Bowerman Fan Vote--Must Have All Been Pole Vaulters Participating

[bruce3404]

While the Bowerman is somewhat secretive about how much the fan vote is worth, I find it appalling that both Shawn Barber and Demi Payne lead the fan vote. Sure, Barber is a great vaulter, but no way do his performances equal those of Dendy (who I think should win) or Ed Cheserek (who I hope will win). On the women's side, one could argue that Sandi Morris' 18 NCAA points easily trumped Payne's 10 points (remember, she NHed at Indoors). Meanwhile, I just don't see how Jenna Prandini doesn't win it all. Her combined 49 points at indoors and outdoors trumps Harrison by 21 points. Unfortunately for single eventers like most Pole Vaulters, it's very difficult to win over more well-rounded athletes such as those who compete in multiple distance races, sprints or jumps.

[AyZiggy]

I respectfully disagree. My perspective is that both vaulters are more competitive on a worldwide basis than any of the other nominees. For example, Barber beat the WR holder earlier this year.

But the award criteria is merely "best athlete". What you think that means affects how you vote.

After I took over our local high school league meet I changed the outstanding athlete awards to "most points scored" and "best single performance" because a single-event athlete had never won the award. 14 years ago we had a girl break the DT meet record in her first meet back after chemotherapy and she got just one MVP vote.

[gh]

…. Unfortunately for single eventers like most Pole Vaulters, it's very difficult to win over more well-rounded athletes such as those who compete in multiple distance races, sprints or jumps.

I would take issue that those with multiple-event opportunities are "more well-rounded"! They simply take advantage of a system that rewards redundancy unfairly.

In any case, giving Prandini points for being part of a relay, IMHO, goes against the spirit of individual-athlete awards. That not only is biased against those in another event, it's also biased in favor of those who go to a handful of power schools. (Having said that, Prandini nonethless got my Bowerman vote)

[JumboElliott]

I would vote for Prandini in the women's category as well. As for competing in multiple events, there is very little difference between the 100 and the 200 and the 5000 and 10000. Look at how many people win both. Now if someone wins the 1500 and the 5000 or the steeplechase and the 5000, or wins both with very impressive times, then they have a better case than simply winning both.

[Dave]

How many times did Barber break the outdoor NCAA record this year?(I know this is unofficial, but still a big thing).

[Atticus]

I find it appalling that both Shawn Barber and Demi Payne lead the fan vote.

Ha! I find it appalling that you find it appalling. So we zero each other out. I guess we'll just have to go with the fans' votes!

[polevaultpower]

The fan vote is a popularity contest. Demi, Shawn, and their schools all did a great job of getting the fans out to vote.

I am surprised Prandini didn't get more votes, but I don't follow her on Twitter, so I don't know how strong her social media presence is.

As fun as it would be for me to see two pole vaulters sweep the Bowerman Awards, I doubt the overall vote will match the fan vote.

[26mi235]

Where relay duty does come in to play in my mind is in consideration of what she had to do during the meet, with multiple events going on either simultaneously or back-to-back-to-back. That takes more stamina, focus, titrating effort, etc.

[Atticus]

Bowerman webcast live at 8pm ET tonight. I'm going with Shawn Barber.

[Powell]

My perspective is that both vaulters are more competitive on a worldwide basis than any of the other nominees. For example, Barber beat the WR holder earlier this year.

Forget beating the WR holder. He is the reigning world champion.

[tandfman]

Forget beating the WR holder. He is the reigning world champion.

World Championships performances are outside the NCAA season and are not taken into consideration in the determination of who should get the Bowerman.

http://www.ustfccca.org/ustfccca-awa...and-guidelines

[bruce3404]

Will be excited to watch this evening and also curious whether field eventers like Barber or Payne can compete in such a contest. If it were merely points scored (in and outdoors), then the award goes to Prandini and Cheserek. But history indicates field event athletes can win (Eaton, Drouin), however rarely (one might throw in Makushka as well, but he also won the 100 the same year he won NCAA LJ). Of course, Eaton had to set a world indoor record to take home the Bowerman. Otherwise, for the most part it appears that field event athletes are at a dis-advantage. However, given that Dendy won both horizontal jumps indoors and out, he's on a different level. Also, his marks at outdoors 27'8"/58'1.25" were marks that would have put him on the podium at the World's in both events, with a first in the LJ and a third in the TJ. My picks are Prandini and Dendy.

[jazzcyclist]

I would take issue that those with multiple-event opportunities are "more well-rounded"! They simply take advantage of a system that rewards redundancy unfairly.

There's no rule that pole vaulters can't double. Pole Vault doublers may not be common, but I would argue that the pole vault/100 double is only slightly less redundant than the long jump/100 double and more redundant than the shot put/discus double, not to mention the high jump/400 double of Florida State's James Harris a couple of years ago. And not only do great pole vaulters need speed which is transferable to the track, don't they also need gymnastic ability which is transferable to the high jump?

[tandfman]

There's no rule that pole vaulters can't double. Pole Vault doublers may not be common, but I would argue that the pole vault/100 double is only slightly less redundant than the long jump/100 double and more redundant than the shot put/discus double

I don't think you can compare PV/100 double with the LJ/100 or the SP/DT, both of which have been done successfully at the NCAAs on multiple occasions. Has there ever been an athlete who scored in the NCAA PV and also in the NCAA 100? Not that I can recall.

[gh]

100/PV doubles are basically nonexistent above the HS level, whereas literally thousands of collegians through the years have done 100/LJ and SP/DT combos. And 100s of collegians have done those at the NCAA Champs level.