Zola Budd, a class act. Mary Slamey, a bitter rhymes with witch

bullshit! what would YOU have asked them?

everyone in the world who is familiar with that story would have wanted to know how they felt about the incident 8 years later. and the woman was asking them what everyone wanted to know. she gave them both a chance to answer gracefully, or not, and slaney chose not to. that's not the host's fault.

why do they have to be treated like children anyway?

it would have been completely spineless for her to avoid those questions and we would have learned nothing...the fact that she did have the balls to ask them means that you and i have something interesting to talk about. and you you prefer what, milquetoast?

in fact, i even give slaney credit for stickng to her guns and not backing off her opinion just because budd was sitting right across the table from here.

fascinating, the whole thing. and that

Hard to say if you have too loose a grasp of what is journalism, running or both.

Mr Goodknuckle wrote:

what the? wrote:

are you crazy? what was she supposed to ask them? there was no point in doing the interview if you're not going to ask those questions.

god, when did people become so afraid of journalism in this country?

Well, as god I would politely suggest that no I am not crazy.

As far as afraid of journalism - that's just plain stupid. This is quality journalism in exactly the same way that the National Enquirer is quality journalism. It is pure raunchy entertainment that the stereotypical trailer park crowd would consider journalism.

You clearly don't understand the line between good journalism and intentional provocation. It was very clear to everyone else in this thread that the host framed the questions in a way that was designed to provoke conflict. That is not good journalism. That is sensationalism, and poor reporting.

I also think it's laughable that you give Slaney credit for "sticking to her guns... just because Budd was sitting right across the table from her." What does Slaney have to be afraid of? Budd, still the shy and non-confrontational woman she was back in 1984, looked terrified that the smiling witch sitting across from her was going to deck her (no pun intended...) when the show was over. I guarantee you Mary suffered no harassment after the incident, but I can bet that Budd has received many threats over the years for something that wasn't even her fault.

classof89 wrote:

I remember seeing that on TV. She almost knocked the lapped runner down, it looked like a classic "illegal block in the back" penalty in football. She seemed pissed the lapped runner didn't move out to lane 2.

Mary has a long history of public outbursts. There was one incident in the 1980s at a downtown furniture store (forget the name, "something Jacob" I think). She was stuck at the back of the line waiting for a mattress. Not satisfied with her place in line she finally threw a fit and started screaming at the sales clerk "don't you know who I am? I need to get my mattress!" Another time at Costo she went on a loud, angry rage at a 90 year woman for bumping into her foot cast with her cart. These are just 2 of the incidents that I know of and can recall right now. There are so many Slaney bad behavior stories it would make your skin crawl, and her reputation as a maneater is another matter altogether. Slaney's out-of-control temper and sense of entitlement is epic.

stories. why should we believe any of this? really, a 90 year old woman at Costco - silly

26.5 years ago and we're still talking about this?

I remember watching this race and thinking that Decker was too close to Budd and when she almost tripped once I said to myself, get back a bit Mary. Of course she didn't and so she went down.

I knew plenty of people in Eugene who were not surprised by Decker's outburst of temper. She was one high strung gal. She was also a very talented runner. So was Budd. No matter whose fault, Decker showed a lack of grace and Budd, who was under a great deal of media scrutiny, sort of fell apart.

But both came back in 1985 and ran very well.

One has to wonder what all the fuss was about. Another friend made the cycling team in the Sydney Olympics. She was late in her competitive career and this was really her last chance. Then she gets to Sydney, rides her event and skids (it was wet from rain) and hits the pavement taking herself out of the race.

She didn't get up and start blaming folks. Yeah, she was disappointed but she understood that was the breaks.

Bob Dobbs wrote:

The driver of a car that rear-ends another car is ALWAYS the one at fault.

Doesnt mean its not a dick move when someone slams accidentally or purposefully) the breaks at 80 mph.

Bad comparison on your part.

As for my stance, Slaney wasn't that mean. She was obviously bitter, but it's the way she felt, and I can see that. Obviously everyone here wouldn't be happy that their chance to win or at least medal were ruined either by their own fault, or anothers, most likely a combination, because had Budd not been in that position, Slaney would have been ok.

???afoehasappeared??? wrote:

slams accidentally or purposefully) the breaks

What does that even mean???????

Bob Dobbs wrote:

The driver of a car that rear-ends another car is ALWAYS the one at fault.

???afoehasappeared??? wrote:

Doesnt mean its not a dick move when someone slams accidentally or purposefully) the breaks at 80 mph.

Bad comparison on your part.

It's even more of a dick move to tailgate and try to pass on the shoulder. The comparison is fine, your objection is overruled. Slaney's issue was created by her being in poor position in the first place and then trying to take the wrong way out of it. Sure it's nice to be able to slip by someone on the inside if they give you the room, but if they allow you the room long enough then it's a gift and not something you should ever count on. Mary's doping is just confirmation of her whole dirty character.

Really, UR NUTZ said it best, but I do have something to add:

In the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Hicham el Garrouj was tripped in the 1500 meters from behind. He was in the position Zola Budd was in, except he's the one that did the crashing and burning. There was about a lap-and-a-quarter to go when he was tripped (accidentally), because of el Garrouj's high back-kick.

He was the favorite in that race, along with Norredine Morceli, who actually won the race. El Garrouj was scheduled to meet with his king from his country after the Olympics to celebrate his success, but I remember an announcer (I think on Canadian TV) saying something to the effect of, "Now he goes off to the National Palace to survive a great humiliation."

