Webb Officially in Trials 5k

den bosch wrote:

Nowhere in the rules do they say they will always take the top X times.

You mean like here: Additional verified entries from the rank order list of those who have qualified with the “Provisional” standard, shall be invited to participate in the Trials

In his current conditioin, Webb is going to beat these guys?

Galen Rupp Nike 12:58.90 qualified declared

Bernard Lagat Nike 13:07.15 qualified declared

Lopez Lomong Nike 13:11.63 qualified declared

Dathan Ritzenhein Nike 13:14.72 qualified declared

Matt Tegenkamp Nike / Oregon TC Elite 13:15.00 qualified declared

Andrew Bumbalough Nike 13:16.26 qualified declared

Chris Derrick Stanford University 13:19.58 qualified declared

He will be very lucky to make it out of his heat.

Maybe, yeaIt's Alan Webb. He can compete with any of those guys, including Lagat and Rupp.If he doubles events, it will be tough.

goolopiosn wrote:

In his current conditioin, Webb is going to beat these guys?

Galen Rupp Nike 12:58.90 qualified declared

Bernard Lagat Nike 13:07.15 qualified declared

Lopez Lomong Nike 13:11.63 qualified declared

Dathan Ritzenhein Nike 13:14.72 qualified declared

Matt Tegenkamp Nike / Oregon TC Elite 13:15.00 qualified declared

Andrew Bumbalough Nike 13:16.26 qualified declared

Chris Derrick Stanford University 13:19.58 qualified declared

Webb just needs to make it past the prelims to prove his fitness was good enough to be in on appeal.

Did any of the other provisional qualifiers run their time while pacing on o double or run 3:37 this year?

Part of the appeal is making a case for your fitness and it is Subjective.

If you have noticed, these appeals seem to also go well for those that have had past success. It is an earned privilege.

Exactly. It's Alan goddamn Webb. He's one of the very, very few US distance running names that MIGHT be recognized by the general public. Not letting him into the race when he has proven adequate fitness this year would have been an enormously boneheaded mistake on the part of the USATF. It's a business.

I agree that he should be allowed in. I just think that he should have to go through the appeal process like everyone else. The fact that they are not yet accepting appeals for the 5000 means that he did not.

Dooouuyt wrote:

Also, he's a record holder, former olympian, multiple national (and trials) champ. Deserved, earned, correct decision.

USATF has provisions for people to qualify for the meet based on past accomplishments. Here are the accomplishments which allow you into the meet without a time:

RULE 8

AUTOMATIC QUALIFICATION

Automatic qualification, as listed in this section, shall not abrogate any entry requirements other than the qualifying requirements for a championship. Any athlete who attains any of the following shall be afforded automatic qualification into a USA Indoor, Outdoor, Race Walking or Marathon Championship or USA Olympic Team Selection in the same event in which the performance was attained:

1. Track and Field.

(a) During the current or four previous calendar years, earned an individual

medal in track and field in an Olympic Games or in an IAAF World Indoor or Outdoor Championship.

(b) Is the reigning USA Indoor or Outdoor champion.

(c) Has a World or Olympic ‘A’ Standard that would apply to the current championship team selection.

(d) Finish as one of the top three at the preceding year’s corresponding national championship (Indoor qualifies for Indoor, Outdoor qualifies for

Outdoor).

Alan does not meet a single one of those standards. He has not made a US Team since 2007.

Jep Peppers wrote:

Exactly. It's Alan goddamn Webb. He's one of the very, very few US distance running names that MIGHT be recognized by the general public. Not letting him into the race when he has proven adequate fitness this year would have been an enormously boneheaded mistake on the part of the USATF. It's a business.

Based on this reasoning they should let in Dean Karnazes. He's America's most popular distance runner.

Dean Karnazes has not proven adequate Olympic Trials level fitness, so how does this reasoning imply that?

Why didn't Webb just run the 5000 he was supposed to last weekend? He should have been able to run sub-13:30 without too much trouble.

I'm glad to see him race, but am really doubtful he can beat Lomong for 3rd. Lomong is likely right around 13:00 shape by now.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

You mean like here: Additional verified entries from the rank order list of those who have qualified with the “Provisional” standard, shall be invited to participate in the Trials

It says that entries from the rank order list will be invited. Webb is an entry on the rank order list, is he not?

The rule you quote does not say that entries from the rank order list will be selected in the order in which they appear on said list. It simply says that entries from the list will be invited.

We lived through this in 2008 in the 5000m with Blake Boldon, Forest Braden, Patrick Smyth and Ian Burrell when they cut the field from 28 to 24 (to semi's of 12) which was th smallest field ever (used to have 36 men) when there were only 28 total men qualified to start with. And in the 10,000m with Gouchergate and the 7 guys he jumped past on the list to get added.

Burrell looks to be the first guy off the list in the 10,000 this go around and ironically Forest Braden may be one of the guys Webb jumps past in the 5000m.

You can read about the fun here:

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=13776

I love all of the terribly non-comparative analogies being tossed out in the thread.

It's basically like Alan Webb killed my mom and then I invited him to dinner the next day.

Dude!! Alan Webb killed your mom!? And you're having him over for dinner the night of his trial?

Everyone in this thread should Google Image Search Morgan Webb right now. You'll thank me later.

I think the USATF called his bluff. He won't show up to run.

And the rules also allow for an appeal. You could appeal, Mr. Obvious, and if USATF accepted it, you could run the 5000m next week, completely within the scope of the rules.

----------------

I hope no one thinks Webb is the same as the guys on this list. Let's start with the fact that he has a faster PR in the 400/800/1000/1500/Mile/2-mile/5000/10000. Add to that the fact that he is a mutiple times national champion, ex-Olympian and the U.S. national record holder in the mile. It's not like USATF put Webb on the team, they just gave him an opportunity to compete...they simply threw him a bone.

Also, to have a lawsuit, you have to show damages...none of those guys listed have anything taken away from them.