2007-01-13 04:02:23 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Basketball
"Better" is an objective description. There has not been an African American IRONMAN Triathlon winner, ever.
2007-01-13 04:08:17 · answer #1 · answered by Bill D 2 · 2⤊ 4⤋
The African American population was stressed on slave ships during the slave trade periods in North America such that the week did not survive as easily as the stronger individuals and pass along their genes, which leads to the higher numbers of athletes in the African American population than other groups. This means that African Americans are not better athletes just the probability of an African American excelling athletically is higher than that of other groups.
Incidentally, this is the same reason that African Americans have a higher occurrence of hypertension. Submitting a population to a ride on slave ships would select for individual that retain sodium better than others. However, due to the higher sodium content in the average diets of Americans this same feature becomes more of negative trait.
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2007-01-13 04:09:08 · answer #2 · answered by Terence C 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hundred years ago they were toughened up as slaves. The genes must have passed on even when slavery ended. It might just be a trait that they just happened to have. Not all African Americans are good athletes. Besides, plenty of people from other races can be athletically better than an African American. It depends on genetics, practice, and who wants it more.
2007-01-13 04:13:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Better is sort of a subjective description. Partly it's plain old genetics but it also has to do with what sports black people play. While the NBA is 80%+ black athletes the NHL is less than 1%. It's not that the NHL is racist, it's because hockey is not a sport that appeals to most black people. The most popular sports that fans watch happen to feature the ones with the highest percentage of black athletes. Therefore you get the impression that black athletes are better. The same principle applies to other areas when you look at groups. Remember there are always exceptions but the basis still applies to the group not to individuals.
2007-01-13 04:19:24 · answer #4 · answered by jkm65 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I reject the premise of the question. I agree with the other guy that said it has to do with working harder to be a good athlete.
Sure there are racial differences but the I'd bet the biggest difference is effort. There are fast white guys like Matt Jones (Jaguars) but not that many, I think because very few make the effort.
I go back to an interview ran on ESPN years ago with Charles Barkley. During the interview Sir Charles attributed his playing ability to god gifted talent. But later in the show they talked with his grandmother. Who relayed a story about how Charles wasn't allowed to play basketball with the other kids in the neighborhood because he wasn't good enough. Charles would spend hours shooting and dribbling the ball on his own until he was good enough to play. Work, work work thats the difference.
2007-01-13 04:30:12 · answer #5 · answered by Roadkill 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
well it might be the genes but i think its more of the hard work. they spend countless hours on the court and conditioning themselves. some sports stars had fat parents when they were young. they spend all that time working out that they neglect school and thats why black athletes major it easy stuff like sociology and crap like that. whens the last time you saw a black college athlete major in biochemistry or civil engineering?
2007-01-13 05:18:57 · answer #6 · answered by what? 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
their ancestor worked harder to get their food. all that running and jumping... african americans come from a long line of good breeding. not all but most i would say.
2007-01-13 04:10:26 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its in the genes, the african is natural strong and well buit physically . This explains why they were prefered to any race during the slave trade. just ask Colin Jackson and he'll tell its true,he said this when he traced his ancestry to africa.
2007-01-13 04:14:44 · answer #8 · answered by toppform 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is rythm. African americans seem to be good drummer, dancers, and athletes. In all of these, you need good hand-eye coordination and rythm
2007-01-13 04:18:34 · answer #9 · answered by lildrumuboi 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
genes, for thousands of years they ran frim cheetahs in the african plains, then they ran from whitemen in america, and now they run from cops, and everyone knows running puts you in good shape.
also
social status, since more black people are poor than say white people they focus mroe on things like sports than college
2007-01-13 04:09:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