Did Mike Rossi (viral marathon dad) cheat his way into Boston?

Mike,

What's the problem with releasing your GPS data?

Regardless, I think you should ask to have your name withdrawn from the results of the LV marathon and return the medal (without admitting to any wrong doing). Then sign up for a fall marathon with timing mats throughout the course. Then do some real BQ training, like running 70+ miles per week - every week. Then go run a 3:11 marathon, and prove everyone wrong. This is your only shot at redemption.

You talked the talk. It's time to walk the walk. Good luck.

the DQ prediction wrote:

The odds say no DQ.

It may depend on how well he answers their questions.

the DQ prediction wrote:

The odds say no DQ.

No, you say no DQ.

iRan Both wrote:

The last photographer was well AFTER mile 25, right after you go under the bridge but before you turnaround to head to the finish. Mikey jumped in miles after the last relay point, right at the very end.

what thought last was 22mile

22mile wrote:

iRan Both wrote:

The last photographer was well AFTER mile 25, right after you go under the bridge but before you turnaround to head to the finish. Mikey jumped in miles after the last relay point, right at the very end.

what thought last was 22mile

We need to find people who ran the first and last leg of the relay and see where they were photographed. I suspect there would be at least one photographer covering each leg because they'd want to be able to sell them photos

Oh, look up photos for 219 or 150. Runner pictured in the last set of photos with the grass on one side is one the runner who crossed the finish so no photographer on the course after last relay point? http://www.racephotonetwork.com/QPPlus/SearchBibNumber.aspx?EventID=1557975&_AccountNumber=2770

The reason this topic has so many pages is due to the difficulty disproving a negative. Imagine if I told you to disprove that I was on the race courseat the Chicago marathon. It would be quite a challenge. It is much easier to prove a positive and MR knows this and that is why he is so cocky. That being said, if someone could find a smoking gun pic of this clown walking off the race course or sneaking back in, that would be freeking hilarious.

Read more:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6494611#ixzz3Zp4pdvSR

nobodyimportant wrote: That being said, if someone could find a smoking gun pic of this clown walking off the race course or sneaking back in, that would be freeking hilarious.thread=6494611#ixzz3Zp4pdvSR

That's not gonna happen. Never did find such a thing for Kip, who cheated at a bunch of marathons.

My guess is that he'll be DQ'd, but I wouldn't be shocked if he's not.

The lack of mid-race photos is a smoking gun because literally every other runner has photos there, but it's possible that's not enough for someone to pull the trigger on a DQ.

nobodyimportant wrote:

The reason this topic has so many pages is due to the difficulty disproving a negative. Imagine if I told you to disprove that I was on the race courseat the Chicago marathon. It would be quite a challenge. It is much easier to prove a positive and MR knows this and that is why he is so cocky. That being said, if someone could find a smoking gun pic of this clown walking off the race course or sneaking back in, that would be freeking hilarious.

Read more:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6494611#ixzz3Zp4pdvSR

I think you've nailed the problem here. But the problem is: what sort of photo are you looking for? What would he be doing in the photo that would convince an objective viewer that he was cheating.

In legal terms, the prima fascie case has been made: this thead has established probably cause. But it's a leap from establishing probably cause to proving the case. Whether the case has been proved depends on whether the criterion for conviction (so to speak) is preponderance of the evidence or beyond a reasonable doubt.

So here's what I think is needed now, in this thread: a prosecutor's brief. Not so much a recital of the evidence as it currently stands--somebody (Sara??) has already done that and it can be repasted below--but a narrative.

We need to spell out, in narrative terms, what the most likely scenario or scenarios is/are. We need to narrate the story of exactly how Rossi did it. Then we need to try as hard as we can to find the weakness in those scenarios, rather than simply jumping up and down and saying "Lynch 'em!"

If you come up with the right scenario, then we'll be able to walk through it, step by step, and clarify exactly what we're looking for NOW in terms of conclusive evidence: What sort of photo or photos, at what precise location on the course.

If you know clearly what you're looking for, you just might find it. Right now, there are too many partial scenarios floating around. What we need is somebody who has been on this case from the beginning to walk us through the narrative of how Rossi (probably) did it. Then spell out what evidence would confirm or rebut THAT scenario.

Excuse me: probably cause. I really need to proofread before hitting sned.

Excuse me: probable cause. I really need to proofread before hitting sned.

elephino wrote:

nobodyimportant wrote: That being said, if someone could find a smoking gun pic of this clown walking off the race course or sneaking back in, that would be freeking hilarious.thread=6494611#ixzz3Zp4pdvSR

That's not gonna happen. Never did find such a thing for Kip, who cheated at a bunch of marathons.

Plus, he could always argue that he stepped away to pee or was coming back from peeing.

Suspicious: uncharacteristic lack of self-promotion after the race.

Strong argument: 3:11 is unreasonable given his history.

Proof: lack of mid-race photos.

That's it. That's what we got.

KudzuRunner wrote:

rather than simply jumping up and down and saying "Lynch 'em!"

.

"Lynch 'em!", now this is getting really interesting, I didn't know we had more than one on this thread to string up , who else is there?

He is probably guilty. But in saying that the Marathon will never DQ him.

They will add several mats onto the course and just not ever mention this again.

Mike is clearly innocent. The photographer must have had a beef with him because s/he didn't approve of his viral response to the principal.

Had the LVM given a timeframe for making a decision on this?

lvm guy wrote:

We've decided to give Mr. Rossi the benefit of the doubt as to having completed the BQ here. Thank you for helping to bring attention to ways that we can improve as a marathon.

I presume no one has responded to this post cause we're assuming it isn't from anyone associated with LVM? Otherwise it appears to be a verdict by the RD of no DQ from several pages ago that has gone unnoticed...

nobodyimportant wrote:

That's not gonna happen. Never did find such a thing for Kip, who cheated at a bunch of marathons.

Concerning Dr. Litton, we found pics of him in long-sleeved clothing, jogging on the edge of the Boston Marathon course, with his race number hidden, in a race where his finish time was 2:47 or something like that. We also found pics of him in the same attire and walking casually over finish lines. His case was interesting in part because of the large amount of photographic evidence that had accumulated. This guy is interesting for other reasons. I agree with you that it's unlikely that any pics will surface, considering that he cheated a single, small marathon in which he only needed to hit a starting and ending mat.

Rosie Ruiz was DQ'd from both Boston and NY with as much evidence. Yes, people reported seeing her enter the race course late, but physical appearance, doubt that she could even complete a marathon, lack of running knowledge, and spotters not seeing her on the course were also considered in her DQ.

There is no DQ checklist for these marathons; no certain criteria that must be met. Don't get too caught up in timing mat evidence. That's just part of the equation. In fact, the absence of mats anywhere on the Lehigh course but the start or finish is part of the evidence. Mike is a Rock 'n Roll, Boston, Chicago kind of guy. He likes the big runs! Lots of attention, photo ops and fancy medals. Lehigh is smaller, not a lot of spectators, point to point with a relay, no intermediate timing mats. If your intention was to cheat, that's the kind of course you would want.