Quote:
Originally Posted by Revis Island
Why do you think it is that there is a pretty good amount of people in professional sports(specifically football and basketball) that are from low income areas? Do you think it's because they are so hungry to succeed? There is also a fair share of athletes who didnt come from low income areas.
|
This guy won't stop!
Please go read a BOOK! Do a google search there is no end of information on the subject.
Your question is ridiculously contradictory.
Basketball is an URBAN sport. Most American cities are POOR! It is also a sport which requires little financial investment. In most urban areas, basketball courts are quiite prevalent providing EASY and cost free access. The ratio of courts/population is high.
In suburan environments, the ratio is LOW. Majorily, the courts are gymnasiums located in schools and facilities which are expensive to the local government. As a result, the suburbs do not provide easy acces, nor cost free access, and the hours are limited. The fact, that children cannot travel independant of parents and/or a vehicle is also a factor.
Note, that in the suburbs, driveway and backyard "Hoops" are quite prevalent, but these do not lend themselves to *intense* BALLING! Without proper courts full court games cannot be played. This is a disadvantage.
In addition to the fact that in urban "court" environments, a far greater proportion of the population is drawn into competition, honing skills, and weeding out the low skilled, and elevating the high skilled. This has also created a CULTURE of basketball, which generally does not exist in suburban environments.
NOTE, that the driveway/backyard environment DOES development a certain type of player and skill level, long range shooting!!! Suburban players tend to excell at long range, virtually, set shoots, as given the suburban environment, players development more of a 'solo' skill of nonmovement. You see this prevalence in the NBA.
Urban players, generally, as a result of the environment, develop greater "movement" skills and excell at driving to the basket and out manuering their opponnent. Athleticism is the focus.
It is IMPORTANT to note the European Influence since the fall of the Soviet Union. These players not only develop the Driveway/backyard skill of long range shooting, BUT also "movment and athletic" skills. In every real sense these players have a more rounded and full skill set.
I suspect the reason for this is that the former Soviet states provided EASY and Cost Free access to FULL COURTS! Providing the opportunity to develop full skills. In addition, I believe they obtain coaching and competition at an early point in their development.
Finally, genes play a part. Eastern Europeans are physically, on average, taller and larger, than the average American suburban player, and even the urban player. Urban players (code word "black") have a greater physicality for *speed*. (Jimmy "the Greek" was right!)
****
Quickly, you are incorrect in the assumption that "urban" players dominate football. They do NOT! Specifically, if viewed in a nonprejudiced objective sense, where "urban" is not 'code word' for "black".
The reality is that the majority of footballers hail from RURAL red states! The small towns, cities and suburban environments. Region is the most dominant factor in football. The reason it appears to you that "urban" players (read that "black") are dominating football is the ever greater "athleticism and speed" required to be successful at the professional and college level.
In addition, the nature and culture of football is different and unique. Football is a sport of RECRUITMENT at virually ALL levels. Coaching, development, evaluation, and INTENSE organized competition begins at an earlier age, particularly in red state rural environments.
Lastly, I won't comment much on Baseball, except to say that you are also erroneously viewing "black" players as "urban". Baseball is very much a red state rural sport too.
Football and Baseball are CULTURALLY intertwined in the American Rural environment. Both sports are popular in suburban environments, but in a vastly LESS intense cultural manner. This fact effects development.