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

Speak loudly and carry a big cheating stick.

SaraB wrote:

hmmmmmmm wrote:

Question for everyone:

If you had to choose just one piece of evidence to prove that Rossi did not run the entire course in 3:11, what would you choose and why?

I would show this video and explain the probability of missing all 5 photography sections on the course for a top 200 finisher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGilRGr2GlI&feature=youtu.be

Me too, I think that it's impossible to argue that Rossi is innocent after seeking it

Hal Higdon would agree with you in that the photographic evidence is the strongest, however looking at claimed and confirmed PRs (by MR's own admission on his blog) and other race results once can come to the very same conclusion that from the physiological standpoint it is impossible for someone to run a 3:11 marathon with those times.

I've said it before, that I think that the best piece of evidence is the lack of any photos. There is no bias, extrapolation or interpretation. Sure his race time seems very improbable based on his other races, but the photos or lack thereof don't lie, especially given that he is not in any of the five photo checkpoints.

In addition, there were no timing mats (but time-stamped photos), but everyone else can point to themselves somewhere at least once (besides the finish line) along the race course to say "there I am" , which is more than can be said for Rossi. The photos are sort of a proxy for the timing mats.

While the you tube video are excellent evidence of MR not "appearing on" the course, the Morning Caller's raw video will be the convincing evidence of him "appearing off" the course.

From the VIA waiver

I understand that headphones, animals on or off leashes, bicycles, skates, skateboards, baby joggers/strollers, and bandit pacers are prohibited and violation will result in disqualification.

We really need to be focusing on getting the guy DQ'd that body slammed his dog.

printer wrote:

While the you tube video are excellent evidence of MR not "appearing on" the course, the Morning Caller's raw video will be the convincing evidence of him "appearing off" the course.

While seeing the raw video would be interesting, I am not entirely sure what it is you think you will see. Do you expect to see him actually veer off the course? Sure there might be that, but there might not be. It certainly will help establish some sort of time line. What would be helpful also would be getting any spectators' video/photos along the racecourse, or at least the first mile or so, but that is wishful thinking.

Again, what is most frustrating are the following:

1. The Committee did not say what evidence they have which supports his time being accurate. That means, they have none.

2. They did not say what evidence they have to support that he ran the entire race. That means they have none.

3. They made no mention of photographs in their statement but instead focused on there being no evidence to support that his time was inaccurate. Of course there is none, the LVM did not have timing mats, yet they do have time-stamped photos, which should be considered conclusive.

3. They did not say what would constitute conclusive evidence.

The LVM statement was basically saying that someone needs to bring evidence of MR off the course. Leaving the course is grounds for a DQ.

hmmmmmmm wrote:

Question for everyone:

If you had to choose just one piece of evidence to prove that Rossi did not run the entire course in 3:11, what would you choose and why?

I would show this video and explain the probability of missing all 5 photography sections on the course for a top 200 finisher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGilRGr2GlI&feature=youtu.be

If he ran a 3:11, his blog, facebook, twitter, and any other social media device he could possibly have used would have been flooded with his great achievement. That guy wanted to run Boston. Have you seen the video he made of running a 4:01 Boston? if he ran a legit 3:11, he would have had 3:11 BQ t-shits made up for his whole family and he would have required them to wear those shits at least 3 hours a day, each and every day.

yeah, his inability to run 3:11, and the lack photos, each on their own is conclusive that he cheated - but for me, his silence after the VIA screams cheater louder than anything else. That guy is not humble. It's "go time"....yeah.

printer wrote:

The LVM statement was basically saying that someone needs to bring evidence of MR off the course. Leaving the course is grounds for a DQ.

I get that. But the waiver gives them the ability to DQ nearly anyone for nearly anything. If I spit on a course, they could have grounds.

printer wrote:

The LVM statement was basically saying that someone needs to bring evidence of MR off the course. Leaving the course is grounds for a DQ.

