is this another case where something has been redefined? When I was growing up, when people said great athlete, it evoked images of prodigious speed, or power, jumping ability, cunning or strenght or any combination thereof that allowed someone to excel at their sport.
2007-10-22 09:15:18 · 6 answers · asked by ningis n 1 in Sports ➔ Other - Sports
They're great at their particular sport, but it's a stretch in most cases to call them great athletes. There are exceptions like Tiger Woods, who's got some of the attributes you name, but there are plenty of guys like Phil Mickelson and Tony Stewart, those in dire need of health club memberships.
I'm with you on the definition of an athlete, and most golfers and auto racers don't meet that definition. And while I'm a huge baseball fan, some of our sport's participants barely qualify.
2007-10-22 09:21:09 · answer #1 · answered by Craig S 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No. They have fantastic eye hand coordination and mental strength but there is nothing in the least bit athletic about what they do. They don't run or jump and nothing they do requires any great cardiovascular ability whatsoever. The New England Journal of Medicine recently said golf has the exercise cooefficient of gardening and I think that really says it all.
2007-10-22 10:39:19 · answer #2 · answered by abdiver12 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wheldon was not a Formula 1 driver. That's a completely different series. Dan raced in the IRL. Nobody cares what you believe as your belief is made in the face of ignorance. You have no idea what you're talking about ... and the fact that you thought Dan was an F1 driver is proof of that.
2016-04-09 22:03:53 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have similar feelings about football...truly an athletic sport that requires physical, strength, coordination, and ability. But what's the point if you line up a defense line with triple digit obese men with fat rolls spilling out all over the place as a human shield of obesity.
2007-10-22 09:25:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think both golfers and race driver have athlethic ability like Tiger or Dale Jr. and since their is a winner and a loser is easy to compare to Other Sports figures....but i think what they do is more of a skill than a sport similar to bowling or pool or even drag racing.... and since it is real possible for an overweight out of shape golfer or race car driver can win the biggest championship is real hard for me to say that all golfers and race car driver are athletes
2007-10-22 09:26:14 · answer #5 · answered by voneric1477 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only great athletes are the polite, socially-conscious ones. The snotty or rude ones who excel at running, jumping, climbing should be banned from their sports.
2007-10-22 09:23:11 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