….Figure Skating is Not a Sport
1. Figure skaters wear frilly, glittery “uniforms” that look more like something you’d wear to a 1970s dance party than an athletic competition. While the women look like tarted up ballet dancers, the men look down right weird with form-fitting outfits that leave little to the imagination.
2. Female figure skaters - and probably some men as well - wear gobs of make-up. Come on, it absolutely can’t be a sport if the participants are wearing make-up! That’s just so, well, unsporting.
3. There’s far too much crying involved. It’s such an integral part of figure skating competitions, that the place where the skaters wait for their scores to be posted after they finish their routines is called the “Kiss and Cry” area. Real athletes don’t cry; it just looks bad, especially if you’re wearing make-up.
4. The scoring system is a joke. Any competition where judges rate you on artistic impression is not a sport. And the politics involved in figure skating is atrocious to the point where the scoring system is always being questioned and criticized.
5. The “competitors” often perform to classical music. Classical music? Don’t get me wrong, Mozart and Beethoven rock the house but you can’t seriously describe yourself as a sport if classical perform is a key element.
For another take on why figure skating is not a sport, check out this column written during the last Winter Olympics
Technorati Tags: Figure Skating
March 24th, 2008 at 8:37 am
My girlfriend would like to respond on behalf of all women, and say that you’re wrong. And yes, she’s making me write this.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Okay, I’ll concede there’s a fair amount of athleticism involved in figure skating - all those twists, jumps, lifting, etc. - but it’s really a competitive event/arts festival as opposed to a sport.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
It could be argued either way about figure skating being a sport, however, golf (and according to ESPN, poker) are considered sports. I would submit you must actually have to break a sweat (due to physical strain) for it to be considered a sport. What is next, spelling contests? Oh wait, ESPN already aired those.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
I understand what you’re saying about figure skating. I used to wonder about it’s sporty-ness, too.
However, consider the following:
1. All sports are entertainment. Football, though a sport, is still entertainment.
2. Make-up, costumes, theatricallity. Figure skating combines the entertainment that we all love with athleticism. It just does it all in one step. Consider football cheerleaders. They’re part of many games, part of the show, but no one complains because they’re not scoring touch downs. At baseball games, folks in sausage costumes run the track. It’s all part of the fun. For figure skating, the showmanship is part of the contest.
3. Emotions. Don’t talk about the kiss-and-cry area until you’ve watched Brett Favre at least once or twice a season. Don’t get me wrong: I love, love, love Favre. Part of what I love is that he’s such a guy, but he cries, too. I’m O.K. with that.
4. Classical music. Well, this is sort of true. Most competitors choose classical music because they don’t want to be judged for music that takes their programs too outside the norm. Skaters want to be judged for their skating, not their avant-garde music. I wish this weren’t the case, but it is.
I leave you with this: figure skating requires athleticism. But bowling? Bowling requires the right shoes, a ball, and beer. Honestly. Is bowling a sport? I’m going with no.