Sport:

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.

Monday, March 1, 2010

What is Snooker?

Okay, I'm actually on the fence about this one. Snooker is a billiards game played on a larger table than pool, but with smaller balls and smaller pockets and more rules. I'll spare you the extened rules, but you can go to http://www.worldsnooker.com/ for more information. The big question I know you're really asking is: "But is it a sport?!"


Dunno. On the face of it, I would normally say no, but that's mostly applying my knowledge about pool. I kind of have a prejudice whereby games that can be played in bars by drunk people can't be all that demanding. But snooker is different. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than watch it, but there's a decent sized population that not only watch it on TV but go as spectators, where nobody's allowed to talk. Intense stuff.

The guys that play snooker definitely have skill, and these tournaments go on forever (I mean FOREVER), so they have to have some level of endurance. But is it a sport? Hmmmm.....I just don't know.

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2 comments:

  1. The 'Is it a Sport?' TeamMarch 1, 2010 at 9:48 PM

    I guess you would also have to question if pool is a sport. Like, darts it requires skill and intense hand-eye coordination, but gets a big zero on the athleticism scale. Pool legend Minnesota Fats, with his immense size, only reinforces my case.
    -the Team

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  2. MeganMarch 2, 2010 at 1:42 AM

    I agree on pool, but this is why Snooker has me on the fence. The players are fit and trim. They play this game for hours and I know that it does become physical to an extent. They train in endurance to have a competitive edge. Another note I forgot to include is that they ALL wear little bowties and vests. This is when I have a problem...read future entry on Cricket...and how much of a sport can it be if you can be confined to a bowtie and vest and still play it for several hours?? What's next, tuxedo-wearing bowlers? Ewww....just had a mental image!!

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