I used to love this sport

[Trackfan310]

I really did. I loved competing. I loved watching. I could stand on the practice field for hours and watch athletes work out. I would show up an hour or two before practice, and just bask in the sun on the track, I truly did Love the sport. It served me well. A college education, plenty of notoriety in my time. Injuries prevented me from reaching my ultimate goal, but I enjoyed watching people I knew and competed against succeed at the highest levels. What has happend to this sport is beyond depressing. Before, I could talk with the men in my family (all of them huge track and field fans) about amazing performances that were put down on the track. Constant debates would ensue about what someone COULD do, or MIGHT do in the right conditions. Now? Every conversation I have, even with other track fans, involves speculation about what that athlete MIGHT be doing. Even the athletes we believe are clean, the topic comes up in the form of "well I sure hope they aren't doing XYZ.....". when I see Amazing performanes now, whether its someone beating the clock, or beating father time, or both....there is that "what if" that pops into my head, no matter how subtle. Wow. I truly did use to love this sport.......

[SQUACKEE]

Track has lost 50% of its luster but it still out shines all other sports like a firefly next to a super nova.

[eldrick]

I really did. I loved competing. I loved watching. I could stand on the practice field for hours and watch athletes work out...(

no one died

what happened, happened - no need to lose your love for the sport - it will always survive

- it survived the cold war & huge doping in eastern bloc

- it survived big bad ben

- it survived questionable chinese times

- it survived, cj/tim/kelli

- it survived kk/thanou

- it survived ohourogou

- it will survive marion

by the time bejiing comes round, this will be ancient news & of little interest to anyone

that's the beauty of the sport - every 4y it rises like a phoenix from it's ashes

if the menfolk don' want to talk about it anymore, don't worry, we are here to do so for them !

[Mennisco]

no one died

what happened, happened - no need to lose your love for the sport - it will always survive

- it survived the cold war & huge doping in eastern bloc

- it survived big bad ben

- it survived questionable chinese times

- it survived, cj/tim/kelli

- it survived kk/thanou

- it survived ohourogou

- it will survive marion

by the time bejiing comes round, this will be ancient news & of little interest to anyone

!

- at least one had to have a sex change

- doping in East bloc countries sread like a cancer so quickly that within a few short years the American women made East Germans look as virginal as Madonna at a "party"...

- by the time Beijing arrives, the half-life of the sport may well have shifted to a different rate, and hardly anyone [relative to 2 weeks ago, and to 4 years ago] will give a flying lump of golden poo about the Circus in China - except for 1 in 4 earthlings, who happen to live in China. Outside of China, most may greet the sprint finals with gigantic yawns/snickers/hand-to-mouth/guffaws.....or relapses.

[SQUACKEE]

Ive always wanted to see a flying lump of golden poo as long as its shot out of a circus cannon under the big tent.

[eldrick]

doping in East bloc countries sread like a cancer so quickly that within a few short years the American women made East Germans look as virginal as Madonna at a "party"...

my memory isn't what it used to be, but i'm hard pushed to remember many high-profile +ves between '80 - '00

by the time Beijing arrives, the half-life of the sport may well have shifted to a different rate, and hardly anyone [relative to 2 weeks ago, and to 4 years ago] will give a flying lump of golden poo about the Circus in China - except for 1 in 4 earthlings, who happen to live in China. Outside of China, most may greet the sprint finals with gigantic yawns/snickers/hand-to-mouth/guffaws.....or relapses.

where's the haloperidol !

[tandfman]

Before, I could talk with the men in my family (all of them huge track and field fans) about amazing performances that were put down on the track. Constant debates would ensue about what someone COULD do, or MIGHT do in the right conditions. Now? Every conversation I have, even with other track fans, involves speculation about what that athlete MIGHT be doing. Even the athletes we believe are clean, the topic comes up in the form of "well I sure hope they aren't doing XYZ.....". (

OK, why don't you talk about pro football? Then, you can avoid these conversations by just assuming that they're doing XYZ (because most of them are. I'd personally prefer to talk about a sport that I still love and that at least is attempting to do something about doping, rather than the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc., which give lip service to opposing doping but then refuse to adopt reasonable measures to stop it.

[tafnut]

OK, why don't you talk about pro football?

