Have you seen the videos of people stacking and unstacking cups?
I don't know that I would call it a "sport" per se, but it is pretty cool to watch.
Pick an activity, any activity, and add speed or style or difficulty to it, and you can make it a competitive event. (However, that does not make it a sport.)
There are world air guitar championships, world texting championships, and even hitting a ball with a stick and then walking after it. None of them are sports though!
I also cast doubt on whether you can call darts, bowling, and auto racing a sport. They are activities, games, and even competitions. To me, a sport is something that makes you sweat when you do it (and with all due respect to my NASCAR-loving friends, wearing a flameproof suit in 90 degree weather doesn't count). But that's another matter entirely, and not one to be taken personally, like a friend from Ireland who got really upset when I told him darts wasn't a sport.
But sport or not, sport stacking looks really cool. You have to stack cups in certain orders and formations, as quickly as possible. Personally, I'm waiting for the Nintendo Wii version.
But New Zealand schools are going a little nuts for sport stacking. According to a story in New Zealand's Stuff newspaper, kids at the Whakarongo School are using sport stacking to improve their hand-eye coordination, getting a little exercise, trying to break a Guinness World Record, and even impressing the girls in class. There is even a team of kids who are practicing to go to the World Cup Stacking Championships in Denver in 2009.
Good luck, Stack-arongo!
Addendum: After reading MzHartz's and Doug Karr's comments below, I have to reassess my statement about car racing not being a sport. I didn't actually realize there was that much physical demand on race car drivers. Plus there's the whole risk of death thing. So, let me apologize to all the NASCAR and open-wheel racing fans out there. Your sport is truly a sport.
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I don't know that I would call it a "sport" per se, but it is pretty cool to watch.
Pick an activity, any activity, and add speed or style or difficulty to it, and you can make it a competitive event. (However, that does not make it a sport.)
There are world air guitar championships, world texting championships, and even hitting a ball with a stick and then walking after it. None of them are sports though!
I also cast doubt on whether you can call darts, bowling, and auto racing a sport. They are activities, games, and even competitions. To me, a sport is something that makes you sweat when you do it (and with all due respect to my NASCAR-loving friends, wearing a flameproof suit in 90 degree weather doesn't count). But that's another matter entirely, and not one to be taken personally, like a friend from Ireland who got really upset when I told him darts wasn't a sport.
But sport or not, sport stacking looks really cool. You have to stack cups in certain orders and formations, as quickly as possible. Personally, I'm waiting for the Nintendo Wii version.
But New Zealand schools are going a little nuts for sport stacking. According to a story in New Zealand's Stuff newspaper, kids at the Whakarongo School are using sport stacking to improve their hand-eye coordination, getting a little exercise, trying to break a Guinness World Record, and even impressing the girls in class. There is even a team of kids who are practicing to go to the World Cup Stacking Championships in Denver in 2009.
Good luck, Stack-arongo!
Addendum: After reading MzHartz's and Doug Karr's comments below, I have to reassess my statement about car racing not being a sport. I didn't actually realize there was that much physical demand on race car drivers. Plus there's the whole risk of death thing. So, let me apologize to all the NASCAR and open-wheel racing fans out there. Your sport is truly a sport.
---
Like this column? Leave a comment, Digg it, or Stumble it.