Is “alternate” actually a thing? (Genuine question) is there a roster published somewhere that names the team and “alternates”. Or is this the term you are using for the next person on the results from your nationals - not an offical thing as such? I’ve just never heard of alternates being actually named for international competitions before so I was wondering.
Imagine if track was like the NFL and a team decided to not suit a full roster for the Super Bowl.
^ Greatest bogus non sequitur comparison ever?
Clearly rojo + others don't understand that "Doping" (USA-style) is likely behind this all.
Sure, it's only random women's events, but the USA usage/cover-ups is so widespread.
If you can get someone on/off the likely-to-be-tested list, by manipulating other incentives, why not play the game?
Question? wrote:
Is “alternate” actually a thing? (Genuine question) is there a roster published somewhere that names the team and “alternates”. Or is this the term you are using for the next person on the results from your nationals - not an offical thing as such? I’ve just never heard of alternates being actually named for international competitions before so I was wondering.
Yes, several countries (USA, GBR, ETH etc) listed their alternates (reserves) on the entry lists published by the IAAF just over a week ago. Marisa Howard was listed for the Steeple.
Unfortunately Steeple Squig's overblown ego kept Marisa Howard away from an achievement of a lifetime. Colleen if you read these boards, please talk about yourself less and add a shred of intellectualism occasionally into your many awesome interviews and social media post.
Signed, a caring fan of yours
Sorry Colleen, this is clearly the USATF's fault for not filling your spot
team super squigs wrote:
Unfortunately Steeple Squig's overblown ego kept Marisa Howard away from an achievement of a lifetime. Colleen if you read these boards, please talk about yourself less and add a shred of intellectualism occasionally into your many awesome interviews and social media post.
Signed, a caring fan of yours
She is very selfish.
bad carma wrote:
team super squigs wrote:
Unfortunately Steeple Squig's overblown ego kept Marisa Howard away from an achievement of a lifetime. Colleen if you read these boards, please talk about yourself less and add a shred of intellectualism occasionally into your many awesome interviews and social media post.
Signed, a caring fan of yours
She is very selfish.
What? As a fan who has been to many events and seen/talked to many athletes, Colleen has always been the most approachable and genuinely nice athlete. Many of the athletes quickly sign an autograph and give a quick smile, she actually takes the time to talk to the fans. I don't blame her at all for holding out hope to race. Maybe her coaches should have been more in touch with USATF, so that the alternate could be prepared, but that is not Colleen's job to worry about. Her focus was to get healthy and race. It seems like there was a hope that she could race, up until this final week.
Rojo, you cant be serious? The USATF doesn't exist to help further our athletes participation. They're too busy making plans for themselves. Tours, shopping, world class dining. They've got a lot of per diem on the plate to spend. So many opportunities so little time.
rojo wrote:
Thank God our appeal worked and we got her into Pan Ams where she won a medal otherwise she would have never gotten to wear the Team USA jersey this year.
Just stop patting yourself on the back for getting a B list athlete into a B list event.
Quigley earned the spot in Doha and tried her best to get to the start line. If she would have dropped earlier, the board trolls would be all over her for being soft.
She does so much for the sport and is a great ambassador.
Confuzzled wrote:
rojo wrote:
Thank God our appeal worked and we got her into Pan Ams where she won a medal otherwise she would have never gotten to wear the Team USA jersey this year.
Just stop patting yourself on the back for getting a B list athlete into a B list event.
Don't be a jerk
Nobody cares about the pan am games. Only thing less relevant that world cross if that is even possible.
And lol at all the dorks white knighting for marissa Howard.
team super squigs wrote:
Unfortunately Steeple Squig's overblown ego kept Marisa Howard away from an achievement of a lifetime. Colleen if you read these boards, please talk about yourself less and add a shred of intellectualism occasionally into your many awesome interviews and social media post.
Signed, a caring fan of yours
NO. Marisa kept herself away from the achievement of a lifetime... by NOT ACHIEVING a top 3 finish at USAs. She controlled her own destiny, quit making excuses for her.
Re: Alternates and such. Strictly FWIW.
- Yes, alternates are a thing. Perhaps the most famous "alternate" moment was David Payne flying from the U.S. to Osaka and competing either the day he arrived or the next day in the men's 110m hurdles, when somebody else withdrew the day before competition was to begin. He went on to medal there as well as Beijing '08 and Berlin '09.
Though it is never easy, it is easier to make this kind of switch in a sprint or a jump. The track record (so to speak) of distance runners is to hold out hope for as long as possible. Des Linden in 2012 was not fit to run the marathon but still gave it a go, but had to drop out at 3 miles because of her stress fracture (
)
Even Gail Devers in 2004 had a bad calf. She still tried to compete but barely even made it out of the blocks. As an athlete, you hope for a miracle or hope you can power through. Especially when/if your sponsorship contacts bonus you for "competing" at Worlds or Olympics. (I have no idea of Colleen's contract or anybody else's contract state that but suspect they do.)
The biggest issue with replacing distance runners is fitness. A fourth-place finisher at nationals probably isn't training and competing on the Euro circuit and is therefore likely less fit to run on a moment's notice than, say, a hurdler or sprinter who HAS been competing.
Add to that the unique factor this year of World's being so late in the season. Mel herself said she was finishing a two-week break and they weren't going to keep training in the "hope" that a position might open up.
That said, if you make the team and compete you get a $10k bonus from USATF - every athlete, every event. That is definitely something Mel lost out on.
I was going to make the same point about Desi, except that that was her first chance at the Olympics and no guarantee she would make another team. Quigley, on the other hand, has already run the Olympics which is a bigger stage than the WC
Quigley took the trip and money when she hadn’t worked out for almost a month. As well as being injured, there’s a question if fitness.
Pulling out would have been a huge break for the alternate and the right and decent action.
You shouldn’t have to teach athletes how to be decent people - but the “world’s best coach”, Jack Daniels, covers this exact scenario.
You only get the $10k bonus if you compete, so Quigley doesn't get that $$, but neither does Mel.
The "free trip" is always there as an issue when an injured athlete travels with the team and THEN pulls out. Not sure if IAAF or USATF pays for that ticket.
Drew Hunter did the honorable thing. Which resulted in Ben True’s first WC!
Hunter > Wiggly
Integrity and fairness wrote:
Drew Hunter did the honorable thing. Which resulted in Ben True’s first WC!
Hunter > Wiggly
Not Ben True’s first WC, dumb dumb.
Quigley’s livelihood is based on making and running at these meets too. She did what she should have done and those blasting her are ignorant.
team super squigs wrote:
Unfortunately Steeple Squig's overblown ego kept Marisa Howard away from an achievement of a lifetime. Colleen if you read these boards, please talk about yourself less and add a shred of intellectualism occasionally into your many awesome interviews and social media post.
Signed, a caring fan of yours
Howard had every opportunity to beat her at USA trials. Stop acting like she’s a victim here.