72 wrote:if ever anyone starts a competition/forum for the nastiest creep on this board I think Preston would win hands down. Sh*t head would certainly have my vote .
I don't think it would be preston.
Moving along....
The "mean girls" are out ... as always, trying to force everyone to agree with them. They are like that Geico commercial with the 3 teenage "mean girls" where the man tries to save money on weight reduction: "Ew, Seriously, that's so gross"
Interesting that each of our "mean girls" have said something completely vile about other athletes or entire nations but we dare not say a word about Paula Radcliffe's off the charts progression (no Ma Junren athlete has ever come close to her Marathon times...) or the fact that she is a raging hypocrite ("all drug cheats should never go to the Olympics, oh, wait a minute, what was that...ok, well, maybe Dwain can go.) but, maybe I'm wrong, it seems she's evolved. It's not like I'm rooting for her to break a leg, I just would rather someone else win the medals - anyone else actually. (I wouldn't bother searching for what these same posters have said about Dwain or Justin)
The Princess Di/Paula thing was only for me to point out that I DON'T GET THE BRITISH OBSESSION with these two. I don't get the screaming, the crying, the hysteria, the interest to be blunt (but then again, I thought the Whitney Houston thing was overblown, too). Maybe you have to be British...or just a "subject" living under the world.
You can cross that one off your list. Michael Jackson fans prove that. Plus, I'm British and I don't get it either. Maybe I'm one of the exceptions, along with all the MJ fans, that prove the rule?
Last edited by Daisy on Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
trevorp -- thanks for the incomplete info. i just looked it up and ms. yegerova's positive test result was reversed prior to ms. radcliffe's public accusation. she appears to have based her accusations on the usual "non-linear improvement" canard.
Yegorova, who had been around for a while, was an 8min 45sec runner for 3,000m who suddenly started producing times in the 8.20s. Athletes who improve a lot can be unfairly suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs, but Yegorova’s progress was so startling that the questions were inevitable.
preston -- i think all the posters you refer to are male, so it really isn't cool to feminize them by calling them "mean girls".
maroon wrote:trevorp -- thanks for the incomplete info. i just looked it up and ms. yegerova's positive test result was reversed prior to ms. radcliffe's public accusation. she appears to have based her accusations on the usual "non-linear improvement" canard.
Yegorova, who had been around for a while, was an 8min 45sec runner for 3,000m who suddenly started producing times in the 8.20s. Athletes who improve a lot can be unfairly suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs, but Yegorova’s progress was so startling that the questions were inevitable.
preston -- i think all the posters you refer to are male, so it really isn't cool to feminize them by calling them "mean girls".
There were 2 different types of EPO tests in 01, one using blood the other using urine. Only 1 had been ratified by the IAAF despite It being the less reliable one (presumably it was the urine test but i can't remember) Both test were ratified by other sports. Yegorova failed the more reliable but unratified test. A few weeks later the test was introduced officially.
I don't know how holding up a sign saying 'EPO cheats out' can be considered controversial. Surely it's a sentiment that all fans should support
As for Preston, after lauding Kenderis and advocating the shooting of Derek Redmond's dad his comments on Paula are both boring and predictable and i'm the 'mean girl' ?!!
72 wrote:if ever anyone starts a competition/forum for the nastiest creep on this board I think Preston would win hands down. Sh*t head would certainly have my vote .
No need to have a vote let's just crown him already
I voted for Paula early teens I think
The woman is amazing, and it is such a shame that she currently defined by the one of the very few bad days she's ever had.
Why shouldn't she cry when she realizes the one thing that she has trained for her whole life has just ended in failure? The fact that she had known for days going into the race that she wasn't in shape because of the adverse reaction to anti inflammatory medication (I think) yet still kept going to 23 miles in the fallen hope that it might some together is testament to her dedication.
