[xyzzyz]

The point here is that while it is perfectly reasonable and probably desirable to encourage people to become proficient in mathematics, there is an enormous chasm from there to most modern research mathematics. The sports analogy is that while it is good idea to encourage people to be physically active, for example by playing recreational basketball, it would be completely ridiculous to expect even a strong amateur basketball player to be able to hold his own in the actual NBA.

[wolverine876]

I understand. I think math research is much more in reach than the NBA, and thus is a bad analogy that discourages people, etc.