Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

Dr. Brown and Al in NYC, NOT well said...

Yes, there will be people like you who choose to only remember the few isolated incidents without judging his career as a whole. But there will be far more people who will continue to look at his career for what it really is, I gurantee you. For some reason it seems as if too many of us Americans are on this "holier than thou" kick. But did you happen to see and hear the "fans" in the stands at the meet? Didn't look to me like they have all turned against him. And for someone who as you seem to think is so utterly disliked, he sure seems to continue to make the cut in a lot of big time meets. Seems like he is doing something right. The fact of the matter is a lot of people do like Drummond. They like his energy, they like his passion, they like the "show" he puts on for the fans. You may not, and you are entitled to your opinion. Fortunately for him, there are many who disagree with you.

I agree, a lot of the guys in HSI are over the top. But you have to admit, guys who run the 100m have to be a little bit over the edge. You may not think that there should be any entertainment aspect to what these guys do. But take a look at some of the other sports...why so many flashy passes and dunks in basketball etc.? Because fans like to see a show. The most technically sound and talented players are not the ones who always get the most recognition. Just because Drummond has a personality so vastly different from yours does not make him a disgrace.

[Randy Treadway]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

>guys who run the 100m have to be a little bit over the edge

Please provide supporting rationale.

Was Jesse Owens a little bit over the edge? If not, to what do you attribute his on-the-track success?

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

"As should you No Name. "

As usual, another catty remark from Say What? that adds nothing to the conversation.

[Randy Treadway]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

>The most technically sound and talented players are not the ones who always get the most recognition.

A scoreboard reading 9.82 is what gets my attention. Track & field does not award style points, and THAT is why I picked out this sport to like from an early age.

Trying to showboat like basketball and the foot-ball-touchdown Sharpie show do nothing to 'set T&F apart" from those other sports and show that it is something special.
There are already plenty of media outlets for that kind of show, why would the public want to see more of the same- a bunch of copycats?

But I acknowledge that that's what attracts ME to track & field; other people may be different, and audience needs DO change over decades, so I'm open minded on meet presentation.
For instance I'm not necessarily opposed to dimming the lights, having lasers and smoke go off and so forth, and long as it's well packaged and doesn't detract from the basic competition.

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

Which was my point, No Name - your remark adding zero of value, so I replied in kind.

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

"Which was my point, No Name - your remark adding zero of value, so I replied in kind. "

Correction: my remark had to do with the subject at hand. Your remark had to do with me. Try to stick to the subject if possible. Thanks.

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

US distance runners at these games are the real embarrassment.
Same goes for the UK distance runners as well.


Boooooooooooooooo

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

>The most technically sound and talented players are not the ones who always get the most recognition.

What I meant was that people like Allen Johnson, who is arguably the best hurdler ever do not get the kind of attention as other, less talented athletes, due in part to their demeanor. They aren't captivating, they don't make you "take notice" as much as other athletes might. People may not like J.D., but he always gets noticed and he gets attention and meet promoters do like that. People say this about a lot of the athletes in HSI, but the truth of the matter is that these athletes are popular and I don't think you can deny that. Sometimes performances alone stand by themselves and that is enough. But other times it is the athlete -- their personality and the spark that they bring to the sport -- which sets them apart.

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

Not to beat the dead horse, No name, but you were criticizing him, and I was criticizing you. I fail to see the difference. Both were personal attacks on what we saw as bad behavior! Is he fair game and you are not? You are a 'public figure' by posting here. You don't seem to like it when I criticize you, do you? I wonder if there's a lesson here?

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

Jon Drummond made a mistake. It's over... track will live. To those who are embarrassed by his actions: GET OVER IT. His actions didn't hurt any of you, or the USA. (The rest of the world will come up with much better reasons to hate the USA than this). The only person who is hurt by this is Jon Drummond. Only he will have to live with the embarrassment for the rest of his life.

At this point, this is a non-issue. The IAAF has suspended him for the remainder of the WC's. Drummond himself has said he will no longer compete this year. Next year is a new year. If he has lost your respect, give him a chance to re-earn it in 2004. If you decide that you can't give him the benefit of the doubt and promise to never support him again, then fine.

Let's redirect our attnetion and focus on the good things happening in this meet.

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

"Not to beat the dead horse, No name, but you were criticizing him, and I was criticizing you. I fail to see the difference. Both were personal attacks on what we saw as bad behavior! Is he fair game and you are not? You are a 'public figure' by posting here. You don't seem to like it when I criticize you, do you? I wonder if there's a lesson here?"

Alright Say What?, I'll spell it out for you:

The subject of THIS THREAD is JON DRUMMOND. Not ME.

Therefore, a post about JON DRUMMOND is pertinent. A post about ME is NOT. Does this make sense?

On a related note (since you brought it up), I don't care if you criticize me or not. You can criticize me all day long and start 8 different threads on this or other message boards in which you criticize me.

However, like I said I think we should try to stick to the subject of the thread; in this case, the subject of the thread is Jon Drummond.

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

come on...what are we golf or tennis...??? the only way to stop a race is staying on the track...when you are in this position, you pass judgment...
at the world indoors a british 200m guy broke out and ran anyway...the problem was resolved AFTER HE RAN...
you go jon...the fat old men rule makers could not even bend down to get on the starting line!!!

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

>come on...what are we golf or tennis...??? the
>only way to stop a race is staying on the
>track...when you are in this position, you pass
>judgment...
at the world indoors a british 200m
>guy broke out and ran anyway...the problem was
>resolved AFTER HE RAN...
you go jon...the fat
>old men rule makers could not even bend down to
>get on the starting line!!!>

Exactly. What was Drummond's recourse?

[Randy Treadway]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

Rest assured that if somebody suddenly placed you on the IAAF rules committee, people all over the world would call you a fat old woman even if they'd never seen you, just because you wouldn't be able to please everybody!

Fat old men, greybeards, hoi poi, pooh-bahs, and so forth are easy labels which are fun to throw out, but which may have absolutely no basis in reality.

Find somebody who's actually on the rules committee and ask them how they operate and what their review procedures are. You MIGHT be amazed by what you find out.

[Guest]

Re: Jon Drummond - an embarrassment

"What was Drummond's recourse?"

Ummmm... waiting to hear the gun to sound before starting, maybe?