Yesterday on NPR's "Talk of the Nation", one segment dealt with the issue of politics at the Olympic Games. Two of the guests were Tommie Smith and Margaret Lambert. You can listen to the segment here.
I figure that if you don't know who Tommie Smith is, you probably wouldn't be reading this blog. The second athlete is considerably less known. Now in her nineties, in 1936 she was known as Margaret Bergmann and was a Jewish German high jumper who moved to the UK after Hitler's rise to power. She was enticed to come home and train for the German Olympic team (implicit threats against her family were the enticement) in order to help quell the fears of a US team which was considering a boycott. But the day after the Americans set sail for Berlin, Bergmann--who had just set the German record--was informed that she wasn't good enough to make the Olympic team.
Smith is always an interesting speaker, but Lambert stole the show.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Anti-Doping News
Eric Pelle's Athletics in the News blog breaks down the Latasha Jenkins case in detailed fashion. In short, she got busted for a steroid, found some non-adherence to testing protocols, and a managed to win on arbitration.
But, as Eric points out, Jenkins still had nandrolone in her system, and WADA is taking up the battle to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
I remember seeing Jenkins run at Ball State. She was very good, almost too good for the Mid-American Conference, but in no way did she exhibit the talent required to compete at the level she did for Trevor Graham (and she looked different, too). She became the eighth of his athletes to get a doping ban, albeit overturned on technicalities.
In other news, Congress will investigate Roger Clemens, for lying about HGH use, and steroid/HGH use is identified as a health concern for gay men. No connection, of course.
But, as Eric points out, Jenkins still had nandrolone in her system, and WADA is taking up the battle to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
I remember seeing Jenkins run at Ball State. She was very good, almost too good for the Mid-American Conference, but in no way did she exhibit the talent required to compete at the level she did for Trevor Graham (and she looked different, too). She became the eighth of his athletes to get a doping ban, albeit overturned on technicalities.
In other news, Congress will investigate Roger Clemens, for lying about HGH use, and steroid/HGH use is identified as a health concern for gay men. No connection, of course.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
How the Superfan Rankings Work
If I'm going to post the numbers, there will be people who want to know where they come from. It's basically the IAAF World Athletics Tour points, but with some extras.
Major national and international championships/games/cups are also scored, as well as major indoor, road, and cross country invitationals. Basically, every meaningful competition can score points.
Athletes can score up to ten bonus points for performances. For example, in the women's 800 meters, 1:55.22 scores 10 points while 1:59.20 scores 1 point. (Adjustments are made for indoor races.) Wind and altitude corrections are made for sprints, hurdles, and horizontal jumps.
Athlete's eight best meets are scored. Up to two of those meets can be in other events. For example, if Jeremy Wariner had a race or two at 200m that scored more points than his 7th- or 8th-best races at 400m, those would score points for him in the 400m rankings. (Indoor sprints & hurdles are considered different events than their outdoor counterparts.)
The meets, and how they score:
Scored 40-32-28-24-20-16-12-8
Olympic Games
Scored 30-24-21-18-15-12-9-6
IAAF World Athletics Final
Scored 20-16-14-12-10-8-6-4
IAAF Golden League meets
IAAF Super Grand Prix meets
IAAF World Indoor Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
US Olympic Team Trials, Track & Field
Russian outdoor Championships
Kenyan Olympic Trials
Scored 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2
IAAF Grand Prix meets
African Championships
European Cross Country Championships
European Cup (super league)
European Winter Throwing Cup
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Kenyan World Cross Country Trials
Russian Cup
USATF, Russian Indoor Championships
Jamaican, German, Kenyan outdoor championships
Scored 6-4-2-1
IAAF World Tour Permit meets*
IAAF Indoor Permit meets
IAAF Cross Country Permit meets
IAAF World Junior Championships
IAAF Gold Label Road Races (12k and shorter)
VISA Championship Series meets
Asian Indoor Championships
NACAC, South American Cross Country Championships
European Cups (first league, 10k, and indoor)
NCAA Indoor Championships
Ethiopian World Cross Country Trials
German Indoor Championships
Cuban, Polish, Swedish, Belarussian, and Chinese Outdoor Championships
*the IAAF occaissionally changes the scoring format for some events; I follow their lead
Major national and international championships/games/cups are also scored, as well as major indoor, road, and cross country invitationals. Basically, every meaningful competition can score points.
Athletes can score up to ten bonus points for performances. For example, in the women's 800 meters, 1:55.22 scores 10 points while 1:59.20 scores 1 point. (Adjustments are made for indoor races.) Wind and altitude corrections are made for sprints, hurdles, and horizontal jumps.
Athlete's eight best meets are scored. Up to two of those meets can be in other events. For example, if Jeremy Wariner had a race or two at 200m that scored more points than his 7th- or 8th-best races at 400m, those would score points for him in the 400m rankings. (Indoor sprints & hurdles are considered different events than their outdoor counterparts.)
The meets, and how they score:
Scored 40-32-28-24-20-16-12-8
Olympic Games
Scored 30-24-21-18-15-12-9-6
IAAF World Athletics Final
Scored 20-16-14-12-10-8-6-4
IAAF Golden League meets
IAAF Super Grand Prix meets
IAAF World Indoor Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
US Olympic Team Trials, Track & Field
Russian outdoor Championships
Kenyan Olympic Trials
Scored 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2
IAAF Grand Prix meets
African Championships
European Cross Country Championships
European Cup (super league)
European Winter Throwing Cup
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Kenyan World Cross Country Trials
Russian Cup
USATF, Russian Indoor Championships
Jamaican, German, Kenyan outdoor championships
Scored 6-4-2-1
IAAF World Tour Permit meets*
IAAF Indoor Permit meets
IAAF Cross Country Permit meets
IAAF World Junior Championships
IAAF Gold Label Road Races (12k and shorter)
VISA Championship Series meets
Asian Indoor Championships
NACAC, South American Cross Country Championships
European Cups (first league, 10k, and indoor)
NCAA Indoor Championships
Ethiopian World Cross Country Trials
German Indoor Championships
Cuban, Polish, Swedish, Belarussian, and Chinese Outdoor Championships
*the IAAF occaissionally changes the scoring format for some events; I follow their lead
Proof of Idiocy
Buried down at the end of Let's Run's weekly update was this item:
Sheesh. Dumb jocks.
Proof that 19% of the world's population is idiotic:All this proves is that getting a degree from a fancy private Eastern college doesn't mean you actually got an education. First off, Britain is an island which is inhabited by Britons. Secondly, you cannot extrapolate results from a poll of said Britons to the rest of the world. Finally, it only shows that 19% of said Britons are more concerned with foreign policy towards China than Olympic sports--and you'd probably find at least as large a portion that likes, for example, peanut butter more than Olympic sports.
19% of Britains Want an Olympic Boycott
Sheesh. Dumb jocks.
Superfan Rankings
The points system is based on the IAAF World Tour standings but adds quite a bit to it, including performance bonuses. Athletes' eight best meets are totaled. The weakness in the system is exposed in the pole vault below, where Yelena Isinbayeva doesn't even make the top five because she's only competed twice this year, one of which was a bit of a bomb.
Women's High Jump
1. Blanka Vlasic (Croatia) 55 pts / 5 meets
2. Yelena Slesarenko (Russia) 48 pts / 5 meets
3. Ariane Friedrich (Germany) 46 pts / 6 meets
4. Yekaterina Savchenko (Russia) 31 pts / 5 meets
5. Ruth Beitia (Spain) 25 pts / 4 meets
Women's Pole Vault
1. Jen Stuczynski (USA) 61 pts / 6 meets
2. Yuliya Golubchikova (Russia) 40 pts / 5 meets
3. Jillian Schwartz (USA) 29 pts / 4 meets
4. Svetlana Feofanova (Russia) 24 pts / 3 meets
5. Carolin Hingst (Germany) 21 pts / 3 meets
Women's Shot Put
1. Valerie Vili (New Zealand) 57 pts / 4 meets
2. Nadzeya Ostapchuk (Belarus) 22 pts / 2 meets
(rankings cease to have meaning after 2 athletes)
Women's High Jump
1. Blanka Vlasic (Croatia) 55 pts / 5 meets
2. Yelena Slesarenko (Russia) 48 pts / 5 meets
3. Ariane Friedrich (Germany) 46 pts / 6 meets
4. Yekaterina Savchenko (Russia) 31 pts / 5 meets
5. Ruth Beitia (Spain) 25 pts / 4 meets
Women's Pole Vault
1. Jen Stuczynski (USA) 61 pts / 6 meets
2. Yuliya Golubchikova (Russia) 40 pts / 5 meets
3. Jillian Schwartz (USA) 29 pts / 4 meets
4. Svetlana Feofanova (Russia) 24 pts / 3 meets
5. Carolin Hingst (Germany) 21 pts / 3 meets
Women's Shot Put
1. Valerie Vili (New Zealand) 57 pts / 4 meets
2. Nadzeya Ostapchuk (Belarus) 22 pts / 2 meets
(rankings cease to have meaning after 2 athletes)
Superfan HOF--Jesse Owens
(To all the mouth-breathing Star Wars collectors out there: Yes, I know i's worth more if it's still in the packaging. You think I'm parting with this?)
