Is poker a sport?

I saw this question in a sports column, and I think it is so stupid. If poker isn't a sport, it's still a competition of some sort. If people want to watch it, go for it. Is there some level of athleticism that is required to be a sport? NASCAR drivers sit on their ass the whole race, but they certainly look more physically drained than a golfer after a round at the PGA. The question came to mind while I was watching the Great Outdoor Games which for those not in the know is lumberjack events, jumping dogs, ATVs and shooting things. I love 'em. I make a point to watch them every year. If I'm going to be out, I'll tape them. If they had them in Kentucky, I'd take my vacation and go. Yet, I have watched maybe two baseball games this year, and that's our national pasttime. I seem to have an affinity for low level or fringe sports. Sure, I love football (NFL, college, arena, NFL Europe) and basketball (men's mainly). Yet, I don't really care anything for baseball. Soccer may be the world's most popular sport, but I never watch it. I tried in 1994 when the World Cup, then those bastards finished in an 0-0 tie and it had to be decided on penalty kicks. I guess when the NBA Finals are decided on a free throw contest, it will pass soccer in world-wide popularity. Track and field bores me. The only time I care who is the "fastest man" is when their timing guys at the NFL combine or someone just stole my wallet. If I could bet on human runners like I do horses, maybe I'd like them better. I might watch golf if it's on the last day and I've tired of watching paint dry. I don't care if Tiger Woods is playing Michelle Wie naked. I wouldn't care to see Tiger naked, and Wie is only 15 and I'm not that much of a degenerate. Now, if it was Tiger's wife, I might even get that on pay-per-view. I used to like boxing, but then I realized I was rooting for someone to not get as much brain damage as his opponent. And to this day, I cannot figure out how Muhammad Ali became a major saint when you consider that he was involved in the most crooked sport around. Yet, I like to watch bowling. I like volleyball (indoor and sand). I don't watch pool, but I do watch trick shot pool. NASCAR's great, but open wheel racing isn't. So, I'm not sure if I'm really a sports fan, but I like what I like.

Which brings me to the whole point of this posting. What the Hell was the NHL thinking when it canceled a whole season? Plus, how did the NHL ever get to be considered to be a major sport? Is it to make Canadians feel better? What kind of sport is in such bad shape that several owners wanted the lockout because they lost less money than they would have if they actually played the games? It's ratings were so poor that ESPN was happy they were on strike, because they substituted college basketball games which got better ratings. Actually, NHL is like the WNBA. I always forget when their schedule is until I see highlights on ESPN (and Barry Melrose's mullet). The fact that it starts in October is one reason it hasn't made an impact in this country. Let's start during the baseball playoffs and during football. Of course, the ending isn't much better. It's near the NBA playoffs and when baseball starts. The other problem is that it's sucks watching it on TV. Football was made for TV, but in a hockey game, it's tough to even see the puck. I say we boycott the NHL (trust me, it's not hard). Or else we invade Canada and make the Canadian football field the right size.