Gags chooses Nike OTC over Brooks Beasts

Go with who you're going with. Just don't change it. Telling a guy he's in and then changing is just flat out wrong. If that did indeed happen. If selection is still open just keep your f'in mouth shut.

Hank Moody wrote:

Go with who you're going with. Just don't change it. Telling a guy he's in and then changing is just flat out wrong. If that did indeed happen. If selection is still open just keep your f'in mouth shut.

USATF does this crap ALL the time. We were working on a similar story with the World Half this year. Maybe we'll get to finishing it.

It's real simple. Don't make false promises.

So he loses because he ran in a USATF meet. BUt if he skipped it, he'd still be on? Meawnwhile Torrence runs 1:47 and gets to stay on (I'm not saying Torrence shouldn't be on - he had an incredible indoor campaign. It's the concept of being punished for racing).

I am surprised because Gags is respected.

But I'm not surprised they pulled this on a Brooks athlete and went with a Vin - OTC athlete. So now the team has 3 Nike athletes and Leo. A backdoor business move by Gags at the expense of Heath.

i know you guys ignore this possibility...but maybe it's not about shoe companies.

maybe

That's right. They probably just it as a shot to Symmonds, its personal.

But in all seriousness, this is probably going to get blown up as a USATF corruption story about shoes, money, or yada yada. This seems to be largely the decision of the coach picking a more in season runner.

rojo wrote:

Hank Moody wrote:

Go with who you're going with. Just don't change it. Telling a guy he's in and then changing is just flat out wrong. If that did indeed happen. If selection is still open just keep your f'in mouth shut.

It's real simple. Don't make false promises.

So he loses because he ran in a USATF meet. BUt if he skipped it, he'd still be on? Meawnwhile Torrence runs 1:47 and gets to stay on (I'm not saying Torrence shouldn't be on - he had an incredible indoor campaign. It's the concept of being punished for racing).

+1

I mean, it would be understandable if it was two guys from the same training group (like a team) that were fighting for a spot on the relay, and the training group switched out one athlete for the other. That makes sense, they both know the situation and are both in the same situation with the same goals. However, when you're dealing with different training groups/coaches/teams, and selecting an All-Star group, and the athletes have to adjust their training schedule in order to compete (which is just a reality, unless the relays were done after all the other major meets), to change your mind after you have already invited an athlete ruins their season plans and denies what is essentially a promise made to that athlete.

If I was an elite athlete, after this stunt, I wouldn't dare change my own plans to adjust to be able to participate in a Team USA Relay - I like relays, but it just wouldn't be worth it, because now I know that being invited to run on the team doesn't mean you'll actually be on the team. I would only accept the "invite" if it already fit in with my racing and training schedule.

Casey barely beat him. Heath has far more strength and has been one of our more consistent performers. Casey is very streaky. Heath trained through oxy. Seems unfair but also gives Heath a chance later to prove gags made the wrong decision by just kicking Casey's ass.

Nike goons at it again.

Rudiger wrote:

But in all seriousness, this is probably going to get blown up as a USATF corruption story about shoes, money, or yada yada. This seems to be largely the decision of the coach picking a more in season runner.

How is casey who just got out of college more seasoned than heath who is 29?

I'll agree it has nothing to do with shoe companies but is all about false promises.

Who cares. Not like America has a chance to win...Meanwhile Kenya is busy preparing for a new world record not pitying Brooks and blaming everything on the evil Nike.

I agree that the US is very unlikely to win. Replacing Heath with Casey, even if I was to believe that Casey currently holds an edge over Heath, is not going to make a difference against then Kenyans.

This is a classless move. Unless the athlete selected is injured and has to withdraw, this type of move should not happen. This is very unfair to the athletes and does not foster any sense of team spirit. The USATF is lucky to have a team that even remotely resembles the USA's best with the shenanigans that they pull. Very classless.

I'd like to see someone confirm that it was actually Gag's decision and if so; does he think he owes Heath any sort of explanation or apology.

WTF

The kid was on a roster of 6, that 4 people actually get to run. He's still on the roster of 6, just didn't make the running team.

Last minute the coach decided they had a better chance to medal if another kid runs.

Boo-hoo. People are starters on a basketball team, and then for no reason other then it helps the team win, they aren't starters anymore.

Team Brooks Beast, aka Danny Mackey crybaby club, is looking for excuses why a kid who just got beat should be a starter. He Mackey sounds like a dad trying to get playing time for his son on a high school basketall team.

Life isn't fair, but this isn't about fair, its about trying to win.

If Gags or USATF wanted to avoid this they simply could have told Heath that the decision would not be final until 24 hours before the World Relays and that any races leading up to the event would be used as deciding factors.

Lying is what seems to be the issue here. To be told you are guaranteed a spot on the team and to change that agreement last minute would piss any coach or athlete off. Just be straight up USATF-Gags! Gags should know better, he's a coach!

This is the first I have heard anything from Heath or Mackey so I wouldn't say they are whining and we do not know if it's a brand thing. All we are going off of is 2 quotes right?

It is one thing after another this year with the USATF but they don't seem to care.

grapes and vines wrote:

Yes, the rumors of Macky training 80 mile weeks with workouts and partying with his buddies at meets instead of making sure his athletes are entered is going to catch up with him very quickly.

Ha, someone have an axe to grind with Coach Mackey?

Your analogy doesn't work. This isn't a basketball team. This isn't a "team" that works together on a regular basis as a team. This is a one-off special event put together with all-stars in a sport that is geared to individual achievement and not team competition.

No one said beforehand that the Oxy meet was to be some sort of qualifier. I don't think you can say that Heath was "beat" for the purposes of qualifying for the rrelay squad when the race wasn't advertised as a qualifier. It is very early in the season and at this time beating all of your competition is not as important as getting the work in that's necessary to achieve your goals down the line.

Why should any athlete rearrange their schedule to support the USATF? In this type of competition the athletes are doing the USATF a favor. It's not the other way around.

I'll stand by my assertion that this is a classless move by the USATF.

And is there any evidence that he was "guaranteed" a spot to actually run or was he simply guaranteed one of the top 6 positions?

what is that wrote:

Rudiger wrote:

But in all seriousness, this is probably going to get blown up as a USATF corruption story about shoes, money, or yada yada. This seems to be largely the decision of the coach picking a more in season runner.

How is casey who just got out of college more seasoned than heath who is 29?

I'll agree it has nothing to do with shoe companies but is all about false promises.

"a more IN season runner" not a more "seasoned" runner.

buy a vowel wrote:

And is there any evidence that he was "guaranteed" a spot to actually run or was he simply guaranteed one of the top 6 positions?

We will have to see if Gags responds. Right now it is Heath and Mackey saying it was a guarantee.

Mackey lying his way to a job and stealing atheltes since 2006.