Again, not a great question, and very naive in terms of nutritional knowledge, as well as many simplistic assumptions, but no need for name calling – especially with racist names.
It would seem that almost no one took this post seriously. Besides, BB…I would have thought you could have pulled out at least 3 references from your ass to back this up.[/quote]
Wait, let me think…
Yea that shit was HILARIOUS!!! BUWHaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
P.S. I’m Cuban, so that means I came over here in a raft right?
P.S.S. This game is as lame as a neoconservative defending our president’s intelligence and leadership. “My Pet Goat”, anyone?
So seriously though, I am writing a research paper on a similar topic though, why do african americans dominate sports while making up only approximately 13% of the population? I don’t have the statistics with me now but for example, the NBA is over 60% african american while aa’s only make up 13% of the US? there must be a reason, cultural, economical, or racial?
I think to attribute it to sweet potatoes is absolutely ridiculous but it is a hot topic in academic circles. There must be a reason though.
This “dominate sports” thing is always over stated. There are a LOT of sports. Some of them are very popular among black Americans. Some of them have significant role models that are going to strongly influence kids. This sort of thing is going to be pretty culturally specific.
Lacrosse?
BMX?
Skateboarding?
Snowboarding?
Field hockey?
Curling?
Ski jumping?
Ringette?
Water polo?
Cricket?
Figure skating?
Bowling?
Fox hunting?
Let me give you some personal thoughts (and michealv alluded to it in his comment…)
I was working one morning at another office, and it just so happened that across the street was a Basketball court. It must have been about 7am or so when I went in. I looked over at the court and there was a kid going up and down the court…doing lay-ups, spin-moves…shooting jumpers…
I CAME OUT AT NOON…AND HE WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING! Up and down the court…spin-moves…jumpers.
And I can’t tell you how many young kids, mostly black, who literally walk around with a basketball in their hand (it’s too learn how to make the ball almost “invisible” consciously), dribbling and practicing moves, whose free time is spent almost always on the court, sometimes from after school until dark…and on the weekends sometimes all day…
Check it out in ANY town or city in the U.S. on the “black” side of town…
And ask the average NBA player, and they will tell you that as a kid, they lived and breathed basketball…and the average one had “game” by the time they were pre-teens!
Dedicate yourself to ANYTHING that long, and you’re gonna get good at it. I’m sure there are many white kids that put in the same dedication and time…but I would bet that the absolute percentage is lower…
Add in a few genetic freaks (LeBron James; 6ft 8in, 240 pounds at 16 years of age), with a “feel” for the game by the time he was 10…add in the fact that for a lot of these guys, the only way out of poverty and their circumstances is that Ball…and you get the African American predominance in the NBA…
On what bkerne wrote:
i don’t know how long you’ve been reading T-Nation, but you should look up the article where someone makes a strong scientific case for why blacks are more dominant in sports
I think you guys nailed it with the role modeling. If you look back at the most influential people in your lives, there is usualy a strong connection of their values to your values. In my family wrestling was a tradition for too many generations to count. Before my family landed in America 3 gen. ago they were highlanders in Scottland and Ireland. No surprise at all that we used to like to kick around a soccerball and my brothers and I would practice takedowns and pins.For us it was just another form of play.
I think Mufasa made a very strong point about black kids “living” basketball from a very young age.
And, to prove it’s not a black thing, that reminded me distinctly of European kids and soccer balls. Many of these kids carry a soccer ball everywhere they go. When you see them standing around, they’re usually balancing a soccer ball on one foot, or bouncing it up and down in on one foot to see how many bounces they can get before it hits the ground.
These kids basically wear a soccer ball everywhere they go. Why have Europeans (and other non-black societies) long been so dominant in soccer? Why has American traditionally sucked at it, in spite of all our super-athlete black players? There is not the same level of dedication to soccer amongst our kids.
i’ve really like to think that America, in terms of comparing elite players from evey country, has become on par with most of the world in terms of soccer. Our national league (MLS) is nowhere near that of other countries, but the national team does seem to hold its own in intertaional competition, as evident by America’s last showing in the world cup and their recent string of high rankings for FIFA.
and its only matter of time before african americans take to soccer. take a look at demarcus beasely, freddy adu (i know he is originally african), eddie pope… etc… it will happen
I have two observations. First, note how many internationally-originated players we had in soccer when we finally started to get serious about it. These weren’t born and raised white-bread Americans.
Second, we have become serious about it. At least a subset of the country has. People finally realized that it is a very real sport and that we sucked at it. That fired some people up.
Anyway, you’re right to a certain extent, and because of the recent changes, my points were mostly from “recent past”. or more specifically, when I was playing soccer in high school and college. I’m a white boy. I sucked. It was still fun, but I could see the clear division between those who grew up with it and those who didn’t.
I think their performance has to be attributed to their consumption of menthol cigarettes and Old English 40 oz. I think the it has to do with how the barley and hops are fermented.
Can we talk about genetics here: both in terms of the differences in anatomical variations between individuals native to equatorial and northern latitudes, and the genetic traits that would have been common in the slave population?
Does anyone out there know that DHEA is only found in sweet pototoes. From what I’ve read on it DHEA slows the aging process, builds muscle & helps one stay lean. And all I was saying from what I’ve heard is the blacks eat alot of sweet pototoes. From what I’ve read here I guess they do not. I said I wasn’t racist & wasn’t trying to be a smart ass in any way. Why does everyone get all heated up & start the name callin’? Peace out.
[quote]mertdawg wrote:
This is OBVIOUSLY an experiment to prove that the dumbest questions get the most responses. I for one, will not give in![/quote]
[quote]BRUCELEEWANNABE wrote:
mertdawg wrote:
This is OBVIOUSLY an experiment to prove that the dumbest questions get the most responses. I for one, will not give in!
U just did ol’ mighty bright one. :-)[/quote]
No shit ex lax. Which brings me to another dietary issue.
