Being a sports columnist, you might think that I am limited in what I can talk about. If it doesn’t have to do with basketball, football or baseball, it’s not really relevant, right?

But that would be a very ignorant definition of the term “sports.” There is much more to competitive games besides the three I listed above, even though those are easily the most popular in the United States.

The term “popularity” seems to replace the word “validity” in the minds of some people. Often I hear how certain activities should not be considered as sports. Let me give you some examples.

Auto racing. The ignorant way to view this sport is a bunch of cowboys driving around in a circle for a couple hundred laps. The “cowboy” label is more commonly used for the NASCAR drivers.

No athletic ability necessary, right?

But this is no Sunday drive for these racers. This is a grueling competition that involves a great deal of concentration. Which doesn’t necessarily make it a sport in itself … just bear with me.

The stamina needed is immense, as drivers have to endure the heat and maintain control of a vehicle flying at incredible speeds.

Plus, there is the teamwork involved with the pit crew. A bad team will cost a driver precious seconds if the members can’t function together.

Soccer. Well, the definition isn’t in question in this case. The main problem is that people find it boring, mainly due to the low score involved with each game.

The lack of goals is hardly due to a lack of strategy or stamina. Non-stop action lasting 45 minutes per half is a long time. The passing takes both intelligence and skill, as one false move can lead to an easy scoring chance.

The American public needs to get over its love for high scores in its sporting events. People complain that the scores are way too low, making it a bad thing.

I hope these same people are happy with baseball right now, as scores have been through the roof. You gotta love it, right? As a fan of pitching, I must object.

The same ignorant remarks can be made about the major sports in America.

Basketball consists of guys running back and forth trying to throw a ball into a hoop.

Nothing else.

Baseball is just a bunch of guys taking turns trying to hit a ball with a stick.

No strategy whatsoever!

When people say things “suck” (a word my English 404 professor detests … sorry, Fern), they need to think objectively. You might not like something, but that doesn’t mean it is terrible.

I don’t particularly care for NASCAR races, but I’m not going to say the circuit is not without merit, nor will I stand on street corners saying that auto racing is not a sport.

Nor will I do that in a column.

Webster, the main man of dictionaries, is open-minded enough to call a sport “a physical activity engaged in for pleasure.” I don’t know if I’d go that far, but he’s got the right idea.

Realize such things as poker and darts are sports. Realize that people like these activities. And also realize that they are legitimate topics for a column on this page.

I simply don’t like the close-mindedness that exists among the people who compose the sports fan population.

Not to mention, I’ve left myself plenty of leeway for next semester’s columns. Until then, huh?

Christopher Clair is a senior in journalism from Waukon, Iowa.