Poker Is Not A Sport

One of the things that irritates me as a sports fan is flipping the channel to ESPN and seeing some poker tournament being broadcast as if it were an NFL or NBA game.  

If it doesn't involve coaching, physical training, and the element of an individual or a team trying to score more points than the other individual while being opposed by the other individual or team trying to stop you from doing so or you have the fastest time in winning the event, it ain't a sport.

Hell, I'd rather watch the AFL Aussie rules football games and the AFL Grand Final that ESPN used to put in those empty timeslots back in the day than some boring azz poker match. 

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My irritation is heightened by thinking about the air time these televised poker tournaments get that take away from legitimate sporting events like the WPS women's professional soccer league or track for example that are struggling for attention and could desperately use the network sporting love.


There are far more people who can tell you the names of poker players than who Lolo Jones is.

Oh yeah, happy belated birthday Lolo! (August 5)

Now back to my post.    People, I'll concede the point that poker is a card game that involves skill, quick thinking and luck, but it is still NOT a sport

It is a waste of valuable sporting network programming time, much less disingenuous to real athletes to call it one.