Earlier this week we brought you the Definitive Ranking of Each and Every Sport and Fitness Activity. We noted at the time that there is no appealing the rankings, because they are based on a very complex scientific formula that we won't go into here because it's probably over your head. Nevertheless, we received feedback on the list, in the form of emails from people with poor reading comprehension.

Now, we deign to respond to some of those emails. You're welcome.

Rugby

Hi Hamilton,

Your piece below refers:
http://gawker.com/5883338/all-47-sports-and-fitness-activities-ranked

I just happened to stumble across it while browsing Dead Spin, and I thought it a cool idea, possibly something we could base a quirky/off the wall "extra time" piece on in our magazine.

However, since I am from South Africa, one of the key sports of interest to us would be rugby – but I don't see it anywhere on your list.

I imagine it would fit in somewhere between Football (10) and Powerlifting (9). Could you maybe elaborate on your criteria for this list, just for interest's sake?

Rugby is football. Cricket is baseball. Use your imagination, foreigners.

Powerlifting

I know all rankings are final and all, but Crossfit ahead of powerlifting? Really?

The rationale here is that Crossfit contains some powerlifting, but also other things. This is not to insinuate that a Crossfit person could kick the ass of a powerlifter. Please try to grasp the subtle striations of meaning here, people.
RELATED: "What about Olympic weightlifting?" Great question guys. Olympic weightlifting is ranked in the exact same spot as powerlifting. Now do you feel a little foolish?

Ultimate Frisbee

Dear Hamilton,

I just wanted to ask a question about your list on gawker...I am am ex MMA fighter in college now and the past few years I have been involved with my respective Ultimate Frisbee league. I just wanted to ask if you took this sport into consideration when making your list-it seems to me if you did not-and I just wanted to give some input on this sport. As I said, I am an ex MMA fighter, I competed for 2 years and was in the sport since I was 12. I find that although it is considerably more taxing on the body and mind than frisbee, I find that frisbee demands a spot within the top 25 if not within the top 10. It combines not only athletic prowess but hand eye coordination and the ability to throw a frisbee. In the past few years I found that many collegiate frisbee players are in fantastic condition and are some of the top athletes in collegiate sports.
Anyways, I just wanted to make you aware of the sport in case anything comes up like this list again.

You left the ultimate sport out of your list: Ultimate.

Sorry, ultimate frisbee falls under the category of "fake bullshit sports," a category explicitly excluded from this list. In the case of the former MMA fighter, imagine me saying that in an extremely respectful way.

Water Polo

Hi Hamilton,

I know your decisions are final but my guess would be you just forgot about water polo since it is routinely listed as the toughest sport or in the top ten of toughest sports. Swimming, wrestling, treading water, all while trying to score a goal. You won't find people in much better shape than water polo players.

It would hypothetically rank somewhere between water aerobics and football. Hypothetically, because water polo is a fake bullshit sport.

Fencing

As a former gymnast, martial artist, showhorse jumper AND fencer for NYU, fencing is usually ranked in the top 3- a squatting, lunging sport with chess-like planning at hyperspeed.

Put that sword down for a minute. Not so tough now, are you? Enough said.

Swimming

Swimming? Not only is it one of the best aerobic and strength combined excises/sport, but the lack of impact on your body allows your body quick recovery and ability to swim on a daily basis. Overall your list is a joke. If you included swimming in with water aerobics, then your list is even a bigger joke than originally thought.

Seriously...Water Aerobics makes the list of 47 but swimming; competitive pool or open water doesn't?

The list glaringly omits swimming?

Jesus, swimmers are pricks. In an unrelated note, I just forgot to put swimming on the list. Let's say it's ah... in the middle.

Previously
 All 47 Sports and Fitness Activities, Ranked

[Image by Jim Cooke, photos via Getty]