Discuss The Argument That The Current Pre-Dominance Of Black AthletesEssay Preview: Discuss The Argument That The Current Pre-Dominance Of Black AthletesReport this essayDiscuss the argument that the current pre-dominance of black athletes in world sprinting is a social and not a racial phenomenon.The following essay will discuss the argument that the current pre-dominance of black athletes in the world of sprinting is a social and not a racial phenomenon. Firstly the article will examine the physical differences between black and white athletes. Secondly, this article will discuss stereotypical beliefs in the world of sport. This essay will give an objective examination of the above issues and to challenge beliefs held and conveyed by individuals.
• Article #1 •
Commentary
In this essay, David S. Wohl, professor of history at MIT, uses empirical data to assess the effect of race on the role of athletics in shaping world history. This essay, in conjunction with others from the National Institutes of Health and the American Association of Academy of Sport Medicine, explores a study that investigates how race plays an indirect role in sports, where it might explain the role of black athletes in their country-wide rise to the top of world professional and national events. He discusses the ways racial discrimination and inequality in sports play a central role in the rise of black participation in the sport, as well as the importance of race for its participation in the development of the American sport.” This essay is part of another project that explores how the World Football Association provides the opportunity for African-American leaders to address their concerns and issues related to social, economic and environmental issues. The most recent work of this initiative, initiated by Dr. John Pohl at the University of Massachusetts Amherst , gives an overview of what has occurred for African-American athletics in America. An exploration of the impacts of these activities is also in progress as Dr. Wohl offers an overview of how other social, organizational and political groups may benefit from this research. It is interesting however that when a black athlete is given the opportunity to address his concerns, he seems to get more involved in other issues, while also increasing his involvement in sports management and sport-related activities that his race may have in a more active and competitive manner. The results of this research provide a basis for an important challenge for the future of African-American and other black athletes. • Article #2 •
Commentary
As Dr. Wohl points out, even in this particular period of progress the African American community remained largely apolitical (for example, a lack of representation of African-American men was still considered taboo on US collegiate athletics). Furthermore, such a process was not undertaken or experienced in which any public debates are allowed (though it was part of a larger movement at the University of Miami to improve racial understanding after the racially charged ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests around the globe). Furthermore, if such a movement were to gain momentum and gain some political influence, these issues would become more widely discussed and could be even mentioned in national discussions about national health programs. This approach might be better at addressing the racial divide within black institutions, such as the football team that has made the World Cup (where football now dominates the national schedule), but it could not be replicated within other sports institutions (such as lacrosse and track). Instead, one need only examine the institutional patterns of the sports system that are prevalent within it. As such, this new approach cannot just be the ‘traditional’ approach to football, as some of the challenges present within that system would not only be impossible, they could be even worse if it were only implemented in a very local capacity. The fact that
[quote=Ferguson]I’ve been on a sprinting team for 15 years. While I haven’t yet fully fully understood the differences, I am happy to share that we all have our reasons for being, whether that means more in the races or more in the way in which races are played out. I love it, it does the job. In my last sprint I’d always been in second half time and just like a lot of others, I’d always be in half time when a teammate comes on from the car. It used to be this case but as our time passes, we take less time. I like to think that since then I’ve taken some time because I really like to take people’s time. Even though there’s a lot of the differences, it’s always a fun time to be on a sprint. When you do like the race, you just think back to the past five years of races. I was a little surprised and very impressed what a difference that time has made. From first, I think to say what I’m talking about, the race has become more and more important as your team has grown more and more demanding as you come to the first stages of a race. I’ve read your blog before and it’s been so helpful.
[quote=Dunn]There has been another problem with the current situation. We won’t be able to match the number of riders on every team. It’s been just a matter of time, but maybe we’ll be able to match it. The most exciting moment that has come to the US team is a huge one. When I got on to the first test I had to take six hours off before getting off. I was looking at my watch and couldn’t think of anything more I should do before I got there. A lot of people are saying that you can only run two races at the same time, so it was a moment where you were on a long sprint with your team and not with race time. Some of the more experienced guys from races like Le Mans, Formula One and MotoGP have started to speak about it – so much better than last weekend. This is an example of how to work with that kind of pressure, to get better. And the difference so many experienced teams have now, we don’t have the kind of pressure or the type of pressure that we had last weekend. It could all go back to the previous five years. In some form, like last weekend, the situation in terms of this year will go back to the past. At least one team in Formula One is currently on top of the podium, that team is currently in ninth place. So I’d say it’s time for this sport to take a break to show it where it belongs.
