Sport Or Game

[+briansnat]

sport    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (spôrt, sprt)

n.

 

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.

 

It falls into the 3rd definition of the word sport.

And the first and second. Geocaching involves physical exertion, skill and is governed by a set of customs and if you want to see a competetion, place a cache and watch the FTF rush.

Edited December 12, 2005 by briansnat

[+dogbreathcanada]

sport    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (spôrt, sprt)

n.

 

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.

 

It falls into the 3rd definition of the word sport.

That #3 is a pretty broad definition. Sport of gardening, sport of cabinetmaking, sport of traveling, sport of hiking, sport of birding, sport of wine tasting, sport of walking the dog, sport of shopping, sport of bar hopping, and I'm not even going to get started on all the "collegiate sports" that went on in the old frat house a bunch of years ago.... ESPN needs about 15 more channels....

That's why the first definition is the ONLY one of note.

[+TMBFamily]

That's why the first definition is the ONLY one of note.

Good thing we have the world authority on dictionary usage here then. I'm still waiting for a published definition of "sport" that geocaching doesn't fit into.

[+dogbreathcanada]

That's why the first definition is the ONLY one of note.

Good thing we have the world authority on dictionary usage here then. I'm still waiting for a published definition of "sport" that geocaching doesn't fit into.

"... governed by a set of rules or customs."

 

Those don't exist for geocaching. Everytime someone breaks what we all believe to be a custom (or rule), the general response is "Everybody plays their own game", which then reinforces that there are no actual rules or customs that govern this activity.

Edited December 12, 2005 by dogbreathcanada

[+briansnat]

That's why the first definition is the ONLY one of note.

Good thing we have the world authority on dictionary usage here then. I'm still waiting for a published definition of "sport" that geocaching doesn't fit into.

"... governed by a set of rules or customs."

 

Those don't exist for geocaching. Everytime someone breaks what we all believe to be a custom (or rule), the general response is "Everybody plays their own game", which then reinforces that there are no actual rules or customs that govern this activity.

Incorrect once again. When a custom or rule is broken there are ususally many posts critical of the act and a handful who respond with the "play your own game".

 

But lets make believe you are right. It can be argued that that in and of itself is a custom.

[+TMBFamily]

"... governed by a set of rules or customs."

 

Those don't exist for geocaching. Everytime someone breaks what we all believe to be a custom (or rule), the general response is "Everybody plays their own game", which then reinforces that there are no actual rules or customs that govern this activity.

Alright, now this is obviously a troll. No one could be seriously making this argument. You go from "don't exist" to "we all believe" to "no actual" in two sentences. I think it is self-evident that whether all the rules are enforced at all times by all people has no effect on whether something is a sport or not. Since there are no actual customs I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I plucked all your caches and rehid them as my own, eh? Hey, I'm just "playing my own game". Not!

[+tozainamboku]

"... governed by a set of rules or customs."

 

Those don't exist for geocaching. Everytime someone breaks what we all believe to be a custom (or rule), the general response is "Everybody plays their own game", which then reinforces that there are no actual rules or customs that govern this activity.

While it may only be a legend, in 1823 a schoolboy name William Webb Ellis picked up the soccer ball and ran with it, thus breaking the rules and playing his own game. Nowdays both soccer and rugby are sports.

[+altosaxplayer]

For me, I think of it as a game

[+Ed & Julie]

Why try to define it for everyone??

 

Each person has their own personal definition of geocaching...sport, hobby, recreational activity, competitive , non-competitive...it's all an internal judgment.

 

Define it to yourself, play it as you will, and have fun, dang it!!

[+Googling Hrpty Hrrs]

Why try to define it for everyone??Define it to yourself, play it as you will, and have fun, dang it!!

 

We are having fun. Trying to define it!

 

The forums are for discussion. No caches were harmed in the course of these discussions. I will have fun caching tomorrow, dang it!

[+BlueDeuce]

One time, to my wife, I referred to it as a sport, who said (with a gleam in her eye) 'So, it's in the Olympics?'

 

Now I tend to refer to it as a game, like Calvin Ball. Make up the rules as you need them.

[nobby.nobbs]

but we've not considered the deeper aspect....

 

surely it's a religion? don't you end up praying to higher beings, known as satellites, for a better signal to help find the cache?

you have to have faith that the signal will hold, that there is still a cache where you are looking etc.

if you are good you get the reward of some little trinket.

can't offer immortality or even an afterlife so it's more a lifestyle religion as opposed to be good and get rewarded later....

[Operation Doblave]

I think its a game because we don't really work out or exert ourselves to a maximum, but some people can't take that.

[+TeamGuisinger]

Using the OP definitions, if I hike a mile through buzzing hypodermic insects, tripping over roots and sliding in mud, up a mountain, I think it's made it beyond a game. Sport better defines it IMHO.

[+Night_Hawk]

I call it a hobby but my g/f refers to it as "my obsession"

 

Course I have NO idea why she'd call it that

[Trinity's Crew]

Why try to define it for everyone??

 

Each person has their own personal definition of geocaching...sport, hobby, recreational activity, competitive , non-competitive...it's all an internal judgment.

 

Define it to yourself, play it as you will, and have fun, dang it!!

Don't confuse the issue with logic.

[+Alan2]

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

[+PhotoDuck]

Well... both sports and games mean nothing in the grand scheme of life after someone is dead... I still say game.

 

Geocaching is as much of a sport as syncronized diving, or of course ping pong.

 

(P.S. Archery is a very competitive sport... )

[Middle Earth Fan]

Game, Sport, Hobby, Recreation? Yep.