Born September 12, 1913, Danville AL
Died March 31, 1980, Tucson AZ
Official site -- Wikipedia -- Foundation -- Museum -- Olympic Oak -- Ferry Field marker
Owens might be the best-known athlete* of the period between the wars, certainly the best-known American athlete. Partly this is due to his superior accomplishments, and partly due to time and place. He qualifies for the Hall of Fame on his three individual Olympic gold medals alone, and then there's the world records and AAU titles as well. He's the second-highest scoring pre-WWII athlete in the Supefan HOF system (after Paavo Nurmi).
(*athlete=one who competes in the sport of athletics)
There are quite a few myths floating around out there about Owens, many put forth by the man himself. Jeremy Schaap's recent book Triumph puts them to rest. But another myth is that he was a dominant sprinter.
The fact is that he was the world's top 100 man for just one year, 1936 (this according to the indesputable Maxwell Stiles). He ran the first official 10.2 clocking, but Charley Paddock undoubtedly ran the same time fifteen years earlier. Owens was much better in the 200, as he was at least the equal of Ralph Metcalfe in the pre-Olympic years. His famous five-world-record day rested partly on a rarely-competed event (220y hurdles), partly on getting two-for-one records (yards/meters), and also on being the umpteenth man to tie the 100y record.
In the long jump his dominance can not be overstated. He was the world's best long jumper starting with his senior year at Cleveland's East Tech High School and extending to the premature end to his career. His world-record jump in the midst of his five-record day was a leap into the future--it stood longer than Bob Beamon's record. Owens could have matched Carl Lewis's long-term dominance of the event had he not been prematurely kicked out of the sport.
| Year | Event | Rank | Mark | Meets, etc. |
| 1933 | 100 | n/a | 9.4y | 3)AAU |
| 200 | n/a | 20.7yS | ||
| LJ | 1 | 24' 11¼" | 1)AAU | |
| 1934 | 100 | n/a | 9.4y / 10.4 | 2)AAU |
| 200 | n/a | 21.0yS | ||
| LJ | 1 | 25' 7/8" | 1)AAU | |
| 1935 | 100 | n/a | 9.4y | 1)NCAA, 3)AAU |
| 200 | 1 | 20.3yS WR | 1)NCAA | |
| LJ | 1 | 26' 8¼" WR | 1)NCAA, 2)AAU | |
| would have been Athlete of the Year | ||||
| 1936 | 100 | 1 | 9.4y / 10.2 WR | 1)NCAA, 1)AAU, 1)Oly Trials, 1)Oly Gms |
| 200 | 1 | 20.7 WR | 1)NCAA, 1)Oly Trials, 1)Oly Gms | |
| LJ | 1 | 26' 3" | 1)NCAA, 1)AAU, 1)Oly Trials, 1)Oly Gms | |
| would have been Athlete of the Year | ||||
Superfan Rankings
Last year I started experimenting with an event-by-event rankings system. This year I'm going forward with it. I'll give regular updates as the season goes along.
Right now, the only events that really have enough going on to do any kind of meaningful rankings are field events--specifically, the shot, high jump, and pole vault (and even then I can't go more than five deep). I've got men's standings updated, and I may be able to get to the women by the end of the day.
Note that the number of meets I refer to is not necessarily the number of times the athlete has competed this year, but the number of meets where the athlete has scored points (a major invitational, an inportant national/international meet, or a minor meet with a big mark).
Men's Shot Put
1. Christian Cantwell (USA) 55 pts / 6 meets
2. Adam Nelson (USA) 46 pts / 5 meets
3. Reese Hoffa (USA) 37 pts / 5 meets
4. Scott Martin (Australia) 14 pts / 1 meet
5. Peter Sack (Germany) 12 pts / 2 meets
Men's High Jump
1. Ivan Ukhov (Russia) 67 pts / 7 meets
2. Stefan Holm (Sweden) 66 pts / 7 meets
3. Andrey Silnov (Russia) 60.5 pts / 6 meets
4. Yaroslav Rybakov (Russia) 44 pts / 4 meets
5. Linus Thörnblad (Sweden) 35 pts / 5 meets
Men's Pole Vault
1. Yevgeniy Lukyanenko (Russia) 44.5 pts / 6 meets
2. Tim Lobinger (Germany) 37 pts / 6 meets
3. Derek Miles (USA) 23.5 pts / 4 meets
4. Sergey Kucheryanu (Russia) 21 pts / 5 meets
5. Igor Pavlov (Russia) 18 pts / 3 meets
Right now, the only events that really have enough going on to do any kind of meaningful rankings are field events--specifically, the shot, high jump, and pole vault (and even then I can't go more than five deep). I've got men's standings updated, and I may be able to get to the women by the end of the day.
Note that the number of meets I refer to is not necessarily the number of times the athlete has competed this year, but the number of meets where the athlete has scored points (a major invitational, an inportant national/international meet, or a minor meet with a big mark).
Men's Shot Put
1. Christian Cantwell (USA) 55 pts / 6 meets
2. Adam Nelson (USA) 46 pts / 5 meets
3. Reese Hoffa (USA) 37 pts / 5 meets
4. Scott Martin (Australia) 14 pts / 1 meet
5. Peter Sack (Germany) 12 pts / 2 meets
Men's High Jump
1. Ivan Ukhov (Russia) 67 pts / 7 meets
2. Stefan Holm (Sweden) 66 pts / 7 meets
3. Andrey Silnov (Russia) 60.5 pts / 6 meets
4. Yaroslav Rybakov (Russia) 44 pts / 4 meets
5. Linus Thörnblad (Sweden) 35 pts / 5 meets
Men's Pole Vault
1. Yevgeniy Lukyanenko (Russia) 44.5 pts / 6 meets
2. Tim Lobinger (Germany) 37 pts / 6 meets
3. Derek Miles (USA) 23.5 pts / 4 meets
4. Sergey Kucheryanu (Russia) 21 pts / 5 meets
5. Igor Pavlov (Russia) 18 pts / 3 meets
Weekend Update
The weekly summary from Let's Run is up, as well as three international roundups from Athletics Weekly, the weekend's top 30 stories (!) from Joe Battaglia at NBCOlympics.com, and a USATF summary by Elliot Denman of WCSN.
Snow Day
Worst part of being a teacher: high school freshmen.
Best part of being a teacher: snow days.
Best part of being a teacher: snow days.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Christian Cantwell Gets Mean
In case you haven't heard, Cantwell not only won the biggest event at the USA Indoor meet, he made the biggest stink.
But here's why throwers do tend to be a friendly bunch:
Cantwell saved his best shot for second-place finisher Reese Hoffa (70 feet 2 1/2 inches). Last week, Cantwell asked Hoffa, the reigning world indoor and outdoor champion, to bring his 128mm indoor shot to nationals. Hoffa declined, believing it was not his job to help a competitor.Throwers tend to be a friendly bunch, but this seems a bit extreme. Imagine, if you will, another coach calling up Bill Belichick and asking for a favor the day before a game. Ridiculous.
"For the most part Reese is a pretty good guy, but he pulled a quick one on me this weekend and I'm a little upset with him," said Cantwell. "So, I'm glad he made it, but, in the end, I would have rather had [third-place finisher] Adam [Nelson] make the team for the world championships. Reese has a 128 indoor and he wouldn't bring it.
"I couldn't believe it when I called him and said, 'Would you bring this for me?' He goes, 'Nah, I'm not going to pack it.' I said, 'Well, send it. I'll pay for it.' He goes, 'No, I'm not going to help you. Why would I help you? You're my competitor.' He's a hypocrite."
When told of the comments by Cantwell, Hoffa looked genuinely shocked. He didn't think turning down the request was a big deal, especially since Cantwell easily could have purchased his own shot.
But here's why throwers do tend to be a friendly bunch:
By the time the US team heads to Valencia, Hoffa figures the bad feelings will have blown over.
"He can trash talk all he wants," said Hoffa. "While he's in Valencia, he's got to have someone to hang out with."
TV/Web Listings
Tuesday, February 26
WGN, 4:30-5:00 p.m.
The Cosby Show: "Back to the Track, Jack" (guest stars Josh Culbreath and Larry James)
Wednesday, February 27
Showtime Family Zone, 8:35 a.m.
1972 Munich Olympic Games
ESPN Classic, 1:00-1:30 p.m.
Cheap Seats: 1978 Superstars (featuring Dwight Stones)
Thursday, February 28
ESPN Classic, 3:30-4:00 p.m.
Cheap Seats: 1978 World's Strongest Man (featuring Brian Oldfield)
Sunday, March 2
TV Land, 10:30-11:00 p.m.
Sanford & Son: "The Olympics" (Fred becomes a decathlete)
Friday, March 7
WCSN, time TBA
World Indoor Championships
Saturday, March 8
WCSN, time TBA
World Indoor Championships
Sunday, March 9
Big Ten Network, 8:00 p.m.
Big Ten Men's Championship
WCSN, time TBA
World Indoor Championships
Monday, March 10
Big Ten Network, 9:00 p.m.
