Off Topic When is an Athlete an Athlete?

Just watching Tiger blow up on the back nine of a tournament he's playing in and the announcer keeps calling the players athletes. Do you agree that they are athletes?

 

Miguel Angel Jiminez was certainly no athlete, he loved his cigars, especially when he won...

 

Golf, darts and snooker players are not athletes.

 

Surely athletes take part in athletics

 

Yes, they are athletes in the primary sense of the word.
early 15c., from Latin athleta "a wrestler, athlete, combatant in public games," from Greek athletes "prizefighter, contestant in the games," agent noun from athlein "to contest for a prize," related to athlos "a contest" and athlon "a prize," which is of unknown origin. Before 1750, usually in Latin form. In this sense, Old English had plegmann "play-man." Athlete's foot first recorded 1928, for an ailment that has been around much longer.

 

Is overpaid freak nearer the mark?

 

Pole Dancers?

 

Ping pong players?

 

I'm certainly a fan of bedroom athletics.....and I'm no athlete

 

Had this conversation with a mate of mine many times who claims to be an athlete as he is the pro at a local golf club. Seems to me that he generally works in the golf shop selling the bats to punters. He's a fat dollop and no more an athlete than was Jockey Wilson.

 

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Speed Walking?

 

Curling?

 

You're not an athlete if you don't get out of breath performing your sport, and it's not a sport if you can wear regular shoes to do it.

 

Baseball

 

American Football, most of the players are only on the field for about 5 minutes.

 

On that basis, Perch is ruled out as an athlete

 

How about chess??!

 

Some of those pieces can be heavy you know