Wimbledon 2018

[OldPhiKap]

I'll ask my NASCAR buddies for a ruling.

I have a followup question. In which sports do you compete sitting down? (For me skiing would qualify.)

Poker.

Cycling.

Bobsled

[BD80]

I'll ask my NASCAR buddies for a ruling.

I have a followup question. In which sports do you compete sitting down? (For me skiing would qualify.)

Poker.

Cycling.

Bobsled

Rowing, kayaking ..

[OldPhiKap]

I am a champion armchair quarterback.

[Blue in the Face]

No Rafa or Roger in a Slam final? What is this, 2016?

[jimsumner]

Poker.

Cycling.

Bobsled

If we're considering poker a sport--I don't--then we open the door to chess, checkers, Chinese checkers, bridge, Go Fish and a host of other recreational activities that don't actually require physical activity.

I've never watched hot-dog eating. Donkeys will fly and all that. Do they sit down? Stand-up? Pass-out?

[OldPhiKap]

If we're considering poker a sport--I don't--then we open the door to chess, checkers, Chinese checkers, bridge, Go Fish and a host of other recreational activities that don't actually require physical activity.

{checking ESPN broadcast right now . . . .}

Was waiting for a reaction to that one. Kinda agree, but the main event of the World Series of Poker takes ten days of intense concentration and some level of stamina. The two guys still playing on TV right now survived a field of over 7,800 competitors in a tournmanent that started July 2nd.

Poker takes ability. Certainly, more intellectual and emotional than physical. But any more or less physical than driving a car? Or sweeping a broom in curling? Minimal degrees of separation, if any.

I put it with NASCAR, curling, darts and bowling. They are either all sports, or all games. Don’t have a preference, but don’t see a difference in the group.

[Blue in the Face]

Poker takes ability. Certainly, more intellectual and emotional than physical. But any more or less physical than ... sweeping a broom in curling? Minimal degrees of separation, if any.

I really don't know how anyone could possibly say this.

[OldPhiKap]

I really don't know how anyone could possibly say this.

It’s pretty easy. One has an opinion, one takes out the keyboard and types it.

I take it that you have not played poker at a WSOP level? Or am I dramatically underestimating the physical exertion that is sweeping in front of a stone for six seconds a toss?

[jimsumner]

It’s pretty easy. One has an opinion, one takes out the keyboard and types it.

I take it that you have not played poker at a WSOP level? Or am I dramatically underestimating the physical exertion that is sweeping in front of a stone for six seconds a toss?

In your opinion, is chess a sport? How about checkers? How about bridge? How about any of a wide-range of games that require intelligence and skill but no real athletic or physical ability?

I would rather watch grass grow than watch curling. But it does appear that one's physical skill does impact the result of the competition.

But then again, I've never curled at an Olympic level, so I suppose my opinion doesn't matter much,

[dudog84]

{checking ESPN broadcast right now . . . .}

Was waiting for a reaction to that one. Kinda agree, but the main event of the World Series of Poker takes ten days of intense concentration and some level of stamina. The two guys still playing on TV right now survived a field of over 7,800 competitors in a tournmanent that started July 2nd.

Poker takes ability. Certainly, more intellectual and emotional than physical. But any more or less physical than driving a car? Or sweeping a broom in curling? Minimal degrees of separation, if any.

I put it with NASCAR, curling, darts and bowling. They are either all sports, or all games. Don’t have a preference, but don’t see a difference in the group.

So was I by writing "chess". I guess no surprise that more people reacted to "poker". Chess used to be a big deal. I recommend the documentary "Bobby Fischer Against the World".

[Troublemaker]

Congrats to Angie Kerber for winning her 3rd Slam, which separates her from active two-time Slam winners Azarenka, Kvitova, and Muguruza. Serena of course has 23, Venus has 7, Maria has 5, and I think that is the full list of currently active women with more than 1 Slam.

As for today's men's final, I'd make Anderson more like a 3 to 1 dog than the 5 to 1 dog that the oddsmakers have him at. (So yeah, because of the value [at least as perceived by me], I'll throw some fake units of money on the South African.) A big man with a big serve who tries to hit everything hard has a puncher's chance at Wimbledon.

