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Last week we took a look at the place in the North Caucasus of one of the world’s most famous and beloved sports—football (soccer, if you’re an American). Today we look at the place in the world of the most famous and beloved sports in the North Caucasus: combat sports. The Caucasus region by far outstrips any other spot on earth in cranking out world-class boxers, wrestlers, and mixed-martial artists. In fact, some of the highest-ranking athletes competing for other countries in these sports hail from the Caucasus. It is more than a cultural past time; these sports are part of who they are. Take a listen and learn a bit more just what that means.
Episode 30 Links
American Football in the North Caucasus: The Stavropol Stones
Article about Malcome Gladwell’s book, Outliers
Timestamps
0:38 – American Football in the North Caucasus
3:34 – Who we are!
5:18 – Sports QUIZ #1 for Eli
9:51 – Sports QUIZ #2 for Eli
13:10 – Malcom Gladwell’s Outliers
17:57 – The Caucasus a “talent factory”
18:48 – Wrestling guests in the living room
19:18 – Why is this the case?
21:00 – Gladwell’s finding: The Law of 10,000 Hours
28:16 – What are the contributing factors for this?
36:06 – The connection between Lezginka and martial arts
37:33 – What would you do?
