I’ve gotten into this debate a few times. Usually with people who aren’t snowboarders. Some people consider snowboarding to be a Sport. I don’t think it is. I believe it to be a hobby or something you just do. Some people might call it a way of life.
The thing is, snowboarding never was a sport to begin with. Sport entails competition. Football, baseball, basketball, hockey which are about as sporty as you can get wouldn’t exist without competition. You can’t play any of these Sports without an opposing team, or at least one other person to catch a ball or smash into. The premise of snowboarding has nothing to do with competing. It never has. Snowboarding began as an alternative, rogue activity that pretty much just pissed off wealthy white dudes.
Today however, the most visible aspect of snowboarding is the Olympics, X-Games, Shawn White and Mountain Dew–all of which are synonymous with competition. But at it purest form, snowboarding is a one man show. You can drive to the mountain solo, ride solo, and have as good a time or better than you would riding with your friends.
The only legit competition in snowboarding is getting 1st chair on a pow day. And you pretty much have to be a local to win that competition.
well put…
i’ve won 1st chair only twice in my life.. but i feel like a gold winner
alex is a better blogger tho.. haha
drex, pass me an email…
i wanna get you some vid clips…
true. A-man is a better blogger.
in a head to head blog competition he’d kick the shit out of me. he is kicking the shit out of me.
but in real life i could take him.
yeah too bad you’re not allowed in my neighborhood, expecially wearing that singlet dood wtf
as for first chair: I hate it. I hate it. I hate that horrible skier squad what’s always there at 5am. I hate the pressure of all the people watching my personal styles as I choose the wrong first run…like I’m heading down chair 1 and I hear the people on the chair like “oh yeah dude!” but they’re not talking about my slashers, they’re watching the retard ski patrol taking down the “chair 2 closed” signs what they forgot about… fuck. I hate first chair, you can have it. You can fucking have it.
ps if Pablo or Pedro or whatever that retarded Chilean dude is lifty again this year, there’s gonna be an international incident….
first….i agree Pedro sucks. and second…..i’ve seen the olympics on cnbc, those doods train like crazy in their u-jumps and the skin-suit slalom guys….. don’t even get me started. Lately…..the only legit competition is at ski acres, first prize goes to “who can dress themselves like a bigger idiot than the next guy” First person i see in purple neon coat and pants is getting tackled by me. And its probably going to be Nic.
It’s plain & simple folks. “SPORT”: Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. There are NO rules when it comes to snowboarding…people are actually break’n bounderies to keep their hobby or one man show interesting. You could be like Eli…a man who conquered all, quit the game and became a pimp. Or CK…he took that sh!t to heaven. EVERYONE knows that the only sport…rules or competition is what the F*ck you’re wearing-and possible riding. “OH MY GOD, Cindy is not wearing hoop earring with her bright pink snowpants to whistler.” Or when you do beat the crap out of that guy for wearing Purple neon…You might hope that Nic will be a good “SPORT” about it.
actually…..i love purple…….and you should never wear hoop earings snowboarding….believe me. And don’t worry, nic will whoop my ass with his purple coat on. But honestly….i don’t believe anyone has ever started snowboarding with the intent of competing. Its fun…..that’s it……who cares if its a sport or not.
back in the day before i was a teenager, i started snowboarding it was totaly cool and awsome kinda like kiteboarding is now. and back then there were comps. has been and will always be a sport. for fucks sake if people call poker a sport or curling a sport it has to be. like Chuck D its just got sole. i will tell you snowboarding is gay. saw two dudes about 20 years old wearing opposites one had on white coat and pink pants the other had on white pants and pink coat. that shit wasn’t cool the first time around. what the fuck do i know just and old fat guy that gets a good strectch reaching back to wash my own ass
p.s. look for clems and drexs matching opposites i bet the get caught holding hands on the lift this year
hmm. i don’t know drex. by definition sport can but doesn’t have to involve competition. but even if you think it has to … aren’t you in competition with yourself often when you’re riding? challenging yourself and trying to improve on what you’ve done in the past. but hey I ski so what do I know.
I agree it is not a sport, but you all know there are snowboard jocks. They play football etc. too.
I challenge my self to not fall! Too many times…
DB you kiteboarding now?
Its hard to say, you cant really call skateboarding surfing or bmx sports because there isnt really a standard of excellence. you can be good if you just hop curbs or ride a kicker in your backyard all day. if thats how you define good thats cool. if you air thirty feet or hit the longest rail thats good too. because there is no standard of excellence there can be no real competive side to it but its still athletic. there are lifestyle aspects but its the same way with basketball.
its more than a hobby but not quite a sport. its something new and different. thats what draws people to these kinda things. you dont have to keep up with everyone else, just cruise around, develope style or learn all the tricks. its really up to each person how they see themselves doing it.
sweeney- you should post more posts. they read good.
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next year im wearin solid black.
ninja style. step quietly. carry big stick.
fuck color.
and ridin an arbor board.
if i ever had any sponsors id drop them.
scott. e. wittlake.
word.
is that a haiku??
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i consider snowboarding a sport though. i grew up STRAIGHT KILLING IT at soccer, baseball, and football. so i have a very competitive personality. this is just part of who i am. i cant help it. i listen to pantera and admire general patton. i will try and crush you if you give me an opportunity. unless im feeling lazy. then ill sleep til noon. and maybe show up after everyones left. sometimes im the closer. im Bedard. or JJ Putz.
snowboarding is a sport. without rules. and without mass live media coverage and scholorships. but it still is an activity which requires hard work, discipline, somewhat of a competitive nature, and most importantly, PRACTICE. how else would it progress and evolve?
snowboarding is what sports wish they could be.
its a whole ‘nother level of sport.
snowboarding has achieved total consciousness.
wait…lets add scholorships in there somewhere…school is expensive.
Snowboarding is not a sport. Neither are figure skating, gymnastics, ski jumping, synchronized swimming, and many others. In order to be a sport, an event must meet three criteria:
1) Objectively determined – no judges awarding style points (sayonara, snowboarding)
2) Requires athletic ability that directly determines outcome
3) Physical event must be performed by participant (coaches aren't athletes)
Snowboarding is not a sport. It's obvious.
well said