Tiger Woods (Offical Thread)

[Oh8ch]

I generally stay out of these recurring "Is he an athlete?/Is it a sport?" arguments because folks want to argue over terms they are unwilling to define. It can not help but be circular.

Wikipedia (who needs Mirriam-Webster) defines an athlete specifically as a competitor in athletics and defines athletics as track and field events.

However, their more general definition of athlete is a "sportsperson" - which is any person who participates in a sport. A sport is then defined as an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.

Until someone comes up with a better definition I submit that Tiger is every bit as much an athlete as anyone this side of Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

I would further submit that those who disagree have an as yet unarticulated definition of "sport/athlete" in mind that somewhere includes the stated or implied phrases "not golf/not golfers" and can therefore not be persuaded to the contrary.

All that said, I watched my grandson graduate from Safety Town today and am well prepared to lead a rousing chorus of "The arguments in this thread go round and round, round and round, round and round...."

 

[Bleed S & G]

Now is drinking a sport????

What the fuck.. we're Buckeye fans, no?!?

 

[fourteenandoh]

I was going to stay out of this discussion but I just couldn't:).

i think you can take a "pretty good" football, basketball, baseball, or even hockey (had to include that sport for JO) and make an individual into a decent golfer, tennis player, bowler, or Hustler with the proper instruction but if you took that same person and reversed the sports in the majority of instances the person would not be very competitive in the other sport. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you are a athlete with the proper training you could probably be fairly decent at the so-called country club sports but I do not think the opposite would be true.

are you trying to say phil mickelson couldn't play in a pickup basketball league once a week or are you saying he couldn't make the NBA? If you are saying he couldn't play a pickup league you are wrong. if you are saying the latter, you are right. However, it would be just as impossible for said pro athlete to train for golf and become a pro. I hit balls with Charles Barkley once and he told me he spent over 50K on lessons and he still can't keep a wedge within the fences of a driving range. (he used to hit the houses to the right of the driving range at the club i worked at in phoenix).

 

[Mike80]

3. People have to stop lumping golf in with pool. It's an absurd comparison, and if you think its at all relevant to the discussion, then I'm sorry, but you're misguided.

Jeanette Lee is an athlete if ya KNOW what I mean

 

[fourteenandoh]

I've played some competitive pool as well, and i'd say putting and playing pool are similar. the mental game of both is almost identical (pool has way more strategy though), but theres more to golf than putting.

 

[OH10]

awww...did i ruffle the feathers of the Tiger lover?

Sorry if I don't eat at the 24/7 buffet that is Tiger Wood's media coverage. That, in no way, relates to me stating that golf isn't a sport. I was responding to somebody who said it was.

need anything else?

Nah. I'm satisfied.

And it would be "Tiger Woods' media coverage." Sorry if the media doesn't want to waste its time following Matt Kuchar around. Somehow they think a 13-time major champion is just more interesting. How irresponsible?

 

[OH10]

I've played some competitive pool as well, and i'd say putting and playing pool are similar. the mental game of both is almost identical (pool has way more strategy though), but theres more to golf than putting.

Since I am a fairly good pool player and a shitty putter, I'd have to disagree. At least with pool, you don't have to worry about the break - unless, of course, someone stuck a matchbook under one of the legs.

 

[fourteenandoh]

Since I am a fairly good pool player and a shitty putter, I'd have to disagree. At least with pool, you don't have to worry about the break - unless, of course, someone stuck a matchbook under one of the legs.

the strokes are similar in that you try to minimize the moving parts, and speed plays a huge role in both as well. there are different speed felts and greens as well. plus, if you've got a shot with money riding on it and you are nervous, the mental hurdles you need to overcome to pull off the shot are exactly the same in both. you may disagree, but i always thought the two were very similar.

if you stretch a bit, you could say that the english needed in pool to set up the next shot could be substituted for break on the greens of a golf course.

 

[OH10]

the strokes are similar in that you try to minimize the moving parts, and speed plays a huge role in both as well. there are different speed felts and greens as well. plus, if you've got a shot with money riding on it and you are nervous, the mental hurdles you need to overcome to pull off the shot are exactly the same in both. you may disagree, but i always thought the two were very similar.

I'm probably just bitter because I had two four-putt holes yesterday.

 

[jwinslow]

So then you're not much of an athlete? :p

 

[fourteenandoh]

I'm probably just bitter because I had two four-putt holes yesterday.

sounds like you need to work on your lag putting

 

[billmac91]

Why is Tiger considered one of the top athletes in the world?

He plays golf.

Because athlete is an "all-encompassing" word. Tiger is the best athelete in the world because he's the most dominate professional in any sport.

Is he going to jump through the roof like Josh Smith? Absolutely not, but he's more dominate than any other sports figure in their respective sport. And in the end will hold every record he wants to own.

That is why.

 

[OH10]

So then you're not much of an athlete? :p

Bingo bango.

 

[Oh8ch]

I noticed Tiger eating an apple during the Open - but had not idea it would lead to this.

Some genius bid $36 large for Tiger Woods' apple core - Golf Experts Blog - Golf - Yahoo! Sports

Frightening precedent here.

In a recent survey 80% of Americans said gas prices were causing them financial hardship.

This world is wacked.

 

[strohs]

I wish there was a golf channel that covered nothing but every single shot of Tiger when he is playing.
Seriously.
I would pay $ for it too. (if its in HD)