??

[CookyMonzta]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

And by the way, this is the kind of event you can't allow 2 athletes to run alone.

This is the kind of situation where you HAVE to allow the 2 athletes to run alone.

Why is involving other athletes even part of the discussion? That would be like inviting foreign athletes to the Trials to make it more reflect the Olympics.

In the sprints, maybe; but certainly not in a distance event like the 5K or 10K. Not every event is the same. Two on the track in a 10K opens a psychological dungeon for the one who falls behind. He might as well drop out if he is too far behind to have any hope of catching up. That is a situation where you would want to have others on the track, to facilitate a real-world scenario; and if the same guy falls behind, so be it. All the better, though, to avoid a circus.

[Powell]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

On Sunday before the mens 200.

That would be about a day after the w200 final. I think this needs to be done before the end of the trials. Having a race anytime later is not within the spirit of the original selection process.

Totally Irrelevant. The deadline to submit their final roster to the IOC/IAAF is what matters, and they have more than enough time between the end of the Trials and the deadline to hold the runoff, and therefore, time enough to let the girls recuperate and readjust for the runoff, rather than rush the process and risk injury to one or both.

If I'm not mistaken, anyone can be knocked off or replaced at any time between now and the IOC deadline (which is July 8) or the IAAF deadline (July 9) for any legitimate reason, be it sickness, injury or drugs. In addition, if I'm not mistaken, only for those reasons can the roster be changed after the deadline. Since they have until July 9 to submit their final roster, they have until the day before to hold the runoff.

Actually, USOC can (and normally does) enter four athletes and the final decision on which three get to compete doesn't have to be made until a day or two before the event. Since both Felix and Tarmoh are going to the OG anyway, they could just as well do the run-off in London a few days before the competition.

[gh]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

exactly

[preston]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

Totally Irrelevant. The deadline to submit their final roster to the IOC/IAAF is what matters, and they have more than enough time between the end of the Trials and the deadline to hold the runoff, and therefore, time enough to let the girls recuperate and readjust for the runoff, rather than rush the process and risk injury to one or both.

If I'm not mistaken, anyone can be knocked off or replaced at any time between now and the IOC deadline (which is July 8) or the IAAF deadline (July 9) for any legitimate reason, be it sickness, injury or drugs. In addition, if I'm not mistaken, only for those reasons can the roster be changed after the deadline. Since they have until July 9 to submit their final roster, they have until the day before to hold the runoff...

You're still conflating the roster deadlines with the deadline for participation. Both Tarmoh and Felix are already on the team so they satisfy the roster component. Deciding who gets to run doesn't happen until around 2 days before the first round of Olymic qualifying which is on August 3rd. USATF has a month to decide who will take the 3rd spot for the USA in the w100. There is no rush and it certainly doesn't have to be televised. The more I think about this run-off the more I think that they should run it on a practice track somewhere with all of the timing equipment, blocks, etc...but no media.

[jeremyp]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

I predict that Felix will concede spot to team mate after winning spot in 200. She is a class act and knows her team mate wants it bad.

I would be very suprised if Felix did that. She has been planning for an Olympic double for years, likely long before Tarmoh became a teammate. Felix is too much a competitior to concede this spot. Four Olympic medals is her goal: 100, 200, 4x1, 4x4.
You can't win four medals by conceding anything to anyone. Class act, she is, it is the competition that drives her. And should.

Even a great competitor as her knows she has almost no chance of a medal in the 100. Running it helps her 200 and I just think she'll not want a run-off after the OT's so she'll concede it to someone who has never been to the Olympics, especially if Tarmoh fails to make it in the 200.

[Powell]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

I just think she'll not want a run-off after the OT's so she'll concede it to someone who has never been to the Olympics, especially if Tarmoh fails to make it in the 200.

What if Felix fails to make it in the 200? Unlikely, I know, but accidents happen.

[CookyMonzta]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

...Deciding who gets to run doesn't happen until around 2 days before the first round of Olymic qualifying which is on August 3rd. USATF has a month to decide who will take the 3rd spot for the USA in the w100. There is no rush and it certainly doesn't have to be televised. The more I think about this run-off the more I think that they should run it on a practice track somewhere with all of the timing equipment, blocks, etc...but no media.