Big Ten Women's Championship
Thursday, March 20
ESPN2, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
NCAA Indoor Championships
Saturday, April 26
ESPN, 2:00-4:00 PM
Penn Relays
Sunday, May 18
ESPN2, 10:00-midnight
Adidas Track Classic
Saturday, May 31
ESPN2, 8:00-10:00 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 1
CBS, 1:30-2:30 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 8
NBC, 4:00-6:00 PM
Prefontaine Classic
Saturday, June 28
USA, 12:00-1:00 a.m.
NBC, 8:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, June 29
NBC, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Monday, June 30
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Thursday, July 3
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Friday, July 4
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Saturday, July 5
NBC, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, July 6
NBC, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
WGN, 4:30-5:00 p.m.
The Cosby Show: "Back to the Track, Jack" (guest stars Josh Culbreath and Larry James)
Wednesday, February 27
Showtime Family Zone, 8:35 a.m.
1972 Munich Olympic Games
ESPN Classic, 1:00-1:30 p.m.
Cheap Seats: 1978 Superstars (featuring Dwight Stones)
Thursday, February 28
ESPN Classic, 3:30-4:00 p.m.
Cheap Seats: 1978 World's Strongest Man (featuring Brian Oldfield)
Sunday, March 2
TV Land, 10:30-11:00 p.m.
Sanford & Son: "The Olympics" (Fred becomes a decathlete)
Friday, March 7
WCSN, time TBA
World Indoor Championships
Saturday, March 8
WCSN, time TBA
World Indoor Championships
Sunday, March 9
Big Ten Network, 8:00 p.m.
Big Ten Men's Championship
WCSN, time TBA
World Indoor Championships
Monday, March 10
Big Ten Network, 9:00 p.m.
Big Ten Women's Championship
Thursday, March 20
ESPN2, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
NCAA Indoor Championships
Saturday, April 26
ESPN, 2:00-4:00 PM
Penn Relays
Sunday, May 18
ESPN2, 10:00-midnight
Adidas Track Classic
Saturday, May 31
ESPN2, 8:00-10:00 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 1
CBS, 1:30-2:30 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 8
NBC, 4:00-6:00 PM
Prefontaine Classic
Saturday, June 28
USA, 12:00-1:00 a.m.
NBC, 8:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, June 29
NBC, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Monday, June 30
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Thursday, July 3
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Friday, July 4
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Saturday, July 5
NBC, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, July 6
NBC, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, February 24, 2008
USATF Indoor Championships Recap
IAAF Recap
USATF Recap
Results
Less Than Our Best liveblog
My thoughts on the USATF Indoor Championships...
I knew Michael Rodgers was going to win the 60, because he's outrun all but Olusoji Fasuba this winter. But that's all I knew about him. Turns out he was last year's NAIA champ at Oklahoma Baptist.
My hope for a domestic rivalry in the men's 800 meters may come to pass. Just 0.01 separated Robinson & Symmonds today. Let's hope there are enough 800m races in the outdoor VISA series to build on this.
As Matt Taylor demonstrated in the last Runnerville Weekly, the Tyson coverage of the men's shot was shameful. Today they actually built some drama into the event--inarguably the toughest event to win in the entire meet.
Rob Myers still runs waaay too tight, but he ran just about a perfect race to win his second national title. Love to see an Ohio guy win!
This week's TV complaint: The USATF XC coverage looked very dull. I had a USATF party going on in my basement bar, so I couldn't always zero in on everything like usual, but it looked like a good time to go get another beer.
How did I do in the fantasy league? OK. I went from 50th t0 49th. Looks like my 9-for-13 at Tyson was a one-off success.
On to Valencia! It seems that WCSN's coverage is getting a bit more reliable, so I'm going to figure out how to hook my laptop up to my TV to watch the indoor worlds.
USATF Recap
Results
Less Than Our Best liveblog
My thoughts on the USATF Indoor Championships...
I knew Michael Rodgers was going to win the 60, because he's outrun all but Olusoji Fasuba this winter. But that's all I knew about him. Turns out he was last year's NAIA champ at Oklahoma Baptist.
My hope for a domestic rivalry in the men's 800 meters may come to pass. Just 0.01 separated Robinson & Symmonds today. Let's hope there are enough 800m races in the outdoor VISA series to build on this.
As Matt Taylor demonstrated in the last Runnerville Weekly, the Tyson coverage of the men's shot was shameful. Today they actually built some drama into the event--inarguably the toughest event to win in the entire meet.
Rob Myers still runs waaay too tight, but he ran just about a perfect race to win his second national title. Love to see an Ohio guy win!
This week's TV complaint: The USATF XC coverage looked very dull. I had a USATF party going on in my basement bar, so I couldn't always zero in on everything like usual, but it looked like a good time to go get another beer.
How did I do in the fantasy league? OK. I went from 50th t0 49th. Looks like my 9-for-13 at Tyson was a one-off success.
On to Valencia! It seems that WCSN's coverage is getting a bit more reliable, so I'm going to figure out how to hook my laptop up to my TV to watch the indoor worlds.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Cantwell Has Massive Series
Christian Cantwell just made this weekend's USATF men's shot final even more interesting. Today he competed at the Central Missouri Classic and put together what might be the best series in indoor shot-putting history.
His best put, 72' 9 1/4" is an indoor PR (but inferior to his outdoor best). So far as anyone can determine, he's the first ever to have all six puts at 70 or better in an indoor competition.
But I'm still going with Adam Nelson to win. Nelson has a history of coming up big in big meets and Cantwell does not.
In other news, part of Saturday's competition has been rescheduled. Very bad weather in the Boston area has made travel difficult. If you've got either Bershawn Jackson or Jen Toomey in the fantasy league, scratch 'em because they won't be there.
His best put, 72' 9 1/4" is an indoor PR (but inferior to his outdoor best). So far as anyone can determine, he's the first ever to have all six puts at 70 or better in an indoor competition.
But I'm still going with Adam Nelson to win. Nelson has a history of coming up big in big meets and Cantwell does not.
In other news, part of Saturday's competition has been rescheduled. Very bad weather in the Boston area has made travel difficult. If you've got either Bershawn Jackson or Jen Toomey in the fantasy league, scratch 'em because they won't be there.
USATF Indor Nationals Preview
USATF previews
Let's Run previews: Men -- Women
Meet website
Start lists
TV coverage: Sunday, 5-7 p.m., ESPN2
I'll be having a viewing party at The Bell Lap, despite Barack Obama's rudeness in scheduling a rally just six miles away at the exact same time. The beer of the week will be Sam Adams Boston Ale. I've already done the Boston Lager, and I prefer ales over lagers.
I've got a chance to win the USATF Fantasy League, albeit a small one. My picks:
Men
60m: Michael Rodgers
400m: Kelly Willie
800m: Khadevis Robinson
1500m: Steve Sherer
3000m: Jonathon Riley
60H: Allen Johnson
5k Walk: Michael Kazmierczak
High Jump: Jesse Williams
Pole Vault: Derek Miles
Long Jump: Brian Johnson
Triple Jump: Kenta Bell
Shot Put: Adam Nelson
Weight Throw: A.G. Kruger
Women
60m: Angela Williams
400m: Mary Wineberg
800m: Sasha Spencer
1500m: Christin Wurth-Thomas
3000m: Katie McGregor
60H: Lolo Jones
3k Walk: Theresa Vaill
High Jump: Amy Acuff
Pole Vault: Jen Stuczynski
Long Jump: Lela Nelson
Triple Jump: Shani Marks
Shot Put: Elizabeth Wanless
Weight Throw: Amber Campbell
Let's Run previews: Men -- Women
Meet website
Start lists
TV coverage: Sunday, 5-7 p.m., ESPN2
I'll be having a viewing party at The Bell Lap, despite Barack Obama's rudeness in scheduling a rally just six miles away at the exact same time. The beer of the week will be Sam Adams Boston Ale. I've already done the Boston Lager, and I prefer ales over lagers.
I've got a chance to win the USATF Fantasy League, albeit a small one. My picks:
Men
60m: Michael Rodgers
400m: Kelly Willie
800m: Khadevis Robinson
1500m: Steve Sherer
3000m: Jonathon Riley
60H: Allen Johnson
5k Walk: Michael Kazmierczak
High Jump: Jesse Williams
Pole Vault: Derek Miles
Long Jump: Brian Johnson
Triple Jump: Kenta Bell
Shot Put: Adam Nelson
Weight Throw: A.G. Kruger
Women
60m: Angela Williams
400m: Mary Wineberg
800m: Sasha Spencer
1500m: Christin Wurth-Thomas
3000m: Katie McGregor
60H: Lolo Jones
3k Walk: Theresa Vaill
High Jump: Amy Acuff
Pole Vault: Jen Stuczynski
Long Jump: Lela Nelson
Triple Jump: Shani Marks
Shot Put: Elizabeth Wanless
Weight Throw: Amber Campbell
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Two Tracksters to Wed
Or is that "fieldsters"?
Anyway, thrower Ian Waltz put on a big production of proposing to vaulter Stacy Dragila. Hope triumphed over experience and she said yes (Dragila has been married before).
Isn't is so darling it makes you want to vomit?
