Clueless writing about our sport

[Trickstat]

we may be able to retire the trophy on this one. A headline today from GQ:

New York Marathon 2017: will the two-hour barrier be broken?
In the race to break the mythical two-hour barrier for the marathon, adidas has created its fastest, lightest road racing shoe yet. So will the new Adizero Sub2 create history in New York this weekend?

Only if somebody wearing them catches the Subway...; )

[KDFINE]

Re: NYC Marathon T.V. coverage. Clueless reporting.
I just finished watching the local ABC-TV coverage, which I'd DVR'd and was 5 hours long. The guy that they had doing the reporting on the data that they gathered on several participants wasn't very informed. He reported on two people, saying that they were running 9:23 and 9:24 per mile and were on pace to both run 3:48 and change. Earlier in the broadcast he said that Meb was the greatest American marathon runner ever. O.K. that's his opinion, but I suppose he never heard of Shorter.

[bambam1729]

Re: NYC Marathon T.V. coverage. Clueless reporting.
I just finished watching the local ABC-TV coverage, which I'd DVR'd and was 5 hours long. The guy that they had doing the reporting on the data that they gathered on several participants wasn't very informed. He reported on two people, saying that they were running 9:23 and 9:24 per mile and were on pace to both run 3:48 and change. Earlier in the broadcast he said that Meb was the greatest American marathon runner ever. O.K. that's his opinion, but I suppose he never heard of Shorter.

On ESPN, even John Brenkus, who is their science guy, said the men were running at 4:47 pace, and said that was about a 2-12 marathon. 4:47 works out more like a 2-05:30 pace. They were on about 2-12 pace, certainly, but that is more like 5:02 pace

[KDFINE]

On ESPN, even John Brenkus, who is their science guy, said the men were running at 4:47 pace, and said that was about a 2-12 marathon. 4:47 works out more like a 2-05:30 pace. They were on about 2-12 pace, certainly, but that is more like 5:02 pace

We're talking about the same guy.

[bambam1729]

We're talking about the same guy.

OK, sorry. I was also somewhat tired of the "Meb is greatest ever American marathoner" theme. In addition to gold and silver, Shorter also won Fukuoka four times consecutively (?1972-75), back when it was somewhat of a de facto World Championship race.

[KDFINE]

No need to say your sorry - you were watching ESPN and I was watching the local and national network. Brenkus was also giving misleading stuff about how ex-footballer Tiki Barber was doing. He wanted to break 4:00, and ran an average of 10:03 for the first half. He was in the midst of blowing up at 14+ / mile for the next split, and Brenkus suggested that he could still pick it up. He might be able to report on the physiological aspects of what was being monitored, but he apparently didn't know enough about the marathon to be able to make cogent statements about what was happening running wise.

[lonewolf]

Current SI article extolling the athletic skills of Julio Jones describing a TJ competition where, having fouled his first two jumps, he faced elimination writes,

"Jones lines up for his last attempt. But instead of walking back 40 feet from the jumping board, as everyone in the history of track has done, he stood 10 feet back. Jones took two walking steps, careful to stay behind the line, and leaped. He landed at exactly 43 feet."

[Atticus]

instead of walking back 40 feet from the jumping board, as everyone in the history of track has done, he stood 10 feet back. Jones took two walking steps, careful to stay behind the line, and leaped. He landed at exactly 43 feet."

Ha! Normal run over 100'; short run, maybe as close as 50'. Two jogging steps and then 6 very quick strides.

[lonewolf]

I don't doubt he could do 43 feet with a two step walkup.. my problem is the writers gaffe of a 40 foot runup being customary instead of a more common 40 yard runup.

[Atticus]

I don't doubt he could do 43 feet with a two step walkup

I'm really not feeling it.

[lonewolf]

I'm really not feeling it.

Simple. 15-13-15.... maybe he walked fast

[Atticus]

Simple. 15-13-15.... maybe he walked fast

Maybe C Taylor could do that . . ., but probably not in that proportion.

[lonewolf]

I'm not sure the writer knew there were phases to the TJ..

[tandfman]

I was amused by this photo caption (in an article now in the front page headline section):

>>New Orleans track star Audrey "Mickey" Patterson (second from left, wearing number 707) sprints to the finish line in the 200-meter dash at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. . . . her bronze would make her the first African-American women in history to win an Olympic gold medal. <<

She must have had a good alchemist.

[bambam1729]

I was amused by this photo caption (in an article now in the front page headline section):

>>New Orleans track star Audrey "Mickey" Patterson (second from left, wearing number 707) sprints to the finish line in the 200-meter dash at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. . . . her bronze would make her the first African-American women in history to win an Olympic gold medal. <<

She must have had a good alchemist.

In addition, photos of that finish clearly show that Shirley Strickland finished third, not Patterson.