¶2012OT m100—Justin Gatlin 9.80 PR

[Dave]

RBR says there is a protest?

Who or what is RBR?

[TrackDaddy]

The thing fans should do about doping in the sport is to move on following a suspension served.

We're our on worst enemies as we drag on and harp on doping in the sport. EVERY sport has doping and frankly always will. It will never be clean just like the world isn't.

We make it the single most important issue instead of peripherial one like it should be.

When the US doping agency issued the APOLOGY to Lashawn Merritt I thought we as fans would learn a lesson. Yes, for those who aren't aware the SYSTEM APOLOGIZED to this man while restoring him but it came AFTER the knucklehead short term President of the USATF had made outlandish statements and accusations about him and his character.

ON TV!!!!

Merrittt should've sued the fool, but apparently took the higher road.

When someone is accused of doping, let the test results stand. If they're found guilty let them serve their suspenstion and then...

MOVE ON...regardless of what country they're from.

Do this, if not for the athlete who either made a poor choice, cheated, or is falsely accused, do it for the sake of the sport

[polevaultpower]

RBR says there is a protest?

Who or what is RBR?

Sorry, RunBlogRun https://twitter.com/#!/RunBlogRun

[HopStepJump]

Does anybody just try to enjoy the sport? If I tried to figure out who was running clean and who was dirty, I would give myself an ulcer. I just decided to enjoy each race as it comes and let the drug people figure out the drugs. How do you enjoy the sport with so much skepticism?

Because I couldn't really enjoy the sport otherwise, I pretty much changed my outlook years ago and now assume that pretty much all of the top sprinters are doing something illegal. The scandals in cycling and baseball pretty much solidified my opinions. I think it has been fairly easy to get away with HgH and insulin at least until recently. The more money to be made, the greater likelihood of cheating. That been said, at least there are upper limits to how much doping they can get away with, so the playing field is more level than in the science experiment days of the 70s and 80s.

[TrackDaddy]

And the nonsense about everyone who runs a certain time is doping, just isn't true. Admittedly it can be hard for an athlete who couldn't match those times to believe someone could do it legally but I there are always exceptions in life to any standard.

Do many people believe that, for example, VCB, Felix, Sanya, Wariner, Dix, Powell, the french kid, Spearman, Lauryn, Shericka, et al are doping?!?!

NO!

LOOK HOW LONG THEY'VE COMPETED at the highest level friends. Take notice. "Everyone" isn't "doping" and its nonsensical to think so.

[Marlow]

And the nonsense about everyone who runs a certain time is doping, just isn't true. . . . "Everyone" isn't "doping" and its nonsensical to think so.

And of course the truth is somewhere between his view and yours. I believe it lies a little closer to his truth than yours.

[TrackDaddy]

And the nonsense about everyone who runs a certain time is doping, just isn't true. . . . "Everyone" isn't "doping" and its nonsensical to think so.

And of course the truth is somewhere between his view and yours. I believe it lies a little closer to his truth than yours.

"Everyone" doesnt allow for in between.

So the odds are that I'm probably the one who's right .

At any rate why worry about something you can't control? Deal with it when it occurs and then move forward. We drag the sport down when we don't.

[tsprint94]

I'm beating a dead horse here with this. Track daddy, I like your optimism, but the list of people you listed I believe some of them have or do dope.
With all said, On a level playing field..ie...everyone clean, I still think the top dogs are going to be the top dogs. Bolt, Gay, Powell, Gatlin, Blake, Dix etc, will be top 6 if all healthy.
I may after thinking about it have changed my view on Gatlin. He may be clean, he is under alot of scrutiny after being caught once, to try it again?? Pure stupidity. You never know...

[TrackDaddy]

I'm beating a dead horse here with this. Track daddy, I like your optimism, but the list of people you listed I believe some of them have or do dope.
With all said, On a level playing field..ie...everyone clean, I still think the top dogs are going to be the top dogs. Bolt, Gay, Powell, Gatlin, Blake, Dix etc, will be top 6 if all healthy.
I may after thinking about it have changed my view on Gatlin. He may be clean, he is under alot of scrutiny after being caught once, to try it again?? Pure stupidity. You never know...

Yeah obviously I wouldnt know for sure and you may have a better grasp on it than I.

I just always try to believe the best is true.

I must say I prefer the way football and other sports handle the doping issue than we do though. I doubt it ever came up in Julius Peppers contract negotiations after he served his sentence. And fans could care less.

[Pelpa]

What's the story with Sean Crawford these days? was he in the trials?

[tsprint94]

I agree track daddy!!
Crawford is in the 200 I believe, he is listed in formcharts. I think I saw a result on him this year in Europe? but not for certain, but not a very fast time, High 20 or low 21 I believe. I'll look it up

[ATK]

What's the story with Sean Crawford these days? was he in the trials?

