Surfing a pro sport?

[ChrisOH]

Hello all!

In today's local paper, I read about a movie coming out today called "Soul Surfer", about a 13-year-old girl whose lost an arm to a great white shark attack while surfing. I've seen the story before on Animal Planet and other nature shows, and the girl talked about how she planned to continue surfing despite her loss of a limb. The movie was panned by the critics, but one thing I did notice in the review was how this girl was an "up-and-comer in the sport of surfing."

Huh?! When did surfing become a sport? According a Wikipedia article I looked at on surfing, "pro surfers" make money through corporate sponsorships. How? Do they charge people to sit on the beach and watch them surf? And who exactly pays money to watch them?

Just to be clear, I'm not at all against surfing as a recreational activity, way to experience the outdoors and get some fresh air, or any of that, provided one knows and accepts the dangers of it. (Personally, though, I'm not a surfer -- although I live on the shore of a Great Lake, Cleveland, Ohio isn't exactly a surfing mecca of the world! ) I just don't see how it's a spectator sport -- it seems like something that would be much better done than watched.

I remember that one spammer guy a couple of weeks ago who came on here and said, "Wazzup? I surf for a living in sunny Southern California" or something like that. Granted, he probably was a fake -- but has anyone ever heard of "pro surfers" before? Just wondering....

[i_like_1981]

Surfing is just like skateboarding except on water. I would classify it as a sport due to the fitness and coordination needed to be a professional. As we have such shit weather and crappy beaches over here in the UK, though, you don't tend to hear a lot about it over here, and if people want to do it they go abroad to sunnier places... like certain regions of your own country, ChrisOH. Surfers may not be obnoxious brutes like some American football and rugby players but from what I hear, they do tend to be very egotistic. But anyways, I would class surfing as a pro sport, even though it has nowhere near the amount of publicity or financial resources as football or baseball.

Best regards,
i_like_1981

[ChrisOH]

Surfing is just like skateboarding except on water. I would classify it as a sport due to the fitness and coordination needed to be a professional. As we have such shit weather and crappy beaches over here in the UK, though, you don't tend to hear a lot about it over here, and if people want to do it they go abroad to sunnier places... like certain regions of your own country, ChrisOH. Surfers may not be obnoxious brutes like some American football and rugby players but from what I hear, they do tend to be very egotistic. But anyways, I would class surfing as a pro sport, even though it has nowhere near the amount of publicity or financial resources as football or baseball.

Hello 1981!

Yes, skateboarders and surfers definitely seem to march to their own drum much of the time, so to speak. I agree that it takes much skill to become good at it (and in the case of surfing, to avoid disaster or death!) I just never thought of it as much of a spectator sport -- more of a hobby or avocation. But then again, poker is considered a sport on TV here in the states, and I never imagined card-playing would be considered sports -- to each his/her own, I guess!

[i_like_1981]

Poker and cards are sports now, are they? How ludicrous can you get? I suppose they're trying to pass off the dexterity of being able to shuffle the cards and the little finger movements as being "sport". Well, I bet that sounds like real exercise to a lot of armchair sports fanatics out there! I suppose, though, if they class these games as being "sports", it'll only go to make the sports industry even more widespread and all-encompassing... which can hardly be a bad thing, can it?

Best regards,
i_like_1981

[abitagirl]

I play Free Cell on the computer sometimes. Does that mean I'm playing sports? Can I become a professional? Will they pay me millions of dollars for it? Can I complain and go on strike if I don't think it's enough money? Can I commit crimes and get away with it?

[Fat Man]

I play Free Cell on the computer sometimes. Does that mean I'm playing sports? Can I become a professional? Will they pay me millions of dollars for it? Can I complain and go on strike if I don't think it's enough money? Can I commit crimes and get away with it?

Nah! You have to either play football, hockey, or basketball, if you want to go on strike, demand more money, and commit crimes and get away with it.

Now, since I favor equal rights for women, then we need to have professional football, hockey, and basketball teams for women.

And who knows, I just might watch!

And I believe that women should have an equal opportunity to beat up on some men (as long as it's only other jocks who deserve it) and rape them and get away with it!

That should serve the bastards right!

Tit for tat, and all that!

OK, I'm kidding about the rape part. Nobody should be raped. Nobody!

But a lot of male athletes do deserve a swift kick to the family jewels!

Also, women football players should have an equal right to park their $100,000 Hummers all day long in 15 minute parking zones and not have to worry about getting their vehicles towed away or parking tickets.

Then we'll finally have true equality of the sexes!

Yeah! That's the ticket!

Or, am I being too cynical again?

[Indurrago]

I play Free Cell on the computer sometimes. Does that mean I'm playing sports? Can I become a professional? Will they pay me millions of dollars for it? Can I complain and go on strike if I don't think it's enough money? Can I commit crimes and get away with it?

Well you can't go on strike if nobody is employing you(in free cell). Nobody can "fire" you for not going to a tournament either.