This happens all too often....

[BYU grad]

It's always frustrating when the heavy favorite in the USATF meet (or OT meet) has an off day and then the surprise winner loses form as the WC or OG approaches. As per the London women's 400 discussion re: Richards and Trotter.

It causes me to think that, yes the first 3 at nationals should make the team...BUT, ONLY if they can hold their form ...I know this would open up a huge can of worms re: what would be the criteria for "holding form" etc. But what is the thought out there?

[George P.]

Re: This happens all too often....

...I know this would open up a huge can of worms

You're certainly right about that.

[Daisy]

Re: This happens all too often....

But what is the thought out there?

Pick your Olympic team this year and let them train to peak at the games.

[Master Po]

"I know this would open up a huge can of worms re: what would be the criteria for "holding form" etc."

byugrad --
While it is frustrating/disappointing to see an athlete who wins/makes the team at nat'l championships fail to "hold form", the thought out here where I am (um, which is pretty much just me) is that the can of worms you mention here would be a far worse problem -- what would be the criteria for selection? And after all, athletes chosen by other methods might also fail to hold form. Some of this is just a crapshoot. While I have some questions about some elements of our trials/championships process, the basic idea -- top runners get selected -- is superior to any other I've seen.

[bad hammy]

Re: This happens all too often....

But what is the thought out there?

Pick your Olympic team this year and let them train to peak at the games.

Yeah, year in and year out our current system just sucks. We never win anything . . . :roll:

[George P.]

Re: This happens all too often....

But what is the thought out there?

Pick your Olympic team this year and let them train to peak at the games.

Ok, pick them. But how ... ??? You'll have the same problem, you have only moved the problem to a different (earlier) point in time.

Right now, the selectees have about 2 months to "go bad". Would it be better to give them a whole year? :?

[Daisy]

Re: This happens all too often....

[quote=George P.]

But what is the thought out there?

Pick your Olympic team this year and let them train to peak at the games.

Ok, pick them. But how ... ??? You'll have the same problem, you have only moved the problem to a different (earlier) point in time.

Right now, the selectees have about 2 months to "go bad". Would it be better to give them a whole year? :?[/quote:2hc2hoan]

Thats a good point, You should probably pick them two years out. that way the likes of Webb can dabble with the 10,000 for endurance training two years out. This could only be a good thing......for us

[Guest]

Yeah, reading about England's selection process makes me think the politics of 'picking' a USA team would be disastrous. The relays are enough drama.

[Mennisco]

Re: This happens all too often....

But what is the thought out there?

Pick your Olympic team this year and let them train to peak at the games.

Does the term "un-American" resonate with anybody?

[gh]

Re: This happens all too often....

But what is the thought out there?

Pick your Olympic team this year and let them train to peak at the games.

If we had picked the Osaka team last year and "let them train" we'd be heading to Japan without (just off the top of my head), Allan Webb, Angelo Taylor, Nick Symmonds and Tom Pappas. Oops.

[jazzcyclist]

Re: This happens all too often....

But what is the thought out there?

Pick your Olympic team this year and let them train to peak at the games.

If we had picked the Osaka team last year and "let them train" we'd be heading to Japan without (just off the top of my head), Allan Webb, Angelo Taylor, Nick Symmonds and Tom Pappas. Oops.

I personally don't have a problem with the selection process being modified as long as it's kept 100% objective for the individual events. Under the system we have now, the athletes pick the team amongst themselves, why let old men and women in smoke filled rooms do it? As Pentathlete said, "the relays are enough drama."

[eldrick]

just like our American government is the best in the world despite its many "warts". We'd all like to improve it but we can't figure out how!

i'm innumerate, but overall votes woud seem a start...

[Daisy]

Re: This happens all too often....

But what is the thought out there?

Pick your Olympic team this year and let them train to peak at the games.

If we had picked the Osaka team last year and "let them train" we'd be heading to Japan without (just off the top of my head), Allan Webb, Angelo Taylor, Nick Symmonds and Tom Pappas. Oops.

They'll get their chance next year. :twisted:

Another possibility would be to sell the slots to the highest bidder. The only criteria would be they have to compete in the USATF championships (honest effort of course). :twisted:

[kevinsdad]

If I were king of the world, the Olympics and WCs would be open to all athletes who could meet qualifying standards, and national team selections would be a thing of the past, at least for the individual events.

[bad hammy]

If I were king of the world, the Olympics and WCs would be open to all athletes who could meet qualifying standards, and national team selections would be a thing of the past, at least for the individual events.

Communist . . .