There is no one I will be supporting more in the summer and there is no one who is more deserving of a fairytale end to their career
And the fact that she actively supports a clean sport is one of the many commendable things about her
Couldn't have said it better myself. Radcliffe was my No.1 choice for pretty much all the reasons you mention above. Perhaps the most dedicated (sometimes to the extreme) athlete around, but often that has been her undoing and those few times when she pushed things too hard were heart-wrenching. But it's for those reasons that make you want to root for her, in the hope that things will go right. Of course, she has had many a day when things did go to plan - her WRs, her world title, etc. Hopefully she'll have another good day when the Olympics roll around. Someone of her stature deserves to be defined for her achievements and not for her misfortunes. I'm pleased she's made the top 10 in this poll
A few more athletes have been and gone since my last post on this thread. They are...
Virgilijus Alekna As has been the case with many of my other choices, I have tremendous admiration for under-acknowledged athletes who have great longevity and consistency. Alekna is a perfect example. He has finished in the top six at every major championships (WC, OG, EC) since 1996 - an incredible record. Although he's not throwing as far as he once did, he's still going strong at 40 and it would be great to see him win a medal in London this year. I also think that, had he chosen to chase competitions in wind tunnels like Gerd Kanter, he could have broken the world record at his peak. Still, a 73.88m is nothing to be sniffed at.
Wilson Kipketer Probably one of the nicest guys in athletics. I don't think I've ever seen him without a smile on his face. Also such a smooth runner and a joy to watch. I remember watching the Athens Olympic 800m final (on my 20th birthday), actually tugging at my hair, willing Kiketer to win. He didn't, but I was happy enough that he at least got a medal in his last ever championships final.
Maria Mutola Another consistent athlete with great longevity and an incredible record at major champs. It was great watching her at her peak, just waiting for the moment that she'd strike and leave the rest of the field for dead.
I have just two choices left. One of them (my No.3 choice) is no surprise to be in the top 10, but I'm very pleasantly surprised that my other one (my No.5 pick) is also in the top 10 (unless there's been a mis-count !)
mump boy wrote:I don't know how holding up a sign saying 'EPO cheats out' can be considered controversial. Surely it's a sentiment that all fans should support
As for Preston, after lauding Kenderis and advocating the shooting of Derek Redmond's dad his comments on Paula are both boring and predictable and i'm the 'mean girl' ?!!
You're obviously not that familiar with the term mean girls, but the term does fit your m.o. on the boards. It's not just being mean -I know that I can be at times- it's trying to hammer everyone into agreeing with your opinion with snide, arrogant and petulant comments and/or liasing with other posters to do the same. You're not the only one, but it definitely describes you. Also, I don't know how anything that I said about Kenderis makes me mean but you've jumbled so many things that I don't even think you know (and my comments about Paula or Redmonds dad DO NOT raise to the level of "mean girl"; again, I don't think you understand). I don't and will never mind being mean to people who are mean to me, but if i express my feelings about something, then they are just as valid as anyone else's.
But, what makes you and your Paula so wrong about the IAAF's decision is that - it's the IAAF's decision. It's not for athletes to self-judicate! There is a process, a decision was made, and as far as due process is concerned, Radcliffe is NOT the victim, Yegoreva is. The accused MUST have rights, but that's just common law, a superfluous thing. And being british you probably can't see the irony of you railing against it.
Preston, give it up, can't you see that no one agrees with you and that following your string of rather nasty comments in order to make a point in this domain you are going to have to do much better than you are doing here, and you will have to do so from a completely different direction.
Now to ignore you until you have come to your senses and stopped this kind of nonsense which contributes absolutely nothing to this board and detracts from it rather substantially. Why you want to be in that position is beyond me but you seem to do so on multiple occasions.
26mi235 wrote:Preston, give it up, can't you see that no one agrees with you and that following your string of rather nasty comments in order to make a point in this domain you are going to have to do much better than you are doing here, and you will have to do so from a completely different direction.
Now to ignore you until you have come to your senses and stopped this kind of nonsense which contributes absolutely nothing to this board and detracts from it rather substantially. Why you want to be in that position is beyond me but you seem to do so on multiple occasions.
You didn't get the message that I don't care for your moralizing when I ignored your PM "congratulating" me. That said, I don't care what you or the other "groupthinkers" feel. So you give it up. And, while you're at it give up telling everyone else what to do around here you're not a moderator you're a menace.
maroon wrote:scratching my head as to why so much hostility towards preston. all he did was spell out why he doesn't like ms. radcliffe (the princess diana reference was probably unnecessary). is she a sacred cow? did she ever present evidence for her public drug accusations or were they based on speculation?