Anyway, thrower Ian Waltz put on a big production of proposing to vaulter Stacy Dragila. Hope triumphed over experience and she said yes (Dragila has been married before).
Isn't is so darling it makes you want to vomit?
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Weekend Recap
Joe Battaglia at NBC Olympics picks his top ten performances of the weekend. There was a lot going on.
In the US, there was the Tyson Invitational, where Adam Nelson set the real indoor World Record in the pro section while Texas set the indoor World Record in the distance medley.
Over in the UK, there was a big meet in Birmingham, where Kenenisa Bekele set the indoor 2-mile "world record".
Yelena Isinbayeva upped her own indoor World Record to 16' 2 3/4" (4.95m) at the vault-only Pole Vault Stars meet in Donetsk, Ukraine.
Two other important meets flew under the radar a bit. The USATF Cross Country championships showed that Shalane Flanagan is again in fine form, while Ryan Hall's late fade was a bit of a surprise. The Russians crushed the competition at the European Indoor Cup.
And there were a few other smaller competitions: the Eurocross in Diekirch (LUX), the Asian Indoor Championships in Doha (QAT), the French Indoor Championships, the Tokyo Marathon, and an early World Athletics Tour meet down under in Sydney.
In the US, there was the Tyson Invitational, where Adam Nelson set the real indoor World Record in the pro section while Texas set the indoor World Record in the distance medley.
Over in the UK, there was a big meet in Birmingham, where Kenenisa Bekele set the indoor 2-mile "world record".
Yelena Isinbayeva upped her own indoor World Record to 16' 2 3/4" (4.95m) at the vault-only Pole Vault Stars meet in Donetsk, Ukraine.
Two other important meets flew under the radar a bit. The USATF Cross Country championships showed that Shalane Flanagan is again in fine form, while Ryan Hall's late fade was a bit of a surprise. The Russians crushed the competition at the European Indoor Cup.
And there were a few other smaller competitions: the Eurocross in Diekirch (LUX), the Asian Indoor Championships in Doha (QAT), the French Indoor Championships, the Tokyo Marathon, and an early World Athletics Tour meet down under in Sydney.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Tyson Invitational Recap
IAAF recap
USATF recap
Results
Performance of the meet: Adam Nelson's 73'6" shot put
The IAAF tacitly admitted this to be an indoor World Record. It's #3 on the all-time indoor list, and the furthest since the introduction of random out-of-competition drug testing. The two men who have thrown further? One (Ulf Timmerman) was an East German and was almost assuredly on something, while the other (Randy Barnes) has a lifetime doping ban.
Event of the meet: Men's mile
While I would much rather have not already known how the race came out when I watched this, it did allow me to zero in on Nick Willis. He's a very smart racer; he was last for the first 400, then carefully moved up and never ran wide on a turn.
This week's TV complaint: How about some post-production? Some planning? Or even caring about the viewer at all?
The coverage began with the last 14 laps of basically a non-race, where Cragg easily beat the field. Who else would start off a broadcast with their most boring material? Then we got NO editing of false starts in the short sprints/hurdles (not to mention a name misspelling for 60m champ and LSU gridiron star Trindon Holliday). We got to see infield boom-mounted cameras that would have given us interesting shots of the races, but no footage from said cameras.
Here's the deal: you've got two days to edit this stuff. Get with the program. A couple of middle-school students could do better!
How'd I do in the Fantasy League? I kicked ass. I picked 9 out of 13 events correctly. Of my four misses, one was a no-show (Brie Felnagle in the mile), and two were won by athletes I mentioned as co-favorites (Adam Nelson, Carmelita Jeter). I jumped from 123rd to 50th overall and I still have a shot at the overall title.
If you want to win the final week, watch this space.
USATF recap
Results
Performance of the meet: Adam Nelson's 73'6" shot put
The IAAF tacitly admitted this to be an indoor World Record. It's #3 on the all-time indoor list, and the furthest since the introduction of random out-of-competition drug testing. The two men who have thrown further? One (Ulf Timmerman) was an East German and was almost assuredly on something, while the other (Randy Barnes) has a lifetime doping ban.
Event of the meet: Men's mile
While I would much rather have not already known how the race came out when I watched this, it did allow me to zero in on Nick Willis. He's a very smart racer; he was last for the first 400, then carefully moved up and never ran wide on a turn.
This week's TV complaint: How about some post-production? Some planning? Or even caring about the viewer at all?
The coverage began with the last 14 laps of basically a non-race, where Cragg easily beat the field. Who else would start off a broadcast with their most boring material? Then we got NO editing of false starts in the short sprints/hurdles (not to mention a name misspelling for 60m champ and LSU gridiron star Trindon Holliday). We got to see infield boom-mounted cameras that would have given us interesting shots of the races, but no footage from said cameras.
Here's the deal: you've got two days to edit this stuff. Get with the program. A couple of middle-school students could do better!
How'd I do in the Fantasy League? I kicked ass. I picked 9 out of 13 events correctly. Of my four misses, one was a no-show (Brie Felnagle in the mile), and two were won by athletes I mentioned as co-favorites (Adam Nelson, Carmelita Jeter). I jumped from 123rd to 50th overall and I still have a shot at the overall title.
If you want to win the final week, watch this space.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A Disturbing Trend
I couldn't wait two days to find out what happened at the Tyson Invitational and peeked online. This will make tomorrow's TV viewing somewhat less interesting.
Come to think of it, there hasn't been any live coverage this year save one hour of the Millrose Games. The USATF Indoor Championships will be live, and probably the Penn Relays as well. But I don't expect any other live broadcasts apart from the Olympic Trials and the Olympic Games. Maybe the Prefontaine Classic if we're lucky.
But there's an even worse trend as of this year. Really, the best invitational meets and international championships were never on US TV anyway. A couple of years ago WCSN came online to fill that hole and they did a pretty darn good job. This year's promised meet coverage is as long as your arm.
In the past, most if not all of these meets were streamed live. Not this year, at least through the indoor season. Today's Birmingham (UK) meet is a prime example--the meet is already over, but won't be available to view until tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. EST.
And then there's the question of whether it will be on at all. The Valencia meet never did get shown, and six days later the "Stay tuned for on-demand video" sign is still there. Wednesday's Athens meet is still waiting to be put online as well.
I understand that WCSN is a small-time operation and might not be able to do a lot. But the surest way to ruin a reputation is to make promises you can't keep. So far this year they've shown no reason why a fan should part with their hard-earned dollars. And once you've broken promises...well, why would anyone believe they really will get to see the World Indoor or World XC championships?
Full disclosure: WCSN approached me with an offer of a complimentary 2008 subscription and I wasn't about to turn it down. As you can see, this does not affect my willingness to speak my mind.
Come to think of it, there hasn't been any live coverage this year save one hour of the Millrose Games. The USATF Indoor Championships will be live, and probably the Penn Relays as well. But I don't expect any other live broadcasts apart from the Olympic Trials and the Olympic Games. Maybe the Prefontaine Classic if we're lucky.
But there's an even worse trend as of this year. Really, the best invitational meets and international championships were never on US TV anyway. A couple of years ago WCSN came online to fill that hole and they did a pretty darn good job. This year's promised meet coverage is as long as your arm.
In the past, most if not all of these meets were streamed live. Not this year, at least through the indoor season. Today's Birmingham (UK) meet is a prime example--the meet is already over, but won't be available to view until tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. EST.
And then there's the question of whether it will be on at all. The Valencia meet never did get shown, and six days later the "Stay tuned for on-demand video" sign is still there. Wednesday's Athens meet is still waiting to be put online as well.
I understand that WCSN is a small-time operation and might not be able to do a lot. But the surest way to ruin a reputation is to make promises you can't keep. So far this year they've shown no reason why a fan should part with their hard-earned dollars. And once you've broken promises...well, why would anyone believe they really will get to see the World Indoor or World XC championships?
Full disclosure: WCSN approached me with an offer of a complimentary 2008 subscription and I wasn't about to turn it down. As you can see, this does not affect my willingness to speak my mind.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Grievance over 2012 Olympic Trials site
The USATF Pacific Association has hosted many national championships at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento. They had hoped to host the 2012 Trials but got beat out by Eugene, and are also shut out of all the national meets in the interim.
Smelling a rat in the Oregon site selection and subsequent Nike employment of Craig Masback, they've decided to file a grievance. They weren't given an opportunity to bid for the Trials and there have been accusations of backroom dealing and corruption.
Curtis Anderson of the Eugene Register-Guard paints a different picture:
Over at the T&FN Boards, Charley Shaffer points out how the Pacific Association's director John Mansoor has been fairly bitchy about ANY national championships being awarded to other cities, and this threat isn't much out of line with past actions. Hmm, a leader in an essentially political position is in a scrap over protecting his turf...how is this news?
Let me just say that I'm spending a good chunk of money to attend this summer's Olympic Trials in Eugene. If they were in Sacramento I'd be watching them in the comfort of my own home. Mansoor is also complaining about the 2010 USATF meet being awarded to Des Moines, and there's not an athletic shoe company within 1,000 miles of Drake Stadium.
A whole lot of hot air if you ask me.