. . . basketball . . . baseball . . . cycling . . . swimming . . . gymnastics . . . tennis . . . golf . . .

where there's $$$ (sometimes just endorsements) to be made, SOMEONE will figure out a way to gain an unfair advantage. It's human nature. Even when T&F's glass is four-fifths empty (and sometimes it feels like it), I still see it one-fifth full. We have an infinitely renewing foundation to build the future of the sport. We just have to figure out a way from it getting infested with nasty bugs, vermin and dry-rot.
. . . everyone sing now . . ."The sun'll come out tomorrow . . ."

[bad hammy]

I'd personally prefer to talk about a sport that I still love and that at least is attempting to do something about doping, rather than the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc., which give lip service to opposing doping but then refuse to adopt reasonable measures to stop it.

So how do you explain the wild popularity of the three major sports you mentioned compared to the almost total absence of popular interest in, if not total derision of, T&F?

[Cyril]

I'd personally prefer to talk about a sport that I still love and that at least is attempting to do something about doping, rather than the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc., which give lip service to opposing doping but then refuse to adopt reasonable measures to stop it.

So how do you explain the wild popularity of the three major sports you mentioned compared to the almost total absence of popular interest in, if not total derision of, T&F?

On ESPN this afternoon they mentioned the MJ problem and how the 4x1 should be required to return their medals. In the round-table discussion they talked about how PED use is widespread in t&f and cycling....no mention of other sports - apparently it is just in t&f and cycling.

For some reason these two sports are killed by this stuff.

[Mennisco]

where's the haloperidol !

Let me check with one of my other "personalities".....

It's illegal in Canada. Can I borrow some?

[tandfman]

I'd personally prefer to talk about a sport that I still love and that at least is attempting to do something about doping, rather than the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc., which give lip service to opposing doping but then refuse to adopt reasonable measures to stop it.

So how do you explain the wild popularity of the three major sports you mentioned compared to the almost total absence of popular interest in, if not total derision of, T&F?

It would take a long time (longer than I have right now) to explain my views on this.

[tafnut]

It would take a long time (longer than I have right now) to explain my views on this.

I could sum up my feelings rather succinctly, but non-T&F fans would call me an elitist snob for my judgements.

[Trackfan310]

I think the reason Track and Cycling are more affected by PEDs than other sports, is because they are sports hinged 95% on physical ability. Bigger/Stronger/Faster/greater endurance = win. PEDs of course, make you get bigger/stronger/faster or help with endurance (epo from what I hear). In other sports, there is still the "skill" aspect. Being Bigger/stronger/faster is not going to help you hit a Jumper, catch a pass, or connect with a Pitch. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that players in other sports don't get a TREMENDOUS advantage from PEDs, I am simply saying this why there may not be quite as much outcry about it. However, as far as Homeruns are concerned, I've heard many people argue that Steroids would not help much in that area. That is absolutely crap. Home Runs are a Power stat. Do drugs help you connect with the ball? No. Do they help you know the ball out of the park when you DO connect? Absolutely. Anyone who says otherwise needs to just crawl under a rock somewhere. I could go on about this for awhile, but alas, I won't.

[tafnut]

Do drugs help you connect with the ball? No. Do they help you know the ball out of the park when you DO connect? Absolutely.

Same in golf, which many people think isn't aided by PEDs. Even bowling is aided.

[Flumpy]

- it survived ohourogou

Why on earth would you place Christine alongside the rest of that list???

[bad hammy]

- it survived ohourogou

Why on earth would you place Christine alongside the rest of that list???

In the past few days I've seen folks here dump on Inger Miller for a caffeine test, so bringing up someone with a bust for missing tests seems fair . . .

[mojo]

Track AND FIELD is like one of my kids. No matter what happens or what "it" does I will always love it. 8)

There is more to the sport than the very elite, much more. Go find some kids in your local communtiy to cheer on and support if top level track depresses you too much.

[tafnut]

Go find some kids in your local communtiy to cheer on and support if top level track depresses you too much.

I get much more joy from a HJ boy's first-time clearance of 6' or a PV girl's first clearance of 10', then I do a World Championship m800 race won in 1:47!

[croflash]

Go find some kids in your local communtiy to cheer on and support if top level track depresses you too much.

