Ahah, that's a good one.
Ahah, that's a good one.
I’ve never been an Alan Webb fan, but this very poorly writen article is just as immature as Alan Webbs "antics".
Guys,
To those of you who don't understand what the article is trying to convey, that is simply a matter of 1) misunderstanding or 2) a difference of opinion.
Here is the bottom line: The article is accurate and the article is called for. Why you might ask? because Alan Webb cannot and should not have had such a tantrum in a public sphere.
I was one of a select few people to witness this entire episode from the time of the race until Reggie was closed. Mostly everyone else, including everyone commenting here, only saw the flotrack video, which didn't show much and was taken after the fact as to what Emory and myself are trying to get across here.
To the many of you who are clearly upset about this, it is my hope that you can try to understand why this article was written. In my personal opinion, I would hope that this article, in some shape or form, can help Alan learn that he needs to be better behaved and more responsible in a public setting. Alan Webb, just like any other person in the world, should and will be held accountable for their words and actions. If a high school kid acted like this after a race, it would not be acceptable; and why? Because we try to teach high school kids to be responsible for their actions. Alan hasn't entirely learned this yet, but you are never too old to learn something new and, sometimes it takes bold action for an individual to realize this.
All this boils down to is that Alan Webb needs to shape-up his negative emotions. No one is trying to make Alan out to be some bad-guy, but we are just trying to report this unacceptable behavior in the hopes that it might help him realize that he IS held accountable for his behavior. Alberto Salazar has said on numerous occasions that Alan has turned a new leaf in regards to his emotions, but that is clearly not the case. I believe that if he can turn this around and truly learn to take things in stride (just like every other elite athlete who had a bad race there did), Alan will soon be back to being one of the best athletes to ever step on the track. I am a big fan of the guy, and I wish him the best. I only hope that he can learn that he can't act like this as it only brings him down.
poorly written, but sure, why not write it. I would.
we can only hope it b-slaps Webb into growing up.
just listen to the FLotrack clip from 56sec to 1min.
something is wrong with him.
I guess I can understand what you're thinking... still don't think I would have done it the same way, but like another poster said, i like that you guys are up for an open discussion.
Disappointed in the brojos.
One of the differences of professional sports (ie Ben R. etc.) is that following a game a professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey player has time away from the media to cool down and be away from the media. Some may even choose to remove themselves by isolating themselves in the training room so they don't have to talk to reporters. Typically the reporters will gather outside the locker room for the coach to come out and adress the intial questions while the athletes inside have a chance to cool down.
At the a meet, there is no such luxury. The emotions of the runners are immediately seen.
I've had many a bad day at my job. The type of frustrating-as-hell day that makes you give second thought to what you love doing for a living. But I'm lucky that no one writes about it and puts it online for all to see.
For once - it seems like the masses are sticking up for Webb. Good on ya.
I think you guys made a mistake by not capturing it on video. It was explained by Wejo that you did not want to embarrass Alan. Then why the article? If we could see the video ourselves then maybe we would agree 100% with your written account, including your opinions.
Even after reading the article a couple of times I do not see what is 'unacceptable'. He did not lash out at anyone but himself. He did not curse at anyone but himself. It does show Alan as a bit immature and short tempered and shows a lack of patience perhaps. But the OPINIONS; unacceptable, lack of professional decorum, comparison to middle schooler, are all over the top and make the article read like a sensationalistic attack on Alan.
That might not be the intention of the article but that is how it comes across.
Tom Davis wrote:
If a high school kid acted like this after a race, it would not be acceptable; and why? Because we try to teach high school kids to be responsible for their actions.
Have you ever witnessed the period immediately after a high school race? Or a college race, even? At least one or two guys will be swearing, slamming their spikes or gear bag down on the ground, and generally acting pissed off.
Coaches try to calm their athletes down, as they should, and I wish Salazar would have been there with Webb to pick him up mentally. But it doesn't cross the line to become "unacceptable" behavior if the athlete keeps it to themself - doesn't take out their frustration on other athletes, event staff, or the public.
If Webb was throwing his gear across the room, I'd be more inclined to think of this as a severe outburst. But nobody has said that outright, so I'm guessing he wasn't.
Evidently the other athletes and the media (the professional media, that is, not LetsRun.com) were able to conduct their interviews without being affected by Webb's behavior. This also leads me to believe you exaggerate the severity of the incident.
I am perfectly fine with the article.
It reported what happened.
Why spend so much time on Alan Webb?
Has anyone seen the amount of posts about Alan Webb that people have made on this site through the years?
People here hang on every movement he makes.
No one has been more analyzed. This is just giving in to the demand if you ask me.
If Lance Armstrong or Roger Federer or Christiano Ronaldo did something like this after a competition, would you expect it to be reported? Yes you would.
People seem to think that running is somehow especially fragile and reporting of it has to be reverential and fawning because everyone is trying ever so hard. As if the sport's popularity is so fragile that we have to whisper anything bad.
If you're playing pro sport you need to accept people will comment on you - positively and negatively - and Webb is one of the biggest stars of the sport.
Cycling is a sport I also follow - it has a terrible drugs problem as you may know. A significant part of the problem has been a supine media unwilling to mention anything negative in case they lose access to the stars.
This isn't the same, but what people are asking for is along the same lines.
And for those people warning of a boycott from Webb or Salazar, who cares? I'd rather come to a site that gives an opinion (whether I agree with it or not) than swallows it in case someone takes umbrage and refuses to talk to them.
And anyway, does it make me like Webb less? Do I care if he throws a tantrum? No way! I thought maybe he had lost the hunger. Turns out he is starving!