Smelling a rat in the Oregon site selection and subsequent Nike employment of Craig Masback, they've decided to file a grievance. They weren't given an opportunity to bid for the Trials and there have been accusations of backroom dealing and corruption.
Curtis Anderson of the Eugene Register-Guard paints a different picture:
In the past, the USATF has followed two different paths in awarding the rights to host championship meets: either a formal bid process or a business deal.According to Anderson, this isn't unusual at all--and it's a setup that Sacramento has used to its benefit in the past.Jill Geer, USATF director of communications, said a bid process was used to award the 2000 Trials to Sacramento and the 2008 Trials to Eugene, as well as the U.S. outdoor championships in 2006 and 2007.
On the other hand, she said USATF reached business agreements with various local organizing committees that hosted the U.S. outdoor meets in ’01, ’02, ’03 and ’05, in addition to the 2004 Trials in Sacramento.
Over at the T&FN Boards, Charley Shaffer points out how the Pacific Association's director John Mansoor has been fairly bitchy about ANY national championships being awarded to other cities, and this threat isn't much out of line with past actions. Hmm, a leader in an essentially political position is in a scrap over protecting his turf...how is this news?
Let me just say that I'm spending a good chunk of money to attend this summer's Olympic Trials in Eugene. If they were in Sacramento I'd be watching them in the comfort of my own home. Mansoor is also complaining about the 2010 USATF meet being awarded to Des Moines, and there's not an athletic shoe company within 1,000 miles of Drake Stadium.
A whole lot of hot air if you ask me.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Anti-Doping News
This is an indication that things may be changing in the most fundamental way possible. From Athletics in Britain:
You may also be aware that Chambers is effectively banned from all major European invitationals. If meets don't want you and sponsors don't want you, you can no longer be considered a "professional", and if this becomes standard then athletes who choose to dope don't risk a mere 2-year ban but rather their entire livelihood.
I have no illusions that this took place because the moneymakers discovered ethics. Rather, it's because there has been such a huge outcry in the UK over the whole affair. The lesson to learn, then, is to complain long and loud about dopers why try to come back.
UPDATE: Apparently you can't get a manager, either.
[Dwain] Chambers also faces a backlash from sponsors. Adidas has contacted UKA to stress that the kit which the sprinter wore in the indoor trials in Sheffield on Sunday was not a newly supplied one and that it wishes to distance itself from him.(emphasis added)
You may also be aware that Chambers is effectively banned from all major European invitationals. If meets don't want you and sponsors don't want you, you can no longer be considered a "professional", and if this becomes standard then athletes who choose to dope don't risk a mere 2-year ban but rather their entire livelihood.
I have no illusions that this took place because the moneymakers discovered ethics. Rather, it's because there has been such a huge outcry in the UK over the whole affair. The lesson to learn, then, is to complain long and loud about dopers why try to come back.
UPDATE: Apparently you can't get a manager, either.
Running Times Thinking Outside The Box
From a press release on RT's redesign:
P.S. I don't work in the private sector--I'm a teacher. But if I did, I'd probably get so fed up with "think outside the box" that I'd carry a shiv just to keep that phrase in check.
[RT] will introduce two new monthly sections - the NCAA Section and the Master's Section...A few years back I got pretty annoyed at what I thought was a generally snotty attitude in RT and canceled my subscription. I'll reverse that for the Chris Lear stuff alone.
The NCAA Section, spearheaded by new contributing editor Chris Lear, author of Running with the Buffaloes and Sub-4, will provide college athletes direct access to coach / athlete profiles, team reports / statistics as well as training and racing advice from top coaches and timely topics such as the dos and don'ts of transitioning out of college and into the pros. An interactive, online channel will compliment the in-book NCAA Section...
The Master's Section will specifically target the 40+ master runner and offer competitive training techniques and resources for this experienced demographic.
P.S. I don't work in the private sector--I'm a teacher. But if I did, I'd probably get so fed up with "think outside the box" that I'd carry a shiv just to keep that phrase in check.
Tyson Invitational Preview
IAAF preview
USATF preview
Less Than Our Best preview (snarky)
Meet Website
Start Lists
TV coverage: ESPN, Sunday, 5-7 p.m.
Beer at The Bell Lap: Old Speckled Hen. An excellent beer, and the connection to the meet shouldn't be too hard to figure out.
My preview? I'll run down my picks in the USATF Fantasy League.
Men
Shot Put: Christian Cantwell. Adam Taylor had a big, big throw two weeks ago at Millrose, but Cantwell has been the most consistent so far this year. I can't believe I just used "Cantwell" and "consistent" in the same sentence.
60m Hurdles: Allen Johnson. He's quietly had a pretty good indoor season in Europe--Dayron Robles has got all the attention. In Antwon Hicks' absence, I don't see anyone beating the vet.
800 meters: James Hatch. This one is a crapshoot.
60 meters: Trindon Holliday. Yeah, Leonard Scott won at the Millrose Games, and Holliday lost last week in New York. That was Holliday's first race after football season and he was rusty. Holliday is the best sprinter in the race except for Wallace Spearmon, who isn't really a 60m type.
200 meters: Wallace Spearmon. No explanation needed.
5000 meters: Alistair Cragg. Another crapshoot.
Women
Pole Vault: Jen Stuczynski. She lost at Millrose; I don't expect that to happen again for a while.
60 meters: Miki Barber. Carmelita Jeter has also been running well so far. Note that quarter-miler Sanya Richards is entered.
800 meters: Kenia Sinclair. Honestly, this pick is mostly on name recognition.
Mile: Brie Felnagle. Her 3k last weekend was very good.
200 meters:Courtney Champion. No, not because of her name. My info has her in the outside lane, and that's a big adantage.
USATF preview
Less Than Our Best preview (snarky)
Meet Website
Start Lists
TV coverage: ESPN, Sunday, 5-7 p.m.
Beer at The Bell Lap: Old Speckled Hen. An excellent beer, and the connection to the meet shouldn't be too hard to figure out.
My preview? I'll run down my picks in the USATF Fantasy League.
Men
Shot Put: Christian Cantwell. Adam Taylor had a big, big throw two weeks ago at Millrose, but Cantwell has been the most consistent so far this year. I can't believe I just used "Cantwell" and "consistent" in the same sentence.
60m Hurdles: Allen Johnson. He's quietly had a pretty good indoor season in Europe--Dayron Robles has got all the attention. In Antwon Hicks' absence, I don't see anyone beating the vet.
800 meters: James Hatch. This one is a crapshoot.
60 meters: Trindon Holliday. Yeah, Leonard Scott won at the Millrose Games, and Holliday lost last week in New York. That was Holliday's first race after football season and he was rusty. Holliday is the best sprinter in the race except for Wallace Spearmon, who isn't really a 60m type.
200 meters: Wallace Spearmon. No explanation needed.
5000 meters: Alistair Cragg. Another crapshoot.
Women
Pole Vault: Jen Stuczynski. She lost at Millrose; I don't expect that to happen again for a while.
60 meters: Miki Barber. Carmelita Jeter has also been running well so far. Note that quarter-miler Sanya Richards is entered.
800 meters: Kenia Sinclair. Honestly, this pick is mostly on name recognition.
Mile: Brie Felnagle. Her 3k last weekend was very good.
200 meters:Courtney Champion. No, not because of her name. My info has her in the outside lane, and that's a big adantage.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Problems with College Track
Much of Runnerville's Toni & Matt Show and its Runnerville Weekly is spent on Reavis' screeds against USATF's lack of skill in organizing and promoting the sport. USATF deserves the criticism, but the elite/professional end of the sport is far from the weakest link.
I regularly surf TV listings trying to scrounge up every tiny bit of track coverage on the tube. I look through CSTV, ESPNU, the Big Ten Network, and three different regions of Fox College Sports. There's just nothing there except a few conference meets, and none of them are live. College wrestling is supposed to be all but dead, but it's all over the Big Ten Network. I never thought gymnastics was a big thing in college either, but that's on all the time too.
Why? Simple. Dual meets. Dual meets are interesting and made for TV. None of the wrestling and gymnastics competitions on TV feature more than two teams. But the number of dual track meets this year between Division I programs can be counted on your fingers.
Instead, we're stuck with unbelievably boring all-day affairs. It's a 2-hour drive to Notre Dame for me, yet I wouldn't dream of going to the Meyo Invitational because it's just not worth my time. The reason we get these anti-spectator invitationals is the same reason we don't have dual meets. There's no incentive to do things any other way.
Getting an athlete to the NCAA meet is the number one way for most middle-of-the-road programs to garner some attention. Qualifying is based on marks and marks alone. So unless you've got a chance to run a fast time, there's no reason to run. Even worse, running fast is more important than winning. Collegiate milers would rather run 3:58 and lose than run 4:01 and win--and any sport set up this way is going to be boring, boring, boring.
But weren't the regional meets supposed to change all this? Unfortunately, the "at-large" system didn't end up changing a thing. After the automatic qualifiers get in, a few more are selected based on their single best mark of the season. This is not competition, it is not sport, it is bullshit. At the very first Mideast Regional, Lolo Jones did a face-plant in the 100H final, but ended up All-American at the NCAA meet. In what other sport can you bomb out in the post-season and still get to the championship?
