On 12/20/00 4:00 PM, "Conway" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Entine wrote:
>
>> Dear Mr. Conway:
>>
>> I hope you have stopped hyperventilating. As I wrote, he was almost
>> certainly aided by steroids, which was the conclusion of the top East
> German
>> scientists who I talked with and who had extensive knowledge of the Soviet
>> System. Was it for certain? Who knows.
>>
>> But as for as this debate goes, it makes no difference: individual
>> performances, whether by one pretty good Soviet sprinter who would not
> fair
>> very well in today's far more competitive field, or by one black sprinter,
>> mean nothing.
>>
>> The truth can be found in two things: the science, which overwhelmingly
>> demonstrates that different populations have different body types and
> those
>> body types correlate to a large degree with success in running events (and
>> those body types are biologically based, with limited ability of training
> to
>> transform them); and the on-the-field evidence, which is overwhelming. Any
>> way you cut it, 494 of the top 500 100 meter times are held by a person of
>> primarily West African ancestry; not one of the top 500 happens to be
> named
>> Borzov, although as others have written, he was an accomplished 200 meter
>> runner in his time.
>>
>> I don't think you understand much about genetics, despite your references
> to
>> it. And if you have a powerful explanation for why runners of West African
>> ancestry have been over-represented by population and usually dominated
> the
>> 100 meter since the early part of the century (even when the number of
> black
>> participants could be counted in the dozens worldwide), yet have never
> been
>> even adequate at long distances, let's have it.
>>
>> Scientists, as distinct from blowhards, deal in testable hypotheses. I've
>> presented a testable hypothesis. Employing Ockham's Razor, it's the most
>> parsimonious explanation, it's testable (and has been tested and confirmed
>> beyond any measure of statistical probability), and it's explanatory
> powers
>> increase over time as the evidence and scientific data accumulates.
>>
>> Again, if you're interested in science, rather than rhetoric, read
> "Muscles
>> and Genes" by Bengt Saltin. Or even read Taboo and the footnotes of the
>> dozens of studies that are easily accessible.
>>
>> Now take some medicine and calm down.
>>
>>
>
> Mr. Entine ..
>
> First off not hyperventilating at all .. Just doing what you have been doing
> for a bout a year now on this list - expressing an opinion .. I am sorry you
> take it so to heart when someone disagrees in part with yours .. As the
> scientist you claim to be you should be a little more open minded to some of
> the varied comments made by certifiable experts who often comment on this
> list (and not including myself among that illustrious group) .. As for
> genetics I know a lot about them .. I have not denigrated any of your
> hypotheses regarding genetics .. What I merely stated was that your
> hypothesis is narrow in scope dearly ONLY with genetics and leaving out
> other scientific areas such as sociology, economics and the like .. (and yes
> I realize that these are not sciences in the sense that you use science) ..
> I am sorry if that hurts your feelings .. However many before you (and I am
> sure many after) have and will have the discussion of Nature vs. Nurture ..
> As for your statement that Borzov "was almost certainly aided by steroids"
> is a very NON SCIENTIFIC comment for a professed scientist to make, as it
> does not deal in any area of fact .. As for your request of me to provide an
> explanation regarding "And if you have a powerful explanation for why
> runners of West African ancestry have been over-represented by population
> and usually dominated the 100 meter since the early part of the century
> (even when the number of black participants could be counted in the dozens
> worldwide), yet have never been even adequate at long distances, let's have
> it." that answer lies within the reason why any group of people dominate any
> event - fins the javelin, North Africans the distances, Americans the
> sprints .. And if you would like a more detailed explanation then I suggest
> you first un-sidestep the question that I asked as to why there are no West
> Africans among the sprint leaders now or ever .. Since you seem to like to
> address only those things for which you have immediate answers and ignore
> those for which you have no answers at all .. And if you knew much about
> track at all you would realize that Borzov's still wind sea level
> performances at Munich on its relatively soft track equate quite well in
> conversion to today's times .. And even on face value he would have won this
> years Olympic 200 with his hands still raised in the air !!! And as for your
> statement about one pretty good soviet sprinter I named several white
> sprinters and could name more to which you again ignored the statement and
> had no reply .. AS you made no reference at all to the plethora of female
> white sprinters that have and continue to be among the worlds best in the
> sprints .. So no not hyperventilating Mr. Entine just calling you to task
> and responding to the aura of arrogance that you routinely bring to this
> list ..
>
> Conway Hill
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
--
Jon Entine
RuffRun
6178 Grey Rock Rd.
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
(818) 991-9803 [FAX] 991-9804
http://www.jonentine.com