Tom Davis wrote:
...
Here is the bottom line: The article is accurate and the article is called for. Why you might ask? because Alan Webb cannot and should not have had such a tantrum in a public sphere.
...
but we are just trying to report this unacceptable behavior in the hopes that it might help him realize that he IS held accountable for his behavior.
The fundamental problem here is simple and straight out of Journalism 101. You mixed straight reporting (what Webb did and said after the race) with editorial commentary (making value judgements about what Webb did and said after the race). This is widely recognized as poor journalistic practice for many reasons, a relevant one here being that readers usually don't like being told how to feel about what happened.
Specifically, you judged Webb's behavior as unacceptable and you decreed that he should not act that way. Others (in this case, many others) disagree with those judgements. So when they read the article, you're not just telling them what Webb did, you're also telling them that they are wrong if they don't see this as a big negative thing. That's why you have so many critical posts here.
The problem could have been lessened by having two articles, one that stuck to just the facts of what happened after the race and the second an editorial saying that, "I/we find Webb's behavior to be unacceptable etc etc." Then you're letting your readers form their own opinions from the facts, instead of reporting your personal value judgements as facts.
So to recap: Reporting. Judging. Two different things. Keeping them mostly separate = generally wise.
At this point, Weldom, Emory and Tom, will do and say anything to justify the release of their tabloid. All three are saying that he embarrased himself, that it should be reported and thus, they feel it is an obligation to report his feelings after the race.
Cant you three understand that this crap happens to any of us that have bad races? Why not create a cover story on the highlight of the meet??? Which is Brown's victory over a star-studded field!!!
I wonder how Russell Brown must feel to see that his highlight has been completely overshadowed by Webb's "tantrum" on the most popular running tabloid/gossip page on the net.
Alan Webb needs to shape-up his negative emotions
You aren't his dad, prick.
hahahahaha! OMG!!!! DID YOU GUYS READ THIS??? DID TOM DAVIS ACTUALLY WRITE THIS???
"To the many of you who are clearly upset about this, it is my hope that you can try to understand why this article was written. In my personal opinion, I would hope that this article, in some shape or form, can help Alan learn that he needs to be better behaved and more responsible in a public setting. Alan Webb, just like any other person in the world, should and will be held accountable for their words and actions. If a high school kid acted like this after a race, it would not be acceptable; and why? Because we try to teach high school kids to be responsible for their actions. Alan hasn't entirely learned this yet, but you are never too old to learn something new and, sometimes it takes bold action for an individual to realize this."
To help him? To help Alan Webb? This is why you wrote it?? That is his COACH AND AGENTS JOB!!!! Not yours Tom! Not yours Weldon and not yours Emory!
To help him?
Listen up here ladies and gentlement. This is why they wrote this article. To HELP ALAN WEBB!!!
Tabloid-o-rama wrote:
Cant you three understand that this crap happens to any of us that have bad races? Why not create a cover story on the highlight of the meet??? Which is Brown's victory over a star-studded field!!!
I wonder how Russell Brown must feel to see that his highlight has been completely overshadowed by Webb's "tantrum" on the most popular running tabloid/gossip page on the net.
This is exactly my point: in any sport, if a big star loses to an unknown, the stroy is more about the big star than the unknown. But you seem to think that Russell Brown needs a boost because he has tried really hard. Life isn't like that. Pro running isn't infant school
And no, this crap doesn't happen to anyone that has had a bad race. In fifteen years of running, I've hardly ever see anyone get visibly angry after a race. Rueful is the normal observable reaction.
Perhaps, this is just what this sport needs...
He ran a 4min mile and he's an American record holder - he should be pissed. Slam a few bags, let it out. Don't hang your head, cry and, wait to boot-up and see how bad letsrun rips your race...
boo-hoo, he showed some emotion! Give it a rest - this isn't highschool... I remember once seeing J.Riley drop out of a Penn 5k he was at the forefront of (probably off goal pace) and immediately slamming his spikes into the ground. There was no "letsrun" at the time - nobody cared just another Thursday nite at PENN...
Nobody cares about this either! GET A LIFE - Leave Alan alone... "He doesn't run to take beatings, he runs to win!"
[quote]Tom Davis wrote:
Why you might ask? because Alan Webb cannot and should not have had such a tantrum in a public sphere.
I was one of a select few people to witness this entire episode from the time of the race until Reggie was closed.
Mr Davis,
No disrespect, but by your own definition, the tantrum did not occur in the public sphere. It was a private moment witnessed by a few credentialed folks including the media. If you you were to talk to the beat writers in every major sport, they would testify that not everything is worthy of a story. This is also why locker rooms are closed for 5-10 minutes after a game. If you take a deep breath, no one is really objecting to the content of the article. People are upset with the manner Emory conveyed his point. This is why God created editors. I for one am gald Alan got pissed. If you guys can't handle this level of emotion in professional athletics, stay in the stands. Unfettered access comes with resonsibility.
"The fundamental problem here is simple and straight out of Journalism 101. You mixed straight reporting (what Webb did and said after the race) with editorial commentary (making value judgements about what Webb did and said after the race). This is widely recognized as poor journalistic practice for many reasons, a relevant one here being that readers usually don't like being told how to feel about what happened."
Unless I am mistaken I do not think Letsrun is known for its excellence in journalism...it was not a top journalist that wrote this article and if you want straight facts stick to the meet re-cap that is featured above the Webb article. The article on Webb is clearly opinionated and this is not trying to be covered up, it is what would be known of as a "column" in a newspaper. So no, it is not "poor journalistic practice."