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I know some of you might not know this, but I'm a huge athletics fan. It was my first love and the sport I'm most passionate about. It blends the most basic and purest aspects of all major sports. Indeed, it's all about specialization and I believe it's the truest mark of an athlete. So I believe it's my duty to educate (forcefully indoctrinate) you uncultured swine about the sport that has had a resurgence of sorts over the past few years. I almost lost hope, but I believe they've cleaned up the sport immensely. The testing is rigorous and far more advanced than any of the major sports. At this point, T&F is far cleaner than B-Ball, Baseball, and God knows the NFL. Onwards!!!!


Skeen takes Youth Olympic Gold

My boy Odane Skeen took the 100m gold at the World Youth Olympics this morning clocking 10.42 to beat rival David Bolarinwa of Great Britain. Kid's only 15 years old! I'll be looking for great things from him in the future.


The Zurich Diamond League meet took place on Thursday. Here's some of the highlights.

Wariner takes 400m in 44.13!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq0zK0ARKvk[/youtube]

Wow, never thought I'd see those times out of Wariner again. I'll take my crow well done. He'll be in sub 44 form by next year's world championship, maybe even *gasp* break MJ's record. He looks more relaxed especially since Lashawn Merritt will be out of the picture for the foreseeable future. In case some of you don't know. He was busted for PEDS earlier this year. He claims it was from his penis enhancement drug. He's supposedly banned for two years and may lose his Olympic and WC gold medals. So not only will he forever be labeled a cheat and loser, we also know he has a small weener. Ouch!

On the other hand, Gonzales is looking GOOD. Just one year under Bert Cameron's tutelage and he's really stepping up. Training with Bolt will help a lot. He has to learn how to use his strides, and come next year Wariner may not have it so easy. He has plenty of work to do though because Wariner's technique is damn near flawless while he's all over the place. After the race Wariner looks like he could run another 400 while Gonzales is sprawled out on the ground like someone just gave him his cell phone bill. Buck up son!

Allyson Felix is seeing Diamonds!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcjVhFmrv9s[/youtube]

Damn, this girl is a model of consistency. Granted she never had to compete with Sanya in the 400m (injured), nor Veronica Campbell in the 200m (losing their only matchup this year), but can't blame her for going after those diamonds. Really disappointed she didn't matchup with VCB more often this year.

Yes, Virginia...that's a real diamond and she's pocketing two!

Spearmon narrowly clips Yohan Blake
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju0GkG2mhSU[/youtube]

Oh noes, so close. Never mind, you're only 20 Yohan and already the second fastest Jamaican 200m runner ever! I see why Adidas scooped you up before Puma could enforce their monopoly on Jamaican sprinters. Wally! You are coming back slowly, but surely. Undoubtedly sick and tired of seeing your boy Usain's backside.

X-man Carter...stick a fork in the dude. He's DONE! All that potential.


Photo Finish!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7Aq5EmGblY[/youtube]

Shazaa!!!! My wifey and queen of my heart VCB continues her "Serving up the Crow 2010" tour. Gaddamn! This is the same VCB they said should step aside from the 100m and let the youngins take over. She has been overshadowed by the the up and coming Shelly-Ann, Kerron and Sherone over the past two years. After failing to make the Olympic 100m team and placing 4th in Berlin last year, the signs were there. They said she should stick to the 200m and maybe even step up to the 400m like her rival Allyson Felix. But my girl said a big F**k You and came back this year with a vengeance! She changed her coach, worked on her start, and the ass whooping world tour began! Took out Jeter for the World Indoor 60m title, scorched Felix in their only 200m meeting this year running a world leading time, came back and dropped a 10.78 and Jeter and Shelly-Ann in the 100m (another world leading time), and ends the season with this clincher! You go my girl! Once a champion, ALWAYS a champion. What a finish, but both ladies started dipping way too early.

USA vs Jamaica baby!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bNZNISwFfc[/youtube]

Holy ****! The US finally got the baton around. Good grief, Tyson ate Mullings' lunch on the 3rd leg. Should have matched up Blake with Tyson and let somebody else run down Rogers. I thought they would have taken the US record but Dix should be a good pickup to push them towards it. Good time for my boys as well, 37.76 with no Bolt, Powell or Carter!

I'll be looking for them to break 36secs at next year's World Championship in South Korea. Carter to Blake to Bolt to Powell. God almighty! That quartet will take any team to the woodshed. The US just doesn't have the horses to compete with that...but you still have to get the baton around.

Isinbayeva Returneth!

