ESPN's Max Kellermans ignorant comments

[ghalfaire]

On ‎4‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 8:46 AM, sirsteveo55 said:

http://thebiglead.com/2017/04/10/max-kellerman-golf-is-not-a-real-sport/

On Monday on ESPNs first take they are talking about how golf is not a sport. I put the link above that has the video and talks about it. 

This really infuriates me when I see people on ESPN say stuff like this. The first round of the masters was on ESPN. Then someone on ESPN representing ESPN talks about how golf is not a sport. 

Then he talks about sportsmanship and how they were congratulating each other throughout the round. That is what makes golf so much better and different from every other sport it shows how good the sportsmanship is within the sport. 

I wish they would take a golfer on the show to defend those comments.

How does everyone else feel about his comments, what can the golf community do to stop ignorant people like this on ESPN?

I guess the man believes you have to have a "defense" to be a sport.  But I would disagree with that and here is the definition of Sport I found.  SPORT: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.  There are lots of other sports were you're not competing directly with other players/participants but rather a clock (some sorts of racing) or a distance (pole vaulting or high jumping).   In golf stroke play it just happens to be number of strokes taken to complete a round on specific course.  So, in my opinion, what Mr. Kellerman says is just not defendable,  no pun intended.

[Shindig]

On 4/11/2017 at 8:46 AM, sirsteveo55 said:

How does everyone else feel about his comments, what can the golf community do to stop ignorant people like this on ESPN?

I generally think ESPN is [redacted].  It's the same reason I don't get worked up by bad journalism on other issues either -- I can tune it out, and I'm probably not going to influence someone who is moved by it.

My suggestion:  tune out ESPN except when they're showing actual competition.  Watch, say, the first round of the Masters when it's on ESPN.  Watch MNF.  I'm not sure there's anything else I watch on ESPN. 

On 4/11/2017 at 6:33 PM, sirsteveo55 said:

My problem is, I have a TV in my office at work and its either watch sports or watch news. I learn towards the sports even if its sometimes unwatchable.

Have you considered reruns?  I wish this were feasible for golf.  I would love to have the five rounds of the 2008 U.S. Open, for example, available to watch.  I'd just leave it on in the background, commercials (preferably) removed.

I do this with movies too.  There are some movies I've "seen" dozens of times, but are generally on in the background if I'm working on something that doesn't require full focus.  Get Shorty is great for this -- I can look up, watch a scene, but it's otherwise back.  I just have to avoid quoting it perpetually while doing other things, I guess.

If it isn't feasible with golf (and if it is, someone please tell me how), maybe you have something else you like you can watch.  I guess I'm asking why does it have to be live sports or non-sports news?

[David in FL]

On April 11, 2017 at 9:33 PM, sirsteveo55 said:

My problem is, I have a TV in my office at work and its either watch sports or watch news. I learn towards the sports even if its sometimes unwatchable.

I don't know about yours, but my TV has an on/off switch...  

[Aguirre]

This is a sore spot for me, because I like the English language. And therefore, golf is clearly a sport. Beyond that, I never understood why the label of 'sport' automatically would imply a superiority over the label of 'game.' Are we not impressed by the intellect of chess champions? Or the pure strength of weightlifters? It's a lazy exercise of hot takeitude. As a disclaimer, I will admit that I only read the OP, and all of this may have been addressed prior.

[Vinsk]

On 4/11/2017 at 4:06 PM, Shorty said:

American Football is a bit lame because of the helmets and padding and don't see it as a very tough sport

Yeah Rory made this common mistake too. Rugby is tackling, not hitting. And although a penalty when caught, Rugby players don't have 300lb+ guys hitting them head to head. If a rugby player jumps to the air to catch the ball, he doesn't have a huge guy nailing him in the back and flipping him completely head over heels. Rugby players don't smash into each other at full speed. It's no different than calling hockey lame because they wear pads. I've played pick up American football my whole life growing up ...without pads which is practically the same as a game of rugby as far as violence. No pads. Rough, but not deadly. I also played college football. There is no comparison. If a game of rugby was played with American football style hitting and contact, there would be horrific injuries and probably a few deaths. 