Shawn is in the 200. His best this year is a 20.80, but he is entered with his 20.45 best from last year.

He has not run any 100m this year.

[JumboElliott]

What's the story with Sean Crawford these days? was he in the trials?

He's 34 years old. That's the story with Shawn Crawford.

[gh]

I hope he gets injured before the Oly.... A vicious hammy tear.... career ending sh!t....

goodbye!

[Sprinter_1997]

4x100 Relay comment. Did not find a separate subject so am positng here. My first thought after viewing the 100m Men's final was that Doc Patton was 5th. Not that the relay pool will be or has ever been comprised of OT qualifiers 1-4, but at least he's not an automatic. Based upon past history, Doc has been the kiss of death; I cringed the last two times he was part of the final teams at OG and WC At this point, Rodgers leading off to Gatlin to Spearmon to Gay would be my pcik to upset the Jamaicans or at least break 38.

[optimistic]

Well if it means anything Tyson Gay is signed up for that anti-doping program where they do additional testing and establish a baseline. He talked about it in an article I read recently. So, if you can't believe that at least he is clean, then you can't believe in anyone. Is he the only male sprinter that signed up?

[jamaica50]

Congrats to Tyson, Ryan on making the team. As to Justin Gatlin before I go giving him a high five I would rather wait a few weeks for my own peace of mind. At 30 y.o. London 2012 is likely the last hurrah for Gatlin at an Olympics where he can reasonably expect to medal. Gatlin is unattached with no major sponsors having picked him up yet. I would feel a lot better about his situation if he took responsibility for his last PED conviction, but the only thing I've heard him say is to pass the buck by saying 'It Wasn't Me'. Look at who he is associating with and how he has been running his mouth since coming back to the sport. You'd be surprised how many athletes think they are oh so smart and will use a second chance to do a better job the next time around of not getting caught. In the twilight of his career with little money coming in he has nothing to lose really by going there again. So after not running competitively for more than two years he comes back to the sport an older guy and in eighteen months he is running more or less at the level he was before he left. We are not stupid.

Your post makes a whole lot of sense. Alot of folks here just don't want to believe it.

[thedodge]

We would all be stupid to assume that anyone running sub 10 is clean!!!! Wake up everyone!!

With these super fast Mondo tracks surely running under 10 and being clean is very possible. The only way Mondo loses it's Olympic contract is if no world records are broken or if the times seem average.

[shivfan]

Delighted to see Gay get into the USA Team and Bailey also. You medal chasers already know what we think about the winner. Of course, the latter is a lot more talented than our Trials winner who is finished as a top class sprinter.

so what is 9.80 with a nil wind worth...high 9.8s. Bolt not losing sleep is reported

I think the wind reading was +1.8....

But I share your sentiments about Gay and Bailey, and also what we think about the winner....

[Speedster]

I just noticed in the photos on the homepage that Gatlin wore Adidas spikes in the semi and then Nike ones in the final? Not sure if its been commented on before but looks like he's back with Nike then?

[mdzleosnoba]

Probably just buying spikes like any highschooler and decided to switch...

[kamikaze7]

Well if it means anything Tyson Gay is signed up for that anti-doping program where they do additional testing and establish a baseline. He talked about it in an article I read recently. So, if you can't believe that at least he is clean, then you can't believe in anyone. Is he the only male sprinter that signed up?

This program should be mandatory for all runners. Why is it even an option in this day and age when a few bad apples are spoiling the sport for everyone

[Pego]

Well if it means anything Tyson Gay is signed up for that anti-doping program where they do additional testing and establish a baseline. He talked about it in an article I read recently. So, if you can't believe that at least he is clean, then you can't believe in anyone. Is he the only male sprinter that signed up?

This program should be mandatory for all runners. Why is it even an option in this day and age when a few bad apples are spoiling the sport for everyone

Not everyone. There will always be attempts by some to advance him/herself, even it is by illegal means, fully appreciating consequences of being caught. T&F has the most stringent enforcement and brutal punishment. 4 years that Gatlin sat out are eternity in a sporting career. Zero tolerance/100% compliance is utopia totally devoid of reality.

[lonewolf]

[Zero tolerance/100% compliance is utopia totally devoid of reality.

Regretfully, I agree.

[ATK]

I just noticed in the photos on the homepage that Gatlin wore Adidas spikes in the semi and then Nike ones in the final? Not sure if its been commented on before but looks like he's back with Nike then?

