Is beer pong a sport?

[alec1115]

Should Beer Pong be considered as a sport?
By Alec Tolivaisa

Sports Editor

(Disclaimer: This article is by no means encouraging the consumption of alcohol).

This is a question that surprisingly is not argued at parties, mainly because of the fact that beer pong is such a popular game that no one dares attack it.  Anyway, let's see what some of the arguments for the people who think beer pong should be a sport:

• Beer Pong requires a lot of hand-eye coordination because of the fact you need to know how much touch you are going to put on the ball.
• Endurance is a must-have.  After having a few drinks, you mind and body must overcome the obstacles of drinking beer.
• Do you know how much trash talking goes on at the table; it is enough to put Rucker Park game to shame.  You must be able to fight the urge to punch the person in the face.
• Unlike many so-called sports, there is a true way to win the game in Beer Pong.  No judges are involved to take away a well-fought victory, unlike boxing and figure staking.
• There is actually some strategy in Beer Pong.  Knowing when to re-rack, whether to bounce the ball or not, who shoots first and determining what cup to go after.  It's a lot of thought.
• There's cheating, which is a sport trademark.  For example, you can push the table forward a bit with your thigh so the ball will sail over the cups.  You can lean over the table to get a better shot.  And you can spike a couple of your opponents' cup with hard liquor.
• It's a team game and almost every popular sport is a team competition.

Now it's time to see some of the arguments of the people who think that Beer Pong is not a sport:

• There are no central rules.  Everyone plays by different rules.
• People who weigh 300 pounds, who have never ran a mile before in their life could be great player (just like poker).
• There is no threat of injuries, unless you get so drunk, you trip on something that rips your knee to shreds.
• Have you seen the Beer Pong national championships on TV?  Neither have I.
• There's a lot of luck involved.  Someone who has a good shot could be on game #5, and lose to a rookie just because of the fact that they were too hammer to be an good competition.  At least in basketball, a good player could beat a first-time no matter how tired he/she is.
• A sport is an activity that helps you're body, since when has drinking been helpful towards anyone's body.
• To get good in a sport, you must practice and workout.  Since when has getting a beer belly been considered a good workout.

Now some counter points starting with the pro-sport:

• High School football has about 60 different rulebooks; the only thing that matters is the basics, which everyone does.
• Have you seen NFL linemen today, they weigh 325 pounds and they sucking oxygen in the first quarter.
• There are a lot of sports that do not get televised.  For instance, surfing, polo, Frisbee, etc.
• Have you ever heard the phase "12-oz. Curls"?  Do a hundred of those a night and you'll get killer biceps.
• Luck?  All sports are about luck, that's why there are bookies.  In baseball, the worst team in the league has a good chance to beat the best team in the league at least three out of nine times.

Now some counter points from the anti-sport:

• Pool and fishing require coordination and those are not considered sports.
• Trash-talking?  There is always trash talking when two people are playing each other.  Especially in video games and that is not considered a sport.
• The reason why there are judges in boxing is to protect the boxing from killing each for 40 rounds.  However, in figure staking there is a way for the best performer not to win.
• Strategy?  There's strategy in every game.  Plus I sure deciding when to "re-rack" is a more difficult decision than going for it on 4th and 1.
• There are many card games that require partners, and I know think cards are consider sports.
• Lastly, there's cheating in everything.  I sure everyone has cheated on a test before and other things that are not considered sports.

That's the argument.  If you want to add to this debate, please e-mail me at alec1115@hotmail.com.