sven the unpleasant

A few nights ago I was over a friend's house with ESPN on the tube
when, lo and behold, a segment on gaming as a sport began playing on
the television. Now, I'm no stranger to professional gamers. Back when
I played Counter-Strike, I frequented a server where professional
gamers (who are quite fond of whining when a "n00b" like myself
"accidentally" gets a headshot) played. A friend of mine's little
brother is planning on going down to Texas for the CPL (his clan's
sponsored by Red Bull, for Christ's sake). But this segment got me
thinking. They interviewed fatal1ty (what I wouldn't give to break
that kid's nose) and he started up on some pretentious bull that only
those who are completely delusional about their "occupation" can
manage to muster. I simply couldn't help but think, "Why the hell is
this a sport? Why does some dweeb to the nth degree make six digits
for wasting away in front of a computer screen or PS2 controller?"
Now, I have some respect for proper athletes. They have to tone their
bodies and focus their minds to play on the level they do. They have
been blessed with talent. With professional gamers, this simply isn't
so. At the CS server I frequented, I would be towards the top often
enough for it not to be a fluke, and I'm certainly not a professional
gamer. I've come to realize, by recognizing gaming as a sport, we do
nothing more than pat these people on the back for hiding from the
sun. My friend's little brother passed out in school once because he'd
come to the conclusion that he'd rather play his games than eat and
had been living in that manner for quite a few days. These people will
sit in their IRC channels waiting for their e-pals to get on, then
play themselves to death. I'd simply love to send one of these
knuckleheads home crying to his girlfriend simulator for wasting my
God damn precious time that could have been spent watching actual
sports instead of listening to why these kids are "skilled and
talented like athletes, just in a different way." I just hope that one
day, when HL2 comes out, I stumble across fatal1ty in a server
somewhere. I hope that I get a headshot or two, and I hope our match
ends with him prematurely leaving the server in disgust. Because I was
"hacking." Or because I'm "lucky." Just keep telling yourself that,
champ. If you can fool yourself into thinking you're an athlete, I'm
sure you'll fall for anything.

PS - I am apparently quite the angry person, and love nothing more
than taking it out on those who simply cannot retaliate.

PPS - The irony of me knowing anything about games and computers (and
even typing this rant on one) is not lost on me.
--
Sig v2.1
The Enlightened Ayrab
(far from as enlightened as he thought)
I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them - Jane Austen

ramen junkie

Bah, the only thing in games that comes even close to a sport is DDR and
it's clones/Bemani Brothers.

Frankly I find these people who do nothing but play the same game repeatedly
ruin the experience. Yeah I really enjoyed playing Halo last year with the
guy down the hall who does nothing but play FPS online. It's a load of fun
taking a head shot almost as soon as I've spawned 50 times in a row. The
best games are ones where you can say, get everyone to agree to a huge knife
fight in CS. That's fucking hilarious.
--
Ramen Junkie

http://www.lameazoid.com

sam

Hooray!

Sam

sam

Yeah, and then cream 'em all with a Para, that'll learn 'em. ^_^
I got kicked off a server once for doing that. Unsuprisingly.

Sam

byers ex machina

Well, one could argue how much physical honing is involved in the
noble sport of table tennis as well. Or chess.
And it's not always talent as much as purpose. If I had chosen to
train every day from the age of nine to become an athlete of some
kind, chances are it would happen.

--
E. Byers

An active agent who appears unexpectedly to provide a contrived
solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty.

sam

On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 04:25:24 +0200, Byers ex machina
<byersIWILLNOTTOLERATESPAM@ANYWAYYOUMUSTREMOVETHES ECAPSINORDERTOREPLYteotihuacan.HAVEANICEDAYETCETER Aws>


Table tennis is fucking hard. Haven't you ever seen chinese people
play it professionally? That's the only image that springs to mind,
but I'm sure everyone else is as good, and as fast.

Chess isn't a sport, it's a game. So it's not a very good example.


True.
Probably.

Sam

byers ex machina

Hah, standing around, hitting the air with a junior-sized racket. :P


They have tournaments and leagues in it, that's good enough for me.
And at any rate, it's as much of a sporting event as computer games.

--
E. Byers

An active agent who appears unexpectedly to provide a contrived
solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty.

sam

On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 17:47:21 +0200, Byers ex machina
<byersIWILLNOTTOLERATESPAM@ANYWAYYOUMUSTREMOVETHES ECAPSINORDERTOREPLYteotihuacan.HAVEANICEDAYETCETER Aws>


Which I thought we all agree, aren't sporting events.

Sam

sven the unpleasant

If Byers ex machina
<byersIWILLNOTTOLERATESPAM@ANYWAYYOUMUSTREMOVETHES ECAPSINORDERTOREPLYteotihuacan.HAVEANICEDAYETCETER Aws>
had kept his mouth shut on Mon, 07 Jun 2004 17:47:21 +0200, we
wouldn't have to put up with this drivel:


That's hard as hell.

Which is my point. Neither are sports.

--
Sig v2.1
The Enlightened Ayrab
(far from as enlightened as he thought)
I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them - Jane Austen

byers ex machina

Not if you give your opponent a good smack in the noggin before the match starts...


Well, how about bowling? Or (shudder) curling? Or bobsled? How much
physical honing do you have to go through to be able to hug your knees
and go "wheeee!" for two minutes?
As far as definitions are concerned, yours is mighty blurry.

--
E. Byers

An active agent who appears unexpectedly to provide a contrived
solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty.