Damn those are some wicked pitches. So much movement.

 

[Ns1]

Figure skating is not a sport either. In fact it is less of a sport than golf, because it lacks both a DEFENSE and an objective basis for winning (i.e., a score that is not based on "judgment").

ITT:

Sho'Nuff pulls the definition of "Sport" out of his ass.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

If I knew anything about Ping Pong then I might agree with this. I have watched some of those Chinese PP players and it is crazy. However, I am struggling with the idea that Tennis is anywhere near as difficult to master as Baseball. Just about anyone can pick up a tennis racket and master the fundamentals of Tennis inside of a week or two. They may not be going on tour, but they will be serving overhand and able to use most of the basic strokes in competitive play. Hitting in baseball is often considered by people around the sports world as the most difficult thing to do in sports.

Golf is not a sport. It is in the same arena as sporting activities like Figure Skating, Auto Racing and Hunting, Billiards, Bowling, Darts, etc.

I agree that golf, figure skating, racing, bowling, darts and hunting are not sports. Apart from racing they all lack defense, and racing has so much in common with regular driving that I simply refuse to call it a sport. Figure skating especially is not a sport, because the winner is not defined by an objective standard.

As for ping pong, I linked a video in my post above showing how crazy ping pong can get. That tiny ass ball can travel at almost 100 MPH off the racket, and then slows and curves like nuts after it is hit in the 8-20 feet between players.

Also FWIW, I interpreted the poll as asking which sports as a whole were the most difficult to master skill wise. I voted tennis above baseball because while hitting a baseball is more difficult, I think the entire skill set of being a tennis player is more difficult to "master." And by master, I mean achieve a level of skill suitable for the professional level of the sport.

 

[Kev]

:whiste:

fishing?!?!?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Archery.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

ITT:

Sho'Nuff pulls the definition of "Sport" out of his ass.

I can disagree with a dictionary definition of a term if I want to. And in this case, I disagree because I think the definition is fundamentally flawed and should be changed.

To me a sport is an activity wherein: two teams compete against one another with each team alternating between offense and defense; there is an objective standard of winning (an objectively defined score); and non-machine facilitated locomotion of the participants is required.

By this simple definition, the following are sports:

Baseball, hockey, soccer, football, basketball, curling (as much as I hate to admit it), tennis, ping pong, volleyball, Jai Lai, Rugby, etc.

By this simple definition, the following are NOT sports (though they might be appropriately classified as (potentially athletic) competitive activites):

Golf, Figure Skating, Gymnastics, Bowling, Archery, Rifle Sports, Hunting, Hiking, Foot races of any kind, fishing etc.

Its not that I think that there is anything wrong with the no-sports above. I enjoy many of them. But the poll asked for an opinion on sports, not competitive activities.

 

[Ns1]

I can disagree with a dictionary definition of a term if I want to. And in this case, I disagree because I think the definition is fundamentally flawed and should be changed.

To me a sport is an activity wherein: two teams compete against one another with each team alternating between offense and defense; there is an objective standard of winning (an objectively defined score); and non-machine facilitated locomotion of the participants is required.

By [my] simple definition, the following are sports:

Baseball, hockey, soccer, football, basketball, curling (as much as I hate to admit it), tennis, ping pong, volleyball, Jai Lai, Rugby, etc.

By [my] simple definition, the following are NOT sports (though they might be appropriately classified as (potentially athletic) competition):

Golf, Figure Skating, Gymnastics, Bowling, Archery, Rifle Sports, Hunting, Hiking, Foot races of any kind, fishing etc.

I FTFY, because you're basically validating what I'm saying

ITT:

Sho'Nuff pulls the definition of "Sport" out of his ass.

 

[ponyo]

I agree that golf, figure skating, racing, bowling, darts and hunting are not sports. Apart from racing they all lack defense, and racing has so much in common with regular driving that I simply refuse to call it a sport. Figure skating especially is not a sport, because the winner is not defined by an objective standard.

There is objective standard in figure skating. However, there's cheating and bias like many "sports" since you have money and politics involved.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

There is objective standard in figure skating. However, there's cheating and bias like many "sports" since you have money and politics involved.

