# Just because you dress like a clown does NOT make your sport extreme **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 27, 2002, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043 "2002-11-27T05:12:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/21 "2002-11-27T14:43:21Z")
Several months ago, there was [this short-lived thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=129617) making fun of the whole “extreme sport” concept. I’m not particularly up on the whole “extreme sport” concept (I have enough going on in my life without trying to keep track of new ways other people have come up with to amuse themselves) but I think **Gary Kumquat** is on the right track. What makes a sport “extreme” is taking it beyond the usual to make it particularly dangerous or complex. Lightning chess, where you are required to make your moves within a very short period (10-30 second IIRC), could be considered “extreme chess”. Of course, in today’s culture, this would also require the players to wear goofy outfits and come up with names for particularly effective moves. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/22 "2002-11-27T14:44:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by welby \* > \*\*Thanks **zen101**. Now I have this mental image of Tonya Harding giving Nancy Kerrigan a Cleveland Steamer. \*\* Damn you, **welby**!! You made me choke on a potato chip! That was funny, dude… ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/23 "2002-11-27T15:04:29Z")
[voice=Spicholey] DoooDz! The Ohhh Peeee is like Sooo Whaaay wrong! Jus last weekend me and my buds got waay into the totally extreeeeem new sport of **HIGH ALTITUDE BUNGEE BOWLING**!!! (WoooF WooooF Wooof) YEAH! It was WAAAY Wrad! [/voice] By the way, anyone who would like to participate in a “new” extreme Sport need only visit \*\* Lore Sjöberg’s \*\* [Exterme sports generator](http://www.brunching.com/extremesports.htm). First, generate the sport, then invent the equipment, rules and what not then let the big money roll in. BTW, would we consider Evil Canevel to be an extreme sports kind of guy or just a crazy fool? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/24 "2002-11-27T15:09:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Janx \*BTW, would we consider Evil Canevel to be an extreme sports kind of guy or just a crazy fool? \*\* Sounds kind of redundant to me… isn’t the whole point of extreme sports that you have to be a little crazy or foolish to do it? So if I taunt a cat that I know will bite and claw me, is that an extreme sport? Do I have to make up rules and wear flashy clothes, or just protective gear? ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/25 "2002-11-27T15:29:26Z")
\*\* Ethilrist \*\* 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/26 "2002-11-27T16:05:30Z")
Xtreme PITranting Whoah! Check the sarc on that! Hanging 10 fingers on the profain rack! Double power on the insult bogey retort! Then a clipped threat rounding off a 360 fizzy final word! Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/27 "2002-11-27T16:12:42Z")
**Futile Gesture** : I hear that X-treme Pit Ranting is going to be an exhibition sport in the X-Games this year. And people are also pushing for an Olympic event. The problem is they can’t decide if it should be a Winter or Summer sport. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/28 "2002-11-27T16:23:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carrot \* > \*\ ***Futile Gesture** : I hear that X-treme Pit Ranting is going to be an exhibition sport in the X-Games this year. > > And people are also pushing for an Olympic event. The problem is they can’t decide if it should be a Winter or Summer sport. \*\* It’ll have to be a Summer Olympics sport. All events in the Winter Olympics must be played on snow or ice. (From memory, no cite, but Google the International Olympic Committee.) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/29 "2002-11-27T16:48:16Z")
Extreme Ironing may be a joke… But Extreme Croquet is the real deal. No, stop laughing. I’m serious; there really is a version of croquet called Extreme Croquet. Lots of people have made joke games called Extreme Croquet, but there’s actually an official recognized sport by that name. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/30 "2002-11-27T16:52:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mort Furd \* > \*\*[And now, for your complete disgust: Extreme Ironing.](http://www.extremeironing.com/) > Chumps. \*\* Damn. I thought this would involve, say, ironing a cotton shirt _while wearing it_. Now that would be extreme. ---
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/31 "2002-11-27T17:04:51Z")
> [@](#): > > All events in the Winter Olympics must be played on snow or ice So? We’ll just get some guy to sit on his ass on a snowy day with a laptop. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/32 "2002-11-27T17:40:18Z")
I have an idea for an X-TREME sport!11!!11!~ We’ll take people, strip them naked, smear bannanas all over them then toss them into the BABOON PIT! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/33 "2002-11-27T17:43:44Z")
Hey, I just remembered something. At the Karlin Inn in Michigan, when I was going to Interlochen, they had Slam Polka night. Extreme dancing! ---
**Author:** ![tisiphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tisiphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tisiphone)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/34 "2002-11-27T21:57:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kabbes \* > \*\* > Anyway, I like living life to the eXtreme. Even as we speak I’m being an X-treem actuary and doing mad skillz modelling of bad data. As I do so, I say “yo!” to myself a lot and spin my seat in a totally rad fashion. I’m even thinking of undoing my top shirt button beneath my tie. > \*\* Well, I for one, am in awe. Wanna run that model again? I think if you say “yo!” as it begins iterating, instead of partway through, it may improve the flow…😉 ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/35 "2002-11-28T12:06:42Z")
Heh. I’m doing X-Treem file transfers right now. It’s just like normal file copying, except that every so often the connection to the remote directory dies in the middle of a file. Will I get my database backups over to the new server intact? You can _feel_ the tension in the stadium … the spectators watch with bated breath … \*:: looks around, notices total absence of any spectators, shuts up :: \* ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/36 "2002-11-28T12:18:10Z")
Today I am being extreme by not wearing a jumper. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2002, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/37 "2002-11-29T22:56:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*Just because you dress like a clown does NOT make your sport extreme \*\* Next on ESPN! \*\*Extreme Clowning! \*\* You’ll see a HUNDRED clowns in one tiny car! Fifty-five gallon selzer bottles! Creme pies the size of manhole covers! Yes, it’s\*\*Extreme Clowning! \*\*. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2002, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/38 "2002-11-29T23:42:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carrot \* > \*\ ***Futile Gesture** : I hear that X-treme Pit Ranting is going to be an exhibition sport in the X-Games this year. > \*\* Yeah, but they’ll make it kooler by abbreviating it, like Pranting. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043/39 "2002-11-30T18:22:58Z")
Extreme sports are ones in which if you make a mistake, you will probably die. Not just get banged or broken, but die. Some outdoor adventure activities: rock climbing, wild water kayaking, telemark skiing. Some extreme activities: free solo rock climbing, class VI wild water kayaking; telemark skiing on 60 degree slopes over exposure. Very few outdoor adventure participants ever reach the extreme level in their activities, let alone adolescents, but since adolescents idolize extreme sports participants, clothing and equipment is marketed toward the adolescents in such a manner as to encourage the adolescents to associate themselves with the extreme activities and the extreme activity participants. Muffin [www.tbaytel.net/culpeper](http://www.tbaytel.net/culpeper) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-because-you-dress-like-a-clown-does-not-make-your-sport-extreme/139043.md?page=1)