tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.comments2023-10-28T04:25:14.300-07:00The View From The Finish LineConway Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comBlogger387125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-23542921898988539662011-12-21T06:24:45.015-08:002011-12-21T06:24:45.015-08:00I can see that .. I wasn't aware that Kozmus h...I can see that .. I wasn't aware that Kozmus had been short on training in 2011 .. I know that Murofushi will be 38 but he's like Bernard Lagat, they just keep churning out the results .. I'll have to keep an eye on Kozmus early on ...Conway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-88231328526444138302011-12-21T04:24:41.141-08:002011-12-21T04:24:41.141-08:00I'd have to tab Kozmus for the gold in the men...I'd have to tab Kozmus for the gold in the men's hammer at this point for the same reason you picked probably picked Merritt. Merritt had some competition rust that stopped him from getting gold his year. <br /><br />Kozmus also had some rust. He didn't had retired and not trained for more than one year (at least Merritt was training during his banned period). Still he came back to win bronze and break 80m. With another year back in training I see him as the favorite. He is a proven competitor after winning gold in Beijing and gold in Berlin. Plus, Murofushi will be turning 38 next year. While he may me able to maintain his level from this year, I don't see him as being able to improve as much as Kozmus could.Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619332184994092131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-35416588570556231792011-12-20T08:55:44.202-08:002011-12-20T08:55:44.202-08:00I do agree with you about the rounds ... Not that ...I do agree with you about the rounds ... Not that he can't get through them, but I'm not sure he can get through two sets of them .. Remember he handled the rounds just fine in '05 and '07 .. The injury in '08 set him back .. He's been "hobbled" since then and hasn't gotten through the rounds well .. <br /><br />I just think the 100 causes him too much stress .. And while the idea of WFH makes a lot of people run the 100, the deuce CAN be a premier event ... Especially with the guys out there now ... And his skill set is taylor made for the event ...Conway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-65616244015036866322011-12-20T08:35:55.854-08:002011-12-20T08:35:55.854-08:00Sorry I typed Daegu instead of Berlin by accident....Sorry I typed Daegu instead of Berlin by accident. Buy basically Tyson has just shown a trend of slowly shown his inability to handle rounds. 2008 trials and in Beijing. 2009 Berlin after the 100m, 2010 he had no rounds to run, so it was great for him, but once we get to US trials in 2011, the groin problem is back up and stops him after 1 round in the 100m. And he is at surgery #2 or now?<br /><br />But I do hope the best for him, and I agree about the 200. From a fan perspective, the potential line up for the 200 next year is more exciting than the 100 in my opinion.Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08853712914141816933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-36066653217624873202011-12-19T15:11:58.250-08:002011-12-19T15:11:58.250-08:00Well, I'm going to both agree and disagree wit...Well, I'm going to both agree and disagree with you .. <br /><br />First, Tyson didn't run in Daegu at all, or the US championships this year .. It was '09 where he didn't complete the rounds of the 200 at Nationals .. Of course he then went to Berlin and ran 9.71 with the problems that he had fixed with surgery this year .. <br /><br />As far as the comparison with he and Powell, I think it would be more appropriate to compare X-man .. Because it is X-man that has had difficulty returning to form after his injuries in '08 ... He's only a shell of the sprinter that we saw before that ..<br /><br />Tyson on the other hand has still put in sterling performances even while injured .. Ergo my feeling that he can surpass them healthy .. 9.69/19.40s/19.58 with the issues he's had says volumes for what he should be able to do now that they are fixed ... And I hear that they have been ... <br /><br />Of course the one thing I haven't said yet, and will as we get closer to the Trials, is that I think he should focus on the deuce and let the 100 go ... His style of sprinting does put a lot of pressure on his body and I feel the deuce is his better event ... <br /><br />Time will tell ..Conway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-79829572287914651702011-12-19T13:16:14.406-08:002011-12-19T13:16:14.406-08:00Honestly, I think its hard to say Gay will complet...Honestly, I think its hard to say Gay will complete the double at US champs. He hasn't done the double since Osaka. And he hasn't even completed full rounds of the 100m since Daegu, which led to him having to pull out of the 200.