Black Slaves Make better Athletes

[Curt James]

I am not following you Curt.

You're a wise man. lol

Wasn't the original argument was about the African American population having superior genetics?

Michael Johnson has been quoted as saying he believes slave descendants make superior athletes.

His quote:

"All my life I believed I became an athlete through my own determination, but it's impossible to think that being descended from slaves hasn't left an imprint through the generations. Difficult as it was to hear, slavery has benefited descendants like me -- I believe there is a superior athletic gene in us."

The point of my post on this thread was nothing more than to point that their are a host of problems/factors that make it a difficult claim to prove.

I agree. There are. I was simply commenting on that one piece of your post -- "I am not sure how his theory fits in with the fact that obesity and diabetes in the African American community far outpaces their white counterparts."

Wasn't disagreeing with you. It's interesting to consider what advantages and disadvantages people possess and why.

Like Ryan Bracewell said, "Great athletes are both born and made. You will never be an elite athlete if you don't have the genetics AND work ethic."

[GDavis]

Could not agree more Curt. I guess I still wont follow you but I will look for your tracks on the path as a good indicator.

[Aditya]

not true imo. native africans have just as good genetics, they just don't have a reason or the resources to take their bodies to the elite athletic level.

but black american athletes destroys any non-slave history african decendant athlete.
this considering that top level national athletes all have equal drive and resources

This argument is not really viable. Slavery in North America occurred for a very short time period to expect long term genetic alterations. Their is a host of problems with this type of "scientiific/logical" thinking.

there are no genetic alterations.
americans just have better gene pool as a result of slave picking.

[s2h]

So true but sad. This day in age a white man making those statements would be considered a racist, like Baldie mentioned Jimmy the Greek was fired for this basic point. I TOTALLY AGREE with Michael Johnson coming out and making these statements; IMO it is fact. I have American Indian heritage on my side of the family and my wife's side. My son played his first season of Lacrosse this year. His coach played @ Cornell and said that he couldn't believe this was his first year because he was so good. Is this a coincidence or does the fact that he has American Indian bloodline on both sides of the family come into play???

what does being american indian.have to do with lacrosse??...im being serious....im curious since im not famaliar with the.connection??

[s2h]

Im german....my wife is jewish.......our kids drink cheap beer....gotta he genetics...

[CDJack]

but black american athletes destroys any non-slave history african decendant athlete.
this considering that top level national athletes all have equal drive and resources


there are no genetic alterations.
americans just have better gene pool as a result of slave picking.

In your first point, i think you are referring to west african vs. other areas of africa (east african for example). Most slaves came from west africa.

And of course there were genetic alterations. That's what was selected for (whether naturally or by purposeful selection). Those slaves from West Africa who had genetic variations that benefitted them physically were more likely to survive. You are thinking too "Hollywood"...like a genetic variation must be the result of some obvious mutation. That is usually not how evolution works. Yes, sometimes an extreme genetic mutation occcurs that is selected for or against, but usually it is just small genetic differences that become amplified over time. Your use of the phrase "genetic alteration" has no real scientific meaning.

Lastly, people in this thread seem to be making the point very strongly that blacks were bred for traits by slaveowners. Someone else stated this, but I want to confirm it--this was not very common, and it didn't happen over many years. It's much more likely that the physical traits were selected for by accident, out of the nature of the conditions...although not in all cases.

[OMEGA]

do I not make the best threads?

[D_T]

Stupidest.thread.ever. Nothing posted has shown the physical advantage was developed during slavery. Not to mention many of today's black athletes come from families that emigrated from Africa in the last 30 years and were never enslaved.

[OMEGA]

Stupidest.thread.ever. Nothing posted has shown the physical advantage was developed during slavery. Not to mention many of today's black athletes come from families that emigrated from Africa in the last 30 years and were never enslaved.

I think its important that we do more research and realize that there is possibly a narrow subset of Blaques that DO qualify under the statements that MJ made. There is NO doubt UN-natural selection by humans in Dog populations can literally create a NEW breed with Unique traits in a handful of Generations........the same could have happened to some of the older generations of Blaques in the country via generations of Enslavement.

To say it could not happen is simply false...........we need to narrow the range is all of WHOM we are speaking of in the analysis

I am the Darth Vader of Logic

[MattyH7688]

Stupidest.thread.ever. Nothing posted has shown the physical advantage was developed during slavery. Not to mention many of today's black athletes come from families that emigrated from Africa in the last 30 years and were never enslaved.

LOL what top athletes had their families come here 30 years ago?????

[lilarnold]

guess he doesnt watch swimming, or gymnastics...or soccer...etc, etc......