French doper tries to force his way into National Cross -gets in fight with official

Frank Marshall Davis wrote:

Tyrannosaurus Rexing wrote:

Nicely done! Jock Semple would be proud!

http://www.dailymile.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/jockkathrine.jpeg

I feel bad that Jock Semple is known for this incident more than anything. Most accounts of Semple that I have read over the years indicate that he was a great guy who gave a lot to the sport.

Semple was a nice guy, and I met him when I was a kid--however--what he did that day was assault and it is part of our sports historical record. It was his choice to behave the way he did and he is justly notorious for the act.

Sorry coach but your argument doesn't add up. Hirt should not have been in the race but the situation bears no resemblance to the '04 Olympic Marathon. I don't think it's too much to ask that officials differentiate between a whacko priest who runs at competitors like a maniac from a runner who jumps into a race. Hirt was not assaulting other competitors. It is never good to escalate physical confrontation. The official had many other options, ranging from standing in his way; calling out that he would face further sanction; merely not including him in the results. Hurting him was by no means necessary. If you did that to a runner at one of your college meets you would lose your job and face assault charges. Clearly, Hirt is a jerk, but our sport--as an institution--must respond to jerks by taking the high road. In all my years in this sport I have never read the defense of a violent act that made me as disappointed as your response to this.

Calimero wrote:

L'Equipe article below - with Video of the events !

not a tackle - violent kick

http://www.lequipe.fr/Athl-sme/Actualites/Un-officiel-tacle-un-coureur/540163

I don't see a video.

Scroll down. There is an embedded video.

I agree with those saying that the race official shouldn't have tripped the runner. At least in the US, I would call the police and have the runner arrested for trespassing afterwards and not list him anywhere in the results since he wasn't legally entered.

Problem solved, and no violence unless the guy chooses to resist the police, and then it's all on him.

However, the video is still hilarious.

The police will not respond to a call to arrest a race bandit. The simple solution is to leave them be and completely ignore them. (If you want to be mean covered their car intakes and handles with dog poo. Write "DON'T BANDIT" in dog poo in their windshield and read window. Use a doggie poo bag as a glove to get the mean work done.)

The police will not respond to a call to arrest a race bandit. The simple solution is to leave them be and completely ignore them. (If you want to be mean covered their car intakes and handles with dog poo. Write "DON'T BANDIT" in dog poo in their windshield and read window. Use a doggie poo bag as a glove to get the mean work done.)

Spectacular.

It didn't work in ie or chrome but works fine in firefox.

Calimero wrote:

L'Equipe article below - with Video of the events !

not a tackle - violent kick

http://www.lequipe.fr/Athl-sme/Actualites/Un-officiel-tacle-un-coureur/540163

The FB post with the video says that the trip broke Hirt's collarbone - that's a bit much, but the video is still funny as hell.

You people defending that official are frightening. Given all the violence in the world right now, do you really think we want to invite that sort of thing into our sport? Seriously?

RodgersSan wrote:

You people defending that official are frightening. Given all the violence in the world right now, do you really think we want to invite that sort of thing into our sport? Seriously?

Lighten up, Francis. I'm not defending the trip, but it's still funny. There's a big difference between a trespassing doper being tripped and ISIS. This was no more violence than is a routine part of the game in contact sports.

J'ai beaucoup ri wrote:

Lighten up, Francis. I'm not defending the trip, but it's still funny. There's a big difference between a trespassing doper being tripped and ISIS. This was no more violence than is a routine part of the game in contact sports.

> The devil, I am

d2xccoach wrote:

After the debacle in the 2004 Olympic marathon that possibly cost de Lima the gold, any time somebody not in the race decides they want a piece of the action, I hope race officials take swift and decisive measures.

The official acted the same as that psychopath priest who assaulted de Lima.

This absolutely made my day and this meet official is my hero.

best moment in a XC since this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjiHk3IOdyk

You put up an 18 minute and 42 second video. Your best moment is an 18:42 long high school championship race? Or did you mean do cite a specific incident?

2 things.

1. Hirt should be embarrassed that he had to go to the hospital after being tripped softly and landing on the nice soft grass. I don't see any "violence" in the video. I can't imagine how you people would react to watching soccer where this kind of takedown happens 50 times each game. Any true athlete would be able to get right back up from that fall (after feigning injury for a few seconds).

2. Hirt should be embarrassed that even after doping he can't keep up with the leaders. He is what's wrong with our sport. If you dope, you should be able to get at worst an Olympic or WC medal, otherwise you're just wasting your time.

What it is omitted in all the posts is the reason Hirt was not qualified for the France XC championship.

It is because his former club doesn't want to sign a letter authorising Hirt to register in a new club.

Hence, he is enable to run for any club at the moment.

And he is powerless facing the situation as long as the president of his former club remains on his position !

a Dvck wrote:

2 things.

1. Hirt should be embarrassed that he had to go to the hospital after being tripped softly and landing on the nice soft grass. I don't see any "violence" in the video. I can't imagine how you people would react to watching soccer where this kind of takedown happens 50 times each game. Any true athlete would be able to get right back up from that fall (after feigning injury for a few seconds).

2. Hirt should be embarrassed that even after doping he can't keep up with the leaders. He is what's wrong with our sport. If you dope, you should be able to get at worst an Olympic or WC medal, otherwise you're just wasting your time.

If I walk up and break your arm with a baseball bat:

2 things.

1. You should be embarrassed that you didn't duck. Baseball players hit baseballs all the time, get hit with balls, and they don't go to hospitals.

2. You should be embarrassed that you are able to type, yet still aren't able to use your brain to think for yourself in any coherent manner. You are what is wrong with education in America.