<br />I think the argument of Gay getting healthy is becoming like the Asafa wining a title argument. Its like were all waiting for it to happen, but when the time comes, it doesn't happen. <br />We can keep saying if he gets healthy he will win/medal, but at this point I think we need to worry more if Gay will even make it through the rounds of the 200m, let alone the 100mAndersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08853712914141816933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-86556322344986092622011-12-17T07:59:37.707-08:002011-12-17T07:59:37.707-08:00First thank you for the compliment .. Thank you fo...First thank you for the compliment .. Thank you for reading my site .. I hope to make more improvements this next year .. <br /><br />As for MJ mu guess is that when he retired NBC already had a core group of announcers .. And with the BBC he has many more opportunities to broadcast because they televise far more meets than NBC does ..Conway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-69325479946408539022011-12-17T06:40:10.441-08:002011-12-17T06:40:10.441-08:00Hello Conway,
I just wanted to comment on the qua...Hello Conway,<br /><br />I just wanted to comment on the quality of this site. As a new fan of track & field, I have been able to download Diamond League races on the BBC and I really got into the Worlds this year (even though the coverage on NCC and the UK's Channel 4 was a bit subpar). This site is an excellent resource and you provide a great service. Thanks!<br /><br />Quick question: Michael Johnson provides excellent commentary for the BBC, and I was wondering why he has not been signed by NBC to provide commentary? My guess is that the BBC has better coverage and allow him to analyse more, but I am shocked that an American legend is not providing his excellent work in the US.PO13https://www.blogger.com/profile/10446613386847971528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-7124628160556699242011-11-22T06:06:57.586-08:002011-11-22T06:06:57.586-08:00Remember that a lot of times at the diamond league...Remember that a lot of times at the diamond league meets, there are events run that aren't part of the diamond league scoring. And Pre is almost always a go for some of the best competition in the world. I think the athletes know that Pre is a good opportunity to run fast.<br />Look back at Pre from this year. There were so many events that weren't part of the diamond league but still had amazing performances.(M 100m, W 400m, M 10k etc.)Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08853712914141816933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-86777405122988150182011-11-17T17:47:38.854-08:002011-11-17T17:47:38.854-08:00I don't think any athlete or class of athlete ...I don't think any athlete or class of athlete should be given a pass based on degree of stress, fatigue, calories burnt, or recovery time, etc.<br /><br />The AOY is not an award a track or field athlete sets out to win. They just compete in the particular event(s) they have a passion for, and are especially gifted at, hoping to eventually become the overall champion. The award, while certainly an honor to its recipient, is more for the fan.<br /><br />In keeping with what you've already said, it should go to the athlete who really grabbed the attention—through competition—of the interested fans in any given year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-5410386649729153982011-10-28T11:38:59.412-07:002011-10-28T11:38:59.412-07:00Hi Conway,
I have met with both USADA and WADA a ...Hi Conway,<br /><br />I have met with both USADA and WADA a number of times and provided both agencies with lots of information that could help to reduce the use of drugs in sport. However, I'm just not so sure there is a genuine interest in catching those using performance enhancing drugs. I told USDA to increase their out of competition testing during the fourth quarter of the year because that is when the athletes are using steroids and other PEDs in conjunction with weight training to build the explosive strength base that serves them throughout the next competitive season. However, in the fourth quarter of 2007 before the 2008 Olympic Games, USADA actually reduced the amount of testing done by 50%. Why? I met with Dick Pound from WADA in New York in December of 2007 and provided him with lots of valuable information. Specific information that was never followed up on, because the new chairman John Fahey said that he didn't want to accept information from a "convicted felon." In 2010 I worked again with WADA on another project in which I was trying to help them develop a test for another designer substance. I asked Dick to please obtain a copy of the extensive notes that were taken during our 2007 meeting to confirm what I had told them about this network of people back in 2007 when WADA chose not to use the