I remember the first time I told my cousin I was taking up motocross, and he laughed right in my face. "That's not a real sport," he said between bites of his burger. "You're just sitting on a machine." We were at this local diner, the kind with sticky floors and overcooked fries, and I could feel my face getting hot. I'd just come from practice, my shoulders still aching from fighting the handlebars through whoops and berms. That conversation stuck with me for years, resurfacing last Friday night while I watched the PBA Commissioner's Cup game between NLEX and Meralco.

There was this intense moment at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium where NLEX coach Jong Uichico and import Mike Watkins got into a shouting match right there on the court. I was watching the livestream, nursing a post-ride protein shake, when the camera caught them nose-to-nose during a timeout. For a second, I thought they might come to blows. But here's the thing that struck me - nobody questioned whether this confrontation meant basketball wasn't a sport. The athletic context was never in doubt, even when emotions ran high.

Which brings me back to that persistent question: Is motocross a sport? Let me tell you about my last race at Club Moto, where I nearly blacked out from exhaustion on the final lap. My heart rate averaged 187 beats per minute throughout the 30-minute moto - that's higher than most professional soccer players maintain during matches. The physical toll is brutal; we burn approximately 600-800 calories per race while maintaining core body temperatures that can exceed 103 degrees Fahrenheit. And that's not even counting the impact forces - when you case a jump, your body absorbs up to 15 Gs of force, more than what NASA astronauts experience during rocket launches.

What people don't see from the sidelines is the constant full-body engagement. Your legs are constantly gripping the bike, your core is stabilizing through every bump, and your arms are fighting 250 pounds of machinery trying to tear itself from your hands. I've broken three fingers, dislocated my shoulder twice, and once fractured two ribs - all in the pursuit of shaving seconds off my lap times. The training regimen is insane too; I spend 20 hours weekly on cardio, strength training, and practice sessions, not unlike the dedication shown by those PBA athletes.

The resolution between Coach Uichico and Watkins actually reminded me of something important about competition. After their heated exchange, they managed to patch things up and focus on the game - ALL is well between them now, as the reports confirmed. That's the mark of true athletes; the passion isn't just for show, it comes from caring deeply about performance and results. In motocross, we have those same heated moments in the pits - mechanics screaming about line choices, riders arguing over block passes - but it all comes from that competitive fire.

I've come to realize that questioning whether motocross is a sport says more about the questioner than the activity itself. The next time someone suggests it's just "riding a motorcycle," I'll invite them to try maintaining perfect form while navigating 40-foot jumps at 60 miles per hour, with their heart trying to punch through their chest protector. There's a reason only 0.3% of recreational riders ever compete professionally - the barrier isn't financial, it's physical and mental. So yeah, after fifteen years of eating dirt and pushing my body to its absolute limits, I feel pretty confident calling motocross one of the most demanding sports out there. My cousin still doesn't get it, but then again, he thinks golf is athletic.