[Foxx]

Whether or not bridge should be legally classified as a "sport" I cannot say, but many of the players I've met act as though they're competing in one.

We have poker on ESPN, why shouldn't we be able to see team matches on Versus?

[barmar]

This debate reminds me of the debate over gay marriage. If you're in favor, "marriage" means a loving, committed union between any pair of people. If you're against, then your definition includes "between a man and a woman." And if you're a polygamist, it doesn't even have to be just two people.

Do we need a Constitutional amendment to define "sport" to solve this?

[matmat]

hmmm....

bloodsport.

[semeai]

barmar, on 2011-July-20, 20:12, said:

This debate reminds me of the debate over gay marriage. If you're in favor, "marriage" means a loving, committed union between any pair of people. If you're against, then your definition includes "between a man and a woman." And if you're a polygamist, it doesn't even have to be just two people.

Do we need a Constitutional amendment to define "sport" to solve this?

See also my post above.

[jh51]

matmat, on 2011-July-19, 12:09, said:

All we need now is an appeals committee at the Olympics. Can you imagine that, with all the $$$ and national pride flying around? "The East German judge voted to reverse the director's ruling, while the French and English panelists wanted to uphold the verdict."

Depending upon the sport, it seems that there may indeed be something like an appeals committee. I seem to recall a number of cases where results were appealed to the ruling body fof the support. For example, there was a case a few years ago where a judge was giving favorable scores to another country's participants in exchange for the judge from that country giving favorable scores to his country's participants in another event. When this came to light, the scores were adjusted.

[jjbrr]

I haven't read this thread, so I apologize if this has been addressed already, but do we know who exactly is going to make money from bridge becoming an Olympic sport? Is it Rona pushing the hardest with the Olympic committee or is there another Chairman of the Olympic Movement or something?

Maybe someone really is crazy enough to keep trying to fit a square peg into a round hole just for the sake of doing it, but I assume the motivation is money. I'd just like to know which politician to complain about when bridge becomes the butt of every Olympic joke ever told.

[mrdct]

jjbrr, on 2011-July-21, 14:35, said:

I haven't read this thread, so I apologize if this has been addressed already, but do we know who exactly is going to make money from bridge becoming an Olympic sport?

I'm sure Australia isn't alone in that government funding of Olympic sports is generally much higher than non-Olympic sports and obviously a lot higher than the ziltch that non-recognised sports like bridge get. I would expect the main beneficiaries to be the elite representative players who would have access to far more funding to compete in overseas tournaments, but with more money available to NBOs generally I'm sure there will be benefits for all bridge players.

Personally, I don't think bridge fits into "Citius, Altius, Fortius" concept and shouldn't be in the Olympics, but there are plenty of borderline "sports" in the Olympics already, particularly those where winners are determined by subjective judging. I think that official recognition as a sport would be quite useful for marketing and development of bridge and the obvious advantages in places where governments either fund or give tax relief to sports.

[peachy]

hotShot, on 2011-July-19, 03:13, said:

To be good at <SPORT> you need:

-physical fitness
-regular training
-the ability to keep focused during the competition

Depending on the <SPORT> the peak performance is reached in the age range of 14-40. (In gymnastics and some freeclimbing competitions the peak is very young.)

This seems to apply to bridge in a similar way.

Except for the physical fitness. Some very ill, or very physically unfit/bad shape can play great bridge.

[mike777]

"I can think of a number of advantages for bridge to be treated as a sport, not the least of which is better access to government funding which is most definately the case in my country"



this is the only point that really matters.


Please lobby for more money now and often!

In fact the only problem is that there should be more money because of reasons in above posts!

I would only add that this will help the children and the old!


all other is nonsense.

[hotShot]

peachy, on 2011-July-22, 00:20, said:

Except for the physical fitness. Some very ill, or very physically unfit/bad shape can play great bridge.

Have you ever played 3 sessions per day over several days?

[mike777]

hotShot, on 2011-July-22, 02:34, said:

Have you ever played 3 sessions per day over several days?

not for government money ...why?

--


see my above post

[Cyberyeti]

peachy, on 2011-July-22, 00:20, said:

Except for the physical fitness. Some very ill, or very physically unfit/bad shape can play great bridge.

hotShot, on 2011-July-22, 02:34, said:

Have you ever played 3 sessions per day over several days?

Refer you to this post PaulG made about the late Michelle Brunner in the RIP thread:

Quote

She played at least one Camrose match where she was almost unable to leave the playing area and spent the break in the organisers room chatting to all of us rather than battle her way downstairs. Amazing that she could still maintain concentration and performance in these circumstances and I think it was an indication of how highly she was regarded that her NPCs were happy to play her despite the obvious discomfort that she was in.

Sad to see such a competitor leave us too soon.

[jogs]

Bridge is dominated by pros in their sixties. Bridge is not a sport. While poker has been dominated by players in their twenties(last two years). Poker is a sport.

[blackshoe]

Uh, huh. Right. Sure.

[1eyedjack]

Cyberyeti, on 2011-July-22, 17:13, said:

Refer you to this post PaulG made about the late Michelle Brunner in the RIP thread:

Did she win?

[hotShot]

jogs, on 2011-July-22, 21:12, said:

Bridge is dominated by pros in their sixties. Bridge is not a sport. While poker has been dominated by players in their twenties(last two years). Poker is a sport.

This is of cause true, but you have to take into account:

1) the number of top player is a function of the total number of player. Since there are more bridge player in the age group of xisties than in group of twenties, you'd expect more top player in the bigger group.
2) The "average" pro has to find clients in local clubs, how many of your usually club members would want to hire a 20 year old pro?
3) A lot of the better bridge player put their focus on family and career from their mid twenties on. Since they don't see that they can make a living as a pro.
4) There is much more money in the poker business.

I'm not familiar with the poker scene are you implying that there are no good old poker player?

[Cyberyeti]

1eyedjack, on 2011-July-23, 00:43, said:

Did she win?

Certainly won the 2010 camrose (England/Scotland/Wales/NI/Rep ireland international comp) which may be the one talked about.

[Aberlour10]

In Poland bridge has been official recognized as a sport already in 1963 by the goverment
and the NBO is a member of the National Olympic Committee since 1995. PBU the common english translation for "Polski Zwiazek Brydza Sportowego" is not exactly...the word for word translation = Polish Association of the Sport Bridge.

As the consequence of this recognition polish bridge has been donated by the state authorities just like any other sport for decades. This donation is success-related (international achivements ) so we can say polish youth made a lot of money for polish bridge in last years.

[1eyedjack]

Michelle Brunner on her deathbed would have beaten me in my prime. But perhaps the more relevant test is how Michelle Brunner on her deathbed would have fared against Michelle Brunner in her prime. All credit to her that she was still playing competively, but I don't think that that would ever address this question.

[peachy]

hotShot, on 2011-July-22, 02:34, said:

Have you ever played 3 sessions per day over several days?

Yes I have. Enjoyed it.