Because they didn't have enough brooms to play quidditch...

[Baywave1]

or "regular" content to support a conference TV network. See what happens when cord-cutting starts?

http://www.wsj.com/articles/big-ten-con ... 1484950269

To be fair, I can remember back in the day in 1965 or so, Tulane competing against LSU in a cigar smoking contest. The one event I enjoyed for whatever whimsical reasons was "Length of Ash." Also it was held indoors FWIW.

But then Tulane was still in the SEC so I guess the importance of a good conference hasn't changed.

[PeteRasche]

Like it or not, competitive video gaming is a thing (as mentioned in the first line of the story). My only gripe is calling it a sport. We've had the "what defines a sport?" argument here before (and I suspect we're about to rehash it).

Personally I draw a line between a "sport" and a "game" and that line is basically physical activity. To me, sitting in a chair is a game (chess, video games). Standing and moving (bowling, beer league softball, even quidditch) is a sport to me because at least you're moving.

But I don't lose sleep over it.

[Johnny Mac]

this is how I define the differences between "sports", "games" and "competitions"...

competitions are called sports erroneously (IMHO)... but when you win based on judging, it's not a sport, it's a competition regardless of how much physical effort is put into it... figure skating, gymnastics, diving, et al... all competitions.. you win based on "winning" over peoples' opinions of how you competed

sports are defined as when you beat someone to the finish line, outscore them, out jump them, out throw them, etc. Riding a horse or driving a car are "marginal" sports because the athletes are the horses and the cars

games are when you sit on your arse and beat someone, whether it's a board game or a video game

[MattK]

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/ ... ve-gambler

They have also started lots of unregulated gambling that according to this involves pretty young kids.

[Baywave1]

You two are too erudite for me but I liked your insights. I thought someone was still going to turn on Freud and say, "Sometimes a cigar is not a cigar."

I guess a B1G video game telecast is better than three hours of Paul Finebaum daily but then that's just me.

[krewe of ham and eggs]

"Sometimes a cigar is not a cigar."

[TUPF]

this is how I define the differences between "sports", "games" and "competitions"...

competitions are called sports erroneously (IMHO)... but when you win based on judging, it's not a sport, it's a competition regardless of how much physical effort is put into it... figure skating, gymnastics, diving, et al... all competitions.. you win based on "winning" over peoples' opinions of how you competed

sports are defined as when you beat someone to the finish line, outscore them, out jump them, out throw them, etc. Riding a horse or driving a car are "marginal" sports because the athletes are the horses and the cars

games are when you sit on your arse and beat someone, whether it's a board game or a video game

How about golf? There's scoring for sure and you do play head to head but I have always had a hard time calling it a sport especially when some fat, chain smoking individuals have done well enough. Same thing with archery, curling, darts, bowling. Probably doesn't matter what we think because "sport" has already been defined for us. My Cable TV menu has no different category for rhythm gymnasics.

[PeteRasche]

If my options are Finebaum or video gaming, I'll turn off the TV. Oh, wait, I don't have cable and would have to purposely choose that streaming from espn3... So that won't be a concern.

[Johnny Mac]

this is how I define the differences between "sports", "games" and "competitions"...

competitions are called sports erroneously (IMHO)... but when you win based on judging, it's not a sport, it's a competition regardless of how much physical effort is put into it... figure skating, gymnastics, diving, et al... all competitions.. you win based on "winning" over peoples' opinions of how you competed

sports are defined as when you beat someone to the finish line, outscore them, out jump them, out throw them, etc. Riding a horse or driving a car are "marginal" sports because the athletes are the horses and the cars

games are when you sit on your arse and beat someone, whether it's a board game or a video game

How about golf? There's scoring for sure and you do play head to head but I have always had a hard time calling it a sport especially when some fat, chain smoking individuals have done well enough. Same thing with archery, curling, darts, bowling. Probably doesn't matter what we think because "sport" has already been defined for us. My Cable TV menu has no different category for rhythm gymnasics.

golf, darts and bowling fall under the "pastimes" subcategory of "sports" because fat, chain smoking individuals can succeed there

[GretnaGrn]

Like it or not, competitive video gaming is a thing (as mentioned in the first line of the story). My only gripe is calling it a sport. We've had the "what defines a sport?" argument here before (and I suspect we're about to rehash it).

Personally I draw a line between a "sport" and a "game" and that line is basically physical activity. To me, sitting in a chair is a game (chess, video games). Standing and moving (bowling, beer league softball, even quidditch) is a sport to me because at least you're moving.

But I don't lose sleep over it.

As a former Vice President of the Tulane Chess and Gaming Club, I can assure you that both our membership and the club sports people were very confused about chess and gaming being a club sport....

And competitive video gaming is a fairly big thing; ESPN covers it, after all, so it must be a sport....

[krewe of ham and eggs]

Like it or not, competitive video gaming is a thing (as mentioned in the first line of the story). My only gripe is calling it a sport. We've had the "what defines a sport?" argument here before (and I suspect we're about to rehash it).

Personally I draw a line between a "sport" and a "game" and that line is basically physical activity. To me, sitting in a chair is a game (chess, video games). Standing and moving (bowling, beer league softball, even quidditch) is a sport to me because at least you're moving.

But I don't lose sleep over it.

As a former Vice President of the Tulane Chess and Gaming Club, I can assure you that both our membership and the club sports people were very confused about chess and gaming being a club sport....

And competitive video gaming is a fairly big thing; ESPN covers it, after all, so it must be a sport....

They also cover the national spelling bee

[GretnaGrn]

Like it or not, competitive video gaming is a thing (as mentioned in the first line of the story). My only gripe is calling it a sport. We've had the "what defines a sport?" argument here before (and I suspect we're about to rehash it).

Personally I draw a line between a "sport" and a "game" and that line is basically physical activity. To me, sitting in a chair is a game (chess, video games). Standing and moving (bowling, beer league softball, even quidditch) is a sport to me because at least you're moving.

But I don't lose sleep over it.

As a former Vice President of the Tulane Chess and Gaming Club, I can assure you that both our membership and the club sports people were very confused about chess and gaming being a club sport....

And competitive video gaming is a fairly big thing; ESPN covers it, after all, so it must be a sport....

They also cover the national spelling bee

So it must be sport. ESPN has spoken!

[waverider]

When my brother lived down here and was in a dart league, he'd talk about what bar they are "playing" at. I used to tell him, "You don't play darts. You do darts. It's an activity not a sport!" If an official league championship tournament can be held in a bar, it's not a sport.

[AO Sig]

I am a life master in duplicate bridge. A number of years ago there was discussion that the Olympics actually considered adding contract bridge to the Games! Having seen some of the people at the tables, it certainly could be considered a "contact sport" at times.

[TUPF]

I think I told this story years ago here concerning darts. My wife's college roommate married a finance geek from London. Envision the chain smoking placekicker from the movie The Replacements and you would be close, including the smoking. He used to meet up with his ex-pat mates from the U.K. weekly in a Manhattan pub for darts, snooker and a few pints. Anyway, my wife gets a call from her old friend saying that the Brit had to go to the ER because he was injured in a game of darts. Pinched nerve or something. I had a good laugh at his expense.