The other day I had a debate with the Lex about sports, of which I played the 'devil's advocate' for an issue I don't agree with, however I did make an interesting debate with solid points.
The topic of debate was:
Acting is a sport, if and only if it can qualify to fit the criteria of a performance sport.
(this debate came after the debate of 'Can Cheerleading really be considered a sport?' The answer was detirmined as such, 'Cheerleading can be a sport if and only if a minimum of two catagories of sports can be agreed upon, of which are performance sports (Gymnastics, Ice Skating, Diving, etc), team sports (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer, etc.), Raw Talent Sports (Track and Feild, Weightlifting and Power Lifting, Swimming), with other potential but undetirmined catagories.
Before I move onto my points I would just like to referance the definition of sport per Dictionary.com's first 3 definitions of 'Sport'
(sprt, sprt)
n.
1a.Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
1b. 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.
My points where as follows.
1a. There are many professional sports that are scored by judged based purely on perfomance.
1b. Permance is key to acting. Without performance it would be called reading and or memorization.
2a. Sports in general can be generally classified as being as much mental as physical. (From Discipline, to Stress, to in depth Knowledge, to Studying, to having the Intelligence to potentially improve.)
2b. Acting is extremely mental.
2b1. Discipline. An actor needs to be disciplined to perform without distraction.
2b2. Stress. An actor has many stresses, especially by meeting deadlines, intence director instruction, etc.
2b3. In depth knowledge. Actors must be able to fit into the character from playing inside out, or outside in. Either way properly displaying emotion, mannorisms, motivations, outside influence, etc.
2b4. Actors in general have intelligence to potentially improve.
3a. A Sport has to be (with few exceptions) somewhat physical in nature.
3b. Actors have to train for various reason and on various plysical arts or talents. examples of a few an actor would benefit in one or more physical training or talents: Weight Training, Dancing, Lifting martial arts, Weight gain/loss, etc.
An actor must maintain a certian level of physical training, potentially learn and perform different phyical arts, and an stage often does have very physically demanding roles.
4a. Performance Sports are a judged by certian criteria such as form, technique, origionality, etc.
4b. Actors are different, each have their own levels of the form, technique, and origionality. There are several factors that go into casting alone that makes them judged on their abilities. Different roles also bring out certian bits of criteria moreso than others. Differnt forms and styles that I have heard of are things such as Stage, Film, Blackbox, Improv, and many others I can not recall at this moment.
5a. All sports have to have a competitive nature to them.
5b. Actors are rated by many different factors as stated in the aforementioned. Depending on who 'best fits the role' and various other acting issues Actors will compete for roles and awards. As an example of film competition we will look back at the tough guy movies of the 80's, with the whole debate of who was the best 'tough guy' actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone?
6a. All sports have recognition of the best.
6b. Emmys, Grammys, etc. (I would have added stage awards to had I have researched the subject further)
7. As per the definition of sport as referenced above:
7a1. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. ; A particular form of this activity.
7a2. Acting is physical with a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Acting also has forms.
7b1. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
7b2. Acting is an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
7c1. An active pastime; recreation.
7c2. Acting is an active pastime; recreation. (For example, I act out my characters in LARP all the time for recreation.)
As you can see, by definition acting to can be considered a sport. But the real question I am forced to ask myself is where do we draw the line on sports entertainment? Of which I have no clear or concise answer.
*****************************
As for my next thought:
What is the difference between a game and a sport? Chess is an olympic sport. What is professional poker? Is there really a difference between games and sports? Or finally are they mere synonyms of each other?
If games are sports and sports are games, is me playing changeling a sporting event?
*****************************
The topic of debate was:
Acting is a sport, if and only if it can qualify to fit the criteria of a performance sport.
(this debate came after the debate of 'Can Cheerleading really be considered a sport?' The answer was detirmined as such, 'Cheerleading can be a sport if and only if a minimum of two catagories of sports can be agreed upon, of which are performance sports (Gymnastics, Ice Skating, Diving, etc), team sports (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer, etc.), Raw Talent Sports (Track and Feild, Weightlifting and Power Lifting, Swimming), with other potential but undetirmined catagories.
Before I move onto my points I would just like to referance the definition of sport per Dictionary.com's first 3 definitions of 'Sport'
(sprt, sprt)
n.
1a.Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
1b. 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.
My points where as follows.
1a. There are many professional sports that are scored by judged based purely on perfomance.
1b. Permance is key to acting. Without performance it would be called reading and or memorization.
2a. Sports in general can be generally classified as being as much mental as physical. (From Discipline, to Stress, to in depth Knowledge, to Studying, to having the Intelligence to potentially improve.)
2b. Acting is extremely mental.
2b1. Discipline. An actor needs to be disciplined to perform without distraction.
2b2. Stress. An actor has many stresses, especially by meeting deadlines, intence director instruction, etc.
2b3. In depth knowledge. Actors must be able to fit into the character from playing inside out, or outside in. Either way properly displaying emotion, mannorisms, motivations, outside influence, etc.
2b4. Actors in general have intelligence to potentially improve.
3a. A Sport has to be (with few exceptions) somewhat physical in nature.
3b. Actors have to train for various reason and on various plysical arts or talents. examples of a few an actor would benefit in one or more physical training or talents: Weight Training, Dancing, Lifting martial arts, Weight gain/loss, etc.
An actor must maintain a certian level of physical training, potentially learn and perform different phyical arts, and an stage often does have very physically demanding roles.
4a. Performance Sports are a judged by certian criteria such as form, technique, origionality, etc.
4b. Actors are different, each have their own levels of the form, technique, and origionality. There are several factors that go into casting alone that makes them judged on their abilities. Different roles also bring out certian bits of criteria moreso than others. Differnt forms and styles that I have heard of are things such as Stage, Film, Blackbox, Improv, and many others I can not recall at this moment.
5a. All sports have to have a competitive nature to them.
5b. Actors are rated by many different factors as stated in the aforementioned. Depending on who 'best fits the role' and various other acting issues Actors will compete for roles and awards. As an example of film competition we will look back at the tough guy movies of the 80's, with the whole debate of who was the best 'tough guy' actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone?
6a. All sports have recognition of the best.
6b. Emmys, Grammys, etc. (I would have added stage awards to had I have researched the subject further)
7. As per the definition of sport as referenced above:
7a1. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. ; A particular form of this activity.
7a2. Acting is physical with a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Acting also has forms.
7b1. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
7b2. Acting is an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
7c1. An active pastime; recreation.
7c2. Acting is an active pastime; recreation. (For example, I act out my characters in LARP all the time for recreation.)
As you can see, by definition acting to can be considered a sport. But the real question I am forced to ask myself is where do we draw the line on sports entertainment? Of which I have no clear or concise answer.
*****************************
As for my next thought:
What is the difference between a game and a sport? Chess is an olympic sport. What is professional poker? Is there really a difference between games and sports? Or finally are they mere synonyms of each other?
If games are sports and sports are games, is me playing changeling a sporting event?
*****************************
instarsia:
i still think you're full of it on this issue
holidaywolf:
hmmm I don't know about that.........