Brewton | 4:00 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
The tailwind during Tyson Gay's trials run meant that the result was "disallowed" only in terms of a record, it was not "illegal."

There's nothing wrong with our athletes (and I don't know why you omit Meb's silver--he is an American). The fact that they can compete internationally when track and field gets so little attention at home is amazing. The only valid point here is that further steps need to be taken to work on the 4x100 relay.
Woman 100 Handoff | 5:42 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Be it known that it was the same woman who botched the handoff this Olympics and last Olmpics...
Ch. Little | 6:48 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
The Sky is Falling! The Sky is Falling!

OMG--Are you serious, Mr. Robinson? Should we raise taxes and build a sports power? Let's not go over-the-top and lead with a ridiculous story.
Comments continue below
Media problem | 6:57 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
As far as I am concerned this is as much a media problem as anything else. Look at the newspapers from last fall. How many column inches are given to cross country running, how much to football, and how much to basketball. If you really want to make running events more popular, give people a chance to read about them a little more.
Track Glory | 6:59 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
How often do you hear about track & field accomplishments? You hear about NBA, NFL or MLB accomplishments and glorify the athletes, but don't pay any attention to the people engaged in events that most of us could do to stay fit. I can run and maintain a healthy lifestyle, but it's pretty impractical to play football. So why the emphasis on a thug-filled sport ahead of something that has health benefits?
clikontrack | 7:26 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I think one of the big mistakes was the pre olympic training camp for the US Track athletes. I gather it was some posh resort and spa. I don't think that put our track Olympians in the right frame of mind. Second was the injury to Tyson Gay. That really hurt our chances to get a few more medals and give the US team a lift. I don't think he would have beaten Bolt when healthy but I don't think Bolt would have been beating his chest and easing across the line if he was there. I also think the athletes were beaten up after the Olympic trials while the Jamacans were fresh. I think you need to raise the bar on requirements so you don't have to run as many rounds to get to the finals. Something USA track and field really need to look at.
To Doug | 7:33 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I am so tired of your pathetic attempts to rally your readers to be sickened and hateful towards our athletes. If your desire is to be a shock jock, please go find a nice radio station that only crazed individuals listen to, get a high paying job, thus leaving us alone! From saying Phelps accomplishment was not that significant last week and your "informed" rant that the olympics were a disgrace to the world citizenship, how do you think you have any standing to critique these athlete's performances? They MADE the olympic team. They won more GOLD medals than any other country present in the track and field events. What more exactly do you want? If you want to see only Americans medal, request that football be added to the olympic resume. The request is insane and ridiculous, but then, so are all of your articles.
Wiz | 7:38 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
To say it is amazing that they even compete is to throw tradition to the wind. The US has a healthy Track and Field tradition. Don't let the Xenophobic talk and print reporters (?), journalist (?), or hosts bulley you into believing no one cares. Americans know the track heroes...Bruce Jenner is still making a living off a medal he won a couple of decades ago. I was completely disappointed by the Americans performance. Some were tragic (LoLo Jones) the rest just left you shaking your head and asking what has happened?
Anonymous | 8:06 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Slow news day huh?
Observer | 8:15 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
The result of more sophisticated and regular drug testing. No more Marion Jones or Carl Lewis.
Craig Coleman | 8:21 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I think we should give serious consideration to admitting Jamaica as the 51st state--or at least annexing it as a territory. That should do the trick.
Decathlon | 8:29 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Remember the title of World's Greatest Athlete is give to the decathlon gold medalist, and he is an American.
BTW: How many of those so-called heroes of the past have had their medals stripped because of doping?
This was a pretty lame article as To Doug points out.
Anonymous | 8:57 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
While I don't much like your egotistical evaluations of our athletes' performance, I agree the U.S. track and field performance was weak, as was the rowing events and others. We can and should do more to foster better development of our athletes. However, we also need to encourage those who have attitudes that represent America well--not like the Men's 4X400 relay team. They may have won the race, but were disgusting in their attitudes! They should take a lesson from our women, who were the epitome of humility in their win. I for one would rather lose than watch egotistical tracksters that resemble so many of our professional thugs we call football or basketball players. (This is not to demean this year's exceptional Olympic basketball team, which finally played like a team and didn't let their egos get the better of them--thanks in large measure to their excellent coach.)
What' snu | 8:58 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
U.S. Track & Field receives more publicity than U.S. Swimming, and the swimmers did quite well.

