Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About It by Jon Entine, Earl Smith
Here are some reviews of the book....
Is there a genetic reason that African-Americans dominate professional sports? Even raising the question seems tantamount to heresy. Jon Entine not only raises the question, he strives to answer it in Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About It. Entine is no stranger to controversy, having worked with Tom Brokaw on the award-winning NBC News documentary Black Athletes: Fact and Fiction in 1989. He's also willing to ask tough questions--and come up with answers that anger people on all sides of the issue. Entine starts off with some statistics indicating that African-American athletes are disproportionately represented in professional sports: for example, 13 percent of the U.S. population is black, but the NFL is 65 percent black, the NBA is nearly 80 percent black, and the WNBA is 70 percent black. He also examines cultural issues, laying to rest the long-held idea that blacks excel in sports because it is the only avenue open for advancement.
Some scholars cry foul at the idea that blacks are physically gifted, seeing this as a subtle way of saying that they are therefore intellectually stunted. Entine carefully argues that historically athletic ability and intellectual prowess were linked--with a positive bias. The "dumb jock" stereotype is a relatively recent construct--perhaps a defensive mechanism that arose when blacks began to participate on a level playing field and gain prominence in the sporting world. There's no reason to suppose athleticism and intelligence are inversely related; Entine quotes respected sports reporter Frank Deford: "[W]hen Jack Nicklaus sinks a 30-foot putt, nobody thinks his IQ goes down." The issue of physical superiority is further complicated by fears that a genetic explanation results in a belief that blacks don't succeed because of hard work, dedication, and drive, but rather (in the words of Brooks Johnson, who doesn't believe Entine's claims) "because God just gave 'em the right gene."
Is the fear of sounding racist hindering legitimate scientific inquiry? Entine believes so, noting that, "Anyone who attempts to breach this taboo to study or even discuss what might be behind the growing performance gap between black and white athletes must be prepared to run a gauntlet of public scorn, survival not guaranteed." Taboo is destined to make most of its readers uncomfortable. Hopefully this discomfort will serve as a wedge to open up discussion of an issue too long avoided. --Sunny Delaney --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Scientific American Few issues are as provocative and as poorly understood as biological differences among the races. So loaded are statements suggesting racial superiority or inferiority that, for the most part, an anxious hush surrounds the topic. To his credit, journalist Jon Entine has tackled this problem with a no-holds-barred assault. Not shy about poking at the issue's softest spots, he goes after the history of sports and race science, the segregation and integration of sports, racial breeding and... read more --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Book Description Now in paperback, the book that jump-started a debate that shows no sign of ending. "Could well be the most intellectually demanding sports book ever written." -Washington Post Award-winning journalist Jon Entine's Taboo: Why Black Atheletes Dominate Sports and why We're Afraid t Talk About It created enormous controversy when PublicAffairs released it in hardcover in the fall of 1999. Rarely does a book so highly lauded by critics also elicit letters to the editor so passionately praising or damning the author for even daring to raise a subject. Drawing on the latest scientific research, and addressing all the major sports of North America, Entine persuasively shows why biology and ancestry are significant components of the stunning ascension of black athletes. He offers a gripping history of blacks in sports and a fascinating examination of the circumstances that have made addressing the facts so difficult and controversial. Artfully, and carefully, combining science, sports history, and sociology, Taboo has already proven to be one of the most controversial and illuminating books in recent memory. Paperback edition includes new Afterword by author.
This book contains several diatribes against Christians. No other religious group is condemned. Thoughtful people need to be careful not to finance prejudice by buying books like this one. I found this book at my local library. When everyone is being so sensitive about issues such as race and religion, why would an author take such a risk? The answer is to be found in the relationship between the author and his subject matter.
<< He presents the genetic and anthropological evidence for the dominance of black athletes in some sports. >>
He is able to link the leading athletes from a sport to specific, localized regions in Africa. But the author has no scientific credentials. A problem? Not if he acts as a megaphone for the academic elites, the scientists who do have the credentials. He is forced to reference them hundreds of times. But these elites do not want to be seen as being racist. They have already been pilloried by their leftist academic peers for daring to study genetic differences in humans. And the author does not want to be a pariah of his liberal friends in journalism. No problem! He takes fully half of the book to present a judgemental history, from leftist academic historians, of blacks in sports. He condemns whites ad nauseum, especially white Christians, and compares their supposed opinions 100 years ago to the moral standards of the present day. One wonders if the hateful opinions expressed in this book will be respected 100 years from now, under the standards of the future.
In talk.politics.guns wis...@yahoo.com wrote: >Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk >About It >by Jon Entine, Earl Smith
>Here are some reviews of the book....
