Still won't answer the questions, huh? It's really pathological with you, isn't it?What 'support' has USATF given Solinsky that AC hasn't given Bairu?You can blame AC all you want for not giving athletes as much money and guidance as you demand, but they've still awarded more Sport Canada carding money to Bairu than USATF has to Solinsky. They've still named Bairu to more national teams than USATF has Solinsky.With a total of 102 Senior cards allocated, Athletics Canada has $1.8 million to award to designated Canadian track and field athletes. In all the complaining about tougher standards, no one has shown that this money will not be handed out. All that has been suggested is that maybe it will go to different people. It would now be easier for a young, developing athlete to get carding than it was in the past and harder for an older, no longer developing athlete to get those public funds.If that's your issue, then maybe you don't care enough about supporting the developing athletes with potential instead of the established ones who are unlikely to improve further (let alone achieve top 8 performances). But stop pretending there will be LESS money available.Further, please explain how they "state that distance running doesn't matter" when they have just announced the awarding of national championships for the next few years for: cross-country, 10km, half-marathon and marathon?That means they are working with established events (road races) or local clubs (cross-country) to provide competitive opportunities and prize money (in addition to that already provided by the existing race) to Canadian distance runners. Sure sounds like they've raised the white flag about that aspect of the sport to me. Actions speak louder than words. You get yourself in a tizzy about a single quote about throwing/sprinting and ignore the actions with regards to way more opportunities for distance runners to win national money than sprinters or throwers.You hyperventilate about different carding criteria but ignore the fact the total amount of money is still there and is more than USATF gives to their highly successful athletes.Your words then don't amount to a hill of beans.Here's another question I'm sure you'll ignore in favour of spouting your typical spiel about the evils of Athletics Canada:If, given the choice, would you rather that $1.8 million of carding money go to individual athletes, or spent for supporting team things, like fully funding World Cross?You continue to act as if there is an unlimited pool of money that can be obtained, either from the pockets of taxpayers or the private sector. You never answered Pete's question about what choices you would make if you were AC and were faced with a limited amount of money.Are you really raising your personal white flag and declaring that you are incapable of supporting the sport within the context of all this support from AC and Sport Canada and that therefore Canadian Distance Running is doomed?Talk about pathetic.
Skuj wrote:
Hahaha.....wow! OBVIOUSLY you completely misunderstand me on many levels.
Indeed, the "alternate" route, away from AC direction and "support", is essential here. But my big issue with all this, and one that you seem to overlook again and again and again, is....AC STILL CALLS THE SHOTS. THEY STILL GOVERN THE SPORT. THEY SET THE STANDARDS, CARDING FORMULA, SELECTION CRITERIA, AND THEN IN THE FACE OF ALL THAT, THEY STATE THAT DISTANCE RUNNING DOESN'T MATTER.
Do you see this CONFLICT? This disharmony?
As the governor of our sport, they can do so much to influence things in the right direction, or the wrong direction. Are you happy with the state of distance running in Canada in 2010? Do you think it will be better in 2020, given AC current thinking? Do you think WE can make things better in spite of AC? (To that last question, there is only so much that can be done as long as AC holds the reins. The same AC that will no longer focus on distances above 1500m, the same AC that sent 1 Senior to WXC, the same AC that stated that we are a sprint/throw nation. (Has there been a retraction yet?))