Wow. I wish I had heard of all this two weeks ago.
I was #26 for a field of 24. #25 told me that he was not running. One more spot, and I get my shot.
There were a number of runners whose times were from '07, including two who had not even touched the track this season. (I hit my time two weeks earlier, having gotten a very late start, and had only one race before that.)
Someone advised that I try an appeal to get the field size expanded.
Interestingly, the phone number for appeals had been taken off the site, despite that it was still four days before the first round of my event. Made calls, and calls, and calls,... couldn't get John Chaplin directly, but was given the message from him not to bother appealing because it would be a waste of my money. The field size would not be expanded. End of story. I got Butler'd... told not to appeal so later if I raised issue USATF could claim that I didn't follow the appropriate channels.
23 guys went to the starting line.
No doubt there is a difference between myself and Goucher, and he could have been considered a contender for the team while I wouldn't. I still can't help feeling cheated though. I hope USATF gets gutted.