Putting together a team that's good at dual meets doesn't get you anything, but basing your team around just a few athletes does. A team can be a "top 25" program with as little as a dozen points at the NCAA meet. So it's better to be a "big meet" (i.e., really good at two or three events) team than a "small meet" team (kinda good across the board).
It is entirely possible to change the incentive structure. For example, the NCAA team championship could be a separate meet from the NCAA individual championship meet. The top team at each regional that won its conference goes on to a four-team meet (two athletes per event, finals only) held the week between the regionals and NCAA finals. Under this setup, last year's men's championship meet would have been Florida State, Oregon, Oklahoma and Louisville in that order. If some traditionalists cry foul, I'd point out there are two NCAA championships, and the indoor champion would still be determined in the "big meet" style.
Also, the nationals qualifying system would have to change. The NCAA has floated various strange trial balloons on a nationals restructuring. Its obvious goal is to get the national meet
into a shorter window by allowing only 16 athletes per event, but still keeping the number of athletes who run at the national meet high. The solution is obvious: call the regionals the first round of the NCAA championship! (They do this in basketball.) Then qualify just 16 athletes to the national meet, and if at-large selections are made it must be done by a committee rather than a list.
With these two changes in place, there would be no reason to avoid dual meets. In fact, they would be attractive. When marks no longer matter, dual meets are a low-risk way of sharpening athletes' competitive skills. Get yourself on TV and the athletes (and donors) are quite a bit more interested in your program. Less invitationals mean more meets overall and therefore more home meets. Getting in the national rankings is not a function of the NCAA Championships but how you actually compete against teams in scored meets--and dual meets are easier to win than conference or regional meets.
Would this ever happen? Not in a million years. But one can dream, no?
I regularly surf TV listings trying to scrounge up every tiny bit of track coverage on the tube. I look through CSTV, ESPNU, the Big Ten Network, and three different regions of Fox College Sports. There's just nothing there except a few conference meets, and none of them are live. College wrestling is supposed to be all but dead, but it's all over the Big Ten Network. I never thought gymnastics was a big thing in college either, but that's on all the time too.
Why? Simple. Dual meets. Dual meets are interesting and made for TV. None of the wrestling and gymnastics competitions on TV feature more than two teams. But the number of dual track meets this year between Division I programs can be counted on your fingers.
Instead, we're stuck with unbelievably boring all-day affairs. It's a 2-hour drive to Notre Dame for me, yet I wouldn't dream of going to the Meyo Invitational because it's just not worth my time. The reason we get these anti-spectator invitationals is the same reason we don't have dual meets. There's no incentive to do things any other way.
Getting an athlete to the NCAA meet is the number one way for most middle-of-the-road programs to garner some attention. Qualifying is based on marks and marks alone. So unless you've got a chance to run a fast time, there's no reason to run. Even worse, running fast is more important than winning. Collegiate milers would rather run 3:58 and lose than run 4:01 and win--and any sport set up this way is going to be boring, boring, boring.
But weren't the regional meets supposed to change all this? Unfortunately, the "at-large" system didn't end up changing a thing. After the automatic qualifiers get in, a few more are selected based on their single best mark of the season. This is not competition, it is not sport, it is bullshit. At the very first Mideast Regional, Lolo Jones did a face-plant in the 100H final, but ended up All-American at the NCAA meet. In what other sport can you bomb out in the post-season and still get to the championship?
Putting together a team that's good at dual meets doesn't get you anything, but basing your team around just a few athletes does. A team can be a "top 25" program with as little as a dozen points at the NCAA meet. So it's better to be a "big meet" (i.e., really good at two or three events) team than a "small meet" team (kinda good across the board).
It is entirely possible to change the incentive structure. For example, the NCAA team championship could be a separate meet from the NCAA individual championship meet. The top team at each regional that won its conference goes on to a four-team meet (two athletes per event, finals only) held the week between the regionals and NCAA finals. Under this setup, last year's men's championship meet would have been Florida State, Oregon, Oklahoma and Louisville in that order. If some traditionalists cry foul, I'd point out there are two NCAA championships, and the indoor champion would still be determined in the "big meet" style.
Also, the nationals qualifying system would have to change. The NCAA has floated various strange trial balloons on a nationals restructuring. Its obvious goal is to get the national meet
into a shorter window by allowing only 16 athletes per event, but still keeping the number of athletes who run at the national meet high. The solution is obvious: call the regionals the first round of the NCAA championship! (They do this in basketball.) Then qualify just 16 athletes to the national meet, and if at-large selections are made it must be done by a committee rather than a list.
With these two changes in place, there would be no reason to avoid dual meets. In fact, they would be attractive. When marks no longer matter, dual meets are a low-risk way of sharpening athletes' competitive skills. Get yourself on TV and the athletes (and donors) are quite a bit more interested in your program. Less invitationals mean more meets overall and therefore more home meets. Getting in the national rankings is not a function of the NCAA Championships but how you actually compete against teams in scored meets--and dual meets are easier to win than conference or regional meets.
Would this ever happen? Not in a million years. But one can dream, no?
Weekly Update
Weekly updates from Let's Run, Athletics Weekly, and WCSN.Who's that in the photo? The "Rick Mercer Report" is a north-of-the border Daily Show with an occaissional mean streak. On this week's show he trains with the Ottawa Lions and Glenroy Gilbert!
Runnerville on USATF Cross
I have to admit, Runnerville is the absolute best track blog out there, far superior to my own little corner of the series of tubes. Today Jeremy Mosher writes about the USATF XC Championships.
[W]hy are we going to San Diego this year? In any year? Now, I’m not necessarily advocating that we move this event to Eugene, Oregon for the next three decades; to be honest, I think if the race were held in Boulder every year, the initial nationwide buzz would probably ebb a bit over time.That last line is classic.
But why not go on a tri- or quad-annual rotation that eases travel for runners in each part of the country every couple of years, awarding the event to communities and organizations who can give it the support it deserves, while allowing them to fine-tune the event as repeat hosts? I’d vote for a rotation of NYC/VCP, Boston/Franklin Park, Boulder/Whatever Golf Course That Was, and San Francisco/Golden Gate Park - great cities, historic courses, strong grass-roots support. Heck, maybe throw the Midwest a bone by having it in Cincinnati every 5th year - I hear they have fantastic chili and extremely tolerant law enforcement officials there.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
The same race that had such disaster last fall recently had a change of sponsors: LaSalle Bank out, Bank of America in. Maybe LaSalle wanted out after the debacle and Bank of America saw a discounted pick-up.
Now comes word that Bank of America is running after Exxon for the "jerkiest corporation" award. From Crooks & Liars:
Just what the Chicago Marathon needs--more bad association.
Now comes word that Bank of America is running after Exxon for the "jerkiest corporation" award. From Crooks & Liars:
Credit-card issuers have drawn fire for jacking up interest rates on cardholders who aren’t behind on payments, but whose credit score has fallen for another reason. Now, some consumers complain, Bank of America (BAC) is hiking rates based on no apparent deterioration in their credit scores at all. . . The major credit-card lender in mid-January sent letters notifying some responsible cardholders that it would more than double their rates to as high as 28%, without giving an explanation for the increase, according to copies of five letters obtained by BusinessWeek. Fine print at the end of the letter—headed “Important Amendment to Your Credit Card Agreement”—advised calling an 800-number for the reason, but consumers who called say they were unable to get a clear answer. “No one could give me an explanation,” says Eric Fresch, a Huron (Ohio) engineer who is on time with his Bank of America card payments and knows of no decline in the status of his overall credit.
Just what the Chicago Marathon needs--more bad association.
USATF Cross Country Nationals
Jeremy at Less Than Our Best is excited about XC nationals.
Scott Bush at the US Distance Running blog points out that such a field does not exist at this year's race in San Diego. It did last year in Boulder. But the biggest difference between this year's races and last year's is the pre-meet hype. Last year lots, this year basically none.
What other race has such an eccentric collection of top-line American stars, talented young guys poised for a breakout race in one of the major National Championships, and veterans who very well may run terribly, but whose names still grab your attention, on paper?
Scott Bush at the US Distance Running blog points out that such a field does not exist at this year's race in San Diego. It did last year in Boulder. But the biggest difference between this year's races and last year's is the pre-meet hype. Last year lots, this year basically none.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
TV/Web Listings
Wednesday, February 13
WCSN, 5 p.m.
Athina 2008
Saturday, February 16
Showtime Family Zone, 10:50 a.m.-12:25 p.m.
1972 Munich Olympic Games
(repeats Feb 22 at 6:55 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Feb 23 at 4:30 a.m., Feb 27 at 8:35 a.m.)
Sunday, February 17
ESPN, 5:00-7:00 PM
Tyson Invitational
WCSN, 3:00 p.m.
Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix
Sunday, February 24
ESPN2, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
USATF Indoor Championships
WCSN, 5:00 p.m.
Paris Indoor Permit
Sunday, March 9
Big Ten Network, 8:00 p.m.
Big Ten Men's Championship
Monday, March 10
Big Ten Network, 9:00 p.m.
