Re: Does the NFL Combine Predict Performance / Talent?

[Guest guest]

> " Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified

> world to

> bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and

> train him

> to become any type of specialist I might select - doctor, lawyer,

> artist,

> merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of

> his talents,

> penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his

> ancestors. "

HI KEN,

I want to believe it but don't quite ? I'm sure his assertions are

well past what most any stratified elitist would like to admit to.

" " " " " " ' but that

puts us in opposition to researchers like K. Anders sson, who

notes that

" experts with extended experience acquire a larger number of more

complex

patterns and use these new patterns to store knowledge about which

actions should

be taken in similar situations. " Is Owens's skill the result of at

least ten

years worth of what sson refers to as " deliberate practice " ?

Telle-- In all likelihood the difference in what I /you believe and

their expressions is so small that I'm left wondering why we are

speculating. I guess the point is that I still believe certain

individuals have proclivities which cannot be matched by certain other

individuals no matter how many 10s of thousands of hours are devoted.

And their probably valid point is that with enough time most any

athlete can reach astounding levels of achievement?

How does that saying go " practice makes ??????? and perfect practice

makes perfect " ?

Jerry Telle

Denver Co. USA

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/19/2008 3:20:04 A.M. Central America Standard ,

JRTELLE@... writes:

I guess the point is that I still believe certain

individuals have proclivities which cannot be matched by certain other

individuals no matter how many 10s of thousands of hours are devoted.

And their probably valid point is that with enough time most any

athlete can reach astounding levels of achievement

*****

Hi Jerry!

I very much agree with you, although the researchers believe they have

compelling evidence to the contrary. However, since mega millions are paid to

athletes whose performances seem to separate themselves from their peers, I

wonder why we don't have more A-Rods and Sabathias and Gretskys if deliberate

practice for a minimum of ten thousand hours is indeed the way to get us those

millions.

Ken Jakalski

Lisle HS

Lisle, IL USA