[fish hawk]

Most of you are missing my point. It has nothing to do with exertion or body workout, shape or how fast and dangerous it is. Let's say Chuck Yeager (in his younger days) takes you for a ride in the hottest new jet there is. Now he is in top physical shape and works out to stay that way. He is taking his life into his own hands every time he goes up (just like race drivers do) Now he does loops dives , roll overs, stalls and heavy heavy G forces. He still is no more of an athlete than the hottest driver on the oval. Some of you keep coming back to how physically hard and dangerous racing is, to me, that has absolutely nothing to do with being an athlete. Racing may be tougher than tennis or baseball on the body but that is not the point.

[Norm Lenhart]

I get what you are saying. The thing is that we’re defining ‘athletics’ by different standards. You are thinking (for example) Athelete = Olympian and Olympian type/traditional sports. We are saying that’s true but not ‘only’ Olympian types are athletes.

I guess it’s an ‘agree to disagree’ kinda thing because one camp will never convince the other. Heck there are Chess players that still say that Video gamers aren’t really playing games, they are just watching entertainment/taking part in an interactive movie with a predetermined outcome. Purist vs. ‘new wave.’

[Judith Anne]

Okay, I’ll be glad to listen. What is an athlete, and what is a sport?

[Aqua225]

OK, then what is the point?

What is “fish hawk’s definition of athlete”?

Precision control of physical action? NASCAR driver has it, check.

Forethought & strategic execution of actions? NASCAR driver has it, check.

Extreme stamina? NASCAR driver has it, check.

What is it that defines a athlete for fish hawk?