Big Ten Women's Championship
Thursday, March 20
ESPN2, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
NCAA Indoor Championships
Saturday, April 26
ESPN, 2:00-4:00 PM
Penn Relays
Sunday, May 18
ESPN2, 10:00-midnight
Adidas Track Classic
Saturday, May 31
ESPN2, 8:00-10:00 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 1
CBS, 1:30-2:30 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 8
NBC, 4:00-6:00 PM
Prefontaine Classic
Saturday, June 28
USA, 12:00-1:00 a.m.
NBC, 8:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, June 29
NBC, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Monday, June 30
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Thursday, July 3
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Friday, July 4
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Saturday, July 5
NBC, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, July 6
NBC, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
WCSN, 5 p.m.
Athina 2008
Saturday, February 16
Showtime Family Zone, 10:50 a.m.-12:25 p.m.
1972 Munich Olympic Games
(repeats Feb 22 at 6:55 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Feb 23 at 4:30 a.m., Feb 27 at 8:35 a.m.)
Sunday, February 17
ESPN, 5:00-7:00 PM
Tyson Invitational
WCSN, 3:00 p.m.
Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix
Sunday, February 24
ESPN2, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
USATF Indoor Championships
WCSN, 5:00 p.m.
Paris Indoor Permit
Sunday, March 9
Big Ten Network, 8:00 p.m.
Big Ten Men's Championship
Monday, March 10
Big Ten Network, 9:00 p.m.
Big Ten Women's Championship
Thursday, March 20
ESPN2, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
NCAA Indoor Championships
Saturday, April 26
ESPN, 2:00-4:00 PM
Penn Relays
Sunday, May 18
ESPN2, 10:00-midnight
Adidas Track Classic
Saturday, May 31
ESPN2, 8:00-10:00 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 1
CBS, 1:30-2:30 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 8
NBC, 4:00-6:00 PM
Prefontaine Classic
Saturday, June 28
USA, 12:00-1:00 a.m.
NBC, 8:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, June 29
NBC, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Monday, June 30
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Thursday, July 3
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Friday, July 4
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Saturday, July 5
NBC, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, July 6
NBC, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Weekend News
Normally I pawn this job off on others and merely link to their articles. However, this weekend's indoor action requires a bit more.#1: Susanna Kallur broke the 60m hurdles World Record. This was at the Karlsruhe indoor permit meet, and was considered a difficult if not impossible feat. She ran 7.68, just breaking the old record of 7.69, set some 18 years ago by the notorious Soviet Ludmila Narozhilenko. (Later, as Ludmila Enquist, she received a lifetime doping ban; that old record was likely set with pharmaceutical aid.)
WCSN will shortly have the meet viewable on-demand.
Discuss
#2: Yelena Soboleva broke her own 1500 meters World indoor Record. This was on the final day of the Russian Championships; just yesterday she broke the national 800 meter indoor record. (Personally, I find Soboleva's pair of outstanding performances just a bit too amazing for comfort, if you know what I mean. The only other indoor sub-4:00 was run by the notorious Regina Jacobs, and almost assuredly with pharmaceutical aid.)
Discuss
#3. The notorious Dwain Chambers won the 60 meters at the UK World Championships trials, to the great disgust of apparently everyone on Earth save Chambers himself.
Discuss
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Olympic Team Chosen
In case you hadn't noticed, the Olympic Trials for the men's 50k walk was today in Miami. The race was won by Philip Dunn; in the extreme heat he did not get an Olympic qualifying time. Those who pay attention to these kinds of races believe he'll likely get one in his only remaining opportunity, the World Cup in Moscow in May.
I actually went to watch a 50k walk once, at the 2001 World Championships. Wow, is that a long race.
I actually went to watch a 50k walk once, at the 2001 World Championships. Wow, is that a long race.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Anti-Doping News
Not track-related:
How weird does it get? This weird: Brian McNamee, Roger Clemens's ex-trainer says he saved syringes and needles used in the injections of anabolic steroids and HGH into the Rocket.Read more.
Dwain Chambers
Over in Britain they're having quite the rhubarb about Dwain Chambers. As you may recall, he was part of the BALCO affair. His suspension is over, he wants to make the national team for the World Indoor Championships, and few if any other people want him around. Chambers threatened legal action to get on the team. Athletics Weekly, the venerable track magazine, has taken "the unprecedented step of imploring the crowd to boo Chambers when he takes to the track in Sheffield".
From the Athletics in Britain blog:
From the Athletics in Britain blog:
I think everyone - UKA, the fans, and especially the press, need to calm down. This is just sport. I may be a lifetime Liverpool supporter but I don't subscribe to Saint Shankly's oft-quoted line about sport being more important than life or death. Yes, Chambers took drugs, cheated and denied success to others as a result of his cheating. However, Chambers has served his suspension and under the rules of the sport, he has every right to come back and run. That doesn't mean we have to like it.
Golden League coming to USA?
Sweden's Aftonbladet (in Swedish) has a view of the IAAF's master plan, and it includes a Golden League event in Eugene. This is part of a plan to take the series global; not only to North America but to Asia and Russia as well.
Another part of the plan is a contract with top athletes requiring them to compete in a minimum number of GL events.
Discuss
Another part of the plan is a contract with top athletes requiring them to compete in a minimum number of GL events.
Discuss
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Millrose thumbs-down
Earlier this week Let's Run gave a thumbs down to poor attendance at the Millrose Games:
Nice fields were assembled and yet only some 12,000 odd fans bothered to show up. Maybe New Yorkers were too busy getting ready for the Super Bowl but it always is mind-boggling to us that so many track fans will say track isn't popular. The same people who complain about it are the same people who won't pay to go to Millrose.In a response, Jeremy Mosher at Runnerville posted under the headline "Horses Not Lead To Water Unlikely To Drink":
A point raised in the course of that down-turned digit: lots of events at Millrose that have little appeal = 5-hour trudge-fest. What other (popular) professional sporting event lasts 5 hours? Even baseball thinks that’s an unwieldy length. Here are some salient numbers, based on the schedule posted on the Millrose website: 5-hour event. 97 minutes of scheduled professional events on the track. That ain’t right. I am a track fan. A big fan. A Wake-Up-At-Ungodly-Hours-to-Watch-Meets-Live-on-WCSN fan. But I hate Millrose. Because it is boring. And I probably will not go back a 4th time after 3 straight stinkers.This same complaint is why I rarely attend college invitationals. Too long, too pointless. I too have gotten up at 3 a.m. to watch live track from the other side of the world, and if I'm not willing to drive an hour down the road...well, we have a problem.
Track & Field Podcasts
Last weekend my wife won an iPod in a drawing at a conference, and since she already has one she gave it to me. I'm not too much of a gadget guy, so I might not have ever gotten one on my own, but after only a few days I wonder how I got along without it.
Besides ripping all my drinking songs and Hound Dog Taylor CDs, I've been scouring the internet for track & field podcasts. The pickings are slim. The IAAF hasn't had a new audio file since last summer. Track & Field Radio appears to have gone the way of the dodo. The Final Sprint has quite a few podcasts, and they're OK.
By far the best I've heard comes to us from Runnerville.com. They have a weekly podcast, plus a less predictable Toni and Matt Show. Cohost of the latter is Toni Reavis, who is on just about every TV broadcast of track/XC/road running not done by the ESPN/NBC crew. The weekly show has some pretty big-name guests like Amby Burfoot, Weldon Johnson, and Chris Lear.
If you know of any other track/running-related podcasts, click on "comments" and post 'em.
Besides ripping all my drinking songs and Hound Dog Taylor CDs, I've been scouring the internet for track & field podcasts. The pickings are slim. The IAAF hasn't had a new audio file since last summer. Track & Field Radio appears to have gone the way of the dodo. The Final Sprint has quite a few podcasts, and they're OK.
By far the best I've heard comes to us from Runnerville.com. They have a weekly podcast, plus a less predictable Toni and Matt Show. Cohost of the latter is Toni Reavis, who is on just about every TV broadcast of track/XC/road running not done by the ESPN/NBC crew. The weekly show has some pretty big-name guests like Amby Burfoot, Weldon Johnson, and Chris Lear.
If you know of any other track/running-related podcasts, click on "comments" and post 'em.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Anti-Doping News
Follow-up on an old story: Bulgarian athletes Venelina Veneva (HJ) and Vanya Stamboleva (400) had their IAAF bans upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. As you may recall, the Bulgarian federation cleared them last summer for no apparent reason other than they just wanted to.
Eric Pelle posted a story about this with some quotes not widely available in the US.
Eric Pelle posted a story about this with some quotes not widely available in the US.
Veneva, who won silver at the 2006 European Championships in Göteborg in a highly charged and well-contested competition won by surprise winner Tia Hellebaut of Belgium, and bronze at the 2007 European indoor championships, has long been held under suspicion by her international colleagues, with world indoor record-holder, Kajsa Bergqvist, Veneva's staunchest critic.
Bergqvist became both relieved and glad when she learned that her rival, Veneva, was caught for doping with testosterone.
"I have suspected her for almost 10 years time," Bergvist stated to Swedish news agency TT.