And, unlike swimming, track athletes can actually make a pretty decent living competing in track in Europe.

I don't think there's anything "wrong" with U.S. Track; just an unfortunate series of injuries and mishaps that cost the U.S. team several opportunities to win medals.

More work should obviously be devoted to practicing passing the baton.

A greater emphasis on mid- to long-distance races is difficult. We can blame Title IX for the demise of many, many college track teams that has seriously eroded the depth of talent that the U.S. used to have in track & field.
Billy Red | 9:05 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Can anyone explain why the track team doesn't put their hand over their heart for the National Anthem? As far as I could tell, they were the only group of American athletes that did not. Not that they had that many chances but it appeared to be a conscientious and agreed choice. Maybe their luck would change if they stopped "dissing" the flag.
Anonymous | 9:07 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I was really disappointed at the coverage of the track and field events during the Olympics. We did not see very much of the jumps and throws, if at all. I'm sorry, but I did not really want to see so many games of batminton...
mcdumback | 9:09 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Track and field in Jamaica is a national epedemic. The success of our atheletes was caused by programmes that have been instituded in schools from kindergarden, everybody in Jamaica runs so it is no surprise that we are now reaping the benefit of those programmes, one only has to visit our school championships to realise the extent of talent that exist
Observer | 9:17 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Now that the playingfield is level (US drug taking athletes were always just a step ahead of the field)athletes are performing to their true potential. It was tough luck (gay's injury, dropped baton, disqualifications). What needs to happen is for the media to emphasize track and field as they do for football and basketball to draw more interest in the sports. Do not take a few days highlight the sports (track and field)then put all the negativity in those few days too.
Go to boys and girls champs (Jamaica), Carifta and Penn Relays (your backyard)and see Jamiaca's interest. Cover all sports equally that's how you generate interest which in turn creates consistent performers.
Great article | 9:18 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Anything that puts Track and Field in the news is good. Good press, bad press, it doesn't matter, as long as it's mentioned.

By the way "Woman 100 handoff", if you watched the event, although Lauren Williams was involved in the dropped hand-off again, she was not at fault-- it was the one passing the baton to her. Running at those speeds, mistakes happen, I'm sure she feels bad enough, no need to pile on.

Lastly, if any of you watched Bekele dominate the mens 5k and 10k events, or Wansiru dominate the mens marathon (in 85 degree,high humidity conditions no less), you will realize that you can train as hard as you want, but at the highest level, genetics will trump all else.

