My brother was a very good curler in high school. I competed in track and basketball. Every time he talked about curling being a sport I replied that if a player sets down his drink to take his turn, it’s not a sport.
That said, curling is very fun and I was really bad at it. In high school we had a curling unit every year in phy ed and that’s the extent of my experience. But I loved hanging out at the curling rink after basketball practice when my mom curled.
My home town welcomes you with a big sign “The curling capital of southern Minnesota”.
I agree with your definition of what makes a sport.
I got no problem with curling. Just don't call it a sport. Ex cross country and middle distance track guy.
When I was a kid, my Mom wore curlers.
“... if a player sets down his drink to take his turn, it’s not a sport.”
A weak response ... if you played defense in football, what did you do when the offence was on the field? I’ll tell you - sucking down Gatoraide until it was your turn to play whereupon you put down your drink to take your turn.
Granted curling is shuffleboard on ice but it takes a lot more to do curling than shuffleboard will ever aspire to. I enjoy watching it also.
If that’s your definition then NOTHING is a sport. I grew up in a hard drinking part of the country, absolutely EVERYTHING had folks setting their drink down to take their turn. I know people that can drink while playing football or basketball.