Sport or Sporty

Atlantic Monthly online has a great article by Hampton Stevens on Why Cheerleading isn't a Sport, but Croquet is. Brilliant.

There are, as Mr. Stevens sees it, three iron clad requirements for an activity to be considered a sport.

1. people compete at it
2. computers can't do it
3. aesthetics don't count.

I have long complained about the dominance of activities like figure skating, ice dancing, synchonized swimming, and even gymnastics in broadcast coverage of the olympics. I even have trouble with certain skiing and snowboarding events that figure style in the "judging." But I have never been able to express my dislike of such events as succinctly and clearly as Mr. Stevens.

My hat is off to you sir. Well done.