"Speaking of doesn't seem to be working, how about Hakeem Olajuwon's body. Now, I'm sure I am going to piss off a lot of people, and I admit that I could be completely wrong here, but I am of the opinion that his health problems have something to do with the regimented diet he has as a direct result of being a Muslim. Olajuwon had a religious rebirth, of sorts, in the early-1990s, when he went back to his Muslim roots and ate fastidiously, observing Ramadan, a period where one can't eat anything until sundown. I don't know much, but I do know this is not healthy. It's commendable, but it is not healthy. Where I grew up, I always heard how breakfast was the most important meal because it gives you energy for the day. Well, when you push breakfast to 7 o'clock at night, I'm thinking you are lacking a little energy. Skeptics to my theory point out that Olajuwon won two championships while observing his religious beliefs. And I'm not saying that he is not a talented player, or that the body cannot endure things like Ramadan for a while. But it seems to me the cumulative effects of eating the way he does, particularly a man of his size, are causing his body to have an adverse reaction. Olajuwon is too good an athlete to be suffering from asthma. Before that it was atriol fibrillation. Before that, it was anemia. Plus, he has had problems with his knees. The guy's body is breaking down, and I can only think of one reason why that might be." ------------------ humble, but hungry. [This message has been edited by PhiSlammaJamma (edited March 28, 2000).]
You're right; that is crap. A lot of people have been trying to pin Olajuwon's recent performance to his religion. Either it is his dietary habits or his sense of priorities, or religious edicts. It seems to me a manifestation of religious xenophobia. People need to bark up a different tree. ------------------
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Tariq Abdul-Wahad, and Shareef Abdur-Raheem are all practicing Muslims, and I didn't notice the type of significant dropoff from them that you attribute to Hakeem's religious habits. Hell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played until he was 212 years old, and while he didn't maintain his superstar status, he played well up until his final year. This theory is bunk. ------------------ Keep the Faith... Keep the Rockets.
Kagy, the only problem with the players you mentioned is that they are still very young. When they are 37, they may have the same dropoff as Dream. Whatever happened to Abdul-Rauf anyway? He's not even in the NBA. Did Kareem practice Ramadan? That being said, I agree that this theory is bunk. It's just the fact that Hakeem is old. While other players' bodies have remained in great shape through old age, sometimes, most times, a 37-year old body cannot endure the strenuous 82-game season. ------------------ Is it any coincidence that we are the only team mentioned in the national anthem? I didn't think so!
thats a load of crap. the muslim diet has nothing to do with it. most games are at night anyway, i can only think of maybe a few times where he has had to play a daytime game during ramadan - and the one i specifically remember, he played 40+ minutes and lit up the other team for 30somethng points. and a side note, during ramadan, muslims wake up early to eat breakfast... 5/6am ish (before sunup). that espn article is bunk. i thought dream's respiratory problem is just a rare case of something? ------------------ you are to be praised by gods and revered as women.
Right, RM95. Ramadan doesn't seem to be a factor with the younger players, only Hakeem-- who at 37 should be winding down anyway. I don't know if Kareem practiced it or not. If so, then I think this theory's completely "rooned", because Kareem at 39 was better than Hakeem at 37.
This has got to be the greatest load of BullSh!t I have seen in my life. During Ramadan, the Muslim arises early before sunrise to eat and then cannot break his fast until sunset. Where exactly is this idiot seeing the lack of a nutritious breakfast? The fasting during Ramadan is actually a very refreshing experience, both spiritually and physically. Recent medical discoveries have found that out of the 356 day solar year, a fast of 30 days actually helps to reset the body's systems and get them back in line. It is just extremely disappointing to know that ignorant fools are allowed to publish their trash. ------------------ no pain, no gain.
No offense to writers, but sometimes they go beyond the realm of their intelligence. There are some good, intelligent writers around, but my God, do you think of brains when you think of Kenny Hand? I, personally think of a geriatric Eddie Munster, but I'm just sayin'... ------------------ <this space for rent>
Hate to sound like an echo, but I had to add some more bash'in on this poor misinformed columnist. Fasting is a refreshing, spiritual experience that cleanses the soul, purifies the mind and relaxes the body. Hakeem himself has stated that during Ramadan he feels lighter and more focused, as a result of the will-power and devotion it takes to fast during the holy month. I can see one point Mr. Hughes is making, and that is that fasting may not be suited for professional athletes competing in the highest level of competition against well-trained, conditioned athletes. However, as has been pointed out by some of the posters, it is rare for Hakeem, Shareef, Kareem et. al to play an afternooon game during Ramadan when the player is actually fasting opposed to the more frequent night games when the players have already broken it - thus making his point moot. The only player that this might have affected is Abdul-Jabaar, because of the fact that Ramadan moves back approx. 10 days every year in accordance to the Islamic year, 20-25 years ago Ramadan took place during May-June when sunset is late in the evening and games occur. But who knows when or if Abdul-Jabaar started fasting. But thats another point entirely and I'm afraid I have gone way, way off track Azim da Dream ------------------ True champions do not take their failures to heart and never let success go to their heads. [This message has been edited by Azim da Dream (edited March 28, 2000).]