"As [the way] she has set up her seasons and suddenly appeared at championships, I have understood that there was something shady. That she has finally gotten caught is an unbelievable relief, but one had hoped that it could have occured earlier," says Kajsa Bergqvist.
Veneva's having jumped very good heights early in the summer in non-major meets close to her home in either Bulgaria or Greece followed by not competing at all during the month or so leading up to the major championships led to part of the suspicion Bergqvist and other athletes had concerning Veneva.
Veneva was also regularly and conspicuously absent from the major Grand Prix and Golden League meets during the main part of the season where all the other top jumpers competed against each other.
Track Trivia
The guys at Less Than Our Best tried a Rick Mercer-type ambush at the Millrose Games. See how well that worked out.
New-look IAAF Website
The IAAF completed their website update, continuing the new look throughout.
The most notable changes have taken place in the statistics area. Click on any athlete's name and it takes you right to his/her bio.
Unfortunately, some things have gone away. For example, the scoring tables are nowhere to be found--and I'm guessing that info won't be given away for free anymore.
The most notable changes have taken place in the statistics area. Click on any athlete's name and it takes you right to his/her bio.
Unfortunately, some things have gone away. For example, the scoring tables are nowhere to be found--and I'm guessing that info won't be given away for free anymore.
Olympic Trials atmosphere
From an Oregon Live article about the upcoming trials:
A section of the U[niversity of] O[regon] campus -- from 15th Avenue to the north, 18th Avenue to the south, Agate Street to the east and University Street to the west -- will be a pedestrian-only festival zone containing Hayward Field and much more.More info at the Eugene '08 website.
It also will include a temporary bar and grill, Niketown store, food court and concert stage. It will have two jumbo video screens and interactive exhibits for adults and children.
The zone will be open before, during and after each day's competition. Festival admission will be free, which means fans without a ticket can settle down in front of one of the screens with a beer and a sandwich and not miss a minute of the action.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Bets 5k Races Ever
Running Times' Roger Robinson makes his selection of the five best 5k races of all time.
5. 2004 Athens Olympic final
4. 1988 Seoul Olympic final
3. 1952 Helsinki Olympic final
2. 1960 Rome Olympic final
1. 1972 Munich Olympic final
5. 2004 Athens Olympic final
4. 1988 Seoul Olympic final
3. 1952 Helsinki Olympic final
2. 1960 Rome Olympic final
1. 1972 Munich Olympic final
Weekend Update
We have weekend updates from NBC Olympics, Athletics Weekly, and Let's Run.We also have a transcript of Ato Boldon, Lewis Johnson, and Dwight Stones discussing the Wariner/Hart situation, and Dave Ungrady's notebook at WCSN.com.
Monday, February 04, 2008
In The Bleachers
This same joke has been done long ago, by Jim Henson & company. The first-ever Sesame Street News Flash:
Sunday, February 03, 2008
TV/Web Listings
Monday, February 4
Showtime Family Zone, 6:00-7:30 a.m.
1972 Munich Olympic Games
(repeats Feb 5 at 3:25 a.m., Feb 10 at 6:45 a.m.)
YES Network, 11:30 p.m.
Running
(repeats nearly ad infinitum throughout the month)
Tuesday, February 5
ESPN Classic, 9:00-9:30 a.m.
SportsCentury: Florence Griffith-Joyner
Wednesday, February 6
ESPN Classic, 9:00-10:00 p.m.
Images in Black & White (includes feature on Alice Coachman)
Thursday, February 7
Sports Time Ohio, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Jesse Owens Returns to Berlin
(repeats Feb 8 at 3 a.m.)
Sunday, February 10
WCSN, 4:00 p.m.
Reunión Internacional Atletismo "Ciudad de Valencia"
Wednesday, February 13
WCSN, 5 p.m.
Athina 2008
Saturday, February 16
WCSN, 3:00 p.m.
Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix
Sunday, February 17
ESPN, 5:00-7:00 PM
Tyson Invitational
Sunday, February 24
ESPN2, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
USATF Indoor Championships
WCSN, 5:00 p.m.
Paris Indoor Permit
Saturday, April 26
ESPN, 2:00-4:00 PM
Penn Relays
Sunday, May 18
ESPN2, 10:00-midnight
Adidas Track Classic
Saturday, May 31
ESPN2, 8:00-10:00 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 1
CBS, 1:30-2:30 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 8
NBC, 4:00-6:00 PM
Prefontaine Classic
Saturday, June 28
USA, 12:00-1:00 a.m.
NBC, 8:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, June 29
NBC, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Monday, June 30
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Thursday, July 3
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Friday, July 4
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Saturday, July 5
NBC, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, July 6
NBC, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Showtime Family Zone, 6:00-7:30 a.m.
1972 Munich Olympic Games
(repeats Feb 5 at 3:25 a.m., Feb 10 at 6:45 a.m.)
YES Network, 11:30 p.m.
Running
(repeats nearly ad infinitum throughout the month)
Tuesday, February 5
ESPN Classic, 9:00-9:30 a.m.
SportsCentury: Florence Griffith-Joyner
Wednesday, February 6
ESPN Classic, 9:00-10:00 p.m.
Images in Black & White (includes feature on Alice Coachman)
Thursday, February 7
Sports Time Ohio, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Jesse Owens Returns to Berlin
(repeats Feb 8 at 3 a.m.)
Sunday, February 10
WCSN, 4:00 p.m.
Reunión Internacional Atletismo "Ciudad de Valencia"
Wednesday, February 13
WCSN, 5 p.m.
Athina 2008
Saturday, February 16
WCSN, 3:00 p.m.
Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix
Sunday, February 17
ESPN, 5:00-7:00 PM
Tyson Invitational
Sunday, February 24
ESPN2, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
USATF Indoor Championships
WCSN, 5:00 p.m.
Paris Indoor Permit
Saturday, April 26
ESPN, 2:00-4:00 PM
Penn Relays
Sunday, May 18
ESPN2, 10:00-midnight
Adidas Track Classic
Saturday, May 31
ESPN2, 8:00-10:00 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 1
CBS, 1:30-2:30 PM
Reebok Grand Prix
Sunday, June 8
NBC, 4:00-6:00 PM
Prefontaine Classic
Saturday, June 28
USA, 12:00-1:00 a.m.
NBC, 8:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, June 29
NBC, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Monday, June 30
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Thursday, July 3
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Friday, July 4
USA, 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
US Olympic Trials
Saturday, July 5
NBC, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Sunday, July 6
NBC, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
US Olympic Trials
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Millrose Games recap
IAAF recap
USATF recap
Let's Run recap
NY Times recap
Results
My thoughts on the 101st Millrose Games...
Event of the Meet: The Wanamaker Mile always gets the attention, but I thought the women's mile and the men's 600 yards were better races this year.
Performance of the Meet: Adam Nelson is back in a big way. He set a Madison Square Garden record; these days, you don't expect any kind of record in the shot.
Surprise of the Meet: Jen Stuczynski didn't win the pole vault, but that's not terribly strange. A 10k runner (Kara Goucher) running a mile for her first indoor race in seven years and coming up the winner off a kick? That's a surprise.
This Week's TV Complaint: OK, so they finally gave the shot put its due and showed many throws. They even gave us the running order on-screen. But why wait to do that until the final round? Why does Dwight Stones have to read us the standings out loud halfway through? And why wasn't Nelson's big distance show on-screen until the final results?
Can we get a lap counter for the 600y and further? Please?
On the plus side, it looks like Carol Lewis has been permanently kicked to the curb. About damn time.
How did I do in the fantasy league? Well, there can't be too many other people who correctly picked Kara Goucher to win the women's mile. But that's about all I got right. Also, I violated one of the cardinal rules of fantasy sports: always double-check on game day. Mary Wineburg didn't end up running the 600y and I got a big fat goose-egg in that race. I was 124th, now I'm...123rd.
USATF recap
Let's Run recap
NY Times recap
Results
My thoughts on the 101st Millrose Games...
Event of the Meet: The Wanamaker Mile always gets the attention, but I thought the women's mile and the men's 600 yards were better races this year.
Performance of the Meet: Adam Nelson is back in a big way. He set a Madison Square Garden record; these days, you don't expect any kind of record in the shot.
Surprise of the Meet: Jen Stuczynski didn't win the pole vault, but that's not terribly strange. A 10k runner (Kara Goucher) running a mile for her first indoor race in seven years and coming up the winner off a kick? That's a surprise.
This Week's TV Complaint: OK, so they finally gave the shot put its due and showed many throws. They even gave us the running order on-screen. But why wait to do that until the final round? Why does Dwight Stones have to read us the standings out loud halfway through? And why wasn't Nelson's big distance show on-screen until the final results?
Can we get a lap counter for the 600y and further? Please?
On the plus side, it looks like Carol Lewis has been permanently kicked to the curb. About damn time.
How did I do in the fantasy league? Well, there can't be too many other people who correctly picked Kara Goucher to win the women's mile. But that's about all I got right. Also, I violated one of the cardinal rules of fantasy sports: always double-check on game day. Mary Wineburg didn't end up running the 600y and I got a big fat goose-egg in that race. I was 124th, now I'm...123rd.
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