USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

[tafnut]

Aren't 'we' among the favorites in the
100
200
400
110H
PV
LJ
SP
Dec
4x1
4x4
?

Who's with me on this? Anyone . . . anyone . . . Bueller . . . Bueller?

[Powell]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

>Aren't 'we' among the favorites in...

Yes, with 'among' being the key word. If the US has a 70% chance of winning each of these event separately, the chance of taking all 10 titles is approximately 2.8%.

[tafnut]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

Stop confusing me with the facts. 10 golds - that's my story and I'm sticking with it. Those 10 don't even take into consideration that Gabe and Webb are going 1-2 in the 1500, or that Greer pops a 88m, or that Sanchez hits the 8th hurdle bad, or that Olsson has a hangnail on his hopping foot, or that Holm trips on a shoelace, etc, etc.

C'mon, where's the hype? I wanna rumble.

[highjumpsteve]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

tafnut I'm with you, almost. We'll probably lose two or three of these, but we'll probably pick up 1 other somewhere, so I predict 8 or 9... which in today's world competitive environment if darned good IMHO. AS you say I am tired of all the gloom and doom... let's have some hype and some enthusiasm... it's THE OLYMPICS and it only happens every four years !

And I am not just flag waving for USA here. It's as great deal regardless of # of medals, flags on the poles, etc.

[MJR]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

While not a gold medal contender, keep an eye on Curt Clausen in the Men's 50km RW. He's in the same shape (or better) he was in in 99 when he got the Bronze and no one out there handles extreme heat/humidity conditions better than he does in a big race. Getting a Silver or Bronze is quite possible for Clausen in the Athens sauna.

[Per Andersen]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

The safest bets for the US are the following,
100
400
LJ
SP
4x400
It is tempting to add 110h but with Liu Xiang at 13.06 it might not be a slam-dunk for Allen. The Chinese kid has experience now and he is only 21.
Of course the US "should" win the 4x100 but we have seen that movie too many times.
I am afraid Greer has to do better than to pop an 88m in the Jav to win. Personally I would love to see Zelezny win his 4th gold.

[abinferno]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

the 4x100 should definitely be considered for the Americans. They're not going to lose that race.

[Jon]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

>the 4x100 should definitely be considered for the Americans. They're not going
>to lose that race.


They only JUST won the 4x100m last year. And before you say "Dwain isn't going to be running for GB", remember MLF is very close behind Dwain when it comes to anchor-leg running. Plus, Marlon Devonish wasn't in too great form, but he still managed to hold his own. The reason GB managed to get close to US last year is because the US had some botched changeovers. If they work on their baton passing, then and only then, can you say that they are odds-on favourite to win the 4x100m.

[tafnut]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

"If they work on their baton passing"

Bad news bucko, article in this month's T&FN about how they ARE doing just that.

[Track fan]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

The 100 is wide open, the 200 is wide open, the LJ is wide open. The only slam dunks for the US are the decathalon and the 4*400 anything else you have to cross your fingers.

[ycn]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

I don't see how the Americans can lose the men's 4x400, except for the baton pass. Even with two bad ones, we should win that race by 2 seconds, minimum.

[eldrick]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

>I don't see how the Americans can lose the men's 4x400, except for the baton
>pass. Even with two bad ones, we should win that race by 2 seconds, minimum.

the french ran them very close last year,but hopefully IS will be in low 2'56 form this year - that is unbeatable

[ycn]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

I EXPECT, not hope, that we will go under 2:55. Hopefully that will be in the finals.

[Powell]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

>The only slam
>dunks for the US are the decathalon and the 4*400

Decathlon ? I don't think so. Pappas may be the world champ, but if Sebrle is at his best (which he wasn't in Paris, but he has shown signs of it indoors this year), he will be the no. 1 favourite.

[The Fern]

Re: USA Men Poised for 10 Golds?

I was just involved in a relay drame down here and was pointing out to some friends how there will usually be a drama around the US 4x100 regarding who went to the training camps and who didn't and who should run the final, even if they haven't shown at the camps. And then they drop the baton in the final. Oh and speaking of Baton...down here they say BATin, not baTAHN. Any of our English friends wish to comment on which they believe is correct