View Poll Results: Do you think auto-racing is a sport and are race car drivers athletes?
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Do you think auto-racing is a sport and are race car drivers athletes?
12-02-2008, 08:08 AM
#51
Originally Posted by patinum,Dec 2 2008, 09:04 AM
But to go along with it, you could consider a race team like a football or basketball team. A non-athlete could be on a good team and still win as well.
12-02-2008, 08:08 AM
#52
Originally Posted by patinum,Dec 2 2008, 11:04 AM
It's all semantics anyway. But to go along with it, you could consider a race team like a football or basketball team. A non-athlete could be on a good team and still win as well.
12-02-2008, 08:16 AM
#53
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Originally Posted by Jimmies,Dec 2 2008, 06:58 AM
Actually, I voted no, and this was me running the first Auto X of this year. In the brutal cold of Chicago no less. That fact doesn't make me an athlete either. The fact that I play basketball, bench 1.5 times my weight, squat more than double my weight, and can do pullups till I'm bored does though
I can't take credit for it - all credit for that line belongs to Weird Al Yankovic
At the end of it all, there's no right or wrong. It's all opinion. Mine just happens to be the correct one.
I can't take credit for it - all credit for that line belongs to Weird Al Yankovic
At the end of it all, there's no right or wrong. It's all opinion. Mine just happens to be the correct one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JMOh-cul6M
LOL!!!!!
12-02-2008, 08:20 AM
#54
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Originally Posted by vader1,Dec 2 2008, 08:32 AM
In auto racing a guy can win not because of his own skill, but his crew is better, the parts in his car don't fail, his machine is superior, he has more financial support, etc. Its not man versus man in a contest that relies only on skill. Skill is a part of it, but just a fraction.
It's all skills.
If you think skills are only a small part of it, why not head over to a decent indoor karting facility and put your skills to the test. The karts are all basically the same, the rest boils down to power to weight ratio and more importantly SKILL (or lack thereof)
12-02-2008, 08:39 AM
#56
So it seems there are really 2 factors here. Skill and physical conditioning. To take this onto an entirely nerdy level, you could graph importance of skill against physical conditioning (weighted if you like).
0 skill and 0 physical conditioning is obviously not an athlete.
100 skill and 0 physical conditioning is not an athlete either - example: you could be skilled a photography, and win photography competitions, but that doesn't make you an athlete.
0 skill and 100 physical conditioning I would consider an athlete. Example: running or weigh lifting, okay, some skill required but it is mostly physical.
100 skill and 100 physical conditioning is definitely an athlete. Example, basketball players. You're doing more than just running around, and you're doing more than just shooting free throws.
The gray areas are the parts in between. In F1 or endurance racing, physical conditioning and skill is very important. Skill and conditioning are only somewhat important in drag racing. Other areas are gray as well - consider golf, bowling, archery, luge, curling, competitive eating, and pool.
0 skill and 0 physical conditioning is obviously not an athlete.
100 skill and 0 physical conditioning is not an athlete either - example: you could be skilled a photography, and win photography competitions, but that doesn't make you an athlete.
0 skill and 100 physical conditioning I would consider an athlete. Example: running or weigh lifting, okay, some skill required but it is mostly physical.
100 skill and 100 physical conditioning is definitely an athlete. Example, basketball players. You're doing more than just running around, and you're doing more than just shooting free throws.
The gray areas are the parts in between. In F1 or endurance racing, physical conditioning and skill is very important. Skill and conditioning are only somewhat important in drag racing. Other areas are gray as well - consider golf, bowling, archery, luge, curling, competitive eating, and pool.
12-02-2008, 08:50 AM
#57
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^^^ Excellent NERD-analysis. Clearly you are a member of Lambda Lambda Lambda!!!
So to continue your thought.... What about professional video gamers? Unless we're talking DDR endurance champions, they're definitely not athletes! LOL! hehehe
So to continue your thought.... What about professional video gamers? Unless we're talking DDR endurance champions, they're definitely not athletes! LOL! hehehe
12-02-2008, 09:00 AM
#58
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i would say that they are most definately atheletes, just to take the constant pull of 3-4 g's in alternating directions, for hours, that takes huge amoungs of strength.
figure just 3 g's, that means each of your arms would weigh about 60 pounds, so go through your day with a forty pound weight in each hand for a couple hours, better yet go drive for two hours on the hottest day of the year with the heat cranked all the way, and tell me if thats a workout or not.
figure just 3 g's, that means each of your arms would weigh about 60 pounds, so go through your day with a forty pound weight in each hand for a couple hours, better yet go drive for two hours on the hottest day of the year with the heat cranked all the way, and tell me if thats a workout or not.
12-02-2008, 09:10 AM
#59
Yep pulling G's is no joke. Maybe not Nascrap, but F1 drivers sure are in decent shape. Motorcycle racers, particularly MotoGP, are some of the most fit on the planet. They must have endurance, and strength, while staying as lean as possible.
12-02-2008, 10:27 AM
#60
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Originally Posted by vader1,Dec 2 2008, 10:08 AM
Yeah, I watch basketball and consider it a sport, but my Timberwolves seemed to be filled with non-athletes.
This was kind of the point I was trying to make in my first post. SOME race car drivers are athletes but not all IMO. Just because you drive a 700hp car around for four hours does not automatically make you an athlete in my book even if you can turn decent times.
I like the NERD analogy the best
