So, according to 'The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language,' here are the first two definitions for 'sport':ġ.) An active pastime diversion recreation.Ģ.) A specific diversion, usually involving physical exercise and having a set form and body of rules a game.

When it comes to proving a dubious point, dictionary definitions are often the last refuge of a scoundrel. OK, let's see if, just this once, Kornheiser might be right about something. But is it a sport? Click here to vote on poker and nine other activities. Poker requires agility, strength and stamina - well, of the mental variety. Therefore, under the Fairness In Commentary Act of '99, I am obligated to publicly insult and demean Kornheiser whenever I have the opportunity.)

and that Kornheiser is largely responsible for my journalistic career, such as it is, because he introduced me to the man who gave me my first real editing job. (In the interests of full full disclosure, I should also mention that Kornheiser and I not only worked together at the Washington Post but went to the same school - Harpur College in bucolic Binghamton, N.Y. (In the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that Kornheiser knows absolutely nothing about poker, doesn't have the slightest interest in whether or not the poker boom will continue, and is 'concerned' about the future of poker only to the extent that it provides a chance to tweak Norman Chad, ESPN's poker color man and a former colleague of Kornheiser at the Washington Post.) In other words, in Kornheiser's opinion, poker is not a sport.

Kornheiser obviously believes it will not, based on the notion that people who watch poker on TV cannot expect to see any spectacular physical feats and so will necessarily become bored and stop watching. Before I attempt to answer that question, here's another one: What difference does it make?Ī couple of times in the past few weeks, Tony Kornheiser of 'Pardon The Interruption' has questioned whether the current poker boom will have legs.

What does intense poker face mean