Last point-- do you think that possibly Title IX could have something to do with this? These athletes were never reimbursed well, and now a young boy can't even dream of getting his college paid for if he's a track athlete, hence, continued dwindling interest in track and field. Sad.
Brown Zundel | 9:43 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
One thing that I find interesting is that many of our limited college track resources are used to train and support these "foreign" athletes. We see that in other sports, but it seems to be universal in the track events. So, maybe the answer lies in altering the eligibility rules for who can compete at the college level. I was also upset that there was a lack of respect for the flag in the award ceremonies. What is that all about? I do think that many of these athletes get caught up with themselves and so their training may suffer. There is also the issue that many of the really talented athletes in college are opting for the money sports. There is nothing that can be done about that so on balance the USA might have to get used to being among the "others" in track and field.
US isnt slipping.... | 9:53 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
...everyone else is just catching up. Big surprise? It shouldnt be. We aren't #1 in something? Oh dear, call 911. I say...good for the other countries, you deserve it.
john | 9:58 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Hot bed of sprinting?... Out of season drug testing, USA-hundreds, Jamaica-0. The level playing field went away in T&F. The rest of the world went on.The US shoot itslf in the foot with teasting. Do you really think Football is drug free? We just pick Track to slap around Pre Oly-"it's great headlines"
runwade | 10:12 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
How care anyone say Title IX is at fault, when football as 90 scholarships. The news media needs to cover track a lot better. The Knoxville paper only had results of the frist three places and only articles about local athletes. ESPN had very little.
Clydesdale | 10:17 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
All of 'em (even from the countries who didn't get a single medal) can outrun me and everybody I know.
Mark | 10:19 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Interesting points from the article, and rebuttals in some of the comments. The Olympic question I find far more interesting than our failure to dominate track and field, is why the U.S. is so completely uncompetitive in Mountain Biking, a sport we invented. I think that fact that there was close to zero coverage of the men's and women's mtb xc Olympic events in the U.S. media, and that many people don't even know there are such events, is a big part of the answer.
Lame | 10:20 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Are Wheaties a banned substance?
Willy | 11:30 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
A few of the comments are missing the point, part of being a champion is staying healthy, the USA has been at track & field long enough to know that you only have one chance every 4 years to be an Oly champion,so train accordingly! The science is there to have prevented Tyson G from cramping up at trials. I think that there is some credibility to the notion of finally we are approaching a level playing field. Guys opting for NFL or NBA is not an excuse... in this free country athletes go out for their chosen sport... Is it just me or did it seem like our short distance track females all seem so primmed for the cameras? Did you notice how the Jamaicans were all business. Finally ... your attitude towards any endeavor determines how much of your heart is into it (or is it the other way around?)
Get back to work | 11:37 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I agree that the US track team was a bit of a disappointment in Beijing. However, it was not as big a disappointment as USA boxing. The rest of the world is getting better and if we wish to compete with them we need to work harder than they do. I realize that hard work doesn't sound like much fun, but it is the answer to many of our problems.
Michael | 11:57 a.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I wish someone would take the time and uncover the stats. How many " foreign" track athletes are recruited, trained , live and educated in the STATES? If you take that into consideration, then perhaps just maybe the U.S. would have reached the podium with more frequency. I am certainly a big fan of the Jamaica sprinters and have visited the island. Their success or dominace in Beijing can be attributed to a large degree to our colleges and universities and their track programs. If our goal is to win more medals every two to four years, then lets curtail the number of scholarships to foreign athletes. Concentrate on our athletes at home and support them 100% and see what happens! Also, it would not have hurt to have that former Razorback coach there. I think he has won a championship or two. You reckon!
SammFab | 12:10 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
The best US athletes understandably, go where the glory and the money is. Basketball, Football, Baseball. What alternative do the caribbean athletes have? Bobsled? I'm as bored as the next guy by mediocre track performances and only care about track at my alma mater and the Olympics. But I'd like to see us find a way to make it a true "program". Maybe it should be a posh training facility that, at least, will attract the second tier athlete who, with good coaching, etc, can compete at the highest level.
Jon | 12:19 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
The Ivory Coast is in Africa not in the Caribbean as the article states. Nevertheless, the fastest people in the world tend to be descended from western African nations, due to the slave trade. That is why sprinters from the Caribbean, and the US are so fast. The fastest sprinters in Europe are also of western African descent. Genetics trump everything. Eastern and northern Africans are better at middle and long distance. So until more folks like Bernard Lagat, Meb Kefleghizi, and Lopez Lomong naturalize as US citizens we can expect to get beat badly in those longer races.
Brewton | 12:20 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I have heard the complaints about foreign scholarships before, usually from the parents of mediocre athletes. Coaches want top-drawer, academically-eligible recruits and if they can't find them at home ...

BTW, if you include cross-country, track and field has the most participants in any high school sport. Our area's top prep runners are not having trouble getting scholarships.
Alva Belnavis (Jamaica) | 12:35 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
When you look athe Jamaican performances its not fair to be so hard on the US athletes. Besides, Jamaicans have been knocking on the door for some time a la Merlene, Juliette Cuthbert, Grace Jackson and most recently Veronica Campbell. The last Olympics we were favourites to win atleast three of the four sprints with three finalists in the 100m for women two in the 200m and the world's fastest man at the time in the 100m for men. The moment we won gold in the 200m it was like an icebreaker for things to come. Jamaican were no longer just showing up but also beleiving that they have a right or as much chance to win as any other competitor.