[Shorty]

2 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Yeah Rory made this common mistake too. Rugby is tackling, not hitting. And although a penalty when caught, Rugby players don't have 300lb+ guys hitting them head to head. If a rugby player jumps to the air to catch the ball, he doesn't have a huge guy nailing him in the back and flipping him completely head over heels. Rugby players don't smash into each other at full speed. It's no different than calling hockey lame because they wear pads. I've played pick up American football my whole life growing up ...without pads which is practically the same as a game of rugby as far as violence. No pads. Rough, but not deadly. I also played college football. There is no comparison. If a game of rugby was played with American football style hitting and contact, there would be horrific injuries and probably a few deaths. 

Ya think? Really? I am talking about Rugby League.  Not Rugby (Union)

 

Edited April 17, 2017 by Shorty

[ghalfaire]

12 hours ago, Aguirre said:

This is a sore spot for me, because I like the English language. And therefore, golf is clearly a sport. Beyond that, I never understood why the label of 'sport' automatically would imply a superiority over the label of 'game.' Are we not impressed by the intellect of chess champions? Or the pure strength of weightlifters? It's a lazy exercise of hot takeitude. As a disclaimer, I will admit that I only read the OP, and all of this may have been addressed prior.

My thoughts are the difference between a game and a sport (English) is that a sport involves physical skill and a game does not.  Both can be difficult to master the mental aspects.   I have never thought that a game was necessarily easier to master than a sport.  But I'd have to say watching someone play chess is not as interesting as watching a basketball "game".  Maybe that is why the public elevates athletes over chess masters.

[The Hook Meister]

If it is not a sport why does ESPN cover it? Why does CBS sports cover it?. Why does NBC sports cover it? Why does FOX sports cover it? Why are the majors such a bib deal? We are talking about Max Kellerman aren't we that says it all!

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, The Hook Meister said:

If it is not a sport why does ESPN cover it? Why does CBS sports cover it?. Why does NBC sports cover it? Why does FOX sports cover it? Why are the majors such a bib deal? We are talking about Max Kellerman aren't we that says it all!

Why do you keep responding to old topics? This one hasn't seen a response, before yours, since April 2017.

[Golfingdad]

13 minutes ago, The Hook Meister said:

If it is not a sport why does ESPN cover it? Why does CBS sports cover it?. Why does NBC sports cover it? Why does FOX sports cover it? Why are the majors such a bib deal? We are talking about Max Kellerman aren't we that says it all!

I'm not sure this is a hill you want to die on.  ESPN show poker, and the National Spelling Bee.  Fox shows tons of poker as well, and they show darts (which rock!!) on occasion.  I can keep going, but you get the idea. ;)

[chilepepper]

ESPN is talking about sports? Say it ain’t so. It thought it was a political network

[AlDena]

"No games, just sports"

Football, baseball, basketball. Players get paid whether they win or lose, and just for showing up.

Golf, motor racing, bowling. Participants get paid based on performance.

Which is the sport here?  

[Fourputt]

There are games which aren't sports, and there are sports which aren't games.  There are also activities which fit both categories.  How strongly a given activity fits one or the other is too often a matter of personal opinion.  Trying to talk anyone out of his opinion on this is like talking religion or politics - no matter how succinctly you make your point, you will still lose the argument because you won't change the other guy's mind, so it's useless to even try.  I simply state my feelings and move on.

As to ESPN... I rarely watch any more, except for Monday Night Football.  I used to like NFL Prime Time every Sunday evening during the season... that's gone.  Unlike some critics, I liked Chris Berman and Tom Jackson.  When they left, they took the show with them. 

I also get terribly tired of ex-jocks arguing with each other across the sports desk during the pre-game shows on all of the networks, including NFL network.  I watch to pick up some insights and tips on things that I might want to watch for during the games, but that doesn't seem to be the focus any more.  The on air personalities seem to be what they think is important, but that's not why I watch.  As a result, I usually wait until the actual games start before I turn the TV on now.