{"id":1389,"date":"2012-07-06T09:28:32","date_gmt":"2012-07-06T16:28:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1389"},"modified":"2012-07-06T09:28:32","modified_gmt":"2012-07-06T16:28:32","slug":"no-excuse-for-what-happened-to-tarmoh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1389","title":{"rendered":"No Excuse for What Happened to Tarmoh"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hayward<\/a>I’ve hesitated on saying anything about "Dead Heat Gate" not because I don’t have an opinion but because I’ve felt there were far to many opinions out there already. But the more I read, the more I’m angered that the villain in all this comes back to Tarmoh. <\/p>\n

Don’t get me wrong, personally I say a warrior competes. That’s what you live for. It’s what you train for. And when something as precious as a championship berth is on the line at any level – high school, collegiate local  regional, and definitely the Olympics – you do what you gotta do. Wrap up a muscle; beg for a lane; plead for one more review.<\/p>\n

So, I get the animosity that’s been put out there – sort of. Here’s why "I" hesitate to condemn Tarmoh. Because as a warrior, as a competitor, she simply should have been told what to do and then been sent out to do it! Tiddly winks in the lobby in an hour. We’re drawing straws at breakfast. Or quite frankly, runoff in the morning before the day\u2019s events begin \u2013 see you at 10:00! <\/p>\n

How can you NOT have a procedure for a tie? How can you NOT be able to pull people together and say this is how and when this will be decided, be ready! More importantly, how can you NOT have equipment available to separate them? In 1984 Benita Fitzgerald was part of a "tie", and it wasn’t the only close race of the meet. The men’s 800 had identical times for 1st & 2nd AND 3rd & 4th! Anyone remember the 200 final at Worlds in ’87, or an even closer\/deeper finish in Edmonton ’01? And if that’s too long ago how about the women’s 100 final in Beijing where they awarded two silver medals!<\/p>\n

No procedure for a tie? Are you _____ kidding me? But then realizing we were bereft of policy we couldn’t even call the brain trust together, close the door, and come out and PRETEND we really had one all along! Duh! How hard should it have been to say what should be done? This is how they do it in other sports. Cool let’s adopt that. And really you didn’t have to look at any other sport. Playground track says run off. Middle school track says run off. High school track says run off. USATF, if decision making is that difficult email me, I’ll give you my number, call me – I have no problem making decisions, it’s really easy! <\/p>\n

But what does Tarmoh get – here are some options, YOU decide! We\u2019ll figure this out in a week. Say what! And one is to flip a coin? An Olympic berth. A coin flip. Does that even sound right? This all sounds stupid doesn’t it? Imagine you’re the one at the center of this. <\/p>\n

I can’t speak for Allyson or Jeneba. But I think it’s a pretty safe bet that both went to Eugene to compete – to run. They weren’t there to join policy making roundtables or clarify tie breaking procedures. Other people had those jobs – and failed miserably at them from top to bottom. Athletes compete. The other stuff drains them \u2013 and besides that\u2019s someone else\u2019s job!<\/p>\n

Reminds me of New Orleans 1992 when Butch Reynolds was trying to beat the world\u2019s best quarter milers AND the legal system that was trying to keep him off the track. Stellar running in the rounds finally saw him wear down and he failed to make the team – the pressure finally got to him. And Butch was nothing if not a warrior!<\/p>\n

