Jeff Taylor...is the man

[Primo521]

Hey Opedawg, who are you? I'm anchoring our 4x8 and running 2nd in the 4x4. I anchored the 4x4 at regions, but got passed by the 400m champ from Science Hill. I just don't have the speed to hang in there at the end if it comes down to it, so we're putting our 200m runner 4th. We don't expect to do very well (after all, we're 4 white boys! haha), but we're still gonna run like heck. Good luck to ya.

[Primo521]

What did he get, 6th 6th and 8th? Granted he's not a bad runner, but doesn't deserve a thread saying he's the man...

[peacemaker]

Give the guy a break would ya- the thread was wrote on sectionals day- and that day- HE WAS THE MAN! So he had a bad day- hasn't every one??? Dusty Miller, and Andy Baska are Great and they proved it- Taylor will prove it next year- just WATCH!

[Edited by peacemaker on 5/27/02 8:31A]

[Guest kenwoodrun]

Primo...

Thus the new thread I started, "Sean Waller...is the MAN." I figured that one was a safe bet (ha ha).

Just a personal opinion, but if I'm Taylor's coach, I don't even think about letting him try to triple in the 3200, 1600 and 800 unless my team is the hunt for the title. Trying that triple in one day against the best competition the state has to offer is to usually sacrifice one or more of your races. The monkey apparently jumped on him in the 800..which was better than it has been in recent years, nice to see everybody in the 1:55-1:58 range for once.

[MadMan1600]

Whats wrong with running all three ? Jeff Taylor isnt an 800 runner. He Just did it to see what he could do. It was after the 1600 and 3200 so it didnt matter if he was tired or not cause the events that he really cared about had already been run. Besides Jeff ran a 1:58 at the sub-sectional meet and that was just only with about 15 minuets of rest after doing a 4:35 mile. There have been years where 1:58 has won the state meet. It was worth a try. What did he have to lose? He just had a bad day at the state meet thats all. I dont think anyone can say they've never had a bad day before. Jeff just had his on the wrong day. I cant wait to see him run an 800 in a meet were he hasnt ran the 3200 and 1600 before it. He's never been fresh for the 800 before. The past 3 times he's ran it he went 1:58, 1:59, and a 2:02 at the state meet. Thats not to bad!

[Primo521]

Sorry, I guess I'm just bitter cause my 1:56 (Last 5-6 800s under 1:57) didn't qualify for the state meet and I had to sit there and watch some guy not even break 2:00.

[Guest kenwoodrun]

There's nothing WRONG with running all 3. It's just my personal opinion that the state meet is not the time to go to the starting line thinking, "Well, I've had two good races, let's see what I've got left in this one." Look around in DII, A-AA, and AAA at the guys or girls that could have qualified in all 3 had they wanted to...Taylor isn't the only one tough enough to pull that triple. Yet nobody wants to, because there is a school of thought that believes if you aren't ready to compete at your highest level at championship time, don't even step on the track. I totally see your "1:58 could win it, we might sneak one out here", that's entirely true...and he had nothing really to lose. But there are a number of coaches who share my philosophy that the ironman approach to distance running is usually counter productive at the championship level. Just look around and see how many people really try it...food for thought. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles. And I feel for a guy like Primo that had to sit on the sidelines and watch anybody run 2:00 when he could've fired off a 1:56. At the state meet, you don't want to stick out like a sore thumb if you don't have to, and have people thinking "i deserve that guy's spot more than he does." There's no right answer to the question, more power to the guy...but if I'm the coach, I would have been content with the 3200/1600 double (in a one day meet format).

[peacemaker]

This is exactly why I feel we should go to a "time standard" qualifying process- Too many good athletes are having to sit by the way side that deserve to be seen and have an opportunity!

[peacemaker]

Don't worry about it- You are stiil the man in our book!!!

We know what you can do- and what you WILL do next year!!!

[Guest kenwoodrun]

Peace,

I've been wishing for automatic qualifying standards since I've been involved in track here in TN (4 yrs). There doesn't seem to be much support for it, and I don't know why. I think it would solve a lot of problems (while creating a few new ones). I dislike that there can ONLY be eight people in an event, regardless of the depth in our state meet. In the USATF outdoor championships (which qualify for the Olympics every four years), if 50 people make the "A" qualification standard, then 50 people compete. If we've got 50 800m guys under 2:00 (yes, I'm exaggerating ...), then they should all get to go. I'm behind you on this...

[Guest BAEagles]

Actually there is a guy on my team who has done the triple the last 2 years and quite successfully. In Div. 2 last year, Brad Polley, Wes Bell, and Nathan Mulherin all did it, plus Austin Weaver in a/aa. This year Brad Polley, Brad Wharton, Nathan Mulherin, and Morgan Miller all did the distance triple. I say if you can make all 3, why not? the only race that is hurt by this is the last one, the 800. And Polley and Wharton both came back with sub 2's in their 3rd race with Mulherin at 2:00.

[wrsmith]

Some of the problems created by a time standard entry into the state meet would include concerns such as differences in weather conditions (can be very different in east and west TN on the same day) and differences in the level of competition being faced. For example, a kid may never run better than 2:00 all season because he's in an area of the state where there's no competition to push him. When he goes up against the 1:55's he may run a much faster time. I understand concerns from an athlete when it seems as if they're being unfairly excluded from a championship. I guess a different view might be that if what really counts is the championship and you've already finished third or fourth to athletes in your area, it seems unlikely that you will beat them in the state meet. I don't have the answers but there are lots of interesting questions.

 

You have similar concerns for an athlete that has his "bad day" on the days of important meets and if they could use a time (or height/distance) from earlier in the season, they would be in the state meet. Just ask American record holder (outdoor and indoor) pole vaulter Jeff Hartwig about doing great in meets where he can set records and then not performing well in the big meets (e.g., Olympics and Olympic Trials). It is a bad deal but one that has to be dealt with.