No there is not. There is a standard against which participants are compared by a panel of judges, who give their opinion as to the participant's score. That is not an objective basis upon which to determine a winner. It is a subjective basis.

http://www.lib.odu.edu/genedinfolit/1infobasics/subjective_vs_objective.html

Regardless, even if arguendo I concede that there is an objective basis for determining a winner in figure skating (which I do not), figure skating is still not a sport because it lacks defense.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

I FTFY, because you're basically validating what I'm saying

OK with me. Still think the "official" definition is way too inclusive.

 

[brainhulk]

http://youtu.be/LoAMUArWqNg

Meh, she's good. But not as great as Yulia

http://youtu.be/ke0iusvydl8

 

[BurnItDwn]

Poll is stupid.

To "master" any sport you essentially have to compete on the highest level. To compete on the highest level of the sport, you pretty much train/workout your whole life all the time.

Many games do give benefit to people with different natures. Tall people may benefit in Basketball, short people may benefit as jockeys, short leg people with swimming, long leg people with running, etc...

However, to be a master of any sport takes pretty much 100% dedication, and most people are simply not capable of being masters of most sports.

Thus, the answer to this poll is "False."

 

[edro]

No there is not. There is a standard against which participants are compared by a panel of judges, who give their opinion as to the participant's score. That is not an objective basis upon which to determine a winner. It is a subjective basis.

http://www.lib.odu.edu/genedinfolit/1infobasics/subjective_vs_objective.html

Regardless, even if arguendo I concede that there is an objective basis for determining a winner in figure skating (which I do not), figure skating is still not a sport because it lacks defense.

What about penalties that rely heavily on the subjectivity of the officials?
All of your sports have game changing penalties that are extremely subjective.

Holding, pass interference, charge, ball/strike, etc.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Then Baseball and it's not close

This.

 

[MetalMat]

Mastering pitching in baseball seems the toughest to me.

Concerning athletic skill the corner back in football is the toughest.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Where's League of Legends? Clearly the hardest.

 

[BurnItDwn]

On second thought, I believe Naked blindfolded downhill skiing on Everest is the most difficult sport to master. It has never before been mastered. It is likely impossible to master. All the sports that have already been mentioned, are easy enough that mere humans are able to master them through many years of dedication.

 

[Midwayman]

Kendo. It takes a minimum of 28 years before you can even take the highest rank. Then less than 0.5% of the people who take it pass. To get to those levels you pretty much have to be a full time instructor. Most sports people peak before you're even eligible to take that last test.

 

[Ns1]

Kendo. It takes a minimum of 28 years before you can even take the highest rank. Then less than 0.5% of the people who pass. To get to those levels you pretty much have to be a full time instructor. Most sports people peak before you're even eligible to take that last test.

Who do you take the test in front of? the 3 other kendo masters on the continent?

 

[Midwayman]

Who do you take the test in front of? the 3 other kendo masters on the continent?

You have to goto Japan. 8th Dan is only tested there. 5 of 7 Hachidan must pass. Only place there are enough people of that rank afaik.

 

[BUTCH1]

Pssst...NASCAR stockers do have power steering.

To quote Geoff Bodine from a 2007 article on IRL racing and power steering:



http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...p-danica-and-other-small-drivers-road-courses (About halfway down the page.)



From an interview with Danica Patrick in the Jan. 2012 issue of Car and Driver (talking about how much more it takes to "manhandle an IRL car vs. a NASCAR stocker):



http://www.caranddriver.com/features/what-id-do-differently-danica-patrick-feature (Question #3)

I stand corrected, I'm surprised though as usually race teams are looking for any weight savings possible and a PS pump has a parasitic draw unless it's of the electric variety. Electric has crappy feedback though, I know , my car has it, maybe someone supplies NASCAR with a more natural-feeling one than street cars have.

 

[waggy]

my god. some people have just fucking retarded definitions of what makes a sport.

 

[SKORPI0]

the sport of 'Finding Her G-Spot'.

Muff Diving..... :awe:..... D: (I prefer shaved).

Curling IMO. :biggrin:

 

[norseamd]

On second thought, I believe Naked blindfolded downhill skiing on Everest is the most difficult sport to master. It has never before been mastered. It is likely impossible to master. All the sports that have already been mentioned, are easy enough that mere humans are able to master them through many years of dedication.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOvBVmQrexM

 

[momeNt]

I have not mastered soccer or rugby. So I cannot truthfully answer this poll.