8 years ago
08/15/2011 7:07pm CDT
Ugh, you know what Jesse, I started this and realized that I just won't have the time to devote to it.
I guess I was trying to be a bit too charitable.
Anyway here's what I had, in case you're curious.
OK Jesse, here we go...
The first thing we need to agree on is the whole point of this exercise, which in my view is to explain how Bolt was capable in 2008 and 2009 of running as much faster as he did than any other person before or since, in the FAT era.
A related, but different question that will need to be answered, but which should not be conflated with the main question above, is to explain how Bolt was capable in 2008 and 2009 of running as much faster as he did than he had ever run before, or ever has since. This issue will arise at some point, but should not be the initial focus of inquiry.
Do you agree with my initial statement of the question to be answered, and if not, how would you re-formulate it?
As a second step, that we can do simultaneously with the first, we can agree upon a non-exhaustive list of undisputed facts to be used in the discussion, which list will be enlarged as required throughout the course of the discussion:
1) he ran a wind-legal 9.69
2) he ran a wind-legal 9.58
3) he ran a 19.30 into a headwind
4) he ran a wind-legal 19.19
5) he was 195cm in height at the time
6) he was about 205 lbs in weight at the time
7) he was 195cm in height at 15 yrs of age
8) he ran a serious 19.93 at age 17
9) his 9.69 was a WR at the time
10) his 9.69 was the greatest margin of victory ever in an Olympic 100m final in the FAT era
11) his 9.69 was the greatest margin of decrease ever over the previous WR
12) his 9.58 was, and still is, a WR
13) his 9.58 WR is the furthest ever ahead of the next-fastest man
14) Francis Obikwelu is 195cm in height
15) Carl Lewis was 191cm in height when competing
16) Carl Lewis was about 180 lbs in weight when competing
17) Asafa Powell is 190cm in height
18) Asafa Powell weighs about 190 lbs
19) 9.59 (+0.9) in Berlin is 9.62 corrected
20) the fastest 100m by Carl Lewis was 9.86 (+1.2) in Tokyo which is 9.92 corrected
21) the fastest 100m by Asafa Powell was 9.72 (+0.2) in Lausanne which is a 9.74 corrected
22) the fastest 100m by Francis Obikwelu was 9.86 (+0.6) in Athens which is a 9.89 corrected
23) his 19.19 was, and still is, a WR
24) Bolt has never returned a positive test
25) Bolt has never admitted any PED use
26) his 19.93 at age 17 was, and is, a junior WR
27) it was entirely within his control at the time of his having run 9.69 to have run around .10 faster than he did, but he chose not to
Like I said, there will be more facts that we will add as needed--LOTS more. Please let me know if you disagree with any of the above.
