Run-Down Forums

[Conway]

In the past I've always started a thread where we talk about where we see athletes ranking for the year ... Individual events as well as overall athlets of the year ... A couple of years these lists have been very extensive - and have even rivaled good old TFN ... The last couple however have been sort of skimpy with people not seeming to want to participate ... Is there interest in doing this this year ??? Can be a lot of fun and take up some time between cross country and indoor track ... A show of hands ??? If there is interest we'll get started ... If not, we can talk about something else ...

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edited by Dan with some potentially useful links:

Athens Olympic Results
IAAF World Rankings
2004 Best Performances
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Conway
Speed Thrills

[Dan]

I'm game, but we may have to place an asterisk on the lists for those athletes likely to be suspended before next season starts.

Dan
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[Conway]

Well I was waiting to see if there was any other response ... Maybe if we start others will join in ... Starting with the Men's 100 which I think is clear cut, but I think others might find it controversial ...

We have Asafa Powell who won every race he ran except the Games where he finished 5th ... Then we have Justin Gatlin who lost every race he ran except the Games which he won and then the very last race of the season which he won ... Personally I see the top of the list as:

1. Asafa Powell
2. Maurice Greene
3. Justin Gatlin
4. Shawn Crawford
5. Francis Obikwelu

Let the discussions begin ...
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Conway
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[Dan]

I have to consider Crawford top 3, probably at Mo's expense. The order of the top-3 is tough, though. Powell seemed so unstable upstairs when it counted ... just wasn't a surprise that he fell flat on his face. For that reason, I place greater value on the failure than on all the successes, because I think it's a better indication of where he's at as a runner. So, I bump him down to #2.

I still have no idea what to do with Gatlin and Crawford, though... Hard not to give it to the champ, but I don't think Gatlin had a good enough season to deserve it. Crawford got too cocky at the end, but he sure looked good doing most of it. I think that's where my vote lies... Odd that it's so hard to pick between two guys for 1/3.

1) Crawford
2) Powell
3) Gatlin
4) Greene
5) Obikwelu
6) Zakari
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[YUKON QUEST]

this is the IAAF ranking standing
1. (1.) Asafa POWELL 82 JAM 1408
2. (2.) Shawn CRAWFORD 78 USA 1374
3. (3.) Francis OBIKWELU 78 POR 1370
4. (4.) Maurice GREENE 74 USA 1367
5. (5.) Justin GATLIN 82 USA 1350

Gatlin sholud be in second place and Mo before of Obikwelu who is a discontinous athlete. so my list is
1Powell
2Gatlin
3Crawford
4Mo
5Obikwelu
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[Conway]

Interesting ... If we assign points to the top five as 5-4-3-2-1 based upon the "votes they've received we have


Powell - 14
Gatlin -10
Crawford - 10
Greene - 8
Obikwelu -3


So looks like all are pretty clear except for #2 &#3 ... If we gave Gatlin the nod based on higher placing at the Games then we have:

1. Powell
2. Gatlin
3. Crawford
4. Greene
5. Obikwelu

Although personally I just have a problem with someone who really won only 1 race #2 in the world ... I know he won 2 races but winning the very last race of the year just seems cheap to me ... Thoughts ???

I ranked Mo higher because he pretty much dominated the US season prior to the Games including winning the fastest Trials race ever ... Then he ran well in Europe and won bronze, missing out on gold by only .02 ... That's a hell of a season ...

Like Dan, I had a hard time with Powell's Games loss ... It wasn't just a loss (Mo's was just a loss) but a decisive loss ... No medal ... Not close ... Not in the hunt ...

Mo was actually the best of the big meet performers this year doing well in every venue he ran in ... Crawford I thought also had a great season with 3 clockings under 9.90 - that's a Mo type season ... Take away the Games and Obikwelu's season was ordinary ... Actually take away the Games and he AND Gatlin had ordinary seasons ...
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Conway
Speed Thrills

[Dan]

I would probably agree that Mo had the most consistently good season, and that has to count for something. But at the same time, his head to head record was a bit spotty, so it's hard to make a strong argument for ranking him ahead of guys that he wasn't beating.

The way I look at Gatlin's year, take a single race (Olys) out of the equation and he might not even be top-5. I just don't see that one success being enough to bump him all the way up to #1 or 2.

Dan
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[Conway]

As for Mo, depends on what you mean by spotty ... He lost a race to Crawford ... Then came back and beat him at Trials and at the Games ... Clearly superior ... Gatlin beat him at the Games but no where else including the Trials, Home Depot, and Stanford ... Powell beat him in two head to heads prior to the Games but Mo beat him when it mattered at the Games ... Really the only person that beat Mo without retribution was Obikwelu who beat him in Europe and then at the Games ...

Sort of sums up the season ... The one who was looking dominanat failed at the worst of all times ... Mo was his usual best in the big ones ... The big ones are the only ones that Gat seemed to show up in ... And Crawford was always excellent, and just a hair off ..
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Conway
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[Dan]

Right... No one beat Mo every time out, but lots of people beat him here and there. I would say 3rd is the best he deserves, based on Oly performance, but his head to head defeats knocks him down a rung, and Obikwelu probably has a pretty strong claim to moving ahead for 4th.

Tough calls this year ... no clear cut order to the top half dozen or so.

Dan
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[Micah Ward]

Looks like you could put Powell in number one and draw the rest of the names out of a hat. I might give Crawford an edge for number two.
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[Conway]

If you do that then your top 2 rankers did NOT win Olympic medals ... Not sure that has ever happened before ... Pretty rare that anyone would rank #1 without a medal let alone 1 AND 2 ... Not saying it can't be done, but that would say a lot about the Games race ...
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Conway
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[Micah Ward]

That seems to be the conundrum this year. Even though the Olympics is the top meet of the year the final rankings take into account all the meets over the course of the year. So what do you weigh heaviest?
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[Dan]

About the only definite in my book is that Powell is not #1. When it counted most, he simply did not have the demeanor of a winner.

Dan
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[Conway]

OK .. Then here is a question ... Of the Games medalists at 100 meters, which is most deserving of a #1 designation ??? Or is there one from that group ????
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Conway
Speed Thrills

[Dan]

Hmm, that is both an interesting and difficult question... Certainly not Obikwelu, and I say no to Greene, as neither makes my top-3. Gatlin is deserving of a top-3, but I don't see him as a #1. Yet, if I were top pick who had a better season between Gatlin and Greene, I'd have to say it was Greene.

How peculiar.

Dan
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