... because this is a threat about our favouite athletes where we discuss why we like them. I do not like some of the athletes who made the list, and I can list the reasons for my dislike. But I'd rather do that on some other threads, where it would seem more appropriate...
preston wrote:The "mean girls" are out ... as always, trying to force everyone to agree with them. .........Interesting that each of our "mean girls" have said something completely vile about other athletes or entire nations but we dare not say a word about Paula Radcliffe's off the charts progression (no Ma Junren athlete has ever come close to her Marathon times...) .
First, Ma J's girls ran marathons as part of overall training, they posted very good times but it was on the track where Ma's Mean Girlie Machine really chewed up the record books. Just a wee fly in the oinkment of your analogy.
I've read this thread from start to finish and for the life of me I'm not detecting the vile undercurrent which you attribute to certain people you've labelled as girls. Trust me, in another place and time, the girls and meself got into some horrendous flameouts which make anything around here PG13. Of course , we're now fully grown and busted (not for possession), and thoroughly enjoying the benefits of maturity (not that I've addressed them on here anytime lately)..........so, girls, figured out who I am yet, and if so, be sweet.
preston wrote:The "mean girls" are out ... as always, trying to force everyone to agree with them. .........Interesting that each of our "mean girls" have said something completely vile about other athletes or entire nations but we dare not say a word about Paula Radcliffe's off the charts progression (no Ma Junren athlete has ever come close to her Marathon times...) .
First, Ma J's girls ran marathons as part of overall training, they posted very good times but it was on the track where Ma's Mean Girlie Machine really chewed up the record books. Just a wee fly in the oinkment of your analogy.
Not exactly. The argument, by some, is that the Chinese were "out of this world"; however, when we use the IAAF scoring tables...guess who's performance is singing "Rocket Man" right along with the Chinese?
Anyway, I'm ready to move past this "Paula Radcliffe is one of MY least favorite athletes" affair, as long as everyone else is done with talking about it, but if not...we can address it some more.
First, Ma J's girls ran marathons as part of overall training, they posted very good times but it was on the track where Ma's Mean Girlie Machine really chewed up the record books. Just a wee fly in the oinkment of your analogy.
Paula's off the charts progression. ......I don't see it that way at all, - http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographie ... index.html [/quote] Not exactly. The argument, by some, is that the Chinese were "out of this world"; however, when we use the IAAF scoring tables...guess who's performance is singing "Rocket Man" right along with the Chinese?
Very good point which I was mulling about and then got thinking on another tangent. Probably the single most powerful way of juxtaposing the performances. I cannot pull any charts out of my hat or post a link to a site showing male/female (comparative) performance progressions, and I'm not sure I'd be the best bloke to perform analysis on them..........what I'm driving at is a not-so-new argument that as the distance gets longer, the performance gap shrinks between the boys and the girls. Feel free to (accurately ) delve into any studies/other information that may shed light on this. Or, we could also luck out and find 26mi235 knows something about this.
mump boy wrote:I don't know how holding up a sign saying 'EPO cheats out' can be considered controversial. Surely it's a sentiment that all fans should support
As for Preston, after lauding Kenderis and advocating the shooting of Derek Redmond's dad his comments on Paula are both boring and predictable and i'm the 'mean girl' ?!!
You're obviously not that familiar with the term mean girls, but the term does fit your m.o. on the boards. It's not just being mean -I know that I can be at times- it's trying to hammer everyone into agreeing with your opinion with snide, arrogant and petulant comments and/or liasing with other posters to do the same. You're not the only one, but it definitely describes you. Also, I don't know how anything that I said about Kenderis makes me mean but you've jumbled so many things that I don't even think you know (and my comments about Paula or Redmonds dad DO NOT raise to the level of "mean girl"; again, I don't think you understand). I don't and will never mind being mean to people who are mean to me, but if i express my feelings about something, then they are just as valid as anyone else's.