That is certainly one interpretation but I prefer not to make any assumptions. I did not see any verbiage in the statement indicating that they are seeking evidence to support that he deviated from the course. Their statement focused on "...there is not conclusive evidence that his time in the 2014 LVHN Via Marathon is inaccurate."

Rossi Rossi Rossi wrote:

printer wrote:

The LVM statement was basically saying that someone needs to bring evidence of MR off the course. Leaving the course is grounds for a DQ.

I get that. But the waiver gives them the ability to DQ nearly anyone for nearly anything. If I spit on a course, they could have grounds.

Yes it does, in fact it says "I agree to abide by any and all rulings of event officials, even if such ruling results in my disqualification."

However, but "ability" does not necessarily mean they have the Integrity or balls to do it.

It's still worth a look at the raw video and still coverage. If there's something there, the ball goes back to the LVM to review. They did say that they would look at new evidence.

Now you are sounding pathetic wrote:

And now it's over. Time to move on to the next viral internet sensation that allows us all to be faux morally outraged.

OVER? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is!

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

And it ain't over now. Cause when the goin' gets tough... the tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go! What the f*** happened to the letsrun I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? Ooh, we're afraid to go with you, we might get in sued. Well just kiss my ass from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Rossi, he's a dead man! LVM and its race director and committee, dead!

hmmmmmmm wrote:

Question for everyone:

If you had to choose just one piece of evidence to prove that Rossi did not run the entire course in 3:11, what would you choose and why?

I would show this video and explain the probability of missing all 5 photography sections on the course for a top 200 finisher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGilRGr2GlI&feature=youtu.be

One final point about photos. Rossi asserted that he has other pics showing him on the course. However, as we know, he has refused to produce them for anyone to see. That means they don't exist.

More importantly, he claimed to me in an email that he was provided by the LVM additional pictures that didnt make the final cut at US Candids. However, that too is a lie. First, I think if they had suck pictures, then they wouldn't have needed to question him they could have said, oh look at these pictures, here he is at mile marker X. Also, they made no mention of exculpatory pictures, which if they had them they would have certainly said so.

But most importantly, I emailed US Candids and they stated that ALL pictures for the 2014 LVM were online!

Now you know why he won't share those pictures because there are none and they certainly were not given to him by the LVM.

Jack and Victoria wrote:

Now you are sounding pathetic wrote:

And now it's over. Time to move on to the next viral internet sensation that allows us all to be faux morally outraged.

OVER? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is!

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Germans?

printer wrote:

It's still worth a look at the raw video and still coverage. If there's something there, the ball goes back to the LVM to review. They did say that they would look at new evidence.

Sadly, in their official release the last thing they said was that they would not be making any further comment on this situation. That seems to go in direct opposition to considering new evidence.

Which brings me back to having those who ran the race and have "standing" and a vested interest, to be the ones to take the evidence here and to make their plea.

They will respond if they are approached with video/photo evidence from their local paper.

Doubler wrote:

From the VIA waiver

I understand that headphones, animals on or off leashes, bicycles, skates, skateboards, baby joggers/strollers, and bandit pacers are prohibited and violation will result in disqualification.

We really need to be focusing on getting the guy DQ'd that body slammed his dog.

Wasn't Rossi wearing headphones I'm that pre race selfie? Shouldn't he be DQ'd for that? Kind of like how the FBI couldn't get the mob guys on the serious charges but get the with smaller charges lilke tax evasion or racketeering, i.e. Rossi is the mob guy, the tax evasion is the headphones and the serious crimes are the course cutting.

printer wrote:

They will respond if they are approached with video/photo evidence from their local paper.

I share your optimism to some degree which is why I also said that if either a local or other media got involved, that would be enough to get at least some transparency and answers. Shining a light on this by the media, even if one, would help. Perhaps vis-a-vis the RW's article about cheating at marathons and how for some reason the RD here decided not to DQ someone in spite of a mountain of evidence.