# Unique aspects of sports. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 12, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946 "2010-06-12T19:31:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/121 "2010-06-16T00:02:43Z")
Cricket doesn’t really use the words ‘offense’ and ‘defence’ as nouns so the point is moot. The closest term used is probably a bowling attack, but a defensive bowler (one who concedes very few runs without getting many wickets) remains a valuable asset to any team. As **Malacandra** points out the aggressiveness of the bowling and batting teams will depend very much on the state of the match. While **fachverwirrt’s** one-day example is true as far as it goes, it doesn’t really apply to the oldest (and arguably still most important) form of the game - test matches. And if in a test team A is dismissed for 250 while team B has 180 for 3 any cricket fan would say team B is in much the better position. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/122 "2010-06-16T01:20:47Z")
So perhaps we have established that cricket is unique in the degrees to which “attack” and “defence” can ebb and flow during a game. over by over, session by session, day by day, wicket by wicket, ground by ground. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/123 "2010-06-16T01:34:32Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Cricket doesn’t really use the words ‘offense’ and ‘defence’ as nouns so the point is moot. The closest term used is probably a bowling attack, but a defensive bowler (one who concedes very few runs without getting many wickets) remains a valuable asset to any team. As **Malacandra** points out the aggressiveness of the bowling and batting teams will depend very much on the state of the match. > While **fachverwirrt’s** one-day example is true as far as it goes, it doesn’t really apply to the oldest (and arguably still most important) form of the game - test matches. And if in a test team A is dismissed for 250 while team B has 180 for 3 any cricket fan would say team B is in much the better position. In the end though, the point is that wins and losses are determined by runs scored, not wickets, draws not withstanding. On the subject of ODIs vs. test matches, are there any other sports with such wildly divergent forms that can so radically affect strategy? ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/124 "2010-06-16T01:39:21Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > In the end though, the point is that wins and losses are determined by runs scored, not wickets, draws not withstanding. > > On the subject of ODIs vs. test matches, are there any other sports with such wildly divergent forms that can so radically affect strategy? Now that’s a good point. Perhaps Golf’s matchplay vs strokeplay formats might count? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/125 "2010-06-16T01:44:39Z")
Tour de France vs. track cycling? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/126 "2010-06-16T01:45:07Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > There is also a [hill (complete with flagpole)](http://waiversharks.com/files/2009/01/houston-astros-minute-maid-park-tals-hill.jpg) at Minute Maid Park, home of Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros. Indeed, I was thinking of the Astros when I mentioned flagpoles. I had forgotten that the pole was also atop a hill. I like how there’s a warning track before the hill, then grass again. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/127 "2010-06-16T02:22:01Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > On the subject of ODIs vs. test matches, are there any other sports with such wildly divergent forms that can so radically affect strategy? Courting v speed dating? A bit closer to the question: Rugby Union v Rugby Sevens Field Hockey v Indoor Hockey (v Underwater Hockey :eek: ) ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/128 "2010-06-16T02:42:15Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > On the subject of ODIs vs. test matches, are there any other sports with such wildly divergent forms that can so radically affect strategy? And handball (although the raquetball-like form and the soccer-like form are sufficiently different to be considered completely different sports that just happen to have the same name). ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/129 "2010-06-16T03:34:45Z")
Heading the ball. Only in football (soccer) is it actively pursued. You can head the ball in Voleyball, but it is not actively looked for. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/130 "2010-06-16T22:07:26Z")
I believe Equestrian sports are the only Olympic sport in which men and women compete against each other in every level of the sport, and in all Olympic divisions. Sailing also has a coed “open division” but there are also mens & women’s divisions which are separated. Equestrian events have no separated divisions. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/131 "2010-06-16T22:27:58Z")
> [@](#): > > I believe Equestrian sports are the only Olympic sport in which men and women compete against each other in every level of the sport, and in all Olympic divisions. I think that’s also true of some gun sports. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/132 "2010-06-16T22:53:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I think that’s also true of some gun sports. Maybe at the local level, but at the Olympic level, all shooting events are split into men’s and women’s divisions. (see [2008 Olympic Shooting event schedule](http://www.usashooting.org/downloads/2008%20Olympic%20Shooting%20Competition%20Schedule.doc), courtesy of USA Shooting, the national org.) ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/133 "2010-06-17T00:18:19Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Cricket is the only sport where it having a [tree in the playing field](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Lawrence_Ground) is allowed Wouldn’t golf be included here as well? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/134 "2010-06-22T01:28:34Z")
> [@labtrash](#): > > Wouldn’t golf be included here as well? I was thinking this as well, but I’m pretty sure trees aren’t allowed on the fairways or greens. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/135 "2010-06-22T01:54:33Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > I was thinking this as well, but I’m pretty sure trees aren’t allowed on the fairways or greens. Maybe not on greens, but I’ve certainly played courses that have trees in the fairway. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/136 "2010-06-22T18:15:57Z")
Table tennis the only sport I know of where the players can actually be bigger than the playing field 😃 In pool, there is an “instant lose” rule (hitting the 8 ball into the pockets at the wrong time) that doesn’t have anything to do with cheating Tennis has a huge variation in what you can wear. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/137 "2010-06-22T18:20:18Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Table tennis the only sport I know of where the players can actually be bigger than the playing field 😃 I like this one! > [@](#): > > Tennis has a huge variation in what you can wear. Isn’t this true in most individual sports? Bowling, golf, billiards…most have dress standards that need to be met, but a wide variety of outfits that would fit within those standards. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/138 "2010-06-22T18:35:59Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Table tennis the only sport I know of where the players can actually be bigger than the playing field 😃 Darts. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/139 "2010-06-22T18:40:09Z")
Arm wrestling. ETA: [Kabaddi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabaddi) is the only sport where players are required to chant, as far as I’m aware. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946/140 "2010-06-23T00:46:22Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Table tennis the only sport I know of where the players can actually be bigger than the playing field 😃 I thought theoretically, ping pong has an infinite playing field only limited by the size of the room, that’s why you often see players standing 10 feet behind the table. Pool tables can also vary in size, down to 6X4" for bar tables. Pool and poker also don’t have uniform requirements. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-aspects-of-sports/542946.md?page=8)