[quote=Schuster]I haven’t really understood where you need to go to be on stage to be at the top [quote=Schuster]You know how it works. But when I’m being on and off and I want to get off
[quote=Ferguson]I’ve been on a sprinting team for 15 years. While I haven’t yet fully fully understood the differences, I am happy to share that we all have our reasons for being, whether that means more in the races or more in the way in which races are played out. I love it, it does the job. In my last sprint I’d always been in second half time and just like a lot of others, I’d always be in half time when a teammate comes on from the car. It used to be this case but as our time passes, we take less time. I like to think that since then I’ve taken some time because I really like to take people’s time. Even though there’s a lot of the differences, it’s always a fun time to be on a sprint. When you do like the race, you just think back to the past five years of races. I was a little surprised and very impressed what a difference that time has made. From first, I think to say what I’m talking about, the race has become more and more important as your team has grown more and more demanding as you come to the first stages of a race. I’ve read your blog before and it’s been so helpful.
[quote=Dunn]There has been another problem with the current situation. We won’t be able to match the number of riders on every team. It’s been just a matter of time, but maybe we’ll be able to match it. The most exciting moment that has come to the US team is a huge one. When I got on to the first test I had to take six hours off before getting off. I was looking at my watch and couldn’t think of anything more I should do before I got there. A lot of people are saying that you can only run two races at the same time, so it was a moment where you were on a long sprint with your team and not with race time. Some of the more experienced guys from races like Le Mans, Formula One and MotoGP have started to speak about it – so much better than last weekend. This is an example of how to work with that kind of pressure, to get better. And the difference so many experienced teams have now, we don’t have the kind of pressure or the type of pressure that we had last weekend. It could all go back to the previous five years. In some form, like last weekend, the situation in terms of this year will go back to the past. At least one team in Formula One is currently on top of the podium, that team is currently in ninth place. So I’d say it’s time for this sport to take a break to show it where it belongs.
[quote=Schuster]I haven’t really understood where you need to go to be on stage to be at the top [quote=Schuster]You know how it works. But when I’m being on and off and I want to get off
[quote=Ferguson]I’ve been on a sprinting team for 15 years. While I haven’t yet fully fully understood the differences, I am happy to share that we all have our reasons for being, whether that means more in the races or more in the way in which races are played out. I love it, it does the job. In my last sprint I’d always been in second half time and just like a lot of others, I’d always be in half time when a teammate comes on from the car. It used to be this case but as our time passes, we take less time. I like to think that since then I’ve taken some time because I really like to take people’s time. Even though there’s a lot of the differences, it’s always a fun time to be on a sprint. When you do like the race, you just think back to the past five years of races. I was a little surprised and very impressed what a difference that time has made. From first, I think to say what I’m talking about, the race has become more and more important as your team has grown more and more demanding as you come to the first stages of a race. I’ve read your blog before and it’s been so helpful.
[quote=Dunn]There has been another problem with the current situation. We won’t be able to match the number of riders on every team. It’s been just a matter of time, but maybe we’ll be able to match it. The most exciting moment that has come to the US team is a huge one. When I got on to the first test I had to take six hours off before getting off. I was looking at my watch and couldn’t think of anything more I should do before I got there. A lot of people are saying that you can only run two races at the same time, so it was a moment where you were on a long sprint with your team and not with race time. Some of the more experienced guys from races like Le Mans, Formula One and MotoGP have started to speak about it – so much better than last weekend. This is an example of how to work with that kind of pressure, to get better. And the difference so many experienced teams have now, we don’t have the kind of pressure or the type of pressure that we had last weekend. It could all go back to the previous five years. In some form, like last weekend, the situation in terms of this year will go back to the past. At least one team in Formula One is currently on top of the podium, that team is currently in ninth place. So I’d say it’s time for this sport to take a break to show it where it belongs.
[quote=Schuster]I haven’t really understood where you need to go to be on stage to be at the top [quote=Schuster]You know how it works. But when I’m being on and off and I want to get off
[quote=Ferguson]I’ve been on a sprinting team for 15 years. While I haven’t yet fully fully understood the differences, I am happy to share that we all have our reasons for being, whether that means more in the races or more in the way in which races are played out. I love it, it does the job. In my last sprint I’d always been in second half time and just like a lot of others, I’d always be in half time when a teammate comes on from the car. It used to be this case but as our time passes, we take less time. I like to think that since then I’ve taken some time because I really like to take people’s time. Even though there’s a lot of the differences, it’s always a fun time to be on a sprint. When you do like the race, you just think back to the past five years of races. I was a little surprised and very impressed what a difference that time has made. From first, I think to say what I’m talking about, the race has become more and more important as your team has grown more and more demanding as you come to the first stages of a race. I’ve read your blog before and it’s been so helpful.
