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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
ASIAN ATHLETES LIMITED BY GENES OR NURTURE?
o debate on the prospects of Asian athletes in American sports passes without mention of Yao Ming, the Shanghai Sharks's 7-6, 265-pound center who recently led China to an 83-82 upset over the U.S. His prospects as the likely top pick of the 2002 NBA draft have been trumpeted by no lesser authorities than Michael Jordan and Bill Walton.
But the 21-year-old superstar is literally one in a billion (1.25 billion to be exact). Young Yao is the product, genetically and culturally, of a 6-10 father and 6-4 mother, both of whom played basketball for China's national teams. His case is as likely to confuse the nature-vs-nurture debate as to help resolve it. After all, his height may be merely the tip of the genetic iceberg when it comes to his promise as a world-class basketballer.
More familiar to Asian Americans are Michael Chang (5-9) who won the French Open at age 17, and Ichiro Suzuki (5-9), whose batting and base-stealing have lifted the Mariners from the basement to the heavens. Both seem endowed with standard physical equipment but have outperformed more powerful physiques. And on the women's side Kristi Yamaguchi, Michele Kwan, Seri Pak and legions of Chinese divers and gymnasts have shown that champions needn't be amazons.
But these successes haven't silenced those who argue that as a race Asians lack the genetic gifts to challenge black and white athletes in power sports. Asians are genetically smaller and weaker, they claim, and can only excel in sports calling for quickness and agility. They cite Asian underrepresentation in track and field, football, basketball, soccer, tennis, boxing and the like.
Will the future mirror the past? Are we genetically limited to excelling only in a few select sports or will changing social and economic conditions produce a generation of Asian superstars across the sports spectrum?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:57:48 PM)
Jim wrote:
"Economic imporvement is not going to make Chinese people that much taller. Chinese people are genetically shorter than Blacks and Whites. What you've said is just wishful thinking."
You have no idea what you're talking about. In all likelihood you look around your current environment and extrapolate it to fit your own preconceived pet notion. This is the mark of the typical, average, pedestrian moron.
Travel around the world a bit. Widen your views. If and when you do, you will discover the following:
- Genetic potential varies greatly in the Chinese. We're talking about an huge country with many groups of people, all with distinct physical characteristics. Some are very agile; some are very strong; some are very tall. The ignorant often assume the Chinese are a monolithic race. Not so.
- Likewise, genetic potential varies greatly in Blacks. They have the tallest and the shortest. As a matter of fact, even the shortest Asians are taller than the African Pygmies. Last time I checked, they were just as Black as any other people of African descent. Thus, your blanket statement is incorrect.
- African Americans have genetic differences from Africans in two major ways: 1) most American Blacks have some White blood in them, much of it from the days of slavery (i.e. White masters raping slaves at will); 2) American Blacks have survived incredible hardship which, for all practical intents and purposes, are indistinguishable from an eugenics program specifically breeding for physique and strength. Other groups have not gone through a similar cauldron to the same extent. Thus, if you apply what you observe in America to the entire Black race, your conclusion will be distorted.
- Every developing Asian country shows dramatic difference in height between generations. In fact, teenagers from affluent Asian countries have become taller than peer groups from southern and eastern european countries. Look up the statistics yourself. If you don't know how, your local librarian will be glad to help you.
- Do you know anyone from the Czech Repuplic, Bulgaria or Romania? I happen to have quite a few friends from these regions, and even though I am of average height, I tower over most of them. Why? They've got the same White genes don't they? It's simple. I've had better nutrition than these guys who grew up in impoverished Communist regimes. That's all there is to it.
By all means continue to entertain your superiority delusions. When the 2004 and 2008 Olympics come around and the Chinese dominate the events - including more power sports than "experts" expect - it will be a lot of fun for me to rub your nose in it.
Chinese domination in future Olympics will be inevitable even if the event isn't held in China. How can we know this? Simple. Collect performance data of Chinese competitors in all Olympic events from 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000. Draw a graph. The overall trend should be obvious even to typical, average, pedestrian morons such as yourself.
Bugger off, Jim
Friday, February 01, 2002 at 09:03:05 (PST)
Cantonese,
BTW, did you go to UCLA? There was some 6'10 Chinese guy in my year.
Anyways, I don't know where you get that idea that the gov. stole food from the Cantonese and gave it to the Northerners, it's pretty ridiculous. Guangdong is actually the richest province in China, with the highest GDP/per capita. The land is very arable and rich. The North in contrast is dusty, barren and frozen half the year. Cantonese cuisine, as you can see with a simple dim sum meal, is rich and full of variety, very fresh and lively. Northern food, mainly steamed bread, jiaozi, zhajiangmian, is plain and basic in comparison. Yet, Northerners still average at least 3-4 inches taller than the Cantonese, who enjoy by far, better living standards.
Certainly, you are an exception. But let's not exagerrate exceptions to create some impossible theory (ex. the food stealing idea).
guy
Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 23:37:40 (PST)
Jim,
You want to know why there are no Asian male or female tennis player that's top ten in the world, because bigots like you prevented us from achieving that dream. Chinese people are genetically the same as everybody else. European and African descent men and women are the same as Asian. The Chinese you saw didnt get enough food like you. Just look at the new Chinese in America like me. I am 6'10" and my cousins are 5'11". My parents and their parents didnt get enough nutrients as childrens growing up like us. I didnt choose to play sports professionally because I dont think I should sell my body short for any money. Athletes got too many broken body parts and lots of family problems from been too selffish about money. They spend too much time practicing than working 9-5 so they can interact with their childrens.
Once you get damage no one wants you anymore. <--2nd reason why Asian dont play sports. We live happier.
Junis,
I understand what you meant. I do see when China get better economic and better food and health care will help make us Chinese grow taller. More money = more food and better health.
Cantonese-American men
Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 21:36:18 (PST)
cantonese american men,
You are so correct! But it does have something also to do with genes, I think we are naturally tall if we eat well and excercise.(talking bout chinese)
chocho
Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 20:18:43 (PST)
Cantonese-American man,
I think you meant you are now 6'1" rather than 6'10" (I think that was a typo).
Asian Height
Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 19:48:03 (PST)
Jim
"Economic imporvement is not going to make Chinese people that much taller.Chinese people are genetically shorter than Blacks and Whites"
That's the same kind of racist Bullshit i keep hearing from whitey ..if that was the case then how come i am 6-6" ?? i was born in Hong kong and i am pure chinese and all my families...cousins ..uncles are tall ..well over 6ft ..if we are genetically shorter than whites or blacks as u claim then what am i ? a freak of nature? then millions of chinese who are tall are freaks....man ..u need to take a trip to china and open your narrow-mind abit instead of typing things u have no proof of...and what has height got to do with tennis .michael chang (5.9") was ranked no2 in the world 10 years ago
sure there isn't any top 10 asian players today but u can bet your ass there will be more ..
Tall chinese guy
Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 19:36:01 (PST)
ahhh...*withers and dies* *falls down and shakes*
Dont say that.And I did'nt mean tennis championships okay?I still think chinese people are tall if you tried going to beijing than to seattle or something.Many girls I see are 5'11 and many men are over 6ft.
I dont agree with you genetically shorter.SO you say I am a freak? hehe
Cause I am taller than alot of caucasians.ANd blacks are one of the shortest people on earth, check the pygmies tribe who are shorter than 4'5ft
And places where people have small stature in africa is common.There are kinkas tribe that are over 6ft.
I can tell you are not correct, cause you messed up of that africans being taller.Hey and I never said anything about top ten.And I bet you are a caucasian!Trying to glorify yourself and your people.Please this site is for Asian Americans.I have had many posts in reply to mine and they are for sure coming from a caucasian who likes themselves too much.And Jackie Chan and Jet Li stunted their growth by training in kungfu, and we see chow yun fat, who is 180cm and he no learn kung fu. Wow. Southern man 180cm?north tall ya.*mm hmm*
junis
Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 17:32:10 (PST)
Jim,
Last time I checked there were no American ranked in the Top 10 volleyball teams in the world, nor table tennis, nor Chinese chess.
Does that make Americans innately short, slow, and stupid?
The economies been great in the USA for the past decade. Asians are still filling up the college here. Does that mean average non-asian american has the genetic predisposition of not being intellegent.
Think before you write.
AC dropout
Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 11:55:48 (PST)
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