"Where is your speed? Got any black players?"

**isudoc03** · 10-01-2008, 07:33 PM

Would it be ok for Chizik to say:

"Well we got a lot of speed in this years recruiting class. 20 of the 25 recruits are black so we should be pretty fast."

**CycloneWanderer** · 10-01-2008, 08:07 PM

There is a large correlation between socioeconomic status and athletes. Simply being a certain race does not make one an athlete. Race has little to do with it beyond the fact that certain races may have a higher percentage of poor. Looking back through time in different countries it is the low-socioeconomic class that produces athletes because they have less opportunity to succeed in life by other means. In short, low income folks see athletics as a more viable opportunity for success than their high-class counterparts. This can account for most of the explanation that there are currently more black athletes in football and basketball.

**baylrballa** · 10-01-2008, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by CycloneWanderer

There is a large correlation between socioeconomic status and athletes. Simply being a certain race does not make one an athlete. Race has little to do with it beyond the fact that certain races may have a higher percentage of poor. Looking back through time in different countries it is the low-socioeconomic class that produces athletes because they have less opportunity to succeed in life by other means. In short, low income folks see athletics as a more viable opportunity for success than their high-class counterparts. This can account for most of the explanation that there are currently more black athletes in football and basketball.

so calling black poor and underprivileged is not racist.

but saying black people are more athletic is?

**CycloneWanderer** · 10-01-2008, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by baylrballa

so calling black poor and underprivileged is not racist.

but saying black people are more athletic is?

I'm saying poor people are underprivileged and there happens to be a sizable amount of black people who are also poor. There are also large amounts of Hispanics who are poor. There are populations of every race that are poor, but with some races the numbers of poor are disproportionately large. Census data is extremely useful in this regard. When Jews were ostracized in America there were also a disproportionate number of Jewish players in the NBA, but that it is not racist for me to say so.

I'm also saying in order to get rid of physical stereotypes we need to encourage minorities comprised of a disproportionate amount of low socioeconomic people to see and take advantage of the opportunities provided by education, which may involve improving the educational system in their communities - does that sound racist to you?

**baylrballa** · 10-01-2008, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by CycloneWanderer

I'm saying poor people are underprivileged and there happens to be a sizable amount of black people who are also poor. There are also large amounts of Hispanics who are poor. There are populations of every race that are poor, but with some races the numbers of poor are disproportionately large. Census data is extremely useful in this regard. When Jews were ostracized in America there were also a disproportionate number of Jewish players in the NBA, but that it is not racist for me to say so.

I'm also saying in order to get rid of physical stereotypes we need to encourage minorities comprised of a disproportionate amount of low socioeconomic people to see and take advantage of the opportunities provided by education, which may involve improving the educational system in their communities - does that sound racist to you?

I don't really feel like looking it up, but I'd guess, in sheer numbers, there's more white people living below the poverty line. by proportion it might be different.