World Series of Poker

Some guy just won big bucks in the World Series of Poker. Woooo hooooo. He did it because he was a good...actor. There's a necessary quality in all athletes. I can see Mel Kiper evaluating talent for the 2007 draft with lines like, "He's got 4.8 speed and needs to work on his route running. He drops a lot of passes, but he's a first round lock! Did you see him in Cats?!?"

That story is listed under Yahoo sports. I have a problem with that. Maybe it's my disdain for gambling in general shining through, but this is crazy. Poker...is a sport, now. I guess if you stick the label "World Series" in front of it and ESPN covers it, that makes it a sport. (ESPN said it, it's gotta be true, man!) If anything did major damage to my definition of a sport, this would be it. All of a sudden, golf and bowling are looking downright strenuous. I still believe if you can compete in anything while smoking a cigrarette and drinking a beer, what you're doing is not a sport. On a competitve level, I will grant you that not many golf or bowl while drinking beer or smoking, but a few do, and recreational golfers and bowlers do all the time. Poker though, is made for alcohol on some level and cigars. They are almost a requirement. It's a couch potato's dream. Poker, a sport? No freakin' way! I mean, what's next..the World Series of Parcheesi? Jacks?