No he is with Xstep a Chinese company. Apparently while they were making spikes for him, he wore whatever he wanted.
Just like Powell when he moved to Li-Ning he still work Nike spikes until they could create their own.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/47963210

As of now, Gatlin has two deals. One with active watchbrand, Deuce and the other with Chinese company Xtep, whose apparel he wore during the trials this week. While Gatlin waited for a mold from the company, he wore both adidas and Nike on his feet.

[JumboElliott]

That sounds like it could be an advantage. I would try hard to wait until after the Olympics to wear the Xtep stuff.

[fasttrack85]

I'm beating a dead horse here with this. Track daddy, I like your optimism, but the list of people you listed I believe some of them have or do dope.
With all said, On a level playing field..ie...everyone clean, I still think the top dogs are going to be the top dogs. Bolt, Gay, Powell, Gatlin, Blake, Dix etc, will be top 6 if all healthy.
I may after thinking about it have changed my view on Gatlin. He may be clean, he is under alot of scrutiny after being caught once, to try it again?? Pure stupidity. You never know...

Gatlin at this point in running for redemption probably his own personal redemption. Someone said before he has nothing to lose. I disagree. He has everything to lose if he gets caught again he will literally be labeled a yellow bellied scoundrel and would be lucky if he could walk the street without being pelted with rocks.

[ATK]

That sounds like it could be an advantage. I would try hard to wait until after the Olympics to wear the Xtep stuff.

Huh? Why?
They are spikes...

[Grasshopper]

That sounds like it could be an advantage. I would try hard to wait until after the Olympics to wear the Xtep stuff.

Huh? Why?
They are spikes...

Tell that to Quincy Watts (see '93 WC 400m final) .

[J2thaD]

Congrats to Tyson, Ryan on making the team. As to Justin Gatlin before I go giving him a high five I would rather wait a few weeks for my own peace of mind. At 30 y.o. London 2012 is likely the last hurrah for Gatlin at an Olympics where he can reasonably expect to medal. Gatlin is unattached with no major sponsors having picked him up yet. I would feel a lot better about his situation if he took responsibility for his last PED conviction, but the only thing I've heard him say is to pass the buck by saying 'It Wasn't Me'. Look at who he is associating with and how he has been running his mouth since coming back to the sport. You'd be surprised how many athletes think they are oh so smart and will use a second chance to do a better job the next time around of not getting caught. In the twilight of his career with little money coming in he has nothing to lose really by going there again. So after not running competitively for more than two years he comes back to the sport an older guy and in eighteen months he is running more or less at the level he was before he left. We are not stupid.

Doesn't matter whether he says he doped knowingly or whether he sticks by his statement that the trainer rubbed testosterone into his legs. I heard they did hand that trainer a beat down, but I digress. The point is, he served his time, he doesn't owe you shit. I for one am happy to have another top level American competitor in the mix now. It means, other sprinters, like Powell, and Blake will have to work a little harder if they want to medal. You very well could see two Americans medal. We know Powell will choke in the final, and in my opinion the verdict is still out for Blake in the big race 100. He won a final, that included no other top tier sprinter, after Bolt false started. It ended up being a race that Powell would have won if he wasn't injured.

[TrackDaddy]

Cmon! Does anybody really believe Gatlin is "clean"??? A PR 8 years after winning gold in 2004? Not to mention who he is training under.... Ugh

maybe he wasn't ever dirty?

A couple of years ago I had a discussion with the guy he accused of putting steroid cream on him.

In short, they disagree.

That said, Gatlin has served his time and based on the criteria established has earned the benefit of the doubt and the right to compete. I wish him all the best.

I even saw him walking up against Allyson again. They were item when he was accused but afterwards the relationship abruptly ended. Smart girl, stay away from bad appearances whether legitimate or not.

Reminded me of when CJ got busted in Sydney. They were already down under, but he was buried by Marion during the news conference lol

[tsprint94]

Just heard Gatlin interviewed on Jim Rome today. He is still blaming massage therapist for rubbing something in that caused the positive test

[toyracer]

Just heard Gatlin interviewed on Jim Rome today. He is still blaming massage therapist for rubbing something in that caused the positive test

Of course he is. His story cannot change now. Nor can it be expected to. He has made the Olympic team. Can't have a reversal of the story which would lead to people examining the initial penalty (8 years) and questioning everything that happened after that.

[jamaica50]

Gatlin will never gain any favor in my book until he admits his prior drug use.

Be a man and admit your guilt Gatlin. You will feel better in the end.

[Ned Ryerson]

Well if it means anything Tyson Gay is signed up for that anti-doping program where they do additional testing and establish a baseline. He talked about it in an article I read recently. So, if you can't believe that at least he is clean, then you can't believe in anyone. Is he the only male sprinter that signed up?

This program should be mandatory for all runners. Why is it even an option in this day and age when a few bad apples are spoiling the sport for everyone

Cost, I'm sure.