But, what makes you and your Paula so wrong about the IAAF's decision is that - it's the IAAF's decision. It's not for athletes to self-judicate! There is a process, a decision was made, and as far as due process is concerned, Radcliffe is NOT the victim, Yegoreva is. The accused MUST have rights, but that's just common law, a superfluous thing. And being british you probably can't see the irony of you railing against it.
mump boy wrote:I don't know how holding up a sign saying 'EPO cheats out' can be considered controversial. Surely it's a sentiment that all fans should support
As for Preston, after lauding Kenderis and advocating the shooting of Derek Redmond's dad his comments on Paula are both boring and predictable and i'm the 'mean girl' ?!!
You're obviously not that familiar with the term mean girls, but the term does fit your m.o. on the boards. It's not just being mean -I know that I can be at times- it's trying to hammer everyone into agreeing with your opinion with snide, arrogant and petulant comments and/or liasing with other posters to do the same. You're not the only one, but it definitely describes you. Also, I don't know how anything that I said about Kenderis makes me mean but you've jumbled so many things that I don't even think you know (and my comments about Paula or Redmonds dad DO NOT raise to the level of "mean girl"; again, I don't think you understand). I don't and will never mind being mean to people who are mean to me, but if i express my feelings about something, then they are just as valid as anyone else's.
But, what makes you and your Paula so wrong about the IAAF's decision is that - it's the IAAF's decision. It's not for athletes to self-judicate! There is a process, a decision was made, and as far as due process is concerned, Radcliffe is NOT the victim, Yegoreva is. The accused MUST have rights, but that's just common law, a superfluous thing. And being british you probably can't see the irony of you railing against it.
i have no idea what you're trying to prove with that post, only that youhave too much time on your hands.
You devised this thread, where you spent how much time compiling and I have too much time on my hands?
Again, that's the "mean girl" in you: wanting everything that you do/say to be some type of law/guideline for others to follow - and enlisting your allies to do the same and them enlisting you. What you CONVENIENTLY miss is that you have expressed your dislike for certain athletes, whatever your reasons might be. I did the same thing and I gave my reason for her NOT BEING ONE OF MY FAVORITES, I could give a shit if she's one of yours. You clearly miss the point by not only singling out the word "vile" but resorting to providing a dictionary definition. You and yours are castigating me for doing the same thing that you did.
maroon wrote:trevorp -- thanks for the incomplete info. i just looked it up and ms. yegerova's positive test result was reversed prior to ms. radcliffe's public accusation. she appears to have based her accusations on the usual "non-linear improvement" canard.
Yegorova, who had been around for a while, was an 8min 45sec runner for 3,000m who suddenly started producing times in the 8.20s. Athletes who improve a lot can be unfairly suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs, but Yegorova’s progress was so startling that the questions were inevitable.
preston -- i think all the posters you refer to are male, so it really isn't cool to feminize them by calling them "mean girls".
There were 2 different types of EPO tests in 01, one using blood the other using urine. Only 1 had been ratified by the IAAF despite It being the less reliable one (presumably it was the urine test but i can't remember) Both test were ratified by other sports. Yegorova failed the more reliable but unratified test. A few weeks later the test was introduced officially.
I don't know how holding up a sign saying 'EPO cheats out' can be considered controversial. Surely it's a sentiment that all fans should support
As for Preston, after lauding Kenderis and advocating the shooting of Derek Redmond's dad his comments on Paula are both boring and predictable and i'm the 'mean girl' ?!!
She failed the test in Paris. At the time France were the only nation that had ratified the blood test which, as mump says, is the more reliable. Urine tests were still being used when she failed and if they had done one of those as well the ban would have stood, but as it was, despite there being no doubt that she had failed an EPO test, she was allowed to compete. Later in the season the rules changed and a blood test alone was enough to warrant ban.
Yegorova was an EPO cheat. There was absolutely no doubt about that. Paula was simply stating the truth.
My number 1, i will come back to discuss The Queen later
i can imagine some people's response to that
Merlene Ottey made the top-10?! Her performances and demeanor always projected that of an absolute champion - even if she wasn't always first to cross the line. However, her championship record has unfairly allowed too many people not to appreciate how good she was - and for how long. 10.74, 21.64, 21.87i (this may be her best individual performance in addition to being the WR).
