Jeneba Tarmoh, PLEASE do not be bullied into the run-off! You are an OLYMPIAN.

News flash: she changed her mind, she is likely a democrat, won't run looks brutal on her. Prime time run off would have got her more exposure

than any 3/4 in history!

See that's the thing, she isn't saying that she wants to coin toss, she's saying she wants the spot, which isn't fair and reflects poorly on her.

I feel for her, It's awful what happened, but also the right thing is happening. USATF has handled it horribly and I'm not sure why when it was called a dead heat within 10 minutes of the race it took so long to get the word out. Yes the finish reader made a quick unofficial decision to give it to Tarmoh but in the interviews he says that was a mistake and he should have put something else up. That's the only thing he says was a mistake, if he was really positive that she had won then he'd be saying calling the officials in to review was a mistake but he's not saying that and he's done 2 awesome interviews clearly explaining the process.

As awesome as it'd be to make it to the Olympics if I were her and was just handed the spot I'd always wonder if I really deserved it and there would be an * next to that entire Olympic experience the rest of my life.

I felt bad for Tarmoh given the way the dead heat was initially handled. That being said, she is now coming across as sour grapes. "I feel like I was robbed." You weren't robbed of anything. You tied. Get over it.

Looking at the photo, I can't tell who won. Someone said how unfair is it is for Tarmoh to be declared the winner and to have the decision changed, well that is no more unfair than for Allyson to be declared the loser. I can't possibility think of a fairer way to settle it than to have a run off. With that said, from an analytical

standpoint, I can understand why Tarmoh would not want to do a run off becasue she would likely lose. Tarmoh probably can't run a better race than she did and if Allyson has a slightly better start she wins the race and both athletes, coaches and agents know this.

FinishLynx User wrote:

Yes the finish reader made a quick unofficial decision to give it to Tarmoh but in the interviews he says that was a mistake and he should have put something else up. That's the only thing he says was a mistake, if he was really positive that she had won then he'd be saying calling the officials in to review was a mistake but he's not saying that and he's done 2 awesome interviews clearly explaining the process.

Your summary is misleading - the finish photo reader was and still is positive that Tarmoh was ahead:

Jennings said, "In the end, my read was subjective. The involvement of the torso is always subjective to some degree. They (USATF) went with what they could actually see. I was overruled, and I certainly signed off on their decision. But I did my job. I called what I saw. I try to stay consistent. If I went back and read that photo 100 times, I would call it the same way every time." (That is, he would call Tarmoh the winner, based on an interpolation of where her torso was at the finish).

This is really silly. The rules state that they need a runoff or a coin flip. They chose a runoff. If Tarmoh does not do the run off, she is not on the olympic team.

The equivalent of this would be if Tarmoh went into the trials and said she already won and won't do the race because there is a possibility she wouldn't actually win.

And by the way, it is obvious by the photo-finish picture that Felix and Tarmoh did tie. It may have looked like Tarmoh won while watching it live because Tarmoh had the lead on Feliz with a meter left. Felix had a faster last meter and they tied. There is photographic evidence that they tied. If you have any evidence that they did not tie, then please show me.

I really don't understand how she is being bullied here. The only way I could see her being bullied is if USATF said if you don't do the run-off, you will lose your spot on the relay team. But to threaten her spot on the 100 individual team is not bullying, it is just reality. If she refuses to race to break the tie, it is the same as conceding her spot.

Or are you saying the run-off idea to break a tie is stupid and it should just be a coinflip?

Tarmoh the shebeast is tired and burned out from the trials. Felix is going to destroy her and she knows it.

FinishLynx User wrote:

...if I were her and was just handed the spot I'd always wonder if I really deserved it and there would be an * next to that entire Olympic experience the rest of my life.

Are you an athlete?

How would you feel about having an * next to your non-participation in your specialty event?

TrackCoach wrote: I can't possibility think of a fairer way to settle it than to have a run off.

I'm not saying it shouldn't be a run-off.

I'm saying it shouldn't be today, on the heels of six races, under conditions obviously favoring one of the runners.

Mr. Dr. Professor. Patrick wrote:

it is obvious by the photo-finish picture that Felix and Tarmoh did tie.

You're a clown.

A "tie" wasn't (and still isn't) obvious to the HEAD TIMER, who has called thousands of races.

Maybe it is a tie. But ANYONE saying it is "obvious" is lying.

In another age, Felix knowing that she was on the 200 team, would have stepped aside and give her team mate the position on the 100 meter team.

