What about the sport? USATF does it again - They will run three 1500 heats that will eliminate at most 2 people

I spoke to a tv guy and he said there was talk about totally eliminating the 1500 heats for women entirely tonight.

So it's clear the TV people also realize it's horrible tv. Show nothing instead?? Is that better?

Bonkers wrote:

...but they clearly could care less about doing right by their athletes. Their refusal to run the men's 800 final in lanes despite appeals from 5 different coaches shows that. If they aren't going to use common sense with the 800 final, then they aren't going to care about #30-35 on the performance list.

You can't talk about growing the sport, and then treat 99.9% of American track and field athletes with complete indifference. USATF is a joke.

Why would they run the Trials 800 in lanes??

The Olympic 800 is not run in lanes, so shouldn't the Trials run the same event as the Olympics?

We run the 200 on curve & straight in our Trials, same as the Olympics do. We don't run a full straight 200, or an indoor 200, in our Trials.

_questioner wrote:

Bonkers wrote:

...but they clearly could care less about doing right by their athletes. Their refusal to run the men's 800 final in lanes despite appeals from 5 different coaches shows that. If they aren't going to use common sense with the 800 final, then they aren't going to care about #30-35 on the performance list.

You can't talk about growing the sport, and then treat 99.9% of American track and field athletes with complete indifference. USATF is a joke.

Why would they run the Trials 800 in lanes??

The Olympic 800 is not run in lanes, so shouldn't the Trials run the same event as the Olympics?

We run the 200 on curve & straight in our Trials, same as the Olympics do. We don't run a full straight 200, or an indoor 200, in our Trials.

The start is in lanes vs a waterfall start. That's how the Olympics and every big meet does it (laned start). US Trials were a waterfall start

I didn't think of this earlier, but with falls, could protests result in ALL of the athletes ultimately being put through to the semi. That would be kind of funny.

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

I didn't think of this earlier, but with falls, could protests result in ALL of the athletes ultimately being put through to the semi. That would be kind of funny.

This could happen. Two athletes fell in the first heat.

Dumb wrote:

This could happen. Two athletes fell in the first heat.

Well, looks like the slow second heat makes this less likely.

Glad they have shown all of 4 shot put attempts so far, but every second of the farce that is this first round 1500.

30 to 24 is just unbearably stupid.

Letting in 36+ just seems like it would be good for the sport. There are no negatives to doing this. Put 12 in each heat.

What kind of evil moronic bureaucrats decide these things?

Mundus Vult decipi wrote:

I suppose one could argue that the Olympics are the same way but the A standards of the Olympics--in theory--assure that everyone there is a bona fide contender.

Some of the Round 1 times in the Olympics are so weak because countries without qualified athletes can enter 1 man and 1 woman who don't meet the standard.

Another voice for common sense says the logical number, if you want three rounds of the 1500m, is to have a desired total field size of 36 (not 30). Scratches may or may not occur on any given year. I say fill in the field for each scratch, but if meet organizers do want to deal with that, fine.

But 36 is the logical number. Isn't the standard field size for 1500 typically set at twelve? For the 800 its eight, for the steeple and I think 5k its 14. So to have three rounds of 10 to eliminate 6 (or eliminate less if scratches), it just doesn't make sense. Maybe they are trying to save 1500m runners legs by making that first round a bit easier. (?) I really ain't sure what USATF's logic is. It should be 36-24-12 for each round.

30 to 24 is just unbearably stupid.

Letting in 36+ just seems like it would be good for the sport. There are no negatives to doing this. Put 12 in each heat.

What kind of evil moronic bureaucrats decide these things?[/quote]

This. I feel the same way about the marathon trials. 2:19 is fair. I liked the 2:22 standard to allow more people to compete. I know that trials races are not all comers meets but I would think it would good for the sport if someone enters a race with a 2:21 PR and leaves with 2:1X even if they are nowhere close to the win.

Does anyone actually know how these decisions are made? If some committee folks were onboard with an expanded field or filling the field with scratches, we should get contact info for folks voting against it and just do something simple like a letter writing campaign. USATF relies on its membership. I'm guessing the overwhelming membership would support expanded/full fields.

Mundus Vult decipi wrote:

Here is why: the last folks let into a middle-distance championship field with heats are certainly the most dangerous. They will not make the Olympic team but they can dramatically affect who makes the Olympic team. These folks have no chance except to "go for it" which can really re-shape the heats.

This just isn't true. Do you know that Wheating is one of the last to get in? Ever heard of Christian Smith?

Some of these guys on the bubble are very good.

After watching most of the YouTube videos, most if not all interviewers stated they like current system.

I get the multiple rounds to simulate the games, but either restrict the field and run two heats or add enough to make three heats competitive and worth while. Trying to sit on the fence is terrible for the sport, athletes, viewers,..... well pretty much everyone.

Maybe we should change your name to Vaca.

Was there a protest to allow the two athletes Sarah Brown and Rachel get into semi-finals? I'm guessing Sarah Brown will get in just because of the ESPN story...