She won 34 medals in major championships (14 of them at WCh). Won 73 successive finals from May 1989 to Mar 1991. Won 2 overall GP, 5 GP 100m, 2 GP 200m. Won 4x100 relay at WCh 1991 (2nd in 1995, 3rd in 1983 and 1993). SLO National Championships: 2003 (1st, 200m); 2007 (1st, 100m)
May I direct your attention to the IAAF's listing of 'Honors Won':
IAAF wrote:Rank Performance Wind Place Date 60 Metres 29th European Indoor Championships 4 h 7.33 Birmingham, GBR 03/03/2007 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships 3 sf 7.21 Budapest (SA) 05/03/2004 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships 4 f 7.20 Birmingham, GBR 14/03/2003 5th IAAF World Indoor Championships 1 f 6.97 Barcelona 10/03/1995 3rd IAAF World Indoor Championships 2 f 7.08 Sevilla 08/03/1991 2nd IAAF World Indoor Championships 3 f 7.10 Budapest (SC) 03/03/1989 1st IAAF World Indoor Championships 4 f 7.13 Indianapolis, IN 06/03/1987 100 Metres 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 4 h 11.64 1.3 Osaka 26/08/2007 19th European Athletics Championships 5 sf 11.44 1.2 Göteborg 09/08/2006 28th Olympic Games 5 sf 11.21 -0.1 Athína (Olympic Stadium) 21/08/2004 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 5 sf 11.26 0.8 Paris Saint-Denis 24/08/2003 27th Olympic Games 4 f 11.19 -0.4 Sydney 23/09/2000 6th IAAF World Championships In Athletics 7 f 11.29 0.4 Athína 03/08/1997 IAAF/MOBIL Grand Prix Final 1 f 10.74 1.3 Milano 07/09/1996 26th Olympic Games 2 f 10.94 -0.7 Atlanta, GA 27/07/1996 5th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2 f 10.94 0.9 Göteborg 07/08/1995 10th IAAF/Mobil Grand Prix Final 1 f 10.78 0.4 Paris 03/09/1994 4th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2 f 10.82 -0.3 Stuttgart 16/08/1993 25th Olympic Games 5 f 10.88 -1.0 Barcelona 01/08/1992 3rd IAAF World Championships in Athletics 3 f 11.06 -3.0 Tokyo 27/08/1991 2nd IAAF World Championships in Athletics 3 f 11.04 -0.5 Roma 30/08/1987 1st IAAF World Championships in Athletics 4 f 11.19 -0.5 Helsinki 08/08/1983 200 Metres 28th Olympic Games 4 qf 23.07 -0.1 Athína (Olympic Stadium) 23/08/2004 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 5 qf 23.22 0.0 Paris Saint-Denis 26/08/2003 6th IAAF World Championships In Athletics 3 f 22.40 -0.7 Athína 08/08/1997 26th Olympic Games 2 f 22.24 0.3 Atlanta, GA 01/08/1996 5th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 1 f 22.12 -2.2 Göteborg 10/08/1995 4th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 1 f 21.98 0.0 Stuttgart 19/08/1993 25th Olympic Games 1 qf 21.94 -0.9 Barcelona 03/08/1992 3rd IAAF World Championships in Athletics 3 f 22.21 -2.4 Tokyo 30/08/1991 3rd IAAF World Indoor Championships 1 f 22.24 Sevilla 10/03/1991 6th IAAF/Mobil Grand Prix Final 1 f 21.88 1.0 Athína 07/09/1990 2nd IAAF World Indoor Championships 1 f 22.34 Budapest (SC) 04/03/1989 24th Olympic Games 4 f 21.99 1.3 Seoul 29/09/1988 2nd IAAF World Championships in Athletics 3 f 22.06 1.2 Roma 03/09/1987 1st IAAF World Indoor Championships 2 f 22.66 Indianapolis, IN 07/03/1987 1st IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2 f 22.19 1.5 Helsinki 14/08/1983 22nd Olympic Games 3 f 22.20 1.5 Moskva 30/07/1980
Flumpy wrote:Yegorova was an EPO cheat. There was absolutely no doubt about that. Paula was simply stating the truth.