Well, well, well...I completely forgot about that. Wasn't it 2 weeks before the Sydney 100 heats when JA yanked OT winner Peta-Gaye Dowdie from the open 100 team?

This being the case, it makes me even more suspicious about NBC's involvement, and possibly interference, with the original results, the impending solution to be settled this weekend, and eventually the immediate aftermath. Allyson is the more marketable athlete, by far, and they want to sell the idea of her going for an improbable double, with girls left and right capable of running 10.6x and 10.7x, and VCB (21.74 PR) continuing to be a thorn in her side at the Olympics.

Therefore I say again, if Jeneba wins the runoff by .005, .01 or even .02 (all of which you can see with the naked eye in a 100), and they take too long to post the final result, the fix is in. Nothing at all against AF, but if I were her, I'd refuse to allow myself to be used as some fat cat's meal ticket, especially in this manner. NBC wants to turn this into a reality TV circus!

[CookyMonzta]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

I just think she'll not want a run-off after the OT's so she'll concede it to someone who has never been to the Olympics, especially if Tarmoh fails to make it in the 200.

What if Felix fails to make it in the 200? Unlikely, I know, but accidents happen.

Jeter, Duncan, Solomon, Richards-Ross...They catch Allyson sleeping, it could happen. And if Tarmoh beats her convincingly in the 100 run-off, there'd better not be any treachery in the lab!

[gh]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

Another off-the-wall suggestion I got in an e-mail

<<Both Felix and Tarmoh clocked 11.068 sec at the finish line.
Tarmoh’s reaction to the gun was 0.164 seconds, and Felix reacted in 0.188 sec (the slowest of the entire field, in fact).
Subtracting reaction times from finish times, we have Tarmoh at 10.904 sec and Felix at 10.880 sec.
As Felix reacted slower and thus took less time to race the distance (by 0.024 sec) she gets the nod for third place >>

[asindc]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

Another off-the-wall suggestion I got in an e-mail

<<Both Felix and Tarmoh clocked 11.068 sec at the finish line.
Tarmoh’s reaction to the gun was 0.164 seconds, and Felix reacted in 0.188 sec (the slowest of the entire field, in fact).
Subtracting reaction times from finish times, we have Tarmoh at 10.904 sec and Felix at 10.880 sec.
As Felix reacted slower and thus took less time to race the distance (by 0.024 sec) she gets the nod for third place >>

GH, Anything but a run-off will make the sport of Track & Field look ridiculous.

It's bad enough that T&F athletes, to generate interest in the sport, are calling Paris Hilton and Tim Tebow for dates.

Who is calling Tebow for a date?

Turn the heat on out there in Eugene, it's 103 here on Friday. The sprinters need the Heat.

[gh]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

[...
GH, Anything but a run-off will make the sport of Track & Field look ridiculous......

what part of "off the wall" did you not read?

[shivfan]

Re: When is the best time for a run-off?

The question should be: when is the best time to hold the Tarmoh-Felix 100m run-off.
There is no doubt, to me, that a run-off is the only way to decide this tie.

Bobby Keresee, coach of both athletes, wants them to focus on their upcoming 200 m races
on Thursday, Friday and Sat. One could argue that their 200 focus would be better if the 100
is settled before the 200 prelims on Thursday.

Tuesday and Wednesday are off days. Both have time to prepare for the 100 run-off on Thursday. Having this settled will enable both to better focus on the 200. A 100m race
45 min. before the 200 prelims will only help both by ensuring they are warmed-up and ready for their 200 prelims, which I believe both will have no problem advancing to their semi-finals
on Friday. And both will not have this on their minds for a week or longer, if this is not decided by the end of the US Trials on Sunday.

Therefore, I propose to USATF: Hold the run-off on Thursday and don't let this overshadow
the rest of the week. Make the decision, hold the run-off, move on.

(Time for the new CEO to show his stuff!)

Forget a run-off...go for mud-wrestling.

After all, that's what Gatlin suggests....

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics- ... --oly.html