Favorite/least favorite event to watch

[Guest]

Let's say you are going to a track meet to watch...not to compete or officiate...just to sit in the stands and watch. What one event is your favorite to watch? What is your least favorite?

Personally, favorite:

1500 meters, followed by 4X400 relay.

Least favorite:

Just about any of the throws. Shot put may get the nod.

[1.97hjsteve]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

favorite: 200. Watching those runners whale out of the staggers and head for home is hard to beat.

least favorite: discus. sorry, it just is hard to follow from the stands.

[Guest]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

Favorite: high jump. Least favorite: 10,000 or racewalk on the track. 4x1 mile also not so exciting. Too difficult to keep track of.

[vaulter83]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

Any event can be exciting if you pay attention to it. I've watched some great discus and shot competitions. I don't think walking could ever be exciting though.

[joel]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

For me, nothing matches the 4x100 outdoors and the 4x200 indoors. It's a racecar upshifting four times through the gears.

From a WWF-esque point of view, I like the chaos at the end of a Steeple, womens 400H, or any high school XC race where they all go down like dominoes.

[trackstar]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

I like everything except the walks. I just don't get the walks.

I was a rabid distance runner during my competitive days, and still love distance, but I've really fallen in love with the vertical jumps as a spectator. I find the tension so gripping.

[Guest]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

OK, if we're not going to have a "Runners World Sucks" thread, how about "Walks Suck"?

[Guest]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

Good call on the walks. I didn't even think about that. The walks probably beat out the shot put/discus/javelon/hammer as the least watchable event in track.

[MJR]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

Events that the athletes are actually competing to win are my favorite. Time trials are horrible and should be outlawed. It would be SOOO nice to go back to the days when pace making was illegal in all events, no matter the gender. You can turn all scoreboards off and just list the places. Use the old marking system for field events and just let them compete.

Oh, and just because GH and T&FN don't respect the walks, don't break the user agreement by being closeminded.

[Guest]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

My favorites are the 100m and 1500m; my least favorite is the long hurdles (an excuse for people who aren't fast enough to compete in the flat quarter!) I'm not even considering the walks, as I do not consider them to be real track and field.

[MJR]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

<as I do not consider them to be real track and field>

lemme see....the IAAF controls what events are part of "real" t&f, the walks are part of world champs and olympics as per the IAAF, logically that makes them "real" events, only the to alphabet groups in the US (who can't get out of their own way) decide they are too good to contest the event.

[vaulter83]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

"my least favorite is the long hurdles (an excuse for people who aren't fast enough to compete in the flat quarter!)"
Tell that to Felix Sanchez or Angelo Taylor. Or any other world-class 400Hurdler. Sanchez was ranked 1 and 3 in the 400H and 400 by TF&N this last year. Taylor has split 43.X in the relay. And they're still about a second off the WR in the 400H. Of course maybe you're being sarcastic?

[Guest]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

>lemme see....the IAAF controls what
>events are part of "real" t&f, the walks are
>part of world champs and olympics as per the
>IAAF, logically that makes them "real" events,>

Reality: Italy and Spain have traditionally had strong walking programs, translating to medals. Primo Nebiolo is no longer the head of the IAAF, Juan Antonio Samaranch is no longer head of the IOC.

Broker says, don't invest heavily in walk futures.

[BillVol]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

LOL. What a surprising topic for a T & F board! I like them all, but would have to go with the 100 as my favorite. If a true mile run were used at the Olympics and Worlds, that would be my favorite. I just can't get into the 1500.

[MJR]

Re: Favorite/least favorite event to watch

Reality: Italy and Spain have
>traditionally had strong walking programs,
>translating to medals. Primo Nebiolo is no longer
>the head of the IAAF, Juan Antonio Samaranch is
>no longer head of the IOC.

Broker says, don't
>invest heavily in walk futures.

You have no idea what you're talking about. Too many members of the IAAF Council are dilligent fans and supporters of the RW, to allow anything negative to happen to it. Its a Champs event in NAIA and will be in NCAA D2 within 10 years too. Also, it will be added to the NFHS Rulebook very soon as well.

This event is not going away.