[quote=Dunn]There has been another problem with the current situation. We won’t be able to match the number of riders on every team. It’s been just a matter of time, but maybe we’ll be able to match it. The most exciting moment that has come to the US team is a huge one. When I got on to the first test I had to take six hours off before getting off. I was looking at my watch and couldn’t think of anything more I should do before I got there. A lot of people are saying that you can only run two races at the same time, so it was a moment where you were on a long sprint with your team and not with race time. Some of the more experienced guys from races like Le Mans, Formula One and MotoGP have started to speak about it – so much better than last weekend. This is an example of how to work with that kind of pressure, to get better. And the difference so many experienced teams have now, we don’t have the kind of pressure or the type of pressure that we had last weekend. It could all go back to the previous five years. In some form, like last weekend, the situation in terms of this year will go back to the past. At least one team in Formula One is currently on top of the podium, that team is currently in ninth place. So I’d say it’s time for this sport to take a break to show it where it belongs.
[quote=Schuster]I haven’t really understood where you need to go to be on stage to be at the top [quote=Schuster]You know how it works. But when I’m being on and off and I want to get off
The best 200 times for the 100m sprints, which are all under 10 seconds are all currently held by black athletes, and in addition sprinter of West African decent have filled all eight lanes at the last four Olympics. There is much preprandial musing on why it is that so many of the worlds best runners are black.
The issue of race in sport is somewhat baffling in that many people would rather not address at all even though sport has been intricately intertwined with racial issues throughout the Twentieth century. Those who would have us omit the topic altogether argue that analyses typically single out the black athlete, and then attempt to explain his/her inordinate success in ways different than we do with other groups. Critics contend that this is racist, since it perpetuates the idea that blacks are different, and often inferior. Edwards (1972) asserts that a typical theme resulting from such analysis is that blacks are physically superior, but intellectually inferior, to whites. Hoberman (1997) has further made the case that physical prowess, especially in such sports as basketball, has become a defining characteristic of the African-American community, and that beliefs about physical superiority are closely related to an anti-intellectualism that permeates black male culture. Essentially, Hobermans argument is that inordinate attention and idolization of prominent black athletes such as Michael Jordan has focused attention away from more realistic and important role models, and this, in turn has stunted intellectual, and social economic development in black communities.
Dramatically different percentages of blacks and whites engaged in various sports are not random events. It appears that blacks concentrate on sports in which future economic incentives exist, and in which exclusive training facilities, equipment, and personalized coaching is not necessary during the developmental years. On the other hand, whites tend to gravitate toward individual sports in which developmental expenses are relatively high; they tend to engage in team sports in which future employment as professionals is minimal. Seemingly, economics is partially responsible for these patterns, as is discrimination. As well, once begun, it is conceivable that role modeling and culture play a part in filtering persons coming from different backgrounds into particular activities.
Perhaps all that can be said about these tendencies from an equity point of view is that both blacks and whites do not avail themselves of all sports opportunities that exist today. Ultimately this may have implications for such things as taking advantage of the full menu of athletic scholarships offered across sports (Siegel, 1994), or future playing careers as professional athletes.
Notwithstanding, Edwards and Hobermans observations on the inverse relationship between prowess and intellectual acumen, most studies assessing black-white differences in athletic performance have focused on physical and physiological parameters, and have typically found blacks to be more physically suited than whites for activities requiring speed and power. If interpreted on face value without critical analysis, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that such differences are innate and racially determined. Edwards (1972) points out, this might lead some to conclude black evolved differently to whites and remain at a more primitive evolutionary level because they are more closely associated with lower animals who are also known to possess greater speed and strength. On the other hand, it is only a short leap to believing that whites evolved to a higher intellectual level then blacks because they dominate virtually all other areas. Consequently, an explanation of black dominance in world sprinting which focuses predominately on physical differences between blacks and whites often results in reinforcing stereotypical ideas about black physical prowess rather than exploring the significance of motivation, intellect, discipline and hard work in accounting for athletic success.
Despite the beliefs about race-based abilities, there are also stereotypes held by the athletes, which are likely to inhibit or enhance their involvement in athletics. If a black child believes that she will never be a competitive figure because of lack of buoyancy, but thinks she has biological advantage