SINGAPORE, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Olympic pole vault champion and world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva will end her "boring" break from the sport in February, the Russian told Reuters on Monday.

Isinbayeva will return at the Pole Vault Stars competition promoted by her role model and legendary vaulter Sergey Bubka in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, nearly a year after she said she was taking an indefinite break. "I know that I will start from February," a cheery and enthusiastic Isinbayeva said on the sidelines of the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

"For sure it is going to be the Pole Vault Stars in Donetsk that Sergey (Bubka) provides every year. And (then) it will be a European Championship I think, Indoor championships... then we will decide what other competitions we (are) going (to) do."

"The most important goal of course is the London Olympic Games 2012... but still we have world championships in 2011 and my last championships will be Moscow 2013."

http://www.universalsports.com/news/art ... t+february

i enjoy reading about your fringe sport, jwiz.

Here in France, ironically the designer steroids are very very prevalent. You can even buy them in pharmacies if you know what to ask for..........

I know this from my French gym where people are constantly taking pills/drinks and I was told they are "designer steroids", legal because some lab does something blah blah, and therefore they can be purchased if you know how to ask for it in a pharmacy. Pharmacies over here are basically mini doctors, they can prescribe things if you ask for it correctly.

Essentially, I'm not buying that ANY sport is clean of steroids, especially international ones such as track and field.

That all being said, I think Usain Bolt is great. The guy is a freaking rock star over here! People definitely appreciate T&F far more in Europe.

Induveca wrote:Here in France, ironically the designer steroids are very very prevalent. You can even buy them in pharmacies if you know what to ask for..........

I know this from my French gym where people are constantly taking pills/drinks and I was told they are "designer steroids", legal because some lab does something blah blah, and therefore they can be purchased if you know how to ask for it in a pharmacy. Pharmacies over here are basically mini doctors, they can prescribe things if you ask for it correctly.

Essentially, I'm not buying that ANY sport is clean of steroids, especially international ones such as track and field.

That all being said, I think Usain Bolt is great. The guy is a freaking rock star over here! People definitely appreciate T&F far more in Europe.

Duly noted. No sport is clean, but T&F today is far and away cleaner than the major sports. Props to the IAAF who has gone above and beyond to clean up their sport. Their testing is stringent as hell and far more advanced. Contrary to popular belief, the IAAF DOES NOT do seasonal testing anymore. You can be tested anytime and anywhere. Every athlete has to make their whereabouts known 24/7! WADA officials tested Daniel Bailey (Usain Bolt's training partner) while he was eating at freakin McDonalds in Paris this year.

I know Bolt is well liked in Paris. Did you go to his street concert. I heard they took the square over.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVpOsmWCQ2k[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A03lf2Q-wBI[/youtube]

I agree with Indu. There are too many drugs that are designed specifically to mask anabolic steroids so that no test will reveal them.JWiz, I can accept that track and field has done the most to detect steroids and is the cleanest of sports. But totally clean? Nah.

Nice thread for discussion, JWiz. I ran track (60 and 440 yard relay--dating myself; and also threw the shot put) in junior high school. My involvement ended when it turned out I was no longer the second or third fastest kid in my grade by the time I went to HS.

My T&F interest now is in women sprinters. I do enjoy watching their form, if you know what I mean. You should post pix of that British female heptathlete, JWiz. Quite a hottie!

Seriously, any runners should post what they run and who they follow. This is a nice thread for discussion. That young, white, French sprinter might be challenging Bolt and company by the 2012 Olympics. What do you think?

pancakes3 wrote:i enjoy reading about your fringe sport, jwiz.

Heathen! I baptize you in the name of Olympia!

Didn't see him no, but from the looks of it all that craziness happened not too far from my apartment. However, his face is plastered throughout the subway system in Paris. Puma and jeans ads, and just random stuff. I hope he's taking a cue from Carl Lewis and saving his foreign endorsement money.

JWiz, you'll appreciate this.......I'd say a top 5 celeb in France TODAY is definitely Christophe Lemaitre. Whenever I'm doing cardio in the gym he is always on the sport channel doing some interview.

He's literally a top 5 celeb right now, showing up on the red carpet at premiers etc......pretty funny. I think I'd recognize him before the Prez of France. Not even joking. The kid has been running in international amateur events since the age of 15.....is that normal? Seems almost cruel of his parents, no clue how these guy's knees/legs dont' fall off. I barely can walk after doing 20 minutes of squats in the gym.

