Text 19717, 95 rader
Skriven 2008-08-16 14:40:00 av Lee Lofaso (3:800/432.0)
  Kommentar till text 19698 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
Ärende: Winning               1/
================================
Hello Ward,

>JB>How is Belgium doing in the Olympics? I can't find them listed.

>RW>Who?

>JB>I've got it figured out now. If a country hasn't won a medal, it's not
>JB>listed. Oh my, Belgium sux!

WD>I must make a general remark and not because a certain
WD>country is listed or not.

It is all about winning.  Nothing else matters.  Athletes compete for
themselves (and/or their teammates), and also represent their country.

WD>A lot has to do with possibilities for youngsters to practice sports and
WD>develop talent.

Possibilities my ass.  It is about WINNING!  Losers stay home.

WD>Statistically we can suppose that talent is equally distributed
WD>around the globe, it's just other factors which surround it which
WD>determine whether or not a talent will be discovered and develop.

Norwegians do much better playing in the snow than Jamaicans.
Even though there is no real difference in human attributes between
Norwegians and Jamaicans.  Why do Norwegians do so well in winter
sports and Jamaicans do so poorly?  One might think the climate
peoples live in has something to do with it.

WD>Practically Belgium, because someone else launched that subject,
WD>is a very urbanised country with little open space, the most
WD>populated country per square km (or close to anyway) in the world.
WD>That means if you want to build a sports accomodation (track,
WD>swimming, hockey, gymnastics, etc...) the first issue is to find
WD>enough open space to build it. The whole country has been subdivided
WD>in zones for living, industry, agriculture, recreation ... for
WD>example you cannot build a swimming pool in a zone which has been
WD>designated for industry <period>.

What a load of horse manure!  Many athletes who live or have lived
in urban areas have won gold medals.  From various countries around
the world.  Whether from Beijing, Moscow, or New York City, it is
not the area in which they live that makes an athlete a good athlete.
It takes talent, training, and lots of other things.  It may be
that folks in Belgium have no talent for sports.  But it is far more
likely that folks in Belgium do not have the same interest in sports
as athletes who win gold medals.

WD>Second, there are no school-sport programmes here. Sports are not
WD>part of the curriculum at school where every available moment is
WD>invested in scholastic learning. Everything which is intent at "not
WD>learning" happens outside school ... it explains the high academic
WD>achievements of youngsters here.

How many school-sport programs does Kenya have to have in order to
produce Olympic champions?  It seems all a Kenyan needs to train with
is two feet and lots of sand to run on.  Of course, folks in Belgium
might have to satisfy themselves with running on concrete streets rather
than desert sand.  No need for school-sport programs to learn how to
run.  Or throw a stick (javelin).  Or throw a ball (shot put).  Or kick
a ball (soccer).  Or hit a ball (tennis, baseball, volleyball). Or
bounce a ball (basketball).

WD>School sports are a major scouting-ground for talent overthere,
WD>that level is lacking here for a number of practical reasons.

That is another load of bs.  Europeans have long been signing
up kids in their early teens to play sports - such as soccer.
At least kids in the USA are given the opportunity to get an
education and make up their own minds what they want to do or
who to sign with when they become adults.  Brazilians are an
exception, given their affection for soccer.

WD>There's also a reason in climate. There only are that many
WD>number of good days available here for outside events. Last
WD>summer in Belgium we had 2 (=two) sunny days plus a lot of
WD>rain. This year there's more sun, but still heavy rains.
WD>Being able to practice outside, to have safe running-tracks
WD>instead of just running alongside dangerous roads, to
WD>practice in the open and do it in the sun ... it helps the
WD>mind.

Another lame excuse.  There is lots of smog in Beijing.  Yet many
Chinese athletes have won gold medals.  There is lots of smog in Los
Angeles.  Yet many American athletes have won gold medals.  There is
no smog in Fiji.  Yet no Fijian athlete has won a gold medal.  Smog
is good.  Clean air is bad.  Chinese and American athletes rule!

>>> Continued to next message

 * SLMR 2.1a * All wiyht.  Rho sritched mg kegtops awound?

--- Maximus 3.01
 * Origin: Xaragmata / Adelaide SA telnet://xaragmata.thebbs.org (3:800/432)