I think the pressure got to Jeneba.And it’s not her fault. She trained. She showed up and she competed. That’s what she was supposed to do. And USATF failed her. THEY weren’t prepared. THEY didn’t pull it together. And there’s no excuse. People pick up sizeable paychecks to make decisions so that things run properly and they should all be held accountable. Tarmoh shouldn’t be the tarnished one from this situation. She\u2019s not the bad guy here. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’ve hesitated on saying anything about "Dead Heat Gate" not because I don’t have an opinion but because I’ve felt there were far to many opinions out there already. But the more I read, the more I’m angered that the villain in all this comes back to Tarmoh. Don’t get me wrong, personally I say a warrior competes. That’s what you live for. It’s what you train for. And when something as precious as a championship berth is on the line at any level – high school, collegiate local  regional, and definitely the Olympics – you do what you gotta do. Wrap up a muscle; beg for a lane; plead for one more review. So, I get the animosity that’s been put out there – sort of. Here’s why "I" hesitate to condemn Tarmoh. Because as a warrior, as a competitor, she simply should have been told what to do and then been sent out to do it! Tiddly winks in the lobby in an hour. We’re drawing straws at breakfast. Or quite frankly, runoff in the morning before the day\u2019s events begin \u2013 see you at 10:00! How can you NOT have a procedure for a tie? How can you NOT be able to pull people together and say this is how and when this will be decided, be ready! More importantly, how can you NOT have equipment available to separate them? In 1984 Benita Fitzgerald was part of a "tie", and it wasn’t the only close race of the meet. The men’s 800 had identical times for 1st & 2nd AND 3rd & 4th! Anyone remember the 200 final at Worlds in ’87, or an even closer\/deeper finish in Edmonton ’01? And if that’s too long ago how about the women’s 100 final in Beijing where they awarded two silver medals! No procedure for a tie? Are you _____ kidding me? But then realizing we were bereft of policy we couldn’t even call the brain trust together, close the door, and come out and PRETEND we really had one all along! Duh! How hard should it have been to say what should be done? This is how they do it in other sports. Cool let’s adopt that. And really you didn’t have to look at any other sport. Playground track says run off. Middle school track says run off. High school track says run off. USATF, if decision making is that difficult email me, I’ll give you my number, call me – I have no problem making decisions, it’s really easy! But what does Tarmoh get – here are some options, YOU decide! We\u2019ll figure this out in a week. Say what! And one is to flip a coin? An Olympic berth. A coin flip. Does that even sound right? This all sounds stupid doesn’t it? Imagine you’re the one at the center of this. I can’t speak for Allyson or Jeneba. But I think it’s a pretty safe bet that both went to Eugene to compete – to run. They weren’t there to join policy making roundtables or clarify tie breaking procedures. Other people had those jobs – and failed miserably at them from top to bottom. Athletes compete. The other stuff drains them \u2013 and besides that\u2019s someone else\u2019s job! Reminds me of New Orleans 1992 when Butch Reynolds was trying to beat the world\u2019s best quarter milers AND the legal system that was trying to keep him off the track. Stellar running in the rounds finally saw him wear down and he failed to make the team – the pressure finally got to him. And Butch was nothing if not a warrior! I think the pressure got to Jeneba.And it’s not her fault. She trained. She showed up and she competed. That’s what she was supposed to do. And USATF failed her. THEY weren’t prepared. THEY didn’t pull it together. And there’s no excuse. People pick up sizeable paychecks to make decisions so that things run properly and they should all be held accountable. Tarmoh shouldn’t be the tarnished one from this situation. She\u2019s not the bad guy here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[7,54,124],"class_list":["post-1389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-olympic-trials","tag-tarmoh","tag-usatf"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa3DCY-mp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1321,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1321","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":0},"title":"Trials Day 2 – Ashton Eaton, 9039 WR","author":"CHill","date":"June 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Excitement and drama. That's standard when talking about the Olympic Trials. And while there were only three finals, Day Two just might be one of the most exciting and dramatic Trials days ever! Let's start with the decathlon, since it did start the day off. Ashton Eaton entered the day\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Dix\"","block_context":{"text":"Dix","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?tag=dix"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ashton Eaton","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Ashton-Eaton_thumb.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1359,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1359","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":1},"title":"Trials Day 6 – Prelude to the Weekend","author":"CHill","date":"June 30, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"There were only two finals today, as the bulk of today's activity involved heats and semis that will lead to the crescendo that is the final two days of the Trials. So let's talk about those finals then move on to the day\u2019s action. The women's shot was one of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Camarena Williams\"","block_context":{"text":"Camarena Williams","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?tag=camarena-williams"},"img":{"alt_text":"Emma Cooburn","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Emma-Cooburn_thumb.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1296,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1296","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":2},"title":"Trials Preview – Women’s 200 Meters","author":"CHill","date":"June 18, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"While the men's 100 is potentially the most \"story\" laden event heading into the Trials, it's certainly not alone in terms of story lines and depth. One of my favorites in this regard is the women's 1500, which I discussed in detail earlier. However, also recently entering into the \"drama\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"200\"","block_context":{"text":"200","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?tag=200"},"img":{"alt_text":"Allyson Felix","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Allyson-Felix_thumb.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1852,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1852","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":3},"title":"Shanghai Preview","author":"CHill","date":"May 16, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"It's time for the second installment of the Diamond League, and if Doha was any indication of how the year is going to go then Shanghai should be a real humdinger! Looking at the start lists, things should once again be exiting from start to finish. As usual however, there\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Borlee\"","block_context":{"text":"Borlee","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?tag=borlee"},"img":{"alt_text":"Placeholder","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Placeholder_thumb1.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":665,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=665","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":4},"title":"Who Will Emerge in 2012 – Women","author":"CHill","date":"December 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Now that we\u2019ve taken a look at the men, it\u2019s time to do the same with the women, because there will certainly be those women that step out of the shadows to make headlines. After getting drubbed by the Eastern Bloc sprinters in \u201976, Evelyn Ashford became Kryptonite to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Beard\"","block_context":{"text":"Beard","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?tag=beard"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":586,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=586","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":5},"title":"American Women Leading the Way to London","author":"CHill","date":"September 25, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"As we close to door on the 2011season all was not bleak for the U.S. on the track. While our men had their difficulties and many lament that the rest of the world has \u201ccaught up\u201d to us; the distaff side of things did remarkably well. 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