information. He came back and told me that WADA had "destroyed the notes" from our meeting. So, I question whether or not there is actually a genuine interest by USADA and WADA to catch the many drug cheats out there in sport today. Much of what I hear the officials from these agencies say publicly seems to be more about propaganda designed to deter athletes from using drugs. However, the athletes, trainers and chemists involved in doping are not so easliy going to be deterred by strong talk. Scare tactics have obviously not worked in the past and I don't think they will work in the future either.There is simply too much incentive for the athletes and it is too easy to circumvent the anti-doping procedures in place at this time. In my opinion, the testing procedures need a complete overhaul before there will be a significant reduction in the use of drugs at the elite level of sport. I believe that it can be done, but these agencies will need to learn to judge less and listen more before significant positive change comes.Victor Contehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248309262356593179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-91397415619135493582011-10-23T09:16:20.044-07:002011-10-23T09:16:20.044-07:00Yes, Lemaitre ran 19.80, I corrected that thank yo...Yes, Lemaitre ran 19.80, I corrected that thank you ..<br /><br />As for Gay, I agree with you as I believe the deuce is his best event - I always have .. Awesome turn runner with tremendous top end speed, and quarter miler strength .. <br /><br />the problem is that everyone wants the "glory" that comes with the 100 .. Look at Doc Patton who was on the edge of sub20 back in '03 then switched to the 100 ... <br /><br />I would love to see more head to heads in the 200 but I doubt we will see it ... The top sprinters won't compete much as it is, and most often they will do so in the 100 - that's the pattern ... <br /><br />I hope I'm wrong ..Conway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-82481193613689213432011-10-23T08:26:46.581-07:002011-10-23T08:26:46.581-07:00I really hope Gay can hold it together (injuries) ...I really hope Gay can hold it together (injuries) next year. I think the 200m just might be his strongest event at this point in his career.<br /><br />We'll see if all the prior talk about focusing on 2012 will lead to those match-ups we've been missing for three years...or will the big guns continue to avoid each other until London?<br /><br />Also, I believe Lemaitre's time at Daegu was 19.80. I remember him shaving off 1/3 second from his previous best.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-44400448681886940422011-10-17T11:14:09.938-07:002011-10-17T11:14:09.938-07:00I agree that James was the 19 year old that he was...I agree that James was the 19 year old that he was, in both collegiate and elite competition .. But the competition didn't change in college because of his age .. Just as collegiate competition is a downgrade from elite competition for a "mature pro athlete" it was a downgrade from the elite competition he faced outside of the collegiate ranks .. My point being that the competition is what it was, and for most of his season that is who he ran against ... <br /><br />No knock against Kirani, just one of the factors I had to take into account in trying to rate their seasons .. <br /><br />Having said that, James is one of the young people I highlighted at the beginning of the year, and one that I feel will be at the top of this event for the next decade barring injury ...Conway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-75605410443163322962011-10-17T10:25:32.622-07:002011-10-17T10:25:32.622-07:00Speaking of Kirani James, to quote above:
"K...Speaking of Kirani James, to quote above:<br /><br />"Kirani James (GRN) pulled off an “upset” in Daegu by beating defending champion LaShawn Merritt (USA), and quiet as it’s kept was also undefeated – though most of his races were against collegiate competition."<br /><br />...as if to say competing against collegians is somehow a downgrade in competition. I understand the context, and for a mature pro athlete, that certainly might be the case. But James himself was virtually no more than a high-schooler in those races!<br /><br />I like your list and am in no way suggesting James should be the AOY. Only a few days into his 19th year though, the kid's got an incredible future. Looking forward to some good duels with Mike Berry and the like.