Rojo.
I'm still reading a lot of, "that's stupidity", or "no one should care about who we send" or "this just isn't well thought out at all." and "plus, to me, the trials are a great drama."
These are all subjective sentences. All opinions. You aren't being reasonable based on rules in place. Just because you don't agree with them doesn't mean they don't exist.
To be clear, this is what I'm saying:
*You have to get the 2:11:30 standard
**You have to be top 3 at the trials to go to Olympics assuming you have the standard.
Your example about Berlin is so subjective too. If the 8th placer ran 2:11:15 in berlin and the 3rd placer at the trials ran 2:11:31, that sucks but that's how the rules work. 8th place person goes. If I get a speeding ticket for going 50 in a 40 zone, but disagree with the speed limit it doesn't matter because the limit was posted. Rules and laws are arbitrary but they establish a fairness that applies to all people.
Hell, that's how organized society literally works - A collective group agrees that certain things should be followed (no murder, building codes, age restrictions for youth sports teams etc)
Language is another example - We all understand that a certain word means the same thing. If everyone disagreed then no one could communicate with each other.
Getting injured is a part of the sport. If you're hurt and you have the standard, but can't run the trials, that really sucks but maybe next time. If you don't have the standard but are healthy to run the trials you'd better be prepared to run under the qualifying time to make it to the olympics. The Olympics!
Remember when Jordan McNamara (and others?!) needed the standard at the 2016 1500m trials and talked about going after the time with a group. That was super exciting! It hyped the race and made the stakes very high for other runners, knowing they might have to work harder than normal to make it - not just a kickers race. Centrowitz ran 3:34.09, a US championships record. It was exciting. Then he won gold.
Ryan Hall and Abdi got to the Olympics then got hurt but ran anyway despite knowing they couldn't finish. That's lousy if you ask me but not against the rules in place. Just my opinion, but within the framework. There is no perfect system to fix all potential issues.
If you were the starting quarterback all year but got injured in training a week before the superbowl and cannot play, the game doesn't get postponed until you're healthy. Shalane is effed and that's how it goes and her Olympics career is likely over. Happens. All. The. Time. Rupp took a risk and ran his first marathon at the 2016 trials because he based his decision on the rules that were in place - Rules that applied to EVERY runner trying to get to the olympics that year. It was brave and it was bold and it was entertaining and it really worked out for the United States.
You're basically advocating for the Kenyan/Ethiopian system which you have often stated how much you deplore because it takes away objectivity and allows people to pick who they want to go. People make bad decisions. Why not eliminate that potential and use the time standard + the trials performance?
Thanks for your efforts and energy to make running better.