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GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
ASIAN ATHLETES LIMITED BY GENES OR NURTURE?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:57:39 PM)
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.]
Judging Amy,
I don't think that is how genetic theory works in the world.
AC Dropout
Friday, July 12, 2002 at 16:06:19 (PDT)
The same people who claim that Asians are genetically inferior in sports are not willing to admit that Asians are genetically superior intellectually. Come on, you can't have it both ways. I don't know the answer, but I think if certain races are genetically superior in one trait then others are likely to be genetically superior in other traits.
Non-Asians have to pick one side. If they think they are genetically superior athletically, then they must admit taht they are gentically inferior intellctually. If they think that there is no genetic difference in intellect then there should be no genetic difference athletically. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Judging Amy
Thursday, July 11, 2002 at 12:44:16 (PDT)
HIC,
I don't know what your question to me about who I would help if a bunch of asians jumped a bunch of Asians was suppose to prove? Especially since it pertains to nothing I was talking about.
I was simply making a fact that Asians and Pacific Islanders(Polynesians) are two completely different people. There's never any mention about PI's by Asians until there's a discussion about Asian athletic inferiority, and then the inclusion of PI's by Asians surface left and right.
As far as I'm concerned, PI's shouldn't have been mentioned at all in this thread and we shouldn't even be having this conversation.
Although your post was insightful and full of semantics, it had nothing to do with the clarification of the topic that had prevailed previously.
It appears this topic has broken off into several different tangents, and people are now just mentioning their favorite athletes.
The Rock?????? Puhlease.... This topic is suppose to be about Asians and their genetic limitations. Including PI's in this discussion is improper to begin with, but people start including the Rock???? My...... talk about breaking off in tangents.
Let's just cancel this noise and any misnomers which may arise in the future.
Let's leave Asian topics to the discussion of Asians. Sooner or later, some of you are going to start including American Indians and claim that they're Asian too! And then what? Are you guys going to include Mexicans as well since they have a lot of Indian blood in them?
Chitown Depressant
Monday, June 24, 2002 at 13:31:24 (PDT)
i've seen the rock (DWAYNE JOHNSON)'s mom who is samoan on mtv. she looks completely asian. his dad is a lighter skin black. weird thing, the rock looks more mexican than either of the two.
dan
Saturday, June 22, 2002 at 18:20:18 (PDT)
An update on Yao Ming. I am hereby to inform all great anticipators of the 2002 NBA draft that YAO MING won't be in the New York area when he is given his uniform. Instead, he will be in China training for the World Championships, BUT he is going to speak in front of the camera about his thoughts of playing for the NBA. I assume he will be speaking English, speaking a passable level. Another thing, despite Charles Barkley's remarks, Yao remains to admire him, saying that he likes the fire in his eyes to win a championship eventhough he never had one. Yao is not about to embarrase his comrades in China and Asia. He's going to be the No.1 pick and there's a reason for that. The NBA knows talent when the see one. Disagreeing is like telling the teacher that they do not know what they are doing.
Ray
Saturday, June 22, 2002 at 12:12:43 (PDT)
to the Asian folks who are tired hearing others talking about Polys I do apologise but Im just going to throw in my two cents and paddle my canoe out of here. Im posting up from a computer in our dorm and we have a large Asian number here who dig this site with a smaller number of Polys but everyone is cool and tight here. Its from our Asian fam bam that got me checking this site out and its nothing like any other ethnic site I have come across. I see its got the goods with a huge range of topics.
HIC
first of all The Rocks mother was an only daughter of High Chief Peter and Leah Maivia. Just wanted to let you know bro. The Rock even mentions it in his book. You are right when you say that not all Samoans are big but BBC did report last year that Samoans are still the heaviest people PER CAPITA in the world. That fact was also confirmed by the Asian Pacific Journal of Clinical Health too which I learned from research here. There are four Samoans and two Tongan students here in this dorm. All are multisport brothas (Samoan Filipo is 6'7 and weighs around 290-300 pounds while the smallest Sonny also Samoan part Chinese is 5'11 and 222 pounds)who's physically imposing builds just provide more fuel to the fire that stereotypes all Samoans and Tongans as big people.
I have heard of Joe Onosai oh man that Uso is big but he was a great humble man too which I really admired. Another humble Samoan Uso is top heavyweight boxing contender David Tua (related to our brotha Sonny) who is believed by many to be the hardest puncher in boxings premier division with the best left hook and best chin. Sparring partners who have sparred with George Foreman, Mike Tyson and David Tua said that Tua and Foreman were the two hardest punchers. One thing I liked about David Tua is that he remains down to earth and humble despite his international sporting fame which is derives from his Samoan upbringing which highlights respect and extended family unity.
Back to the real topic I am really looking forward to the Draft with all this hype about Yao Ming being selected No.1 overall. Man that is impressive for a guy who played all his basketball in the Peoples Republic. I heard Charles Barkley say on ESPN that he dosent rate Ming at all. I hope Yao Ming makes Barkley eat his words. Barkley should know better during his rookie year nobody rated him either.
Maori toa (6'1, 225 pounds)
Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 16:09:27 (PDT)
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