The "Sport" of Metal Detecting? Not Even Close.

[DaytonaRacer]

Well played, Muddyhandz. Well played.

 

[Higgy]

Well played, Muddyhandz. Well played.

I agree. Well played indeed. However, W&E T - a magazine with 10% content and 90% filler and advertisements - does not qualify as a definitive authority. I'll submit that WE, the folks in this thread right here, are as close to the pulse of this hobby as anyone, anywhere, any group or think-tank. We are the status quo. WE decide what to call it.

 

[Higgy]

For all intensive purposes... metal detecting has been considered a "hobby"...
BUT NEVER A SPORT
AND
IMO IT HAS NEVER BEEN A SPORT... IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM...
and a pray ... it never EVER.... EVER... becomes titled as one.
To be a "SPORT" it would have to fall in some sort of "COMPETITIVE" realm.

The thought of MDing being called a sport makes sick to my stomach.

IMO... True Metal Detectorists are EXPLORERS...
SO...
It would be like calling "exploring" a sport.

AND as far a the "hobby" aspect of it... ?
I never really thought of it fully in the "hobby" field either...
But I feel it falls more in this category more than any other.
And should remain AT BEST a hobby.

We must not forget...
That MANY ... I REPEAT MANY... historical discoveries of our pasts...
Have been DIRECTLY attributed to the use of and way of METAL DETECTING.

For many... like me... it is... and has been...

A personal...
Individual...
Specialized...
Interesting...
Unique...
Relaxing...
Revealing at times...
And Sometimes... exciting...

AND MOST OF ALL...

NEEDED>>> "Way of life".

I also wish to comment on how inspiring your post is, Archie. It's oozing with goodwill. A heartfelt declaration. Thank you for posting it.

 

[ARC]

To be a "sport" it would have to fall in some sort of "competitive" realm.

IMO MDrs are explorers...
So...
It would be like calling "exploring" a sport.

Heh... I shortened it... :P

From a babbling rant... to a simple response

Sorry.
Was in rare form.

 

[G.I.B.]

My granddad said, "Whatcha doing there sport?"

"I'm Metal Detecting, Grandpa"... I replied.

This was possibly the first time in history that metal detecting was referred to as a sport.

 

[rginn]

Interesting post. I think the name you come up with for whatever activity you're engaged in is based on what you expect to achieve from that activity, and other folks observing you may come up with an entirely different moniker for your activity based on what they believe you actually will achieve.

 

[Ogre1190]

Bah-haha haha-haha haha!

 

[Escape]

If we used the detector to get a ball in a hope then possibly it could be a sport.

 

[Tnmountains]

Higgy you are right and the manufacturers do watch what people say here and they do listen. They all watched us water proof our machines in the past and our pin pointers. Now just look at what we have. You can see in some old post where people would build plexi glass housing for their units. I have been putting shoe goo on my pin pointers for years to water proof.