Galloway, yes that Galloway, stepped aside and let Bachelor finish ahead of him in the 1972 Marathon Trials knowing he had already made the team on the 10,000.

It is what is these days. I get that the sport has changed. But there is no class in all of this.

I am not blaming Felix or Nike. It just strange that it never occurred to her to take the higher road.

please help stop this mess wrote:

TrackCoach wrote: I can't possibility think of a fairer way to settle it than to have a run off.

I'm not saying it shouldn't be a run-off.

I'm saying it shouldn't be today, on the heels of six races, under conditions obviously favoring one of the runners.

If you are just saying that she is getting bullied to have the run-off today, and that she is fine with a run-off but would just prefer to have it after she has more rest, I think that is perfectly reasonable position. However, that doesn't appear to be what she is saying in my opinion.

I agree and it's best to get it over quickly because this situation will bring out the worst in everyone.

But I would really respect Felix if she had stepped aside. But what we think doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

please help stop this mess wrote:

Idontevenknow wrote:

this isn't a "made up on-the-fly scheme", this whole process is very clearly defined in the rule book.

You are just lying.

Pathetic.

It is well known that there is nothing in the "rule book" on this. What it says in the rule book is coin toss, in fact.

USATF (Nike and NBC) are making up the rules as they go, and bullying runners into accepting them:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/olympics/2012/writers/tim_layden/07/01/felix.tarmoh.100.runoff.newser/index.html

Okay, I'll admit I misread the article. I was under the impression that the USATF dead-heat rule was in place before. This doesn't at all change my opinion, though. This rule is completely fair to both runners. You're bitching and moaning about this as if Felix gets a 25 meter head start or something. If Tarmoh is faster, she'll probably win. If Felix is faster (which she is) she'll probably win. The fact that it was a dead heat, though, (like I said earlier (which you conveniently ignored)) is clear because multiple professional officials reviewed it as being a tie. The head official which you keep yelling at everyone about based his ruling on something which he could not see. He could only guess where her torso crossed.

I can't speak for everyone here, but it appears I'm not the only one who thinks you're acting incredibly immature right now calling people "pathetic", telling someone who disagreed with you to "get lost", and calling someone else a "clown".

R. U. Blind wrote:

The photo clearly shows a dead heat.

please help stop this mess wrote:

So clearly that the HEAD TIMER, who has been doing this for decades and called THOUSANDS of finishes, called it a win for Tarmoh?

Get lost.

Your ignorance of these circumstances does not paint you in a good light. Watch rojo's interview with the head timer and learn something.

Why the HELL should Felix step aside. She worked her ass off, earned a spot on the 100 meter team, and should fight to keep it.

If the shebeast is gonna whine about it, that's her problem. I'm inclined to think that the shebeast is just butthurt because she doesn't think she can win the run-off.

I'm thinking of it this way:

Felix and Tarmoh are training partners and say they are friends.

Felix won the 200 in absolutely stunning and dominating fashion.

In turn, Felix was dominated in the 100 by Jeter and Sullivan. Her 10.92 at Doha notwithstanding, I think she will be similarly dominated again by at least Jeter, and probably the Jamaicans...should she run the 100 at The Olympics. Unless there were scheduling concerns, I thought and still think she had a better chance at double medaling with the 200/400 double. That 200 showed she had a great chance to beat Ross in her event.

If, as Felix says in the SI article that she is effectively using the 100 as a 'tune-up' for her 200, then I think she should take--as another poster--suggested. 'the high road'--and step aside and let Tarmoh have the 3rd slot in the 100...although, I think the USATF decision may preclude her from doing that at this point?...Tarmoh and Felix have to pick one of the options, or the USATF picks for them, with a coin flip. Is that right? The only silver lining in this for Tarmoh is that she is now an Olympian by virtue of inclusion in the 4x1...no matter how this 100 thing turns out. By the way, even with this situation unfolding, hard not to notice the great sportsmanship and camaraderie in our sport on display throughout these trials...from Nick Symmonds 'Get up buddy, you're an Olympian", to Ashton Eaton and his supportive decathlon competitors, to David Oliver's grace in the face of huge disappointment, to Galen Rupp's classy comments about Bernard Lagat after that mesmerizing 5K finish. Olympic years rock!

Look guy, you told a frank lie ("rule was in place") to advance your argument and promote the run-off, and others have said the "tie" call (which took half a dozen officials an hour to make) was "obvious."

I'm a nice guy, but this crap deserves to be called out. Done.