2021 mOG 4x1: you sure you wanna open this one?

[Vault-emort]

I, for one, approve of our new thread title.

These relay threads each Olympics really are the gift that keeps on giving

[JKKH]

The way I see it, there is really no end to this misery...they may get it right every once in a long while but then they will fail miserably over and over again. It has been like this for the last 20 years. Even an eternal optimist like me has become a pessimist when it comes to this particular event.

[ATK]

As things stand now, Baker is mostly to blame for the slow second exchange.

Mostly? Where does the other blame fall?

[Tuariki]

Injury maybe?

Is that a brain injury for the coach?

[DrJay]

Two members of the U.S. 4x100 team spoke with the media in the mixed zone. Asked how much practice they had for this event, as a group, coming into today.

Fred Kerley: "Don't know."

Ronnie Baker: "Not much."

https://twitter.com/Tom_Schad/status...340269058?s=20

In the same Twitter thread, Carl Lewis said: “The USA team did everything wrong in the men's relay. The passing system is wrong, athletes running the wrong legs, and it was clear that there was no leadership. It was a total embarrassment, and completely unacceptable for a USA team to look worse than the AAU kids I saw .”

[tm71]

this is the event with the most failure for the us in big meets by a country mile

[Flumpy]

Two members of the U.S. 4x100 team spoke with the media in the mixed zone. Asked how much practice they had for this event, as a group, coming into today.

Fred Kerley: "Don't know."

Ronnie Baker: "Not much."

https://twitter.com/Tom_Schad/status...340269058?s=20

[_Jay]

Even the Canadians know we don’t practice. SMH. 🤦🏽♂️😂
Brendan Rooney made an Allen Iverson reference when asked if he’s surprised the US is out. “We talkin bout Practice”

[ATK]

Somebody on FB wrote that this is the first time in Olympic and World Championship history where the US men didn't win a medal in the 4x1 and also didn't DQ or DNF. Is that true?

Yes its true

[18.99s]

that was my reaction. Never heard of such a thing. How did Gillespie make the relay team then? Why can’t a country take any 4 they want to represent them? I know some countries only allow for athletes who participated at trials to be members of relay pools, but why can’t the US take runners 4-7?

The Olympic rules require that every individual entered in the 100m or 400m must also be in the 6 names for the corresponding relay pool.

So if 3 are in the individual event, you can't have an entirely separate quartet who is dedicated to relay-only training.

[Jacksf]

If Gillespie had just fallen with 10 meters to go, would the officials have advanced the team?

. Hahaha!!!!
This is maybe the best comment in all the Olympics posts here.

[Jacksf]

Too much blame being put on Gillespie. With the other 3, the USA should have been able to easily QUALIFY.
It comes down to passing. It comes down to passing every time, and the USA is never good at it.

[1.609]

i see you are newly arrived, 1.609. But many posters here have been trying to help right the ship for a dozen years or so, The US men are in trouble again; the US women won't embarrass Team USA.

Yeah I'm aware of the history, the hand wringing and head banging. That line about the anchor rivals just about any of the nuttiest Covid claims I've heard. It's one thing to imagine saying it, something else out of the ballpark to make it an official statement. It might even make a big orange hairdo blush.

[hipNrip]

Sure they do. What makes you think they can't run 4-7 from the OTs?

that was my reaction. Never heard of such a thing. How did Gillespie make the relay team then? Why can’t a country take any 4 they want to represent them? I know some countries only allow for athletes who participated at trials to be members of relay pools, but why can’t the US take runners 4-7?

[NotDutra5]

The rules don't allow it.

Sure they do. What makes you think they can't run 4-7 from the OTs?