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Conway Olympic Medalist

Joined: 25 Aug 2001 Posts: 3570 Location: Northen California
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 8:51 am Post subject: Paris Grand Prix !! |
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The worst conditions I've seen so far, yet some of the best performances ...
Mo came back and showed he is still the one to beat, while Tim Montgomery made me wonder why he was predicting a WR for himself this year .. As Dwight Stones said during his commentary, Tim can't seem to beat anybody ... Nice showings also for Mark Lewis Francis and Bernard Williams ... I still think that Lewis Francis is Britains best hope, but Chambers has looked much better this year than in the past ... I want to see how he does in weather that is NOT cold/cool ...
Brightest spot for me was a distance runner however, Nicole Teter... An awesome race for her ... Great win !!! And she is still learning THAT event ... I think she goes at least 1:56 this year and is a factor ... And that is saying a lot given the talent in the 800 ... And the scary thing is I think she could be a factor in the 1500 too ...
Another event that is deveopling a good rivalry is the triple jump ... Olsson and Edwards are both great competitors ... And Edawrds is simply amazing ... Great tactician ... |
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Distance_Guru World Class

Joined: 09 Mar 2002 Posts: 1280 Location: Nebraska
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 9:11 am Post subject: Re: Paris Grand Prix !! |
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Conway wrote: | As Dwight Stones said during his commentary, Tim can't seem to beat anybody |
I think that was the funniest thing I've heard a track comentator say about an athlete during compotition. Of coarse he deserves it. It's fine with me if you brag and boast, but you better back it up.
On a side note, I didn't get to see the first part of the meet on TV. Did they show the mens 800? Towards the end a commentator said something about congradulating Krummenaker for winning the 800, as if it didn't even get aired. If this is the case I must say that I am very displeased. The meet is broadcast recorded and for an American market, if a runner from Nowherezikstan had won that is one thing. But, in my ever so humble opinion, if an American wins an event, it should get the 60 secs it takes to show the start and the final 300 meters! _________________ Time is the fire in which we burn |
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Justin Varsity

Joined: 08 Oct 2001 Posts: 312 Location: London
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 9:14 am Post subject: |
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MLF ran 10.04, which is a personal best and the second fastest time ever run by a teenager - who wants to tell me what the fastest is and who ran it? Note - not junior, but age 19 on the date of performance.
MLF was unhappy after the race because he got a terrible start but the scary thing is that he was catching Greene and Williams at the end - Mo was a yard up after 20 but only half a yard ahead at the end. I tell you, MLF is really something - he's grown 1.5 inches in height in the last six months yet he still lacks adult muscle tone and has only average technique.
When you do see Chambers run you will be impressed. He is bigger, stronger (Mo-style shoulders and chest) and has superb technique. Above all he's no longer afraid of anyone, Greene included.
Greene's reaction after the Sheffield race was caught on camera - he was furious and clearly deeply perturbed. In interviews of course he was as charming and graceful as ever, but this was no ordinary pair of defeats. Chambers and MLF didn;t just beat him in Sheffield, they destroyed him in a way he is used to doing to others. I doubt Mo has seen the backs of the people in the lanes each side of him for some time.
ALl in all it's looking like a great time to be a sprint fan and especially a Brit sprint fan.
Justin |
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Conway Olympic Medalist

Joined: 25 Aug 2001 Posts: 3570 Location: Northen California
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 9:54 am Post subject: |
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Justin I'm thinking that the time ahead of MLF on the list is either Carl Lewis' 10.00 or Stanley Floyd's 10.03 ... Off the top of my head anyway ... I'm not sure what their ages were at the time but I know both were freshmen I believe ...
As for MLF I know he is the real deal ... Been wathcin him for a couple of seasons now ... That's why I have him tabbed as Britains #1 hope ... He has flaws to ironed out to be sure, but he is naturally so much better than the others - including Mo ... And I like big sprinters - stride patterns, natural strength .. Make for longer careers I think ...
I've seen Chambers - I have the Oslo meet on tape ... He is a totally different sprinter this year ... That is for certain ... Technically better too ... Still feel he is tapped out as far as PR though ... Something seems to be missing and I can't put my finger on it yet ...
DG unfortunatelly you didn't miss the 800 ... They didn't show it ... I was surprised as it has been so rare that an American male won anything over 400 I was SURE they would ... But they didn't ...  |
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Micah Ward Olympic Medalist

Joined: 08 May 2000 Posts: 2152 Location: Hot&humid, GA
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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We have talked about the way meets are broadcast before and it seems no one is happy. They showed a lot of repeats of sprint races from PREVIOUS meets that could have been cut to show Krummenacker. I understand they want to set the stage for the sprints but they don't have to show a bunch of repeats at the expense of K'nacker.
Had a lot of Warthogs competing but few who did well.
Ward's Worthless Prediction: Teeter will be the next dominating women's 1500 runner. Olympic and world medals in the future.
Edwards and Olssen are great. The Old Guard fighting to stay ahead of the up and comer. This will be fun to watch all summer. |
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Dan Chief Pontificator

