# Dumbest "Sports" **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 2, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196 "2013-08-02T21:50:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/1 "2013-08-02T21:50:22Z")
I question why any sane person would choose to “compete” in these “sports”. Most of them offer a very significant chance of serious injury or death…but people indulge in them, anyway. So I thought of a few: -Extreme “Free” Diving: you descend into the ocean, holding your breath…and see how deep you can go (without dying). Currently, the enthusiasts are pressing to go below 600 feet-I’m wonder when we will see the first death from collapse of the chest cavity-fun! -MMA/Ultimate Fighting: good chance of getting knocked unconscious-with brain damage (hemorrhage) a good possibility! -Climbing Mt. Everest (without oxygen): a good way to wind p a frozen corpse on the world’s highest mountain! -Bullfighting: getting gored by an angry bull-sounds like fun to me! -Cliff diving-not so bad, but still foolish What are yours? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/2 "2013-08-02T21:57:57Z")
Mumblety-peg. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/3 "2013-08-02T22:01:14Z")
Cave diving - explore unknown cave systems with finite amount of air, ever present danger of getting stuck, equipment failure, and no possibility of timely rescue or quick escape to the surface. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/4 "2013-08-02T22:08:11Z")
> [@ticker](#): > > Cave diving - explore unknown cave systems with finite amount of air, ever present danger of getting stuck, equipment failure, and no possibility of timely rescue or quick escape to the surface. I never understood the appeal. I hate being in small spaces. As for dumb “sports”, well, they have shown poker on the sports channel. I don’t think poker’s a dumb game, though, just not a real sport. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/5 "2013-08-02T22:23:32Z")
[Ferret Legging.](http://www.newsy.com/videos/bizzare-sport-ferret-legging/) ---
**Author:** ![JustsomeDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@JustsomeDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustsomeDude)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/6 "2013-08-02T22:46:23Z")
Cheese rolling ---
**Author:** ![want2befree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@want2befree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2befree)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/7 "2013-08-02T22:49:30Z")
I believe people who do this are called adrenaline addicts. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/8 "2013-08-02T22:56:37Z")
Having once been an active participant in unicycle competitions, I don’t think I get to vote on what constitutes a dumb activity. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/9 "2013-08-02T23:17:38Z")
Besides curling? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/10 "2013-08-02T23:23:11Z")
Golf. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/11 "2013-08-02T23:30:43Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Besides curling? As a curler, I can neither confirm nor deny this. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/12 "2013-08-02T23:48:30Z")
Race-walking sure looks goofy, but many of them walk faster than most people can run. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/13 "2013-08-03T00:39:38Z")
Football ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/14 "2013-08-03T00:42:28Z")
What about lacrosse? Recently, there were concerns over a local lacrosse team being too violent. I can understand that, having once walked through the McGill campus while a lacrosse game was going on. From what I could gather, the object of the game was to beat up the opposing players with your stick. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/15 "2013-08-03T00:44:21Z")
Racecar driving. Round and round (and round) they go. Woo hoo! Great. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/16 "2013-08-03T01:05:25Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Racecar driving. Round and round (and round) they go. Woo hoo! Great. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/17 "2013-08-03T01:41:23Z")
Did anyone else get subjected to “crab soccer” in school? I finally had to risk not being able to graduate :rolleyes: when I refused to participated in this as a senior in high school. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/18 "2013-08-03T02:30:34Z")
Why is MMA inherently worse than boxing, martial arts, or American football? Considering it’s a lot of grappling, wouldn’t it be safer than boxing? (I have no data). Bungee jumping and skydiving are pretty dangerous, but the latter is safer, and bungee is inherently douchy. Racecars are okay, even if it’s not really my thing. It’s specifically the NASCAR-style oval track that is super extra boring. Lacrosse might be cool, but I literally don’t know how to play it or seen it in action. I know you have a net on a stick and some sort of ball, that’s literally all I know. I guess I’m not from the right part of the world. Like how bean bag tossing is an okay “sport,” but only people from Iowa can call it “cornhole” with a straight face. Curling: I think I’d get it better if I learned about it. Now it doesn’t seem bad, just “huh,” much like lacrosse. Cricket: equally alien. Mt. Everest sounds bad, but not _only_ for the reasons you think: e.g. that it’d kill me/you. Everest would suck because not many people know what [Mt. Everest](http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2013/05/mount-everest-too-crowded/65712/) [actually](http://eightsummits.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Conga-Line-2012-1.jpeg) [is like](http://www.himalayaexpeditions.com/images/garbage.jpg). Racewalking is inherently dorky. There was a _Malcolm in the Middle_ episode on it. I can’t find a clip, but there’s a part where Bryan Cranston buys an IIRC metallic blue skintight suit, and an “aerodynamic” _helmet_. Freediving is also funny to watch. Those guys hyperventilate like crazy beforehand. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/19 "2013-08-03T02:54:13Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Why is MMA inherently worse than boxing, martial arts, or American football? Considering it’s a lot of grappling, wouldn’t it be safer than boxing? (I have no data). My understanding is that MMA is considered to be safer than Boxing, at least from a brain point of view. MMA is three (occasionally 5) rounds that are often mostly grappling, and one solid hit usually ends it. Boxing can be sixteen rounds of subconcussive blows. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196/20 "2013-08-03T03:04:22Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Everest would suck because not many people know what [Mt. Everest](http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2013/05/mount-everest-too-crowded/65712/) [actually](http://eightsummits.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Conga-Line-2012-1.jpeg) [is like](http://www.himalayaexpeditions.com/images/garbage.jpg). A good friend summited Everest and she said it was the most amazing experience of her life. Even with all the bad things (and there’s no denying them) it’s a place like no other. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-sports/665196.md?page=2)