U.S. Olympic Trials (Read 1540 times)

jEfFgObLuE


I've got a fever...

    There's a legitimate argument that Tarmoh got screwed. Emotionally, it feels that way because she was declared 3rd place initially, did the celebratory lap, podium and everything. To her, something was taken away.

     

    But they called it a tie, and that can be legitimately argued as well.  So boo-f***ing-hoo. It's the OLYMPICS. Stop being a mental midget, suck it up, and fight for that spot.

    On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

      There's a legitimate argument that Tarmoh got screwed. Emotionally, it feels that way because she was declared 3rd place initially, did the celebratory lap, podium and everything. To her, something was taken away.

       

      But they called it a tie, and that can be legitimately argued as well.  So boo-f***ing-hoo. It's the OLYMPICS. Stop being a mental midget, suck it up, and fight for that spot.

       Yeah, but they train for gargantuan mental toughness over, say 10, 11 seconds.  Not 3 or 4 days.  

      "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

      jEfFgObLuE


      I've got a fever...

         Yeah, but they train for gargantuan mental toughness over, say 10, 11 seconds.  Not 3 or 4 days.  

         

        I'm not a sprinter, but I would submit that the mental toughness comes into play in the training, as well as all the rounds, prelims, and heats that a sprinter must endure.  It's there when they settle into the blocks and await the gun.  But the race itself is almost purely execution -- there's not enough time for grit to come into play.  The toughness is what gets them to the starting line in the first place.

         

        I'll admit I was perhaps too harsh.  But it's for a spot in the OLYMPICS. She is may be young, but who knows what might happen. She's on the team as an alternate and is in the relay pool, but say she starts having injury problems next season, and never gets another shot at it. It goes without saying how coveted an Olympic berth is, and what a rare opportunity it is to even have a chance at one.  If she never gets another chance at it, she'll always regret that she pissed it away.

         

        As for the whole fiasco itself, the USATF turned the whole thing into a CF.  I guess I can understand not having a procedure -- this is not exactly commonplace.  But all of the convoluted "if they both agree"/coin-flip nonsense was idiotic.  I'd hate to have to make a decision tree flowchart for that mess.  They should've just come out and said "we have a tie, there will be a run-off, details to come."

        On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.


        Feeling the growl again

          There's a legitimate argument that Tarmoh got screwed. Emotionally, it feels that way because she was declared 3rd place initially, did the celebratory lap, podium and everything. To her, something was taken away.

           

          But they called it a tie, and that can be legitimately argued as well.  So boo-f***ing-hoo. It's the OLYMPICS. Stop being a mental midget, suck it up, and fight for that spot.

           

          I didn't want to say anything as I hate to judge someone by cherry-picked quotes in the media, but this was more or less my reaction.  If you are going to be tough enough to make it through multiple rounds with the best in the world, you've got to learn to keep your head straighter and not get so emotionally twisted over this.  

           

          I just don't get the "robbed" or "screwed" lines, yes it was handled badly and that affected her overall experience.  But nobody promised her a feel-good, life-changing experience in that race.  They promised fairness and an objective outcome.  At the core, that is what they ended up trying to do.  She liked the initial judgement so she is defaulting to that.  If it had gone the other way initially and was under review, I bet she'd be singing a different tune.  I thought the original article with the finishing line expert was very good, describing the difficulty in removing subjectivity from a process where some degree of it is inherent.

           

          Unless they can adapt Doppler radar or lasers to provide an unimpeded frontal analysis of who gets to the line first, the camera systems have limitations as have become evident in this example.  A definitive separation of the two does not appear possible based on the technology in place that day.  She was given the chance to place herself on the team with all doubts removed and she opted to decline her chance instead rather than race Felix.  All drama related to that single race aside, I personally want people representing the US who seek to run with the best in the world, not who shy away from it.

           

          The circus with the USATF's handling has been entertaining.  Roll eyes

          "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

           

          I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

           

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            ...

             

            As for the whole fiasco itself, the USATF turned the whole thing into a CF.  I guess I can understand not having a procedure -- this is not exactly commonplace.  But all of the convoluted "if they both agree"/coin-flip nonsense was idiotic.  I'd hate to have to make a decision tree flowchart for that mess.  They should've just come out and said "we have a tie, there will be a run-off, details to come."