============================================= Now, I'm sure I am going to piss off a lot of people, and I admit that I could be completely wrong here, but I am of the opinion that his health problems have something to do with the regimented diet he has as a direct result of being a Muslim. ============================================ I have to echo the comments by Cabbage and Azim. Cabbage you took the words right out of my mouth. What a load of freaking crap…. Man I thought I heard it all when John Rocker opened his mouth. This guys comment belongs right up there with Rocker. The month of Ramadan is a spiritual month for all Muslims. It is a way of purifying your body and soul. Just because you do not eat from Sunrise to Sunset and thinking that this is causing Hakeem’s current problems is beyond me. I can only hope that Frank Hughs reads the explanations provided by Cabbage, Azim, and is enlightened enough to learn more about the Muslim faith rather than make false accusations/statements. ------------------ "There is Francis backpedaling at full speed to guard Seattle All-Star Gary Payton on a fast break and then leaping as if off a springboard to make a spectacular fingertip block on what appeared to be a sure layup." [This message has been edited by Dream34 (edited March 28, 2000).] [This message has been edited by Dream34 (edited March 29, 2000).]
How offensive. How totally offensive. I love Frank Hughes' "I'm no nutritionist but I play one on the net" take- >>>"I do know this is not healthy" This coffee-breathed sportswriter who has just pounded fourteen bags of mallowmars and a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts with mayonaise and bacon is gonna blame Ramadan for Hakeem's health problems? Hakeem is too good an athlete to have asthma? Where te hell did you go to med school? You're wrong. That's like saying "Michael J. Fox is too good an actor to have Parkinsons." I half-expect him to break out with a "I don't know much, but getting down and praying really takes a toll on the knees after awhile, so all that worshipping must be the problem. And besides Africans do not know much about a balanced diet just look at Manute Bol I mean that guy just needs a cheeseburger or something, and Yinka Dare must not have ever gotten an assist because of poor family structure in his native homeland, a place where people of his religion are notorious for not passing the ball. So Dream, start eating some pork, worshipping a cooler god and stop having asthma." I mean, thank's for your take, you ignorant loser/nutritionist/religion expert. I am sure all the docs in Houston never ruled out food intake as an issue, and never did a standard history and physical on Hakeem. You the bomb, Sherlock. Give this winner an MD, Pulitzer, Masters of Theology for this one. On a day where he could have written about VMax going nautilus on gary payton, he plays the religious/physiological ignorance card. Cancel my subscription. CBrownFanClub ps. Join The Chucky Brown Fan Club www.chuckybrownfanclub.com ------------------ [This message has been edited by CBrownFanClub (edited March 28, 2000).]
Dream34, I agree with everything you say man, but I'm afraid you made a mistake I almost made. Those words in PhiSlammaJamma's post aren't PhiSlammaJamma's, their from an article by Frank Hughes, hence the quotations marks and thread title. I almost missed 'em myself. Azim da Dream ------------------ True champions do not take their failures to heart and never let success go to their heads.
I probably shouldn't jump in here but PJS started it off by saying, "I could be completely wrong". Maybe that isn't enough when prefacing a biased post like that but I don't think the tone rivals John Rocker's either. I think others have set the record strait that the theory doesn't have much support in evidence. Now if someone is going to tell me not drinking any fluids over a sustained period of activity isn't going to impact their performance or recovery I would question that. I would leave it to the sports trainers to inform me. Would I support someone's choice to do that in following their faith even if it detrimentally impacts their athletic performance? Absolutely. ------------------
Now if someone is going to tell me not drinking any fluids over a sustained period of activity isn't going to impact their performance or recovery I would question that. I would leave it to the sports trainers to inform me. Would I support someone's choice to do that in following their faith even if it detrimentally impacts their athletic performance? Absolutely. Absolutely right. No one has any clue how fasting affects the body over a 10 or 15 year period. Obviously, it doesn't affect the average person, but can it have an impact? Can it affect how people perform when exerting themselves at extreme levels? I seriously doubt anyone really knows. Assuming that's true, then I'm sorry to say this, but saying the fasting is absolutely not the cause of this is as misinformed and wrong as saying it is the cause. The truth is we have no idea what the cause is. This is not to say that Hakeem was wrong to fast or anything. That's absolutely his right. There's nothing racist, anti-Muslim, or John Rockeresque about it. It is *possible* that it did have a cumulative effect over 10 years. Maybe it was all the injuries, maybe just genetic, maybe the environment, or something else. Who knows? [This message has been edited by shanna (edited March 28, 2000).]
Azim, Thanks for the info. PhiSlammaJamma, My bad! My apologies. I have gone back and edited my post to reflect my anger to Frank Hughs. It just sounded like it was coming from you. I guess I was so pissed reading this garbage that I missed the quotes. Sir/Shanna - I have seen no medical studies showing that fasting for Muslims during the month of Ramadan has any adverse affect on the body. As has been mentioned before, if you speak to any muslims it probably has the opposite affect and makes them have a greater sense of being (both mentally and physically) Muslims have been doing this for hundreds of years and there is no corelation between fasting and Asthma (or whatever medical condition Hakeem is dealing with). ------------------ "There is Francis backpedaling at full speed to guard Seattle All-Star Gary Payton on a fast break and then leaping as if off a springboard to make a spectacular fingertip block on what appeared to be a sure layup." [This message has been edited by Dream34 (edited March 29, 2000).]
Dream34, That was my point -- I doubt there have been any studies showing conclusively either way. I'm sure there are plenty on fasting in general. But how many athletes are there in the world that fast and perform at a high level for 7 or 8 years? I'd assume it's a fairly small group, and it would be virtually impossible to do a study like this to see if its true or not. ------------------
I think Shanna is right when she says there hasn't been enough research done. People will believe what they want to believe. Even though it isn't a proven fact I'm sure a lot of CBs injuries (before the career ending one) could be attributed to his extra pounds he has carried around. Examples of this are his bad back. At the same time wear and tear can cause injuries as well. As for Dream it seems at least possible to me that the fasting doesn't help, but I'm uncertain as to wheter it actually caused anything. ------------------
