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Jan. 2, 2005 I have been a fan of NASCAR racing and pro-wrestling for a long time. Recently on Useless-Knowledge a column, which was obviously biased, was written regarding car racing and pro- wrestling not being real sports. I thought it was an interesting column, if you want to read someone’s opinion. I respect the columnist’s position on car racing and pro-wrestling; however, I would like to exercise my first amendment right and give my opinion regarding this matter. Is car racing and pro-wrestling really sports? I believe so. Why? Let’s look at car racing. Specifically, NASCAR racing. I remember hearing people say, “well, I can’t understand how watching a bunch of rednecks drive around in circles all day is your idea of a good time.” This statement can be equivalent to someone saying, “well, I don’t understand how watching a bunch of bulky jocks stand around in huddles all day while throwing a football that is only in movement 29 minutes out of the whole game is your idea of a good time.” I have been to NASCAR races throughout my life; watching Dale Earnhardt win what was called the Firecracker 400, watching Jeff Gordon win his first race in Charlotte, North Carolina, meeting Richard Petty, I have been a NASCAR fan for a long time. However, I know where some people wouldn’t consider NASCAR a sport. Because you’re not actually doing anything except driving a car; in other words, you’re sitting down steering a car left all the time. But can we consider golf a sport? We do. What does a golfer do all day? Hits a ball, goes to it, hits again, goes to it, hits again, gently hits it into a hole, repeat the whole process again. What does an athlete mean? According to Webster’s Dictionary an athlete is “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.” In NASCAR the drivers are trained to handle a car, which requires strength, agility, and stamina. Try driving a car with no air conditioning for 3 or 4 hours under the hot Daytona sun and the only time you get a drink of water is when a caution comes out. Of course, nowadays, NASCAR has made it more comfortable for the drivers due to heatstrokes and heat exhaustion; however, NASCAR is still a brutal sport which takes years of training, lots of patience, and strategy. Therefore, yes car racing is a sport in my opinion. Pro-wrestling, I believe, is a sport as well. Despite my negativity of pro-wrestling nowadays, I respect the wrestlers who put in those long hours of rehearsing, building their bodies, and wrestling under hot lights taking more bumps than any football player. While pro-wrestling is considered to be “fake” I assure you that bouncing on plywood all day isn’t as fun as it may seem, especially if you haven’t been trained to take the “bumps.” Let’s go back to what is considered an athlete. I want to focus on three words, “trained in exercises.” Therefore, if a pro-wrestler was “trained” to take bumps, doesn’t that count for him or her in being a pro- wrestler? I’d like to think so. Please, don’t argue to me about the use of steroids in pro- wrestling, because if you think pro-wrestling is the only “sport” that uses steroids, you obviously haven’t watched baseball since Babe Ruth. I am not criticizing the author of the column, “Auto Racing and Wrestling, sports?” because it is strictly the author’s opinion; however, the author can’t clearly say for a fact that pro-wrestling and car racing are not sports, because according to the Webster’s Dictionary they are indeed sports. ------------ About the author Eric Schomburg: Useless-Knowledge Columnist of the year 2004. An Apocalyptic Dream is now out for purchase. Check out both books at http://www.geocities.com/schomburg2002. Email: schomburg2002@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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