>Is there a genetic reason that African-Americans dominate professional >sports? >ted
Is there a genetic reason why ted is afraid of black people? Or does it have something to do with the night when his Dad came home and finally told them that his mother had run off with a black man?
It was then Ted know, as he looked at his shriveled manhood-- a genetic gift from his father-- that he was destined to envy the Black Man for the rest of his days.
> Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk > About It > by Jon Entine, Earl Smith
> Here are some reviews of the book....
> Is there a genetic reason that African-Americans dominate professional > sports? > Even raising the question seems tantamount to heresy. Jon Entine not > only > raises the question, he strives to answer it in Taboo: Why Black > Athletes > Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About It.
IMHO While genetics is one varible, the main varible is money. Black kids see sports as the road to riches that's availble to them. It doesn't cost anything to run so most of the good runners are black. It cost money to buy equipment so the high jumpers, pole vaulters, shot putters, etc. are usually white. It cost money to use a pool so winners in swimming are pretty white. Most quarterbacks in football are white probably because they got a football to play with as a kid.
>On Aug 20, 9:02 pm, wis...@yahoo.com wrote: >> Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk >> About It >> by Jon Entine, Earl Smith
>> Here are some reviews of the book....
>> Is there a genetic reason that African-Americans dominate professional >> sports? >> Even raising the question seems tantamount to heresy. Jon Entine not >> only >> raises the question, he strives to answer it in Taboo: Why Black >> Athletes >> Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About It.
>IMHO >While genetics is one varible, the main varible is money. Black kids >see sports as the road to riches that's availble to them. It doesn't >cost anything to run so most of the good runners are black. It cost >money to buy equipment so the high jumpers, pole vaulters, shot >putters, etc. are usually white. It cost money to use a pool so >winners in swimming are pretty white. Most quarterbacks in football >are white probably because they got a football to play with as a kid.
Nah, that's too simple a solution for ted. It's GOTTA be the Jews......
_____________________ "Intellectual activity is a danger to the building of character." -Goebbels
<kschadenfreude @comcast.net> wrote: >In talk.politics.guns James <j0069b...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>On Aug 20, 9:02 pm, wis...@yahoo.com wrote: >>> Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk >>> About It >>> by Jon Entine, Earl Smith
>>> Here are some reviews of the book....
>>> Is there a genetic reason that African-Americans dominate professional >>> sports? >>> Even raising the question seems tantamount to heresy. Jon Entine not >>> only >>> raises the question, he strives to answer it in Taboo: Why Black >>> Athletes >>> Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About It.
>>IMHO >>While genetics is one varible, the main varible is money. Black kids >>see sports as the road to riches that's availble to them. It doesn't >>cost anything to run so most of the good runners are black. It cost >>money to buy equipment so the high jumpers, pole vaulters, shot >>putters, etc. are usually white. It cost money to use a pool so >>winners in swimming are pretty white. Most quarterbacks in football >>are white probably because they got a football to play with as a kid.
>Nah, that's too simple a solution for ted. It's GOTTA be the >Jews......
>_____________________ >"Intellectual activity is a danger to the > building of character." > -Goebbels
I researched the book quoted and note that Jon Entine is Jewish. It's not a matter of money as much as genetics. We all except that spaniels and beagles are both dogs but with differant abilites and behavior patterns.
wis...@yahoo.com wrote: > On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:52:26 -0700, Klaus Schadenfreude > <kschadenfreude @comcast.net> wrote:
>> In talk.politics.guns James <j0069b...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Aug 20, 9:02 pm, wis...@yahoo.com wrote: >>>> Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk >>>> About It >>>> by Jon Entine, Earl Smith
>>>> Here are some reviews of the book....
>>>> Is there a genetic reason that African-Americans dominate professional >>>> sports? >>>> Even raising the question seems tantamount to heresy. Jon Entine not >>>> only >>>> raises the question, he strives to answer it in Taboo: Why Black >>>> Athletes >>>> Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About It. >>> IMHO >>> While genetics is one varible, the main varible is money. Black kids >>> see sports as the road to riches that's availble to them. It doesn't >>> cost anything to run so most of the good runners are black. It cost >>> money to buy equipment so the high jumpers, pole vaulters, shot >>> putters, etc. are usually white. It cost money to use a pool so >>> winners in swimming are pretty white. Most quarterbacks in football >>> are white probably because they got a football to play with as a kid. >> Nah, that's too simple a solution for ted. It's GOTTA be the >> Jews......
>> _____________________ >> "Intellectual activity is a danger to the >> building of character." >> -Goebbels > I researched the book quoted
In talk.politics.guns wis...@yahoo.com wrote: >On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:52:26 -0700, Klaus Schadenfreude ><kschadenfreude @comcast.net> wrote:
>>In talk.politics.guns James <j0069b...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>On Aug 20, 9:02 pm, wis...@yahoo.com wrote: >>>> Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk >>>> About It >>>> by Jon Entine, Earl Smith
>>>> Here are some reviews of the book....
>>>> Is there a genetic reason that African-Americans dominate professional >>>> sports? >>>> Even raising the question seems tantamount to heresy. Jon Entine not >>>> only >>>> raises the question, he strives to answer it in Taboo: Why Black >>>> Athletes >>>> Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About It.
>>>IMHO >>>While genetics is one varible, the main varible is money. Black kids >>>see sports as the road to riches that's availble to them. It doesn't >>>cost anything to run so most of the good runners are black. It cost >>>money to buy equipment so the high jumpers, pole vaulters, shot >>>putters, etc. are usually white. It cost money to use a pool so >>>winners in swimming are pretty white. Most quarterbacks in football >>>are white probably because they got a football to play with as a kid.
>>Nah, that's too simple a solution for ted. It's GOTTA be the >>Jews......
>>_____________________ >>"Intellectual activity is a danger to the >> building of character." >> -Goebbels >I researched the book quoted and note that Jon Entine is Jewish. >It's not a matter of money as much as genetics. We all except that >spaniels >and beagles are both dogs but with differant abilites and behavior >patterns.
> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:52:26 -0700, Klaus Schadenfreude
> <kschadenfreude @comcast.net> wrote: > >In talk.politics.guns James <j0069b...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>On Aug 20, 9:02 pm, wis...@yahoo.com wrote: > >>> Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk > >>> About It > >>> by Jon Entine, Earl Smith
> >>> Here are some reviews of the book....
> >>> Is there a genetic reason that African-Americans dominate professional > >>> sports? > >>> Even raising the question seems tantamount to heresy. Jon Entine not > >>> only > >>> raises the question, he strives to answer it in Taboo: Why Black > >>> Athletes > >>> Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About It.
> >>IMHO > >>While genetics is one varible, the main varible is money. Black kids > >>see sports as the road to riches that's availble to them. It doesn't > >>cost anything to run so most of the good runners are black. It cost > >>money to buy equipment so the high jumpers, pole vaulters, shot > >>putters, etc. are usually white. It cost money to use a pool so > >>winners in swimming are pretty white. Most quarterbacks in football > >>are white probably because they got a football to play with as a kid.
> >Nah, that's too simple a solution for ted. It's GOTTA be the > >Jews......
> >_____________________ > >"Intellectual activity is a danger to the > > building of character." > > -Goebbels
> I researched the book quoted and note that Jon Entine is Jewish. > It's not a matter of money as much as genetics. We all except that > spaniels > and beagles are both dogs but with differant abilites and behavior > patterns.
> ted- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
I still say it's money otherwise blacks would be flooding golf and tennis too. They can't afford the green fees so all they got is Tiger Woods and William sisters. Were there any blacks in cycling or canoe events? Any event that requires equipment is absent of blacks.
James wrote: > On Aug 21, 8:09 am, wis...@yahoo.com wrote: >> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:52:26 -0700, Klaus Schadenfreude >> >>IMHO >> >>While genetics is one varible, the main varible is money. Black kids >> >>see sports as the road to riches that's availble to them. It doesn't >> >>cost anything to run so most of the good runners are black. It cost >> >>money to buy equipment so the high jumpers, pole vaulters, shot >> >>putters, etc. are usually white. It cost money to use a pool so >> >>winners in swimming are pretty white. Most quarterbacks in football >> >>are white probably because they got a football to play with as a kid.
>> >Nah, that's too simple a solution for ted. It's GOTTA be the >> >Jews......
>> >_____________________ >> >"Intellectual activity is a danger to the >> > building of character." >> > -Goebbels
>> I researched the book quoted and note that Jon Entine is Jewish. >> It's not a matter of money as much as genetics. We all except that >> spaniels >> and beagles are both dogs but with differant abilites and behavior >> patterns.
>> ted- Hide quoted text -
>> - Show quoted text -
> I still say it's money otherwise blacks would be flooding golf and > tennis too. They can't afford the green fees so all they got is Tiger > Woods and William sisters. Were there any blacks in cycling or canoe > events? Any event that requires equipment is absent of blacks.
You make it sound like it is "either - or" type of situation. Either it is only money, hence lack of black sailors or polo players, or it is only genetic predispositions. How about both?
Anyway, football requires equipment and blacks are overrepresented there. Blacks play for most of European countries even if they sometimes make less than one percent of the corresponding population.
