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Conway
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 25 Aug 2001
Posts: 3570
Location: Northen California
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 Posted: Thu May 30, 2002 9:02 am Post subject: NCAA Championships |
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The NCAA's have begun and the first round of results are outstanding as usual ...
Justin Gatlin looks awesome already with a legal 19.98 in his 200 semi ..
3 schools have run under 39.00 in the 4x1 lead by LSU's 38.32
Distances not yet in gear but should we expect anything outstanding there as well ?? |
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Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 08 May 2000
Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA
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| Posted: Fri May 31, 2002 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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Watch out for the North Carolina women.
Ritzenhiem should do well but I'm not so sure about Webb. His won the Big 10 mile but the time wasn't all that great. |
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Dan
Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR
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| Posted: Fri May 31, 2002 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | His won the Big 10 mile but the time wasn't all that great. |
Of course, neither were the conditions.
Dan |
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Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 08 May 2000
Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2002 5:53 am Post subject: |
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| Did they have a hot day? I just saw the results but didn't hear anything about the weather. |
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Dan
Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2002 6:05 am Post subject: |
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Cold and windy, as I recall. Plus, Webb had just recently come off injury and hasn't raced much since the fall, so he was only concerned with getting a qualifier.
Now, the bigger news is the talk that he'll leave Michigan after this year and turn pro...
Dan |
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Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 08 May 2000
Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2002 6:58 am Post subject: |
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Dan, aren't you up early for a Saturday morning? 
Hadn't heard about Webb leaving Mich...kinda hope he doesn't.
Here are some random thoughts on the NCAA's so far:
I'm a big Notre Dame fan so I like seeing Ryan Shay take 2nd in the 10,000.
Did anyone else notice that 1st and 2nd in the women's 400 hurdles were freshmen from South Carolina?
I'm watching what Mollie Defrancisco does in the women's steeple. She finished 9th in the prelims to qualify for the finals but earlier in the year she ran one of the fastest times in the world only to have it disallowed because the water pit wasn't regulation size. And she is a teammate of my daughter.
North Carolina had the winner for the women's 800. Watch them in the 1500 too.
More randomness will occur as I see more results. Now it is time to wash the wife's car. |
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Dan
Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2002 7:07 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Dan, aren't you up early for a Saturday morning? |
Yeah, damn gaggle of geese outside my window this morning... Sounded like they rounded up every goose in the Willamette Valley. 
South Carolina actually took flak from "track fans" a year or two ago for having the audacity to think they could win national titles with an outstanding women's recruiting class in the sprints and hurdles. It was one of the more bizarre discussions I've witnessed. (And yes, there was a heavy sprint vs. distance coloring to the debate.)
| Quote: | | earlier in the year she ran one of the fastest times in the world only to have it disallowed because the water pit wasn't regulation size. |
Hmm, I hope someone pointed out that there's no such thing as a regulation size pit for the women's steeple? The standard is still a moving target...
Dan |
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Conway
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 25 Aug 2001
Posts: 3570
Location: Northen California
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2002 9:24 am Post subject: |
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| Dan wrote: | South Carolina actually took flak from "track fans" a year or two ago for having the audacity to think they could win national titles with an outstanding women's recruiting class in the sprints and hurdles. It was one of the more bizarre discussions I've witnessed. (And yes, there was a heavy sprint vs. distance coloring to the debate.)
Dan |
I remember that debate .... Interesting since (here I go again) speed dominates the meet ... If South Carolina doesn't win it this year they will within the next couple of years ... Their recruiting class was outstanding ... Watch for Lashinda Demus to score major points in the years to come ... She prepped here in Calif and can sprint as well as hurdle and run the 400 ...
I heard the same on Webb ... Not getting what he needs collegiately ... And the ability to make that money is a factor too .... |
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Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
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Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2002 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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I could very well be wrong on the reason why Defrancisco's time was disallowed. The daughter was telling me about it and I could have misunderstood her...especially if I had been into the martinis. BTW that time I was referring to was a college best and not a world best and it was 9:58. (Had to have been a martini.)
Ward's Worthless Prediction...Defrancisco in the top three.
What South Carolina is trying to do by winning with the sprints makes sense. With the sprinters you have the 100, 200, 400, 110 hurdles, 400 hurdles, 4x1 and 4x4. That's 7 events compared to 1500, 5000, 10000 and steeplechase, 4 events. I don't know where to put the 800 any more, middle distance or long sprint? When you also see that some sprinters double in the long jump then a team strong in the sprints and hurdles should beat a team whose strength is the distances. The distance team would have to dominate the field events to even things up. Does that sound right? |
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Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 08 May 2000
Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2002 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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Another random thought. Maybe I'm just being sentimental and nostalgic but I thougt it was kind of sad not to see any Villanova runners at the top of the distance lists.
That was a once very proud and very good program. |
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Dan
Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2002 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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That does indeed sound right.
I believe Villanova only recently re-instated men's program and doesn't yet have much representation there, and I haven't heard much from the women since Tollefson graduated. Is Marcus O'Sullivan still getting all the accolades as coach?
Dan |
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Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 08 May 2000
Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2002 3:32 am Post subject: |
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I've got to leave this morning for a week long school so here are some more thoughts before I hit the road:
I was off one place on the Defrancesco prediction. Still a good race for her though.
South Carolina's strategy paid off big time!!
Webb should have second thoughts before leaving Mich. Just seems to me that he should be dominating the collegiate ranks before thinking about the pros. I guess it is a sign of the expectations we put on him that his 4th seems to be a dissapointment.
For some reason I want to think that O'Sullivan left Villanova but I could be wrong.
And how about Williams from USC winning 4 IN A ROW in the 100. Could she be the next great US female sprinter? |
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Dan
Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR
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| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2002 7:04 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | seems to me that he should be dominating the collegiate ranks before thinking about the pros |
I couldn't agree more. People seem to forget his second fastest mile is 3:59.9, hardly even notable collegiately, let alone competitive internationally. Even if he can consistently run at the 3:53 level like in his big breakthrough, that'll still leave him 5 seconds off the pace in big races. Unless he shows monster improvment (which I don't think is out of the question) and soon, he'd be better off honing his skills and building confidence at the college level like Sullivan and Lagat did just a couple of years ago.
Dan |
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Conway
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 25 Aug 2001
Posts: 3570
Location: Northen California
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| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2002 9:16 am Post subject: |
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The question that I have about Webb is whether or not college stifled his development ... As a "professional" he could focus more clearly on his development ... As opposed to the "competitive" demands required of someone of his stature .... He to was expected to come in a dominate immediately in cross country, indoor, and outdoor track ... The burden of being a messiah ....
Also it's difficult to leave a system that has developed you and go to something new ... I wonder if someone is at that level whether or not they should just continue with what got them there ... I've seen it a thousand times with good to great young sprinters as well ... Touchy issue ... And I am NOT advocating not going to college ... Just looking at the situation and asking some questions ... |
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Dan
Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR
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| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2002 10:04 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, I've wondered the same things. I also questioned if Michigan was the best choice a year ago...
However, I don't see tha the collegiate system need be any more restrictive than the high school one. Sure, there are scholarship pressures to take into account, but wouldn't any wise administration/coach see the great publicity that could be gained by handling someone like Webb well and the negative publicity from screwing up with him?
As for XC, I almost think Webb worked too hard to meet the lofty expectations (which were rather undeserved considering the stomping he took from Ritz in h.s.) and has paid for it through the winter and spring.
Dan |
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