I think sports intelligence is very different from a knowledge based intelligence like in Medicine or Finance, wouldn't you say? I get a little surprised when I hear comments like "Kobe is intelligent" because he's a "genius" on the court and can hit clutch shots. Such type of thinking worries me a little bit about the future of this nation because it reflects on the degree in how "dumbed down" this society has become in it's standards and values and expectations. You have all these kids and teenagers who think Kobe is a genius and a role model and his "greatness" on the court instantly transfers over to the realm of the real world as if Kobe really is Superman and can fly. He can speak several languages so therefore he must be a genius and can win the Nobel prize in Physics. Why? Because Kobe's a "Genius" can't you see? Yeah. Such thinking scares me. Let me tell you that Sports is ultimately a form of entertainment, the NBA especially with Dick Stern's WWF style rules designed to entertain, not to compete honestly. Entertainment is not critical to nation building. 100 years ago, entertainment in this country was the Circus. That's what the NBA, NFL, MLB, PGA really is. A circus but we glorify these circus clowns to absurd levels. I will repeat my assertion: If the NBA did not exist, people like Shaq, and Kobe would be incapable of living a normal life. They are extremely fortunate to be living in a time when this nation has become dumbed down to the point we glorify circus clowns.
I agree it depends on one's definition for the most part...but even if we're refering to being "school smart" the learning doesnt end during their first college stint or even in the classroom. These athletes still have the ability to use things like books or the internet to learn about things they deem necessary in their lives. Several go back to get their degrees or to start the process. There's also stories out there about guys who later found something they were passionate about, other than basketball, and took some classes or training to learn more. They may not have been focused while in college, but it doesnt necessarily mean they lacked the ability to learn or would never want to. Sometimes it just doesnt seem like a priority at the time and they simply need to mature some. http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/turiaf_graduation_050710.html Many have also mentioned how they need something to fall back on like these two: "People don't see this side of basketball," said Jamison, 23, who left North Carolina just nine credits short of a degree when he entered the NBA. "There is life after basketball. I need something to fall back on ... As a kid I always dreamed about playing in the NBA, but I never realized how important and how special graduating from college would be. I feel as if it's more important than anything I've ever accomplished in my life." http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_12_97/ai_60041448/ Here's a story on Kenny Anderson...who did end up broke, giving money to family, making bad investments, gold digger babymommas, etc.. he went back to get his degree. Perfect example of a guy who has the brains, but doesnt feel it's important to exercise them when he's going to be a pro. Tough breaks showed him he needed to though. http://www.bvonsports.com/2010/05/14/kenny-anderson-to-graduate-from-college/ Again, i just think it's an ignorant thing (athlete=uneducated) to say when there's plenty of "educated" people in this world making stupid decisions and mistakes. Emotions sometimes get in the way and they don't care whether you have a degree or not. Some may say Anderson was dumb because he didn't invest correctly, take care of his money, and got blinded by vaginas, but those are tough breaks that also happen to a lot of educated people outside the world of professional athletics.
So because entertainment isn't critical to building a nation you'd have to be uneducated to work in it? Seriously? And what is it about Kobe and Shaq that leads you to believe they couldn't function in the world without basketball? You're not even implying they wouldnt be successful. You're saying they wouldnt even be able tofunction and live a normal life. These guys memorize a gazillion things on the court. They hold press conferences well. They can process what they see on the court and analyze it immediately to decide what step to take. You're telling me those abilities wouldn't help in the "real world"? They may have had issues with their spouses, but half of the nation does. They've shown they're good parents, isn't that a huge part of living a normal life? It really sounds like you're just jealous of the opportunity they are presented with. The chance to earn millions to be just "clowns in a circus". If that's the case, then why are you a fan of basketball? Aren't you contributing to it all?
Hypothetically, let's presume that we do not live in a world where the NBA or professional sports for that matter exist as a means of earning a living. Please tell me what you'd think Shaq would be doing? Shaq is by all accounts, a lazy, egotistical difficult to get along with clown who isn't disciplined enough to even attend practice. Do you think Shaq would be able to study hard in college, and graduate with a decent GPA and get a job? Do you think he'd be able to wake up at 6am and get to work by 8am and work in an office until 5pm and manage the daily commute? Do you think Shaq could pay the bills let alone manage his checking account? The point I'm making isn't necessarily that these athletes are genetically dumb or intellectually inferior but that fans like you glorify these athletes to absurd levels where they are presumed to be "geniuses" when it isn't clear whether they could multiply and divide without a calculator. These players are athletes and are paid superbly well to do their jobs to entertain the masses but they are not super gifted human beings, not ninjas. They are the modern equivalent to clowns in a circus to entertain and amuse. Nothing more.
But we don't know that. How many star athletes are the way they are because they were star athletes ever since they were young and had the goal of making it to the big leagues? If professional sports never existed and college was the only way for guys like Shaq, what makes you so sure that he would still be arrogant jackass he is today?
