Disappearance of the white tailback

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by jfsolo

I'm guessing that this was probably around '89, '90. That's just not right. Sadly, it probably still goes on just as much in 2008. I've been so incredibly fortunate throughout my life, that those individuals around me who were in positions of authority or influence- family,teachers, administrators, coaches, employers,- never tried to put me in a box with a label on top. Mere words can never describe how empowering it is to always be treated with respect, and be seen for who you really are. It pains me greatly that everyone has not been as lucky.

Yup it was 1991, so you nailed the time frame. It was very frustrating at the time. At this point in my life it really doesn't bother me. In the grand scale of racial injustices mine seem pretty minor.

[mgoblue]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

Yup it was 1991, so you nailed the time frame. It was very frustrating at the time. At this point in my life it really doesn't bother me. In the grand scale of racial injustices mine seem pretty minor.

I thought it was because you had hands of stone, not because you were white

[feeq14]

Just wanted to chime in that I was impressed on the level of maturity ive seen in this thread thus far. Ive seen many a thread even touching on color be derailed by insensitive comments and classic internet behavior.

For my two cents. As an african American, former athelete, coach, school teacher, etc, I have to say that the absence of diversity in the NFL is probably 56/44 genetics Vs culture. The truth is that many exceptional African American Athelete's are targeted by puberity and streamlined into certain roles and positions in sports. While exceptional white atheletes are also streamlined, but constantly are encouraged to take a backseat to blacks when it comes to certain positions. Its not that there is an absence of white athletes, who is to say a guy like Tim Dwight couldnt have been a good running back? There is a sublte inferiority complex much as someone recently qouted herm edwards saying likely combined with a pinch of racism that keeps white athletes from playing certain positions.

At the same time there is no denying the effect, no matter how minimal of natural genetic predispositions and the crude genetic engineirring that took place during slavery. Its no wonder that so many of these outright amazing black athletes come from small under developed towns in the south.

But it doesnt explaing why there are great white athletes in this country and currently in the NFL (Bryan Urlacher, Jeremy Shockey, Wes Welker, Tim Dwight, AJ Hawk, etc) but none of them play running back, WR or CB.

[fistofrage]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

I think you misunderstood what I was saying. There are tons of sports represented in the Olympics. The Russians and Chinese (just to use the examples you put out) have athletes focusing on a wider variety of sports than the Jamaican athletes. That would mean more top Jamaicans would be competing for spots in, lets say, sprinting. Meanwhile, top Chinese athletes could be focused on sprinting, gymnastics, swimming, diving, etc. This would mean the Jamaican track team has the top athletes in Jamaica to choose from while the Chinese track team only has the top athletes interested in track to choose from.

Chinese may a bad example because in that society, they figure out what you are best at and thats what you do. If you are the fastest kid, you don't get to try gymnastics, etc. You're a sprinter. Period. Whatever is best for the state and they take their amateur athletics very seriously. So I am pretty sure that the fastest Chinese people were focused on sprint races.

[wwharton]

not quite that simple. they don't just line up every kid at a certain age and give them every possible test to figure out what olympic sport they should spend years of their life training for, if any. even if they did, lets say the best athlete is the best swimmer, sprinter, cyclist and boxer. then what?

doesn't really matter which country you use, it'd be more about which sports are focused on in the country and how many (based on the discussion at hand).

[bad_philanthropy]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

not quite that simple. they don't just line up every kid at a certain age and give them every possible test to figure out what olympic sport they should spend years of their life training for, if any. even if they did, lets say the best athlete is the best swimmer, sprinter, cyclist and boxer. then what? doesn't really matter which country you use, it'd be more about which sports are focused on in the country and how many (based on the discussion at hand).

Sprinting isn' big in Japan and they won the bronze in the 4x100 relay during these past Olympics behind Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.

[wwharton]

wow, don't know if any of you understand what i'm saying. was answering the question posted earlier in the thread.