Wrong, it doesn't work like that. There was a reason that the test was not authenticated by that time - even if only administrative. Plus, if Lagat and Marion Jones can get off from EPO positives post 2002 then how much better are we to expect a test from 2001 to be? Latasha Jenkins and Merlene Ottey (yes, #9) also had "technicalities" invalidate their test results; regardless of how you (or gh, in the case of MO) the ruling is the ruling: she's clear and free to run. Plus, what is incontrovertable is that by the rules of this boards principle moderator, gh, Christine Ohuroughu is a cheat.
Preston - you can think whatever you like about Paula. But FWIW, I can't think of a less appropriate person to compare her to than Princess Di. Di always struck me as insincere, manipulative and massively overestimated by the British public. Paula on the other hand wears her heart on her sleeve, is totally genuine in everything she says and is completely underappreciated by even the average British sports fan.
Personally, I love her. The obsessive, driven behaviour and inability to control her emotions in public were the flip side to other character traits that made her so successful - the attention to detail, persistence, commitment, etc.
There's also something about the natural front runner which many fans love. Maybe it's to do with the fact you know they are putting in more effort than the kickers in their slipstream. Maybe it's to do with the fact they are also setting up fast times for others. Maybe it's because the suspense grows during a race as you wonder if they can drop the runners behind them. There's undoubtedly something tragic and noble about a Ron Clark or Paula who leads for lap after lap only to have 3 people kick past and deprive then of a medal!
It's been such a roller coaster ride with Paula and maybe the highs just wouldn't have impacted us in the same way if there hadn't been the lows.
I'd swap all the potential GB medals this summer for a gold for Paula. Not likely, I know but we can dream!
John G wrote:Preston - you can think whatever you like about Paula. But FWIW, I can't think of a less appropriate person to compare her to than Princess Di. Di always struck me as insincere, manipulative and massively overestimated by the British public. Paula on the other hand wears her heart on her sleeve, is totally genuine in everything she says and is completely underappreciated by even the average British sports fan.
Personally, I love her. The obsessive, driven behaviour and inability to control her emotions in public were the flip side to other character traits that made her so successful - the attention to detail, persistence, commitment, etc.
There's also something about the natural front runner which many fans love. Maybe it's to do with the fact you know they are putting in more effort than the kickers in their slipstream. Maybe it's to do with the fact they are also setting up fast times for others. Maybe it's because the suspense grows during a race as you wonder if they can drop the runners behind them. There's undoubtedly something tragic and noble about a Ron Clark or Paula who leads for lap after lap only to have 3 people kick past and deprive then of a medal!
It's been such a roller coaster ride with Paula and maybe the highs just wouldn't have impacted us in the same way if there hadn't been the lows.
I'd swap all the potential GB medals this summer for a gold for Paula. Not likely, I know but we can dream!
Thanks. This is going to sound weird, but your reasons for why you love her actually makes sense to me. This will shock you but one of my top-10 races EVER is the '84 wMarathon. Something about the lone runner... Would you believe that Haile Gebreselassie is one of my least favorite athletes for the times that he wouldn't take the pace versus Kenyans? (I know, more shitstorm posts coming)
(Now, this doesn't change my mind about Paula and the "hysteria" or the placard slander which I feel should have been an eligibility losing event; athletes don't have the right to "out" their competitors without proof, but your explanation helps me understand why YOU love her.)
John G wrote:Preston - you can think whatever you like about Paula. But FWIW, I can't think of a less appropriate person to compare her to than Princess Di. Di always struck me as insincere, manipulative and massively overestimated by the British public. Paula on the other hand wears her heart on her sleeve, is totally genuine in everything she says and is completely underappreciated by even the average British sports fan.
Personally, I love her. The obsessive, driven behaviour and inability to control her emotions in public were the flip side to other character traits that made her so successful - the attention to detail, persistence, commitment, etc.
There's also something about the natural front runner which many fans love. Maybe it's to do with the fact you know they are putting in more effort than the kickers in their slipstream. Maybe it's to do with the fact they are also setting up fast times for others. Maybe it's because the suspense grows during a race as you wonder if they can drop the runners behind them. There's undoubtedly something tragic and noble about a Ron Clark or Paula who leads for lap after lap only to have 3 people kick past and deprive then of a medal!