Jamaica has recorded 3 world records and 1 olympic record at these games. The other two victories are second in terms of Olympic performances to Flo Jo. Remember also your best 400m female runner is from Jamaica while your Kerron Clement is from Trinidad
Craig Coleman | 12:39 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I like having the athletes from other countries here to study at our universities. It is a gesture of goodwill and goes a long way toward improving our relationship with other countries. If they win some medals at the olympics more power to them.
Your RIGHT ON | 12:44 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
In any Olympics there are only a hand full of events that matter to Americans - track (mainly the sprints) , basketball (because of the NBA players),swimming and soccer (because it is so big world wide). All the other stuff is fun to watch but who really cares if we get gold in beach volleyball? The US stunk it up in track this time. Worst I have every seen. Our male sprinters were overpowered and our relay teams were terrible with execution. What about the long jump? Normally we dominate this event - not this time. Something has to change training wise for our sprinters that's for sure before London is 2012.
Genetics???? | 12:56 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
"By some quirk of genetics, the Caribbean is a hotbed for sprinters" ....

I think it has a lot more to do with GDP per capita (the US has roughly 11 times the per capita GDP of Jamaica), and more specifically the number of XBox's and Playstations per capita. More money breeds greed for more money and it also breeds laziness.
dingo | 1:31 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
doug dont let the US Track and Field coaches off the hook to easy. this was one of the most poorly coached and and organized squads in US history. the entire program needs to be reviewed and revamped. of all the mistakes that were made only Lolo's can be brushed aside as "bad luck".

this was simply the worst olympics track and field wise ever. heads should roll and roll hard and fast.
Trackfan33 | 1:40 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I'm so tired of people dissing the sport of Track and Field. Wow big deal the team had one off meet. Does anybody that writes these columns even follow the sport outside of the one meet that is every four years. If you did you would see that the U.S. Track and Field team has some of the greatest athletes out of any of the sports and they should be respected. Its not the track teams fault that other leagues like the NFL and MLB wont go through and expose their Steriod abusers. Our sport should not have to suffer because we actually find the people that dope and punish them. If football checked for steriods how many of their athletes would be banned? My point is people dont even follow this sport yet they feel like they can point out everything wrong with it when there is so many more things good with the sport. My hat is tipped to the U.S. Track and field team yeah you had a bad meet but i know you will be back to make us proud in the near future
Geography Lesson | 2:05 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Just for the record, Ivory Coast isn't in the Caribbean, it's in Africa.
Dog | 2:11 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Genetics???? I agree mostly with you. There is a huge difference in the gene pools of different races. When was the last time a Japanese man or woman won an Olympic medal for the 100 meters? Unfortunately laziness and mediocrity are becoming the norm here.

As far as I'm concerned the blame isn't just life style and myriads of choices, I think it is partly due to creeping socialism especially in the way our kids are educated and what is and is not expected.

I have lived in Europe and seen how it seems to tear the heart out of personal ambition and striving for excellence.
Bakes | 2:29 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
"Quirk of genetics"?? Dougie... you really think that it was 'genetics' and not hard work that got those caribbean sprinters their medals?

Btw... I'm happy to hear that the Ivory Coast has moved to the caribbean, I've always wanted to visit and now that it's much closer my dream is finally within reach.

Poster, "John" mentioned 'out of season' testing in the US vs. testing in the caribbean. Seems lik "John" has been sipping from the same cup of Kool Aid as Victor Conte... most of these caribbean athletes live and train in the US, so if they're doping, who's really at fault here?

Speaking of which... couple comments addressed changing the eligibility requirements for foreign students... makes total sense. I mean after all... if the US athletes aren't good enough to beat them, why bother getting better when you can just lower the inter-collegiate competition bar.

