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balefire88 · 04-15-2006, 12:51 AM

I think these factors come into play when judging sportsmanship. Disclaimer: These are all based off of sports I play and/or watch.

1) Team vs. Individual
2) Informal setting vs. competition
3) Point limits & Time limits

Individual:
If I'm just playing light games with friends, just cracking jokes in between, or even chatting while we're playing, then no point in destroying a friend who is worse than me. In fact, I'd try to make points (in tennis) last longer by keeping the ball in play longer. I usually still win because they screw up first if they're the weaker player, and my competitive spirit is satisfied with the fact that I won. If i'm playing somewhat seriously or against a better player, and there is no chatting going on, then by all means, go ahead and blank me. I'll just hope to practice and return the favor.

If you're in a light kung fu sparring match, sometimes you get paried with people far below or far above your ability or weight class. This is usually a huge disadvantage. Although there's no joking or taking it easy in matches like these, advanced students are not told to go all out against lighter opponents. But they're not told to go easy either. Basically, an advanced student will try to show the newer student the mistakes he is mistaking, while the newer student is told to fight as if 1 hit can make the difference. THis is because in a real life fight, 1 hit truly could make the difference if you ahve to fight a strong opponent. So going without getting hit for hte advanced student is acceptable, but not in a way where he totally dominates the beginner student. This is based off when our Shi Gung spars with us. (our teacher)

In a competitive setting for sparring matches, the goal is usually to win by being the fastest to 3 or 5 points (clean hits only), or a set limit of time (usually pretty short. Its incredibly tiring to fight someone for more than 5 staright minutes. After 3-4 matches, you really start losing focus). In this case, I see no point in giving points away. Same with tennis. If you're going to win, then 6-0 6-0 6-0 in tennis is acceptable, and a 5-0 beatdown in sparring is completely acceptable as well. You are just elongatiing the match by giving points away, and taking it easy is almost an insult. The weaker opponent will surely try his best to take a point off you, so to do anythign less than your best to prevent this is an insult to our way of learning. Usually our sparring is not full contact (as in full power hits), so 5-0 is not to beat them up, but to show technical expertise.

Team sports is probably the biggest grey area I see. Again if goofing around in a 5v5 game, and the guy guarding me is just incredibly weak, either due to skills or height (basketball), then I wont fully take advantage of it because it lessens the fun he and his team will have. Plus, if i lower my play quality to where it just better than his, then the rest of my team can try to matchup well with the rest of his team. However, if the other team has a player who is dominating one of my team mates, then I'll try to even it up as best as i can by trying to dominate the person assigned to me. In high school/college/pro games, especially basketball, but even american football, you usually try to run out hte clock once you ahve established a sizable lead. You don't try to run up the score mercilessly. Against this is only usually true. In college football, they sometimes run up the score because that factors into the system that decides the bowl contenders.

I think sports wehre the time limit is short (sparring = 5 minutes, boxing, or a set limit of points you ahve to reach = sparring, tennis, squash), in a competition, you can go ahead and try to reach there as fast as you can. However, in sports wehre the time limit is long and there is no point limit: basketball (real games, not street), football, soccer: runnig up the score in compettitions is considered poor form. Again, very subjective, but general standard is not to do it. Also, the harder yout ry when you don't have to, the more chane to injure yourself and ruin the rest of your season is what they believe in pro sports.

Last point I want to bring up is that they sometimes will give you a severe mismatch even in real competition. Its not the fault of the opponent, but sometimes the matchup systems can be bad. This happened at a kung fu tournament we went to where they did not have enough people for the light and middle weight classes and merged them. Our members decided that in the full contact matches, they would hold back against lower weight class members. Again, just a choice.

Team: Again, if this is a light game

04-15-2006, 12:51 AM	#5 (permalink)
balefire88 Tilted	I think these factors come into play when judging sportsmanship. Disclaimer: These are all based off of sports I play and/or watch. 1) Team vs. Individual 2) Informal setting vs. competition 3) Point limits & Time limits Individual: If I'm just playing light games with friends, just cracking jokes in between, or even chatting while we're playing, then no point in destroying a friend who is worse than me. In fact, I'd try to make points (in tennis) last longer by keeping the ball in play longer. I usually still win because they screw up first if they're the weaker player, and my competitive spirit is satisfied with the fact that I won. If i'm playing somewhat seriously or against a better player, and there is no chatting going on, then by all means, go ahead and blank me. I'll just hope to practice and return the favor. If you're in a light kung fu sparring match, sometimes you get paried with people far below or far above your ability or weight class. This is usually a huge disadvantage. Although there's no joking or taking it easy in matches like these, advanced students are not told to go all out against lighter opponents. But they're not told to go easy either. Basically, an advanced student will try to show the newer student the mistakes he is mistaking, while the newer student is told to fight as if 1 hit can make the difference. THis is because in a real life fight, 1 hit truly could make the difference if you ahve to fight a strong opponent. So going without getting hit for hte advanced student is acceptable, but not in a way where he totally dominates the beginner student. This is based off when our Shi Gung spars with us. (our teacher) In a competitive setting for sparring matches, the goal is usually to win by being the fastest to 3 or 5 points (clean hits only), or a set limit of time (usually pretty short. Its incredibly tiring to fight someone for more than 5 staright minutes. After 3-4 matches, you really start losing focus). In this case, I see no point in giving points away. Same with tennis. If you're going to win, then 6-0 6-0 6-0 in tennis is acceptable, and a 5-0 beatdown in sparring is completely acceptable as well. You are just elongatiing the match by giving points away, and taking it easy is almost an insult. The weaker opponent will surely try his best to take a point off you, so to do anythign less than your best to prevent this is an insult to our way of learning. Usually our sparring is not full contact (as in full power hits), so 5-0 is not to beat them up, but to show technical expertise. Team sports is probably the biggest grey area I see. Again if goofing around in a 5v5 game, and the guy guarding me is just incredibly weak, either due to skills or height (basketball), then I wont fully take advantage of it because it lessens the fun he and his team will have. Plus, if i lower my play quality to where it just better than his, then the rest of my team can try to matchup well with the rest of his team. However, if the other team has a player who is dominating one of my team mates, then I'll try to even it up as best as i can by trying to dominate the person assigned to me. In high school/college/pro games, especially basketball, but even american football, you usually try to run out hte clock once you ahve established a sizable lead. You don't try to run up the score mercilessly. Against this is only usually true. In college football, they sometimes run up the score because that factors into the system that decides the bowl contenders. I think sports wehre the time limit is short (sparring = 5 minutes, boxing, or a set limit of points you ahve to reach = sparring, tennis, squash), in a competition, you can go ahead and try to reach there as fast as you can. However, in sports wehre the time limit is long and there is no point limit: basketball (real games, not street), football, soccer: runnig up the score in compettitions is considered poor form. Again, very subjective, but general standard is not to do it. Also, the harder yout ry when you don't have to, the more chane to injure yourself and ruin the rest of your season is what they believe in pro sports. Last point I want to bring up is that they sometimes will give you a severe mismatch even in real competition. Its not the fault of the opponent, but sometimes the matchup systems can be bad. This happened at a kung fu tournament we went to where they did not have enough people for the light and middle weight classes and merged them. Our members decided that in the full contact matches, they would hold back against lower weight class members. Again, just a choice. Team: Again, if this is a light game __________________ "Today is the beginning of the rest of your life."