Afterward, Hicham el Garrouj made a very interesting statement. He said, “Atlanta was a positive experience for me. A stronger Hicham El Garrouj was born that day in Atlanta, and after the Olympics the new Hicham became a stronger contender in that arena. Maybe Atlanta was the beginning of the road for me because now I have a confidence that I didn’t have before.” I was so impressed by it that I wrote it down, and that's how I can quote it to you now.

That is how a Champion talks. He didn't blame anyone, and he didn't even look at it as a failure. He saw it as a building block on his way to greater things. Of course, he won a Silver Medal and then two Gold Medals in the Olympics (2000 and 2004).

For the kids not-yet-born when the Budd/Slaney Olympics occurred, this is the lesson to take away from this. Champions learn from it and do not think of failure. Failures stay bitter for decades, blame others, take performance enhancing drugs, and then never win any Olympic medals anyway.

My memory is starting to slip, but heck, Mary Decker was in three more Olympics after her tumble. The way I remember it, she buckled under the pressure of those later Olympics as well.

There are a lot of Americans who were embarrassed by the ugly boos and jeers in L.A. in 1984, and who would gladly reach out to Zola Budd with our cheers of respect and admiration, both for then and now.

Thanks for the El Guerrouj quotes. He's my hero. What an awesome competitor. Any idea what he's doing these days?

how history repeats itself - Decker getting carried off afterwards by Rick Slaney and C J Hunter doing something similar years later to Marion. Poor defenceless girls and their 'he-man hubbies' rescuing their damsels in distress. 2 druggies cut from the same cloth.

oh yes, thank you dick cavett....why don't you teach us about this "line" by posting exactly which questions YOU would have asked.and i am not sticking up for slaney...i think she's liar and a cheat...but at least she didn't change her story just because she was staring across the table at zola budd. a lot of people would have taken the spineless route and tried to play nice. like you, probably.

How unfortunate wrote:

You clearly don't understand the line between good journalism and intentional provocation. It was very clear to everyone else in this thread that the host framed the questions in a way that was designed to provoke conflict. That is not good journalism. That is sensationalism, and poor reporting.

I also think it's laughable that you give Slaney credit for "sticking to her guns... just because Budd was sitting right across the table from her." What does Slaney have to be afraid of? Budd, still the shy and non-confrontational woman she was back in 1984, looked terrified that the smiling witch sitting across from her was going to deck her (no pun intended...) when the show was over. I guarantee you Mary suffered no harassment after the incident, but I can bet that Budd has received many threats over the years for something that wasn't even her fault.

Poor Mary.

As most of the readers of Letsrun treads are naturally quite young, they wouldn’t remember the old USA-Soviet track meets held back at the height of the ‘cold war.’

Women’s athletics in America was a bit of a joke back then and the Soviet women used to walk all over their track team.

Anyway the 1973 meet was held at Minsk with the partisan 50,000 Russian spectators cheering every Russian victory - and they were wiping the floor with you Yanks.

Now what happened here, whatever subsequently happened to her career, was the reason I’ve always held a soft spot for the girl.

Imagine the jeers of derision as the announcers told the crowd that the skinny little, pig tailed American girl, lining up against their world class athletes (including an Olympic silver medallist) in the 800 - was 14 years old!

That little girl was Mary Decker and she went on to silence that vast crown by outkicking the Soviet women up the finishing straight - a triumph of pure will-power.

I’ve forgiven her every little transgression since.

Zola Budd was an annoyance in that race for all the competitors. You know how you line up for a roadrace and some 8 year old kids are all on the front line....kinda like that. Budd was all over the place INDECISIVELY. She had never been in a crowded race before, let alone an international one. If it hadn't happened to Mary Decker it would have happened to someone in that race.

Running in middle of Lane 1 is asking for trouble for yourself. Remember the Ethiopian woman at 2009 World Champs 1500. Give someone a sliver of room and they will take it.

Some Brits say Budd should never have run in those Olympics; remember the anti-apartheid protests directed at Budd?

I am no fan of Mary Decker; this is the only instance I feel a semblence of sympathy for her. Maybe LA was karma for her other "transgressions".

Your memory fails you, Old Fossil. At the 84 Olympics Budd could hardly be compared to the annoying 8 year old who lines up on the front line of a road race. At the time she had the WR for the 5000. She had run 8:37 for the 3000 before LA. 8 months after the Olympics she won the World XC Championship. I believe that but for the accident Budd would have won a medal that day.

A good story especially for the fact that that El G had nothing to do with that "collison" in Atlanta. If you watch it very closely, it was the guy who was running behind El G who kicked his heel to get him off-balance to kick his own leg that led him to fall.

It's a shame that would have been a very interesting race (LA 3000); Dick Brown had no doubt that Mary would have won gold. On the other hand, I don't think Puica or Sly had no doubt that the outcome would have still be the same anyways.

Canada84 wrote:

Your memory fails you, Old Fossil. At the 84 Olympics Budd could hardly be compared to the annoying 8 year old who lines up on the front line of a road race. At the time she had the WR for the 5000. She had run 8:37 for the 3000 before LA. 8 months after the Olympics she won the World XC Championship. I believe that but for the accident Budd would have won a medal that day.

Didn't she break the WR for 2000m 6 weeks before?

Canada84 wrote:

Your memory fails you, Old Fossil. At the 84 Olympics Budd could hardly be compared to the annoying 8 year old who lines up on the front line of a road race. At the time she had the WR for the 5000. She had run 8:37 for the 3000 before LA. 8 months after the Olympics she won the World XC Championship. I believe that but for the accident Budd would have won a medal that day.

SOFs point that Budd was not familiar with pack running is true. Decker also never liked running anywhere but in the front. The combo of the two was likely the biggest cause of the problem.