It's been such a roller coaster ride with Paula and maybe the highs just wouldn't have impacted us in the same way if there hadn't been the lows.
I'd swap all the potential GB medals this summer for a gold for Paula. Not likely, I know but we can dream!
Thanks. This is going to sound weird, but your reasons for why you love her actually makes sense to me. This will shock you but one of my top-10 races EVER is the '84 wMarathon. Something about the lone runner... Would you believe that Haile Gebreselassie is one of my least favorite athletes for the times that he wouldn't take the pace versus Kenyans? (I know, more shitstorm posts coming)
(Now, this doesn't change my mind about Paula and the "hysteria" or the placard slander which I feel should have been an eligibility losing event; athletes don't have the right to "out" their competitors without proof, but your explanation helps me understand why YOU love her.)
Since we're finding common ground - I agree the placard thing lacked class. Like I said, she wears her heart on her sleeve and the flipside to that is she has had some embarrassing moments (for her and her fans) in full public view.
I don't get it! Didn't Ottey have positive A & B tests for nandrolone in 1999!? I can't remember off hand how she was cleared the next year, but it seems a little naive to expect there wasn't something going on! There doesn't tend to be smoke without a fire somewhere. Was there some kind of technicality? Perhaps someone can clear up what actually happened?
maroon wrote:scratching my head as to why so much hostility towards preston. all he did was spell out why he doesn't like ms. radcliffe (the princess diana reference was probably unnecessary).
... because this is a threat about our favouite athletes where we discuss why we like them. I do not like some of the athletes who made the list, and I can list the reasons for my dislike. But I'd rather do that on some other threads, where it would seem more appropriate...
I like to read both sides of it... a point/ counterpoint... personal opinion based in information.
Vault-emort wrote:I can only imagine what the 'T&FN Forum Most Hated Athletes' topic would be like..
Good one for next winter!
I'm for it. And it wouldn't have to drag on for eons either. Just have a 10 minute window to post and put up your most hated track athletes, the ones you really despise. The ones that make you throw up when their name is mentioned. The cheaters, the murderers, the ones who spit in their opponents' eyes!
I am really curious whom Daisy would choose.
PS. And also no limit. But the athlete has to be someone you really loathe.
PPS. As I sit here typing, a number of names have already come to mind....
I'd be interested to see how many of the most hated also appear in this list. You can bet there would be a few. I suspect even a top ten appearance here might be no protection from the haters I guess we already have mumps list.
Probably most of the athletes in this list would also appear on a most hated list, as they arouse the strongest feelings - and those will inevitably be bad as well as good.
Considering Mump's anti-drugs stance, his choice of Merlene Ottey as number 1 is something of a surprise, but if we were all predictable all of the time then wouldn't life be boring! I remember watching Merlene in 1990 and thinking she was like a mini-Flo-Jo, as she had somehow managed to emulate Flo-Jo's startling late race burst. Her longevity is incredible, as whereas most female athletes opt for a family she chose to pursue her sports career indefinitely.
Undoubtedly a great athlete, but in comparison to other athletes with long careers (eg Carl Lewis and Heike Drechsler) her lack of golds is telling. I think though with Merlene there was a mental kink that saw her choke on the biggest occasion. When she was leading in the 93 Worlds 200 she almost threw gold away with the most bizarre loss of form I have seen in a world class sprinter, same thing in 96, when really she should have been able to run 22.12 no problem - and indeed, if Gwen Torrence had been in that race and running 21.7, I would think Merlene could have turned a 21.9. I think this is the secret of her gold in 95 - when she knew she wasn't going to win (of course she wasn't aware Torrence would be disqualified), she was somehow free to run through to the line to edge an injured Privalova.
Also another great 100/200 runner who could probably have run a really fast 400 - she ran around 51 as a US Collegian in the 83 NCAA, when she was probably running around 4 races a day, but at her peak I would think she could have broken 49.
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It's not like I'm rooting for her to break a leg, I just would rather someone else win the medals - anyone else actually. (I wouldn't bother searching for what these same posters have said about Dwain or Justin)
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......I don't see it that way at all, -
I guess we already have mumps list.