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-38230294387465121312011-10-14T06:56:16.318-07:002011-10-14T06:56:16.318-07:00I agree that a 5/10 runner can't compete with ...I agree that a 5/10 runner can't compete with the frequency of a sprint or thrower .. But when you look at Vivian's record, she competed in basically one race a month .. <br /><br />Of course going back and looking at several athletes records since your post, less volume is becoming the norm across the board in several events - including sprints and hurdles - so perhaps that was a bit unfair .. <br /><br />That said I think I would still maintain the same order for the women ... <br /><br />But I find myself faced with the same issue with the men which I should be done with later today ..Conway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-53688924466836173752011-10-13T18:44:28.276-07:002011-10-13T18:44:28.276-07:00I don't disagree with your selections, but say...I don't disagree with your selections, but saying that Vivian Cheruiyot needs more volume is a little unfair. I think a 5/10k runner competing as much as a sprinter or thrower throughout the year would more than likely not be a positive approach to a season.Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08853712914141816933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-22231549496016696732011-10-10T19:56:35.395-07:002011-10-10T19:56:35.395-07:00I came real close to giving Jeter the nod .. But s...I came real close to giving Jeter the nod .. But she had 4 losses ... Adidas, Nationals, Birmingham and Worlds .. <br /><br />Jeter was four wins and four losses in eight events ... VCB was four wins and one loss in five events ... <br /><br />They were only .02 different on the clock ... In the end I went with the World champ ..Conway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-53937191500856314642011-10-10T19:31:16.698-07:002011-10-10T19:31:16.698-07:00I think there is a good argument for Jeter over VC...I think there is a good argument for Jeter over VCB in the 200. <br />Besides Daegu I think she raced the 200 only 3 times this year, 1 of thoes times was trials, another time was a loss to SAFP, and the final time was a tiny meet against SRR.<br /><br />Jeter on the other hand not only raced everywhere, but she managed to win the Diamond League 200 and a silver medal. She has beat all the other major competitors besides VCB this year(Felix, Solomon, Knight, Stewart etc...)<br />Even though VCB won, I thin Jeter was overall a better 200m runner this season.Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08853712914141816933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-4309335541916938602011-10-08T12:22:40.914-07:002011-10-08T12:22:40.914-07:00Let's talk about it .. Shoot me an emailLet's talk about it .. Shoot me an emailConway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-36532317510881335002011-10-03T15:00:09.543-07:002011-10-03T15:00:09.543-07:00Good read!Good read!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-33550158465293010322011-10-03T07:10:29.527-07:002011-10-03T07:10:29.527-07:00As usual you've hit the nail on the head. I...As usual you've hit the nail on the head. I've been saying for some time that we are WAY overdue for someone to challenge Johnny Gray's 800m AR (1985!). I would also say that lack of footspeed is the problem for Americans from 800 all the way up to 10,000. Rupp has shown that he has the strength to run with The big boys for 24 laps. The problem is on lap 25 the African kick home in 53 or 52 while the Americans kick home in 58 or 59. They all need to put some focus on improving footspeed. It's ridiculous that in 26 years, no American has even come within sniffing distance of Gray's record. It's a strong record, but it isn't other-worldly. I hope some elite coaches, and runners read your blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-40218631825200909102011-10-01T13:11:09.378-07:002011-10-01T13:11:09.378-07:00Great points. I can't believe this is still dr...Great points. I can't believe this is still dragging on. Would you be interested in writing a piece about it for insidetrail.com?<br />Thanks<br />TimLocal Mind Mediahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06676782580566794924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-57112363198164949232011-09-27T17:13:24.889-07:002011-09-27T17:13:24.889-07:00My error .. That should have said Beijing instead ...My error .. That should have said Beijing instead of Daegu .. I guess I still have Daegu on the brain .. But Carmelita missed the Beijing team because she didn't get out of her semi .. I've fixed that ... Thank you ..Conway Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133670136098939453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181733805244715468.post-78556627903924343682011-09-27T17:01:08.751-07:002011-09-27T17:01:08.751-07:00"But she’s yet to get her shot at Olympic gol..."But she’s yet to get her shot at Olympic gold, missing the U.S. squad for Daegu with a 5th place finish in her semi at the Trials"<br /><br />I didn't quite get this statement in reference to Carmelita Jeter. How did she end up competing in Daegu, if she came 5th in the Trials semi? Am I missing something :)?JeffMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10816358624410092555noreply@blogger.com