a sport?

Why not?

If soccer is a sport, why not?

It is if figure skating is a "sport".

I'm gonna be very serious here and say no, not a sport.

If competitive eating is a sport, then so is shotgunning a beer.

I take issue with it being called "eating" it should be competitive face-cramming. Eating involves at least some tasting ... possibly some enjoyment

Then my female sheltie is a competitive eater.

Sports are like art. You can't really define it, and everyone interprets it differently.

I disagree. If the outcome is decided by a panel of "judges", it is a competition not a sport.

Who's judging?

BUT, having said that...you can certainly compete without judges!

How is a ref/ump/etc. not a judge? Just playing devil's advocate here.

IMHO, the difference between a referee or umpire and a judge is: a referee or umpire is merely enforcing the rules of the sport. A judge tells you who won.

Is a timer a judge?

No.

Well there you go! That's my kind of sport right there!

generally, if you have to ask if something is a sport, then it isn't...

What about boxing then?

I think it's a competition, but not necessarily a "sport".

Interesting.

::hands devil's advocate horns back to manimal::

Boxing is the one that does cause the most concern, and the one i personally give a pass to (i mean, boxers, at least good boxers, are obviously very athletic, etc.)...and if one boxer knocks the other one out, no judge decided the contest. But technically, yeah, i guess boxing is a 'contest' or 'competition' moreso than a sport, at least in that way.

In football, basketball, baseball, golf, soccer, hockey, etc.....you might disagree with a referee's/umpire's call....but at the end of the game you know who won by looking at the scoreboard......you aren't waiting around for a judge to tell you who won.

I rocked at this sport in high school.

that's just wonderful, Debbie Downer