I get much more joy from a HJ boy's first-time clearance of 6' or a PV girl's first clearance of 10', then I do a World Championship m800 race won in 1:47!

You're not alone with that one.

[SQUACKEE]

Track AND FIELD is like one of my kids. No matter what happens or what "it" does I will always love it. 8)

There is more to the sport than the very elite, much more. Go find some kids in your local communtiy to cheer on and support if top level track depresses you too much.

I read your post and actually felt a weight lift off of my shoulders, thank you!

[tandfman]

I'm afraid it will take more than that to let me shrug off the doping issue, but I know what mojo means. There is a subset of US track nuts who focus almost exclusively on high school track. I sometimes envy those guys. I don't doubt that there are some high school kids using PED's, but it's minimal, and it hasn't yet become an issue that drags down high school track. For those who follow mainly that part of the sport, the pure joy of being a fan has not yet been impaired by Marion Jones or any of the other causes of our disillusionment who preceded her.

[bad hammy]

High school track and field rocks! (Except for that 1600 thing . . .)

[Mats Nilsson]

I'm afraid it will take more than that to let me shrug off the doping issue, but I know what mojo means. There is a subset of US track nuts who focus almost exclusively on high school track. I sometimes envy those guys. I don't doubt that there are some high school kids using PED's, but it's minimal, and it hasn't yet become an issue that drags down high school track. For those who follow mainly that part of the sport, the pure joy of being a fan has not yet been impaired by Marion Jones or any of the other causes of our disillusionment who preceded her.

Highschool football is completely LITTERED with drug abusers in the US. These athletes are also doing track and field. You have a problem from top to bottom whether you like it or not. If you guys want to make a change in your athletes' attitudes you have to start at the grass-root level with instilling a sense of ethics and fair play. Winning-at-all-costs is unfortunately stressed more than fair play in some countries...and this is the root of your evil as well. Early preventive education is a key aspect of solving this rampant problem.

[Mennisco]

Do drugs help you connect with the ball? No. Do they help you know the ball out of the park when you DO connect? Absolutely.

Same in golf, which many people think isn't aided by PEDs. Even bowling is aided.

Confession time: In high school me and some friends took "bennies" before going to the 10 pin alley for gym class. People wondered how my 5-5/115 girlfriend could whip a ball that size with such ferocity!

Quality Canuck physical education.

[tafnut]

Highschool football is completely LITTERED with drug abusers in the US. These athletes are also doing track and field. You have a problem from top to bottom whether you like it or not. If you guys want to make a change in your athletes' attitudes you have to start at the grass-root level with instilling a sense of ethics and fair play. Winning-at-all-costs is unfortunately stressed more than fair play in some countries...and this is the root of your evil as well. Early preventive education is a key aspect of solving this rampant problem.

You can't possibly KNOW that. I am IN a high school environment and I have a very good understanding of who does it and how large the problem is. There certainly ARE pockets of steroid use, especially in affluent suburban areas, but it is NOT wide-spread and although the word 'littered' is sufficiently vague for you to hide behind, it's connotation is wrong. Winning-at-all-costs is NOT the USA HS motto, as I'm sure you must know. Sportsmanship and being-the-best-you-can-be (sorry US Army) is. "Early preventative education" IS rampant in the USA.

[Daisy]

Winning-at-all-costs is NOT the USA HS motto, as I'm sure you must know. Sportsmanship and being-the-best-you-can-be (sorry US Army) is. "Early preventative education" IS rampant in the USA.

They can say that stuff but what counts is reality. I've noticed winning at all costs is the reality and they hide behind the words of sportmanship and be the best you can.

How else do you explain that non-matching sports bra disqualification? How else do explain the retarded parents that abuse the umpires? How else do you explain coaches being fired for perfectly reasonable seasons that did not garner a championship? There are exceptions of course. The Steelers franchise have stuck with their coach and can be viewed as great role models for the kids. But that is highly unusual and what you see at the top level is more often than not reflective of the attitude at the grass roots level too.

[mojo]

Track AND FIELD is like one of my kids. No matter what happens or what "it" does I will always love it. 8)

There is more to the sport than the very elite, much more. Go find some kids in your local communtiy to cheer on and support if top level track depresses you too much.

I read your post and actually felt a weight lift off of my shoulders, thank you!