What makes you think the Shaq would be a completely different person if college was the only way for him to succeed? Say Shaq was 6'0 with zero athletic ability. You are presuming that he'd be a different person because he's faced with the same narrow set of opportunities as everyone else. How do you know he wouldn't drop out of high school? Take T-Mac as an example. He's lazy, whiny, undisciplined, emotionally, impulsive and mentally weak. With attributes like that, he will never succeed in any endeavor in life except ironically, as an NBA player. His only saving grace was that he was born 6'8 with super athleticism. It takes an entirely different set of attributes to succeed in real life, and these NBA players, most of them, prove they do not have the ability once their NBA career is finished. They lose their fortune, and end up broke, and defeated. Like Steve Francis will be in about 5-10 years. You guys are tools for buying into the hype that athletes are super human beings. They are not. They're just clowns who are paid extremely well.
So what do you suggest? No offense but I would hate to live in your world where entertainment is seen as a idiotic circus created to distrac millions, sorry I like sports etc... Also you dont have to win the nobel prize in physics to be smart, no ever said geniuses , just regular smart. and don´t kid yourself being a basketball player isn´t as easy as you think, and the tipo players in the NBA really should deserve praise as they do things no else can do. like rv6 said there is no proven fact to as why shaq or kobe wouldn´t be able to function in the "real world".
you use no "facts" to back up your arguments, lots of "real world" people have gone bankrupt, and if im not mistaken there was a article that showed that 40%(not sure if 40 but it was somewhere close) of nba players go bankrupt, it may be a high number, but that means 60% dont go bankrupt, so more than half of the nba players are smart enough to have more money than us even being a "clown".
According to this article, 60% of NBA players go broke within five years of retirement. http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/299119 60% constitutes a majority, and supports my argument that NBA players lack the vital skills to cope in the real world.
sorry, I mixed up the values, even though how many of these 60% are borderline nba players? minimum salary players? or retired early? not having the researchs metodoly changes a bit the perception, and that still doesn´t prove that a guy like shaq couldnt lead a normal life...and bankruptcy isnt the major definition of dumb.
The percentage of bankruptcies in the real world is no where near 60%, or even 10%. If it did, the world economy would be in deep trouble. I think it's time we stopped this discussion. We've veered off into topics I didn't want to enter in. I never claimed these guys would become homeless or violent criminals. No no. I'm sure Shaq and Kobe would manage in this hypothetical alternate reality well enough as employees of Mcdonalds Inc. Shaq and Kobe would ask, would you like Fries with that? Just kidding. I'm sure they'd be OK but no where close to being millionaires. They'
Yeah, I agree that they probably wouldn´t be millionares, but they could live a normal life...and getting back to topic, how about that steve francis eh?
That's funny, because Shaq has a Master's in Business Administration as of 2005. He might even have an PhD by now. You are one ignorant mother****er... Please don't judge and research before you claim.
If you had $80m, you'd would be staying at a hotel room playing video games? fool. I wouldn't. I'd be spending all my time meeting with Chinese business men trying to fool them into giving me their money while they try to dress like us and be western. Because I am going to turn that $80m into $15B But I'm just a crass capitalist, and you are just another lazy foreigner sitting on your ass in your hotel room, chilling out....fine with your $80m doing nothing. You will never own the New Jersey Nets! signed Mikhail Prokhorov
did some quick research. lol. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/8357843/ According to this article, Shaq got his MBA from something called the "University of Phoenix", an online program. I don't know what is more pathetic. Shaq's getting his so called MBA from the "university of phoenix" or you seriously arguing Shaq's MBA is legit. Yeah, I can see where Shaq is going to get his PH.D from. The "University of Phoenix" right? Then you'll call him Dr Shaq. Do you know how pathetic you are?
Do you think lazy and spoiled rich kids who just lounge around when they grow up would still be that way if they had poor parents? You're assuming Shaq's brain and his way of thinking is fixed. You're not taking into consideration the effect his pro career has had on him. Perhaps without all the fame he'd be completely different. Being rich can make a lot of people lazy, but that doesn't mean they would be in a different situation. I don't understand if you think athletes are that stupid or if being an average person is that difficult. You're talking about holding a 9-5 and doing simple math with your finances. There are teens who do that and the reasoning part of their brain hasn't even fully developed. And i would appreciate it if you didn't put words in my mouth, as i've never referred to any athlete in my life as a genius. I don't use that word lightly with anyone and all I've said is that they're not uneducated or stupid. You still haven't answered why you're contributing to the circus. You're no more righteous than any one of us, especially when you are spending your own time on a forum devoted to these guys. Technically that's a form of worship on it's own and you're right in the middle of it. Why did you pick Shaq to talk about? This leads me to believe that you don't know much about the personal lives of these athletes, especially Shaq. Maybe you don't care to know, which may be the problem. Otherwise, you'd know he didn't give in to street life early on due to the Boys and Girls club, where he spent his time. His stepfather and godfather were both in the Army and were big factors in keeping Shaq in line. Heck, his stepdad even pulled shaq during a game just to tell him to tuck his shirt in. The army life took him out of the tough neighborhoods he first lived in. That's how i have a good feeling Shaq wouldn't have just dropped out of High School and given up on life. What kept him straight wasn't the NBA, but the influence of his stepfather and that wasn't leaving him. By the way, Shaq is also planning on obtaining a Master's in Criminal Justic once he retires. Probably should take that as a life lesson. You don't really know much about him and yet you're going on and on about how uneducated and dysfunctional he is or would be. Not knowing about what you're talking about is probably just a silly mistake. However, not knowing because you don't care to learn, or think there's nothing to learn, shows some dysfunctionality within yourself, doesn't it?
