Who here thinks of the Pan Am's as a major?

[SQUACKEE]

I'll be surprised if anyone does. :?

[mike renfro]

See above re CG.

[bekeselassie]

Pan Am . . . Pan Am . . . sorry. Is that a track meet or something?

[bad hammy]

If you take a look through these lists of medalists, it is clear that, for the most part, over the last 20-25 years the US is definitely not sending its 'A' team.

Men
http://www.hickoksports.com/history/panammtandf.shtml

Women
http://www.hickoksports.com/history/panamwtandf.shtml

[piaba]

how do you vote on this thing? i keep clicking on the yes but doesn't work...

(ok, maybe that's why... hhhmmmm...)

as for the US not sending their best, it's our loss isn't it? doesn't cuba, canada and brazil take these very seriously?

[piaba]

ok, now it worked... never mind... :-)

[bekeselassie]

as for the US not sending their best, it's our loss isn't it? doesn't cuba, canada and brazil take these very seriously?

Are we talking about track? :?

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[Quarter Horse]

The US can only send the athletes that volunteer to go. It's not like our National Championships where the top 2-3 qualify for the WC. There is no official "qualification" for the Pan Ams (for US athletes). If you run/compete well at Nationals, they (US Team coaching staff) think you can win a medal, and you sign up for the team...then you go. The "Top Americans" have the option to go, but few of them sign up for the team.

Why you ask?

There is very little money involved (if any) and people (like most of you on this board/major sponsors included) don't consider it a major Championship (thus no major positive impact on contract negotiations or iaaf ranking).

[tafnut]

There is very little money involved (if any) and people (like most of you on this board/major sponsors included) don't consider it a major Championship (thus no major positive impact on contract negotiations or iaaf ranking).

All the better for the people who DO go! They get international (as opposed to 'major') experience, like the WUG or the U-23 championships. I don't mind the USA getting whipped at the non-majors, as long as we send our best to the OG/WC. What DOES chap me, however, is the sometimes suspectly prepared teams we send to the World Cup. Perhaps it's just to late in the season for us to do well, but we have underperformed there several times. This year? Who knows.

[Quarter Horse]

I feel what you're saying, but I have to defend the athletes that DO go to the CWG, WIC and PanAm Games and compete well (win medals). I think they should be given a little more credit for their performances. When a golfer or tennis player wins an international tournament, you rarely hear the commentators say "Well he/she wouldn't have won if Tiger Woods or Serena Williams was there". To go through rounds and perform at a high level and walk away with gold(at any international competition) is not easy. We are quick to give some elite athletes the benefit of the doubt that they would win this event and that event, but we are hesitant to give credit to those who actually win the events.

If our "true fans" don't respect our own elite athletes, how can we expect Joe Six Pack to respect them?

[bekeselassie]

If our "true fans" don't respect our own elite athletes, how can we expect Joe Six Pack to respect them?

But for most of us (can I speak for "us"? ) it's not a matter of respecting the athletes. It just simply goes back to the original topic - which was born out of a couple other threads - that these meets aren't "majors". Those who win the golds have achieved a well-deserved victory they should be proud of. But at the end of the season, those victories don't impress that many hardcore fans.

[Quarter Horse]

I'm not implying that the OG/WC are less important or that WIC/CWG or PG are as important. But nobody watches the NFL just for the Super Bowl or watches golf just for the Masters. If we (as fans, supporters, and participants) attend, support and compete at these events, maybe they would hold a little more stature for the average fan.

[bad hammy]

But nobody watches the NFL just for the Super Bowl. . .

Since the 49ers died and were replaced with amatures around 1995, I do.

[Per Andersen]

Are you guys telling me that you never think about Rosslyn Range, Adhemar Ferreira da Silva, Lou Jones, Jim Lea and Rod Richard? Mexico City 1955.

[tafnut]

If we (as fans, supporters, and participants) attend, support and compete at these events, maybe they would hold a little more stature for the average fan.

Good point - I respect ANYONE that gets to ANY of these meets. These 'unsung' heroes are working just as hard, if not harder, to get to the top (i.e., the 'major' Majors) as the elites, who often have a better 'support system' than those just below the elite level.