
New Genetic Test Asks Which Sport a Child Was Born to Play - robg
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/sports/30genetics.html?hp=&pagewanted=all
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kirse
While the test may give some indicators, I think this practice of trying to
specialize kids for certain sports is just baloney. There are so many examples
of athletes who are / were the best in their arena that certainly were not the
ideal "type" for their sport. Just look at Wayne Gretzky - 6'/180lb. Barry
Sanders - 5'8...

For athletes like a football quarterback, it's not even about being good at a
single thing (fast-twitch sprinting). It's such a multi-dimensional position
that just having fast-twitch speed is not going to guarantee you're the next
Joe Montana or Tom Brady.

And finally, so many people have the talent but don't have the work ethic and
drive to make the most of it. The people who are out there every single day
for hours - throwing, kicking, sprinting, etc. That first 10% might be
genetics, but the rest of it is blood, sweat, and working so hard some days
you come home and puke.

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JoelSutherland
In Malcolm Gladwell's latest book Outliers he uses hockey players as an
example of how genetics (or talent) isn't necessarily a deciding factor.

Top-level Canadian hockey players are disproportionally born in the early
months of a year. This is because the cutoff for deciding which league to play
in is January 1st. Kids born in the first half of the year are older and
bigger than the other kids. They make it onto the best teams in the best
leagues and get more practices. Ultimately this advantage allows them to play
professionally at a higher rate.

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rms
This company has a great PR agency but not a viable business model. There is
no way they can continue to generate enough sales to continue paying for top-
notch PR. And the test itself is completely useless and meaningless.

The ACTN3 test is included on 23andme's test and 23andme will eat them alive
without even trying. I'm sure they are laughing at this company right now.

<http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html> is as appropriate as ever.

~~~
rms
[http://www.thinkgene.com/novelty-dtc-genetic-testing-
company...](http://www.thinkgene.com/novelty-dtc-genetic-testing-company-
torpedoes-their-way-into-ny-times/)

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kqr2
Makes me think of _Gattaca_ the movie.

