Joe, I don't see the prob w/ the 3 races in 4 days but~ perhaps (and this will never happen b/c it's "too complicated") a solution is to have a cut of the top 18 automatically to the semi's, with positions 19-42 on a two heat, top2 and two fastest times qualifying system. of course it would never happen, but could be a semi equitable solution to this current mess
I need to make sure I am fully awake before I hop on the forum.
I thought the title said USAFT was supposed to stop the incontinence.
Then again....
I had a similar solution of having some guys go automatically to the semis while having an extra round to qualify slower runners into the semis for the remaining spots.
They have the limited rounds to keep the meet short and still allow for doubling.
It will be fine wrote:
If an athlete can't take first or second in their heat, they aren't going to medal at worlds. If they aren't going to medal at worlds, who cares if they don't make the final at USAs?
No legit medal contender is going to stay home because of the fact that there are only two rounds.
If a team isn't above 500 in MLB baseball, they aren't going to win the World Sereis so why have the games? Let's just cancel the seasons of everyone not going to the world seasons.
You seem to forget the USAs are the national championships. For some, Making the final is a big deal as is finishing 8th, 12th, etc.
You seem to favor the European approach where the team is just selected. That my friend is anti-american.
You are aware of the fact that Daniel Komen enjoyed one of the greatest track seasons in history in 1996 - when he ran 7:20 and 12:45 - and dhe didn't make the Kenyan Olympic team.
There are certain things in track and field that aren't that hard to do but are consistently screwed up. Organizing fields, rabbits come to the top of the list.
Joseph McVeigh wrote:
Three rounds would mean a finalist would run 3 races in 4 days -- in late-June Iowa weather. Alternately, you could extend the meet to an extra day or two...at great cost...for the purposes of one event.
I admit it's ahrd as so many guys have similar times. Everyone in the US can basically run a 3:57 mile but hardly anyone can run 3:54.
But you either let in fewer people, have a 15 person final or get rid of the time qualifiers and just do 4 per heat.
I've also not opposed to have qualifying rounds. Guys of a certain level automatically make round 2 or you say, "We're taking 30. The top 24 as of such and such date are in. Anyone else can race to get in on day ***." Like Frendch Open Qualifying.
It reminds me of the 800 at Worlds/Olympics where they go from 24 to 8 in a single round. I think KD finished 4th in his heat one year and the top three guys in his heat went 1-2-3 in the final? I may be off on that but there is some crazy story like that.
hey me hey you wrote:
Joe, I don't see the prob w/ the 3 races in 4 days but~ perhaps (and this will never happen b/c it's "too complicated") a solution is to have a cut of the top 18 automatically to the semi's, with positions 19-42 on a two heat, top2 and two fastest times qualifying system. of course it would never happen, but could be a semi equitable solution to this current mess
bingo.
Original Gangsta wrote:
Thanks for agreeing Rojo.
Now that I have you, can you let me know why so many of my (and others') posts have been getting deleted? I wrote the same post as above a few days ago and the entire thread vanished. When I posted asking why it happened, that got deleted.
Who are the mods and why do you let them rule this place with an iron mouse?
Moderating is a thankless job. I have no idea how they have time to do it. The thing I dont get is why they delete threads I'm posting on or threads we highlight on the front page. It happens all the time.
I even have re-instated a few threads yesterday which were then deleted again.
I guess I could assert my authority but this way I feel I'm more part of the community - expereincing what the rank and field experience. I always thought at baseball games, "There is no way the owner has ever had to wait in line to pee like this or he'd have more urinals." At least I'm with the peeps.
It will be fine wrote:
If an athlete can't take first or second in their heat, they aren't going to medal at worlds. If they aren't going to medal at worlds, who cares if they don't make the final at USAs?
No legit medal contender is going to stay home because of the fact that there are only two rounds.
I also wanted to add that Nick Willis grabbed the last qualifying spot to make the 2008 Olympic finals.
He went on to finish 3rd in the finals and get an Olympic Silver medal.
"hey me hey you" (and "rojo") -- Teriffic solution. I like the idea of a bye to the the semis for the top 18 seeds but a "play-in" for lower seeds. Many other sports do this -- NCAA basketball, some major tennis/golf tournaments.
That would allow for every heat at every level to be properly sized to be "safe", and would still avoid making top seeds run 3 rounds in 4 days...
...but "hmhy", I still think that would not necessarily result in the "best" team, but the most durable one -- that stadium is an oven and throw in warmup/warmdown in that heat...
Worlds has M1500 heats on Aug 14, Semis Aug 16, Final Aug 18. Much different.
regarding the "play-in" heat -
What would make for great spectating/tv would be to have the play in heat huge, like 20 runners. Double Cali Waterfall.
Elbows flying and what not. Guys running in the 3-4 lanes on the first lap.
That would be exciting and would select for a tough runner.
I do not mind two rounds, but common, there are 7 possibles in Heat 1 and only 2-3 in each of the other heats. What crap is that? At least make it even where there are 4 top runners in each heat. Heat one has to be the fastest if you want to have Miles Batty, Manzano, Mcnamara, Bayer, Lopez, Leer and Torrence to get into the finals. If it is Top 3 and next 3, one of these guys has no chance. Stupid.
I do not mind two rounds, but common, there are 7 possibles in Heat 1 and only 2-3 in each of the other heats. What crap is that? At least make it even where there are 4 top runners in each heat. Heat one has to be the fastest if you want to have Miles Batty, Manzano, Mcnamara, Bayer, Lopez, Leer and Torrence to get into the finals. If it is Top 3 and next 3, one of these guys has no chance. Stupid.