The US T&F program will recover... everyone is entitled to an off-year, we can't arrogantly expect to win all the time. As someone stated, the US athletes didn't slip... the rest of the world is just catching up.
Anonymous | 2:46 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Consider that all that is happening now is that the "playing field" has become more level, and had it not been for the likes of USA athletes... Florence-Griffith Joyner; Marion Jones; Tim Montgomery; Justin Gatlin.......et al. Jamaica, and indeed the world would have been putting a "dent" into the USA's medal count a long time ago !!
awesomeron | 2:53 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
Nothing wrong with the American Track and Field Team. They just had a Bad Day or two. Your over unreasonable expectations cannot always be met. If you include Jamaica (as almost all their people Ran or Run for Major U.S. Colleges) and the Girl from Canada who won the Bronze in the Women�s 100 Hurdles (Montana State). Also all the people from other countries that go or went to School in America. We did just fine. One of the things wrong with Track and Field is that there is No Money in it on the Pro Level and No way for there to be. What was not noted was the Black Swimmer who won a Gold Medal in the Relays. The twisted idea of the purity of Amateurism has long since gone by the wayside. Shawn Johnson was on Lettermen last night, she been doing gymnastics at some level from age 3. She is very cute, very, very fit, has lots of Arm Muscles, She was tired but is a nice kid and said she was grateful for the hair and makeup department at the studio.
vaase | 3:32 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008


just a little off track.

some news[sports] reporter tried to compare the redeem team[basketball] to the real dream team a la michael Jordan, the Birdman, Magic et cetra etcetra.

Well it is not even close in all around espect of the game. someone correct me if i am wrong, the real team never came close to losing a game as compared to the the revamp team as i wwould put it in their almost losing to Brasil. It is trying compare oranges grapes and apples. But maybe its just a different era.
Anybody Else Think This? | 3:52 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
(I didn't read every comment so if this opinion has already been previously voiced, then please disregard)

I saw lots and lots of sprinters and runners from MANY countries competing in the Olympics who, broadcasters routinely announced, attended and competed for colleges and universities in the U.S.

What's up with that?

I mean, if a Jamicaan wins a gold medal, but did a huge chunk of his training, and therefore his "improving" and learning the fine points of their sport in America, it makes me wonder who really won the medal, country "X" or America?

Would it be of value to have the Olympic committee establish a rule that if you're going to represent a country in the Olympics that you not only have to be a citizen of that country but that you have to have lived there a certain number of years before the Olympics and/or live a certain percentage of time (at LEAST a majority of the time....otherwise you're not really "from" that country) in the country you're representing?

Seems like a good idea to me....
Grover | 4:10 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I don't know what to make of the lack of a single mention of the word "steroid" in your article. On the one hand it is great that no one got booted for being on juice, but on the other hand tell me the subject wasn't hanging over the track like a phantom. Jamaica has been a sprint power forever or at least 40 years. The were almost always the runners up to the USA athletes. We now know (or in some cases strongly suspect) that the winners were not just running on Wheaties. So is it that Jamaica has always been better and they were cheated by American dopers or is it that the terrific sweep of Jamaica shows that they too now have "better things for better living through chemistry!! What a mess and what a shame.
Maybe | 4:27 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
The testing for performance enhance drugs has become more advance!
Preston | 5:31 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
I will tell you what is "wrong" with the US track team. It is the surge in popularity of football. The greatest athletes in this country now universally play football. I am not suggesting that this is a bad thing. But, go to any highschool or college in America. Check out the track teams and then watch the football teams. It will be obvious to you that the best athletes are playing football. I don't think this was always the case.
vuchie | 6:22 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
If we are serious about competing against the world, it makes no sense to train our adversaries. When they would announce the competitors it bothered me greatly to see/hear how we hav trained the world to compete against us at the world class level. We do this when there are hundreds of athletically superior athletes right her in America. It appears that once again we are taking a philosophicl high road that is hurting us in athletics. If winning is important to us ( as it is to some of us and ALL of the rest of the world), then we have to get serious. I also agree that the coaching staffs and organization was severly lacking as well.
Vic | 6:30 p.m. Aug. 26, 2008
When did Ivory Coast become part of the Caribbean?? Last I checked it was a nation in West Africa.

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