There Are No Great Races, Just Great Jumpers
Great jumpers are a rarity among any ethnic group. I have grown weary of hearing the rap that blacks can jump higher. This argument demeans the hard work black leapers have done to get altitude and provides a ready excuse for soft, white kids not to work ("Why practice? White players can't jump."). Leaping can even be seen as a metaphor for having a game at all. Incredibly, many Americans expressed hostility towards our black, NBA Olympians who lost in Athens last summer. There were all kinds of accusations and criticisms leveled (e.g. "too much street," they're rich and spoiled," "rap culture," blah, blah, blah). European and South American Olympic mens' basketball teams have reminded us that whites can play, too. So my question is this: In a country of 300 million people, with a black population of only 15%, why aren't there more great white American players? And why are white fans criticizing black players for their efforts?
Most of the better players and leapers in the NBA are black, but you find much more ethnic variety in the high jump, where there are great leapers of many ethnicities. It is certainly possible that there are physical talents and propensities more common to some racial groups than others. If you have ever watched "The World's Strongest Man" competitions that play almost endlessly on cable TV, you may have noticed the disproportionate number of huge Scandinavians lifting boulders and pulling trucks with ropes. But I'm guessing that successful competitors of other ethnic backgrounds haven't gotten to the finals by whining and making excuses that "Scandinavians are naturally stronger."
There are many great black and white American kids playing hoops, giving it their best in high school, college and the various professional levels. Good for them! And for those of you who make excuses or criticize the hardest working... why don't you head to your nearest sporting goods store and pick up a croquet set. I am almost certain that you will not be held back by racial limitations.
If you're not buying my point, check out this eighteen year-old kid, Henry Bekkering. He's Canadian, 6'5" tall, 210 lbs., with a 40" verticle jump and plays for Eastern Washington. I'm guessing that he doesn't believe he's limited by his ethnicity either. Check out this video: http://hooplife.ca/viewclip.asp?clipid=9
Most of the better players and leapers in the NBA are black, but you find much more ethnic variety in the high jump, where there are great leapers of many ethnicities. It is certainly possible that there are physical talents and propensities more common to some racial groups than others. If you have ever watched "The World's Strongest Man" competitions that play almost endlessly on cable TV, you may have noticed the disproportionate number of huge Scandinavians lifting boulders and pulling trucks with ropes. But I'm guessing that successful competitors of other ethnic backgrounds haven't gotten to the finals by whining and making excuses that "Scandinavians are naturally stronger."
There are many great black and white American kids playing hoops, giving it their best in high school, college and the various professional levels. Good for them! And for those of you who make excuses or criticize the hardest working... why don't you head to your nearest sporting goods store and pick up a croquet set. I am almost certain that you will not be held back by racial limitations.
If you're not buying my point, check out this eighteen year-old kid, Henry Bekkering. He's Canadian, 6'5" tall, 210 lbs., with a 40" verticle jump and plays for Eastern Washington. I'm guessing that he doesn't believe he's limited by his ethnicity either. Check out this video: http://hooplife.ca/viewclip.asp?clipid=9
posted by Man of Ages at 8:52 PM
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