Serious Subject: Social Races and Basketball

[Taiwan Killa]

Why do you guys think that basketball has the most african-americans than any other major sport? And why does baseball have the most white-americans out of the major sports?

Is it just a cultural thing in this country where one sport is more popular among a certain group of people? If so why?

Today I talked to this writer for the LA times who's been following sports since forever, he says that because there are more poor African Americans in the country they tend to lean towards basketball rather than baseball or even football because of the guarenteed money one recieves right away. In baseball you might have to travel the whole minor leauge system before you get your money.

That's just one theory, but I'll leave this open to discussion, why do you guys think a majority of the NBA is black as compared to other sports?

BTW please try to keep it serious, mods if you would please delete any offensive or off topic posts in here.

[Eric12]

Because of where a lot of black people grow up in, the inner city. There are more black people in the inner city than white people, so there are more black basketball players.

[theGreatRC]

I think they are more genetically stronger and faster.

[BROWN]

It's cheaper to play , if your born in poverty.. or without money.. or wtv.
its a ball and a hoop u can make out of anything , usually there are parks with hoops there.

[MagicFan3]

African-Americans tend to be generally more athletic, and basketball is a sport that involves being athletic, at least moreso than baseball.

[TAI8]

You need to jump high to play basketball.

[Philly Fresh]

Honestly, I find ALOT of black people are built with natural athleticism and build. Which is extremly useful in basketball. Also from a financial point of view, how much do you really need for basketball? A 10$ basketball, and any sort sneakers. You can always find basketball parks around town and stuff.

[The Notic]

It's cheaper to play , if your born in poverty.. or without money.. or wtv.
its a ball and a hoop u can make out of anything , usually there are parks with hoops there.

that's basically it. the other end of the spectrum being hockey.

[MbengaforMVP]

It's mostly cultural. Blacks in this country tend to grow up playing a lot of basketball; whites baseball. Both tend to play a lot of football, which is why the NFL is pretty racially diverse. If you suddenly got all the black kids in the US playing baseball, and the white ones shooting hoops, you'd see a pretty significant change in a generation.

[Uncooked]

Either this thread is full of a lot of stupid, or a lot of sarcasm.

[theGreatRC]

Either this thread is full of a lot of stupid, or a lot of sarcasm.

What are we supposed to say though? This thread is sort of ridiculous.

[NOODLESTYLE]

[scottyo50]

because everyone wants to be like mike. and white people look to different to do that

[ivDT]

i've always wondered, though, are north american whites genetically inferior to south american/eastern european/southern european whites when it comes to sports like soccer and basketball?

i mean, if we're ruling out increased exposure due to culture and socioeconomics as the leading factor...

[Seattlesun]

i dont understand why topics like this offend some people. its 2008 people, and we may well have a half black president 8 months from now. its ok to discuss what is really obvious, that as a whole blacks tend to be better athletes than whites, asians, etc. is it because saying a race is more athletic implies they are less intelligent as well? THAT would be racist to feel and to think.

i'm white as your pillowcase with blonde hair and blue eyes but a darn good if not great player for my size. i have schooled many a black guy in my day, but more often than not, a good black athletic guy will get me every time even if i'm a better shooter and have better overall skills because athleticism supercedes so much in basketball.

again, i dont know why its so hard to discuss these things but i do apologize if any of my comments above offend anyone.

[panacea]

Agreed with whoever said it's about money. It's simply an economic issue. At the most fundamental level, all you need to play basketball is a one person with a basketball. I've seen projects who cut the bottom of milk crates to make a basketball "net". The cost is extremely minimal, compared to sports like football, hockey, and golf.

[Sedale Threatt]

Anyone who doesn't think race is a major factor is simply fooling themselves. Frankly, I never have and never will understand what's so offensive about the concept that certain races might be predisposed to athletic success.

For example, when was the last time you saw a Hispanic win an Olympic sprint championship?

Also, I don't think it's any coincidence that the city in which I live, San Antonio, produced a grand total of ONE Division I-A basketball player last year despite a metro population of nearly two million people. Think that might have something to do with the fact that the population is more than 90 percent white/Hispanic? I don't see how it couldn't.

[wigglestrue]

It's a matter of trends, and class, and -- over time -- slight physiological and cultural differences between races. Back in the 40's basketball was mostly a sport played by working class Jewish and Irish kids. Now it's played by all races. Wherever it's played practically all day, every day, all year, that's where you'll find the best players, whether it's white kids in the suburbs or black kids in the city. Black people, on average, have slightly better muscle reflexes (the more direct the descension from West Africa, the bigger the slight advantage). They'd be born with that, and that slight advantage on the whole, by itself, could result in a disproportionate percentage of blacks when narrowed into the shallow pool of 400 of the world's best basketball players. They also, on average, have a healthier and freer mind-body correlation. They're not born with that, I don't think. That's probably entirely cultural, and is either the product of or is at least reflected by their superior life-affirming musical expressions.

Now, if anyone thinks any of the above is racist or whatever...
Just assume I was being sarcastic.

[Dry_Fish]

Anyone who doesn't think race is a major factor is simply fooling themselves. Frankly, I never have and never will understand what's so offensive about the concept that certain races might be predisposed to athletic success.

I think the fear is this thinking could extent outside of athletic ability

[prophet_of_rage]

When talking about this _natural_ advantage African-American players have in baketball over European-American players because of genetics why does nobody consider the higher obesity rates among African-Americans?

Why doesn't the NBA simply bring in all their players straight from West Africa if they are genetically athletically superior?

Why can Brent Barry jump and Magic Johnson couldn't?

How does Manu Ginobli exist?

Why is Argentina the best team in the world?

Could it be the work that they put into the game? Could it be sociological that "basketball" is an acceptable and viable means of getting to college for a people who have been historically economically disadvantaged?

Have we noticed that among sports like football (soccer), basketball, boxing, that the waves of athletes came from the more disadvantaged peoples. The Irish, the Italians, the Blacks and now the Hispanics. Funny, baseball is popular in Latin America and so is football. They produce baseball and football players. Basketball and football is popular in Argentina and Brazil. They produce football and basketball players. Boxing is big in Mexico. They produce a lot of boxers.

Why are Canadians generally better hockey players than Americans? It's not because they're White and the Americans aren't. They just play the sport more.

And for all those who say things like "I'm a pretty good player, but I just get killed by athletic Black guys" don't you think that's because they too can play the sport and they also train athleticism? So not only can they pump fake and sweep, but they can pump fake, sweep and leap 36 inches.