[Neals384]

In your opinion, is chess a sport? How about checkers? How about bridge? How about any of a wide-range of games that require intelligence and skill but no real athletic or physical ability?

I would rather watch grass grow than watch curling. But it does appear that one's physical skill does impact the result of the competition.

But then again, I've never curled at an Olympic level, so I suppose my opinion doesn't matter much,

Although bridge is not in the olympics, it is a recognized Olympic sport. Why? Follow the money. In some European countries, the national bridge organization gets government funding which is only available to olympic sports. https://www.olympic.org/world-bridge-federation

If you watch curling for a while, it’s fascinating. Much strategy involved!
m own opinion is that a sport should involve the body, not just the mind. Curling, darts, car racing - yes. Poker, bridge - no.

[Blue in the Face]

It’s pretty easy. One has an opinion, one takes out the keyboard and types it.

I take it that you have not played poker at a WSOP level? Or am I dramatically underestimating the physical exertion that is sweeping in front of a stone for six seconds a toss?

I suppose in a way doubling down is respectable.

[tteettimes]

I thought there was going to be a tennis match this morning??

[camion]

On the "Difference Between" site I found helpful, or stir the pot informatin. One way of categorizing sports is, "a sport “can be primarily physical (such as rugby or athletics), primarily mind (such as chess or go), predominantly motorised (such as Formula 1 or powerboating), primarily co-ordination (such as billiard sports) or primarily animal supported (such as equestrian sport)."

I just learned about the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). It lists member sports organizations. Some are: Akido, Billiards, Chess, Darts, Draughts (checkers and such), Flying Disk, Go, Korfball, Powerboating, Sumo, Tug of War.

And Tennis (since this is a Wimbledon thread).

[Bluedog]

One thing that has gotten more talk is implementing a fifth set breaker (only that US Open has it of the majors). Even Anderson said after his match with Isner that he'd like to see that. Otherwise, guys who have these marathon matches have no chance the next round, plus it'd be more viewer friendly. The drama of a fifth set tiebreak can't be beat and 26-24 gets monotonous...I still recall the epic Sampras breaker where he puked from dehydration during it and played on (got a warning for delay of game, haha!). I think against Alex Correjta (sp?), and Sampras saved match point and pulled out the win.

[Blue in the Face]

That was a bit like Neo vs. Mr. Anderson. Djoker's the better player and likely was not to be denied today, but the lengthy matches of the past two rounds certainly had a negative impact on the match. Pretty good past 12 months for Anderson though, we'll see what he does in NY.

[OldPhiKap]

I suppose in a way doubling down is respectable.

Thanks! I was just going for pithy.

[CDu]

Great match. Djoker had a comfortable advantage in aces (and probably service winners, too) and was therefore able to more easily extricate himself from service holes. It was a very even 5th set score-wise, but at the same time, it also felt like it was just a matter of time before Nadal's serve would be broken.

To each his own, but for me, a soccer match can't quite be as gripping and tense as a tennis match of this quality. The stop-start nature of tennis allows the tension to build before each point.

Great match indeed. So evenly matched. Djokovic won 195 points to Nadal’s 191. Each broke the other’s serve four times. Identical number of winners (73 each) and unforced errors (42 each). The differentiation ultimately was an extremely close, 11-9 third-set tiebreaker, as each won two sets by a single break of serve’s difference.

Djokovic did have 8 more chances to break serve, but ultimately could only break as many times as Nadal. An incredibly close match, and as we saw today it was the de facto final.

[BD80]

On the "Difference Between" site I found helpful, or stir the pot informatin. One way of categorizing sports is, "a sport “can be primarily physical (such as rugby or athletics), primarily mind (such as chess or go), predominantly motorised (such as Formula 1 or powerboating), primarily co-ordination (such as billiard sports) or primarily animal supported (such as equestrian sport)."

I just learned about the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). It lists member sports organizations. Some are: Akido, Billiards, Chess, Darts, Draughts (checkers and such), Flying Disk, Go, Korfball, Powerboating, Sumo, Tug of War.

And Tennis (since this is a Wimbledon thread).

As I type, ESPN2 is listed as broadcasting the "Johnsonville Cornhole Championship"

smh ...