Joined: 22 Mar 1999 Posts: 9334 Location: Salem, OR
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | Teeter will be the next dominating women's 1500 runner. Olympic and world medals in the future. |
Remember what I said not too long ago -- she should be right about at her peak age-wise, so the window of opportunity may not be as big as it might appear from her newness on the scene. If she isn't ready to challenge for a medal in 2004 (not saying she isn't), then 2008 might be too far down the road.
Dan |
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Dan Chief Pontificator

Joined: 22 Mar 1999 Posts: 9334 Location: Salem, OR
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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Regarding bad coverage and everyone being unhappy, I've decided the broadcast crews don't actually have a feel for what they're producing. As strange as it may seem, debates with prominent members of their teams have led me to believe we're seeing something completely different from what they think they're showing on a regular basis. They don't think they're showing excessive (or any, according to them) replays, false starts, setups of races, etc. On top of that, they get incredibly indignant when suggested otherwise. I suspect they take so much criticism, get so little praise, and so little pay (USATF had to pay to get their meets shown a couple of years ago!!! can't be too much in that sort of budget to pay the broadcasters...), that they've become too defensive to be receptive to suggestions or even acknowledge that there's a need to be. In other words, it's a hopeless situation that adds to this being probably the most difficult sport to be a fan of... And what's with the same broadcast crew working for all the networks??? I know I've seen them on CBS, NBC, and ESPN. Not sure about ABC, but I know of no other sport that shares its broadcasters across networks? Does someone think they're that good, or do they just think the sport is so unpopular that they need some form of recognition to the broadcast?
One big paragraph, one big rant....
Dan |
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Distance_Guru World Class

Joined: 09 Mar 2002 Posts: 1280 Location: Nebraska
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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Micah Ward wrote: | Ward's Worthless Prediction: Teeter will be the next dominating women's 1500 runner. Olympic and world medals in the future.
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I hope you're right. But as much as it pains me I tend to agree with Dan. I like Teeter, but at her age I tend to think that 2004 and the following World Championships are probably as long as she'll last. All though Regina, (suspicious as she may be) is still running well and she's like 206! Well maybe not quite but in runner years 39 has to be almost that old. _________________ Time is the fire in which we burn |
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Paul Olympic Medalist

Joined: 28 Apr 2002 Posts: 1610 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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What about Teter as a 5K runner in 2008?? |
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Distance_Guru World Class

Joined: 09 Mar 2002 Posts: 1280 Location: Nebraska
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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Who knows. Szabo seems to be making the transition nicely. Although that obviously doesn't mean that Teeter will. And some how I feel one of Dan's ... moving up crowd... comments coming on now. Also Teeter just recently moved up to the 1500 I don't know if she has or will have the range to jump up in distance again. I haven't watched her race (or more importantly for me personally, train) enough to get a real feel for what her range is now so right now, your guess is as good as mine. After I get to see her run a few more 1500's I might be able to get a better idea. _________________ Time is the fire in which we burn |
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Dan Chief Pontificator

Joined: 22 Mar 1999 Posts: 9334 Location: Salem, OR
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Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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No move up debate from me on this one... I think Runyan would be a better example than Szabo. Unless I'm mistaken, hasn't Szabo always been more of a 3k/5k runner than a 1500m type?
Dan |
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Justin Varsity

Joined: 08 Oct 2001 Posts: 312 Location: London
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Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2002 12:16 am Post subject: |
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It was Carl Lewis's 10.00 in 1981. Stanley Floyd's 10.03 was run in 1982, when he was 20 or 21 (born 1961). His best time as a teenager was 10.07 in 1980.
MLF will be under 10.00 this year, of that I have no doubt.
Justin |
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Dan Chief Pontificator

Joined: 22 Mar 1999 Posts: 9334 Location: Salem, OR
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Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2002 12:22 am Post subject: |
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What do you guys think of a MLF-Gatlin matchup in a few years?
Dan |
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Distance_Guru World Class

Joined: 09 Mar 2002 Posts: 1280 Location: Nebraska
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Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2002 7:42 am Post subject: |
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Dan wrote: | No move up debate from me on this one... I think Runyan would be a better example than Szabo. Unless I'm mistaken, hasn't Szabo always been more of a 3k/5k runner than a 1500m type?
Dan |
Upon further review your right. I called her a 1500 runner because I knew she had won the 1500 at the world champs in 2001 but I did a little mopre searching and found that in 1999 she won the 5k. I knew Szabo was good but that is really something to go from 3k/5k to 1500 and then back up to 3k/5k and be the best in the world at both all the time!
So Ruyan would be a better example. _________________ Time is the fire in which we burn |
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Dan Chief Pontificator

Joined: 22 Mar 1999 Posts: 9334 Location: Salem, OR
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Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2002 8:14 am Post subject: |
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She has range, for sure. Strange that the top women seem to be able to switch events so much easier than the men. We talked about it with US mid-distance women. I would also add Jearl Miles-Clark (400/800), Szabo (1500/3k/5k), Conway's favorite example of the entire Eastern Bloc, Ma's Army (1500 - marathon!), Sonia O'Sullivan (1500/3k/5k/XC), etc.
Less competitive depth would at least partially explain the womens' ability to move up or down and still be in the mix, but it wouldn't do much for explaining their ability to be dominant in multiple events. Why so much easier, or at least more prevalent, for the women then for the men?
Dan |
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