On 12/20/00 10:19 AM, "t-and-f-digest"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> In a message dated Mon, 18 Dec 2000 4:05:15 PM Eastern Standard Time, "Wayne
> T. Armbrust" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
> << \Another example of less than sterling scholarship by Mr. Entine.>>
Willful ignorance has no bounds. This is yet another example of someone who
obviously has not read my book, which makes few "broad brush strokes," as
those who have read it can attest. In fact, about 80 percent of the book
deals with the danger of broad brush strokes, such as the kind you employed
in dismissing a book you have not read.
lNo one suggests that Borzov was not one of the great sprinters of his time,
though he was almost certainly a product to some degree of the early Soviet
experimentation with steroids.
That said, as I've written (and population geneticists have written),
individual examples indicate little to nothing about group trends. If
tomorrow, a white would suddenly crack the world 100 meter sprint record, it
would in no way threaten the scientifically certain thesis that body types
are largely controlled by genetic factors and that the body types that do
best in elite sprinting are more likely to be found among people of West
African origin. To say otherwise would be suggesting that if we became aware
of an 8 foot tall woman it would disprove the scientifically air tight
reality that men are by and large taller than women--because of genetic
factors.
Individual cases do not prove or disprove anything. In the case of
sprinting, we have an amazing confluence of both statistical evidence AND
overwhelming and consistent scientific evidence.
Moreover, it is certainly relevant to discuss all time times, especially in
sports in which access by athletes has been limited by social and cultural
factors. When Borzov was running, he was the product of a relatively
sophisticated Soviet medical and sport training system. Blacks from West
Africa and most Caribbean countries did not compete at all. Few American
blacks competed--sprinters were almost all drawn from college programs in
which black representation was relatively miniscule. Track did not pay much
at all in those days, adding to its limited social appeal. And other sports,
baseball, football, and basketball, were far more popular in the black
community.
Now we have a relative "level" playing field (though still not in West
Africa, where the opportunities to participate in sports). It's certainly
clear that individual exceptions aside, the only great 100 meter runners in
the foreseeable future will come from certain populations in West Africa and
perhaps in other regions, such as among Aboriginals.
That's as clear as the nose on our face.
Now if you read Taboo and find specific things you disagree with, fine. But
this kind of sweeping, willful ignorance reflects only on you.
By the way, the paperback is now out and it incorporates the corrections
that some on this list have pointed out. Thankfully, the editorial mistakes
ended up being very few in number.
I suggest those interested in the subject might also read I Bengt Saltinıs
cover story on ³Muscles and Genes² in the September Scientific American.
Also, the September 2000 documentary, ³The Faster Race,² by the BBCıs
all-black production team, Black Britain interviewed Saltin:
³Itıs a strong genetic component what type of muscle fiber you have, either
slow or face² said professor Saltin. ³And West Africans have already 70 or
75 percent of the fast type when they are born. And thatıs needed for a 100
meter race around 9.9 seconds.²
What about distance running? ³The Kenyans are born with a high number of
slow twitch fibers,² states Saltin. ³They have 70 to 75 percent of their
muscle fibers being slow... Very many in sports physiology would like to
believe that it is training, the environment, what you eat that plays the
most important role. But we argue based on the data that it is in your
genesı whether or not you are talented or whether you will become talented.
There is no question about that. The extent of the environment can always
be discussed but itıs less than 20, 25 percent. Itıs definitely a dominant
factor how they are born. I donıt see this as a racist issue.²
> Yes, in condemning Valeriy Borzov to the scrap heap of history, Entine once
> again shows that he is incapable of judging performances in their proper
> historical context. I was originally a big backer of his book, but as he
> continues to make broad brush strokes based on bad analysis of track
> statistics, I start to wonder about expertise in other areas.
>
> Using the Entine yardstick, Munich winners like Kip Keino, Lasse Viren, Rod
> Milburn and Viktor Saneyev were also doo-doo because they don't rate highly
> on today's all-time lists.
>
> gh
--
Jon Entine
RuffRun
6178 Grey Rock Rd.
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
(818) 991-9803 [FAX] 991-9804
http://www.jonentine.com