Glad I could be of assistance. 8)

I am involved in the sport at all levels and in just about every capacity so if one area isn't going well I can always focus on something else.
I really enjoyed getting a glimpse at the lives of top athletes this year and while it has incredible perks that we can only dream about it isn't that much different than what we do on a lesser scale.
As one top athlete said- it is just running and training with lots of boring down time and brief moments of excitement. It isn't as glamourous as it seems.
That made me feel better.

But it still beats a real life job.

[tafnut]

They can say that stuff but what counts is reality. I've noticed winning at all costs is the reality and they hide behind the words of sportmanship and be the best you can. How else do you explain that non-matching sports bra disqualification? How else do explain the retarded parents that abuse the umpires? How else do you explain coaches being fired for perfectly reasonable seasons that did not garner a championship? There are exceptions of course. The Steelers franchise have stuck with their coach and can be viewed as great role models for the kids. But that is highly unusual and what you see at the top level is more often than not reflective of the attitude at the grass roots level too.

The media sees only what it wants to see, so it can sensationalize what is actually a rather mundane pastime. 99% of HS sports is so amazingly mediocre, it would not even cross anyone's mind to take PEDs and risk side-effects. I need to do a Larry Rawson here and tell everyone to go down to their local HS and watch your average athletes, like the 5'9", 150 pound, 5.6 (40 yds) football players, the volleyball players with 12" verts, the cross country boys who run varsity with 20 minute 5K times, the basketball players who can't out-rebound a Mexican jumping bean, the soccer players who swing and miss the ball, etc., etc.. That's what we're dealing with in High school FOR THE MOST PART!!!!!! i KNOW. I see it every day!!! We were the Flordia 2A State Champions in girls track last year and here's our line-up (top girl in each event)

100 12.8
200 28.1
400 62
800 2:18 (finished 4th in the state)
1600 5:05 (won the state title)
3200 11:18 (won the state title
100H 16.8
300H 52
HJ 5' (won District)
PV 12'9 (won state, best ALL classes)
LJ 17'
TJ 33'
SP 26'
DT 90'
4x1 53
4x4 4:15
4x8 9:40

does that look like PEDs performances? The boys were far worse comparatively!

[Daisy]

does that look like PEDs performances? The boys were far worse comparatively!

Are you sure the're not contemplating gettng a new track coach?

[Mats Nilsson]

Winning-at-all-costs is NOT the USA HS motto, as I'm sure you must know. Sportsmanship and being-the-best-you-can-be (sorry US Army) is. "Early preventative education" IS rampant in the USA.

They can say that stuff but what counts is reality. I've noticed winning at all costs is the reality and they hide behind the words of sportmanship and be the best you can.

How else do you explain that non-matching sports bra disqualification? How else do explain the retarded parents that abuse the umpires? How else do you explain coaches being fired for perfectly reasonable seasons that did not garner a championship? There are exceptions of course. The Steelers franchise have stuck with their coach and can be viewed as great role models for the kids. But that is highly unusual and what you see at the top level is more often than not reflective of the attitude at the grass roots level too.

Honestly, Tafnut's naivete is a mirror of one of the most annoying US populus' personality traits. I usually refer to it as wearing red-white-and-blue goggles, but sometimes I wonder if you guys are not pursposely trying to deny facts out of patriotism. Mindboggling it is...Tafnut...the stats are there (~10% of US highschool athletes are roiding) and most of them are at least dual sport athletes. You have a responisbility to teach your boys and girls to do the right thing...are you? Are you educating them about "winning at all cost" fair play ethics etc? I doubt it.

[bad hammy]

does that look like PEDs performances? The boys were far worse comparatively!

Are you sure the're not contemplating gettng a new track coach?

My thoughts exactly - the current coaches obviously suck!

[eldrick]

100 12.8
100H 16.8

oooh, err...

there's a problem there

that differential shoudn't be more than ~2s

taffy, you ain't maxing your hurdles experience

[tafnut]

~10% of US highschool athletes are roiding.

If you really believe that, you are clearly completely out of touch with reality.
That would be over 700,000 13-18 year olds. It's not even funny how wrong you are and I can usually laugh at anything!!

P.S. For all you comedians dissing my team (I'll buy the coaching criticisms), just remember, we are State Champions.