IT Expert wrote:
It's so embarrassing.
They need to find a pool of 6-8 guys -- very terrific fast guys, but guys that probably wouldn't be top 4-5 at the trials. Maybe college guys. Those guys are a relay pool, and all they do is train for the relay. Start working them early, not just a few weeks. They're not going to run in the individual events and there's no focus on that. The relay pool produces the best four guys who can work together, has a couple alternates, and away they go.
So true.
rjm33 wrote:
Phil Knight wrote:We lost to Asian male sprinters wearing girl's shorts. Pretty sad boys.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2016/08/670_212296.htmlYou are very, very correct.
How many threads have we had about Dennis and the relay "problems"?
?????
In conclusion:
1) US team comes in third…gets beat by Japan (probably clean!!!)…even though 3 out of our 4 runners are US Doper-Cheaters™. (I think Rodgers had a ban also once…but I am not sure.) Oh boy.
2) The US team is then... disqualified again. What a surprise. Oh boy again.
3) The solution is for Tom Hammond to replace Dennis Mitchell as US relay coach.
4) Tom Hammond can then be replaced on NBC (today) by any of the following people:
a) Tim Hutchings
b) nobody
c) Steve Cram (He will not do it.)
d) Brendan Foster
e) any Aussie with a good accent
f) any person picked at random in a lottery.
g) This one may be a surprise…Ms. Paula Radcliffe. (Paula is still way better than Tom Hammond.)
Please stop Tom Hammond today.
OK?
What about Steve Ovett?
I can tell you who can replace Dennis Mitchell. Any coach of the NCAA D-1 Championship this year. That includes: North Carolina St., Arizona State, Houston, Arkansas, LSU, Florida, Western Kentucky, TCU.
Seriously, Houston, LSU, Arkansas, Florida and of course Pat Henry at Texas A&M would all be better than Mitchell.
Kip Lagat for American Relays coach. When he retires after the 2014 Olympics at age 50, after winning bronze in the 10K.
There are at least 200 high school coaches who could do a far better job than Mitchell.... I know of one coach who has had over 300 4 x 100's and have never blown ONE stick pass.....what a crime that a country with 320,000,000 people cannot find one credible relay coach...what do they overpay Mitchell?
A blown stick pass is not a tragedy. Consistent blowing the passes is. Vin Anderson from Texas A&M calls sprint passing an aggressive all out act where you risk failure. He doesnt believe in safe passrs.
Mitchell on the other hand rarely has success.
exthrower wrote:
Bob Schul Country wrote:USA just lost to Japan in the 4x1.
Your line up is ran in a really stupid order, and your handoffs sucked.
A HS sprint coach could of done a better job
It's called Black ineptitude...It's actually rewarded in liberal America.
It took a few pages, but the racism when from covert to overt.
Thanks for being honest.
polevaultpower wrote:
early pass wrote:Rodgers to Gatlin was early. IAAF rule 170.7.
The baton shall be passed within the takeover zone. The passing of the baton commences when it is first touched by the receiving athlete and is completed the moment it is in the hand of only the receiving athlete. In relation to the takeover zone, it is only the position of the baton which is decisive. Passing of the baton outside the takeover zone shall result in disqualification.
Gatlin touched the baton, which initiates the pass, prior to entering the zone.
This is exactly what happened, and what is more concerning is the fact that at least one of the relay runners, based on tweets last night, genuinely seems to believe the rule is that the exchange just has to be completed in the zone.
I don't even put that on the athletes, that's 100% on the coach and USATF who hired him. Does Dennis Mitchell believe the pass can start before the zone? Either he understood the rule incorrectly and told the athletes wrong, or he just assumed everyone knew it and failed to make sure everyone was crystal clear on every rule on the biggest stage possible...
We have a basic inherent problem with our relay squads for the games and the world champs.Its the selection process plain and simple. We pick the team from the trials. We have a pool of six runners that are the top six finishers at the trials. Talent to win yes, but minimal practice as a relay team.
Post trials top 3 are focused on individual race, they go back home to their base and train. They may even compete once more pre championships( travel time no relay practice).
So what happens? A hand full of practices with people you have not passed the baton with. Post collegiate you don't do relays unless you make a team.
When win with our talent when we can hold on to the stick. Japan medals because of technique and consistent relay practice with a core group and national relay coach. This is not about Mitchell or any other US relay coach that gets selected.Until we can develop a national relay program required practices if your getting a stipend from USATF, we will continue to drop the baton.
The coach is not the problem the problem is the athletes.