             

            I think they also need to clear up how results on the big board are interpreted. They posted Tarmoh as third, and they didn't post any correction to that, even in review. Victory and defeat were interpreted from that.

             

            Either media, and perhaps more importantly, contestants, need more understanding that the big board results are NOT OFFICIAL, or the timers need to be adjusting the big board to at least warn when a qualifying spot is under review.

             

            That being said, the concept of deciding who should represent us in the Olympic 100 (which involves multiple heats) by means of a 100 race, seems eminently appropriate. There could be other ways to do it -- e.g., fastest time in all rounds. Or coin flip. But of the three, I can tell you which seems saddest to me, and it has the word "flip" in it.

             

            Also,

             

            ...  All drama related to that single race aside, I personally want people representing the US who seek to run with the best in the world, not who shy away from it.

             ...

             

            +1

            It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

              This is quite a better process than most other countries, where a board chooses who gets to go.  I just heard on Skysports that England chose a B standard athlete over 4 others with an A standard in the 800 M, because the B standard athlete won a recent championship (not a trials/qualifier).

               

              The reasoning of the board was that the A standard folks had a chance to control their own favorite destiny but did not, so they'd rather go with one with no chance of a medal rather than pick 2 A standard athletes (only way a B athlete goes if he/she is the only entry), because she won an event - seems kind of arbitrary to me.

               

              MTA - I need to read what I type before posting 


              Feeling the growl again

                "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                 

                I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                 


                Why is it sideways?

                  Tarmoh is pretty young and obviously although she is talented, she has not dealt with the media the way Felix has, nor would she have the type of representation that could represent her interests well in a USATF meeting. I'm pretty sure that Tarmoh would lose to Felix in a run-off, since Felix is older, has more experience and endurance as a natural 400m runner. I'm also pretty sure that Tarmoh knows she would lose in a run-off.

                   

                  My guess is that she wanted a coin flip but let herself get talked into/out-negotiated into a run-off by Felix. If you remember, Tarmoh cried when the decision for a run-off was announced, probably because she realized in that moment that she had lost her place on the team. And because she didn't know how to negotiate.

                   

                  After reflection, she realized she screwed up and should never have allowed the run-off, so she withdrew.

                   

                  Maybe there's some cowardice there, but I'm not going to be the one who accuses a woman who placed 3rd in the 100m at the Olympics trials of being cowardly.

                  jEfFgObLuE


                  I've got a fever...

                    Tarmoh is pretty young and obviously although she is talented, she has not dealt with the media the way Felix has, nor would she have the type of representation that could represent her interests well in a USATF meeting. I'm pretty sure that Tarmoh would lose to Felix in a run-off, since Felix is older, has more experience and endurance as a natural 400m runner. I'm also pretty sure that Tarmoh knows she would lose in a run-off.

                     

                    My guess is that she wanted a coin flip but let herself get talked into/out-negotiated into a run-off by Felix. If you remember, Tarmoh cried when the decision for a run-off was announced, probably because she realized in that moment that she had lost her place on the team. And because she didn't know how to negotiate.

                     

                    After reflection, she realized she screwed up and should never have allowed the run-off, so she withdrew.

                     

                    Maybe there's some cowardice there, but I'm not going to be the one who accuses a woman who placed 3rd in the 100m at the Olympics trials of being cowardly.

                     

                    All true, but it's the OLYMPICS.  You just don't pass that chance up.  I'd do just about anything for 11 seconds for a chance at an Olympic berth.  Just ask Scout's mom. 

                    On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.


                    Why is it sideways?

                      All true, but it's the OLYMPICS.  You just don't pass that chance up.  I'd do just about anything for 11 seconds for a chance at an Olympic berth.  Just ask Scout's mom. 

                       

                      Ha ha, well she's got something to chew on for the next 4 years, for sure.

                        She's also already going to the Olympics as a member of the 4x100 team. (Tarmoh, not Scout's mom).

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                          She's also already going to the Olympics as a member of the 4x100 team. (Tarmoh, not Scout's mom).

                           

                          What about the Mark Block doping dude -- is he going to the Olympics too?

                          It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                          beat


                          Break on through

                            And does he get the "mental midget" tag too?

                            "Not to touch the Earth, not to see the Sun, nothing left to do but run, run, run..."

                              Some nice photos, courtesy of FLOtrack, including one of Jersey native Robby Andrews. Woohoo!

                               

                              "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus