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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, 05:57:44 PM)
Dont think american chinese are taller than mainlander chinese.Those are bad examples of chinese people, unless they are coming to america for business reasons.
chachacha
Thursday, February 07, 2002 at 02:37:36 (PST)
It's a known fact in china, the people are one of the tallest in the world.Sure, americans wont think that, but theres a biased media. In china, chinese view themselves more beautiful and taller than others, cause the chinese dominate the media.
And besides, chinese are taller than not just the african pygmie tribes.Only the kinka's and other kinka's related tribes are taller than chinese(kinka's are all like 6'4 and over)Chinese are definitly able to rival or beat the nordics or any europeans in height. Koreans also rival the chinese in stature, almost reaching their height. Try to think by ignoring media eh?
sogo?
Thursday, February 07, 2002 at 02:35:41 (PST)
whites were much, much smaller compared to asians(chinese) thousand years ago.
when china was still the strongest country in the world (han, tan, yen(mongol)). chinese would be considered gaints to the little whites and blacks.
ancient chinese poems have suggested that men under 7 foot are not "men". all the ancient war weapons they digged out are huge and heavy as hell! many famouse, historic, chinese warriors were documented as over 7 or 8 footers.
why did mongols easily wipe out some of the european countries? strengh, size, and skills!
1 mongol = 20 white soldiers
too bad the chinese and most other asian countries really f***ed up in the past 3 to 4 hundred years until recently. we will rise again.
dan
Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 23:51:48 (PST)
Jim
in your original post u said "Chinese people are genetically shorter than Blacks and Whites".
The only reason 7-plus footer ballplayers were mention was to prove your ass wrong cuz if chinese people are genetically shorter then how come they can surpass even the tallest white or black? ..and to furthur your hopeless cause u are now stating that compare to a average white man the average chinese man will always be shorter...christ..what a assbrain u are ..the average white man isn't all that taller than your average chinese man ..an inch or so isn't a difference yet u still bang on about your stay in HK & Taiwan ..HELLO! u crackerass the population in HK is 2 TO 3 MILLION and taiwan over 22 million ...now compare that to china which has over 1.2 billion ! i suggest u take your lilly whiteass to northern china and see how tall the people really are but somehow i doubt u will cuz i think u are a clueless fraud ...why would u end your last post with this "Maybe Chinese people aren't as smart as I thought they are." jesus christ i bet u believe in all the sterotype of people ..no wonder u are such a brainless dumbass i kinda feel sorry for the white race to have such a pompous ass as their own
jim aka pinkass bottom spanked
Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 19:54:31 (PST)
Jim,
This is not a bash against you. I'm just curious, what years were you in Taiwan and Hong Kong?
B. Lee
Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 17:43:01 (PST)
Teens...
In High School, it is mostly 50%chinese 20% caucasian (indian nordic)
30% minorities(different people)
And for sure these kids are well fed u lo? :)
Walking through the halls...U see tall nordic people, but when u look to the right, a tall chinese ,even taller, Sure it's 60% chinese, but the chinese are damn tall. Many people over 6ft and the shortest people are usually the juniors...who despite their race...seem to be midgets for their age.
And those of u still not agreeing with chinese being tall, ignore american media...watch chinese dramas about everyday life.U will see that they arent what u perceive.
U see....chinese genes give a code for us to be tall, while nutrition encourages it!
sohoh
Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 15:32:12 (PST)
FOP,
Having studied in China, HK, and Taiwan with Expats in various language schools. Yes they are even worst then Asian FOP in USA when it comes to trying to assimilating into mainstream culture. They associate with other expats. Only go to western pubs and eating estblishments.
I can't really blame them. I mean for most of them it is a cultural shock in living in Asia. Being treated like zoo animals, since a lot of people in Asia have no personal contact with Westerners.
Then agian it is really hard to assimlate into a mainstream culture, if you keep thinking a 4th grade language proficiency is really all you need to get by.
AC dropout
Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 12:52:44 (PST)
Jim,
I also pointed out my cousin and myself. I am just an average Chinese Joe. We are not exceptionally tall, but we are taller than lots of whites and blacks. So I guess the one that is not smart is you then.
FOP
Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 12:31:53 (PST)
Jim,
You are just digging a hole for yourself. I live in NYC I see a lot of white, blacks, and asian shorter than me here.
When I travel to to the country side like upstate NY or rural MD or rural MI. I also notice alot of short whites and blacks.
And when I live in Taipei, HK, and Shanghai there are also shorter asian people, white people, and black people there also. I mean if you are white and lived in asia, you know you stick out like a sore thumb, and treated more or less like a zoo animal with people staring at you all day.
But I rarely make blanket statements about people intellegence or height based on race.
And just by the posting I can already tell you're not really that intelligent. Since you are trying to quantify an average measurements with the human eye of 3 - 5 inches. Are you sure the girth of the chest did not influence your perception of height?
Could you also tell us the average difference of car length for the same make and model car produced for asia and USA, just by looking. If you could you really should get a job at the Dept of Standards and Measurements. Your a shoo in.
AC dropout
Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 11:06:00 (PST)
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