As the sport continues to try and find ways to market itself and improve its popularity, I continue to wonder why it simply doesn’t look at what has worked in the past! After all, track and field is not some new sport trying to find its way. We’re as old as the Olympics themselves and have a rich and storied history. And a big part of that history, a part that seems to be forgotten, is that of the Dual Meet – one team going head to head against another. Now, high schools still run dual meets – it’s an integral part of their season. As a matter of fact,…

A typically low key Easter weekend except for some sprinters and hurdlers that are obviously taking the season quite seriously. Most notable was Walter Dix who opened up his season at the Seminole Invitational in Tallahassee. Last week I said there was no need to panic over US sprinting and on queue Walter opened up at 10.00 (-1.1) to take over the world lead in the 100 meters. Given that Dix has only a few sub 10’s to his credit this is a very noteworthy opening and indicates that we should see great things from Dix this year. No longer in college, and without injury for the first time in…

Once every Blue Moon high school athletes take the spotlight in this sport. This weekend is one of those Blue Moons here in California as The Arcadia Invitational takes center stage in Southern California. Once just a small local invitational meet, the Arcadia Invitational has grown to become the mid season “Preview” to the State High School Championships every year, as the top high school athletes from all over the state gather for early season bragging rights. The meet has become so large that it also attracts athletes from other parts of the country, with top athletes from Nevada and Arizona being semi regulars at the meet, and national leaders…

Now that the season is truly under way, it seems like a good time to look ahead at what the season may hold in store. But to look ahead I am going to take a glance backward, because it seems that a lot of unnecessary panic was generated after Beijing. Panic because we did not do as well as we thought we would. So much so that a task force was put together to evaluate what is wrong with the sport here in the US! While I think that an evaluation of the sport here is definitely warranted, Beijing shouldn’t have been the catalyst. Why? Because Beijing was NOT unusual.…

I was hoping that these two meets would kick off the season, and kick it off they did! If yesterday was hot (and it was) today’s action was blazing. Florida got things going in fine fashion as the host Gators sizzled to a nice early season 39.22 in the 4×1 – sending notice to the other would be contenders for June’s national title notice. Notice taken in Texas. Having “warmed up” in the prelims on Friday, we got that final in the men’s 4×1 after some impressive preliminaries. They did not disappoint as Florida St (38.75), Texas AM (38.85), LSU (39.10), and Baylor (39.25) gave strong indication that it could…

With the Texas and Florida Relays starting mid week we already have results starting to roll in – and it finally seems like the season is getting under way! In Texas we got some nice runs in the prelims of the men’s 4×1 with Florida State (39.51), Texas AM (39.60), LSU (39.67) and Baylor (39.77) turning in quality times. We should see something a bit faster as they push each other in the final. The final of the women’s 100 should also be an early season barn burner as Samantha Henry, LSU (11.21.+1.6), Tiffany Townsend, Baylor (11.24, +2.2) and Jessica Young, TCU (11.24, +1.3) showed great early season speed as…

As more information has become available it appears that a shortfall of $100,000 sits at the heart of the delay. Now $100K is not a small amount of change to be sure, but there are meets in Europe that have negotiated $100K as a payout to a SINGLE athlete! So to hear that a meet is not being held because of the lack of that amount of money seems almost like a slap in the face as we sit here in the wealthiest state in the wealthiest nation on the planet. What strikes me even more is that USATF has disbanded its “Relay Project” which cost hundreds of thousands of…

Just got word a little while ago that there will be no Modesto / California Relays this year. The meet had been held in the Central California town of Modesto for some 67 years, and was scheduled to move to Sacramento and Sac State’s Hornet Stadium this year – home of the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Trials. Apparently, however, the meet director said that they weren’t able to nail down all the details in time for the move. I’m extremely disappointed at this turn of events. For those long time California track fans, or just fans of the sport in general, the Modesto Relays has been a mainstay of the…

Another relatively quiet weekend on the track. I’m still waiting for that “break out” weekend when the competition gets HOT. I thought we were going to get there this past weekend as there were some good programs entered in the Florida State Relays. But horrible weather lead to several stoppages, athletes dropping out of many events, and poor conditions keeping most marks under par. Better weather out here on the West Coast saw some good early season competition at the Stanford and Arizona State Invitationals. Nothing earth shattering, though we did get a couple of nice sprints in Arizona with Marcus Brunson looking like he is returning to form with…

We’ve become accustomed to technological advances in our world `making things better. But every once in a while I think that “old school” may have been better. For example, while microwave popcorn does have its place, nothing beats fresh, “real popped” popcorn. That’s one reason most everyone loves to order popcorn at the movies – its just better than micro waved. When I look at all the technological innovations that have come to the world of track and field, every once in a while I reminisce about the Good Old Days when something was just, better. In this case, I think it was better when results – specifically times –…