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:Seriously, any runners should post what they run and who they follow. This is a nice thread for discussion. That young, white, French sprinter might be challenging Bolt and company by the 2012 Olympics. What do you think?

That guy is a product of media hype, he's just a white guy who broke 10 seconds and won an event doing it.......personally I think he's just lucky no one ran a 9.94 or something and won the event anyways. He had to break the 10s thing AND win to get the media attention.

Just looking at his stats, he's improved in the 100m by 1/20th of a second over the past 3 years. He'd still need to pick up 4/10ths of a second to even challenge a typical Usain Bolt. Not going to happen.......even Parisians seem quite accepting of this fact. Caucasian French running fans are just happy to be white and relevant and he's their poster boy for the moment.

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:I agree with Indu. There are too many drugs that are designed specifically to mask anabolic steroids so that no test will reveal them.JWiz, I can accept that track and field has done the most to detect steroids and is the cleanest of sports. But totally clean? Nah.

Nice thread for discussion, JWiz. I ran track (60 and 440 yard relay--dating myself; and also threw the shot put) in junior high school. My involvement ended when it turned out I was no longer the second or third fastest kid in my grade by the time I went to HS.

My T&F interest now is in women sprinters. I do enjoy watching their form, if you know what I mean. You should post pix of that British female heptathlete, JWiz. Quite a hottie!

Seriously, any runners should post what they run and who they follow. This is a nice thread for discussion. That young, white, French sprinter might be challenging Bolt and company by the 2012 Olympics. What do you think?

Was a 100m and 200m specialist when I was younger. Held a record in the 100m at my National Prepatory Championship for two years. The women sprints is gonna be off the chain come next year! It's deep as it's ever been. Jeter, Shelly-Ann, Kerron Stewart, Veronica Campbell, Sherone (if she can round back into shape), Kelly Ann Baptiste, Marshevet Hooker (took out Jeter this year). Holy crap, it's wide open next year but it's still a Jam Vs USA affair.

The french kid taking on Bolt for London? No way in hell. Europe has a helluva long way to go in terms of sprinting. The kid is the fastest guy in Europe but his winning time for the European Championship would have been good for last place in the Beijing final. He'll have a hard time breaking the heats in London. One off races are great, but how can he handle 4 rounds of Olympic competition? That s**t aint a walk in the park. Ask a young Usain Bolt who bombed his first Olympics.

Induveca wrote:

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:Seriously, any runners should post what they run and who they follow. This is a nice thread for discussion. That young, white, French sprinter might be challenging Bolt and company by the 2012 Olympics. What do you think?

That guy is a product of media hype, he's just a white guy who broke 10 seconds and won an event doing it.......personally I think he's just lucky no one ran a 9.94 or something and won the event anyways. He had to break the 10s thing AND win to get the media attention.

Just looking at his stats, he's improved in the 100m by 1/20th of a second over the past 3 years. He'd still need to pick up 4/10ths of a second to even challenge a typical Usain Bolt. Not going to happen.......even Parisians seem quite accepting of this fact. Caucasian French running fans are just happy to be white and relevant and he's their poster boy for the moment.

True, I think people are just happy he broke the stereotype. He does have potential though and his technique needs some polish. His has a nice high knee form ala Asafa Powell. He is however, behind his age group. Yohan Blake has a PB of 9.89 and 19.78 in the 200m.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8s4C7TqbP4[/youtube]

haah! shaq pulled up! he had a chance. and dang if he doesn't look the skinniest i've seen him since '99.

All that mess Chris Johnson talking last year about how he could beat Bolt, he can't even hang with Desean Jackson. Bolt would rape him at 40 and commit a felony at 100. He ran 9.3 for his relay split. You can't even break 8 sec for a relay split, you have no business running your mouth at a world class sprinter..let alone the GOAT.

JW! my friends and i were just talking about that nike commercial where some 14 year old said he'd race lance armstrong on a bike 100 m, 200 m...

1 - can you find that video on youtube?
2 - what was his name?
3 - did anything ever become of him?

pancakes3 wrote:JW! my friends and i were just talking about that nike commercial where some 14 year old said he'd race lance armstrong on a bike 100 m, 200 m...

1 - can you find that video on youtube?
2 - what was his name?
3 - did anything ever become of him?

Never heard of it. I figure any good runner could beat Lance Armstrong in the 100m. From a stationary position, Lance wouldn't have the distance to gain enough speed. The 200m is closer, but I'm still skeptical. I don't know squat about cycling. How long does it take a world class cyclist to get to top speed? Bolt can hit 27mph in 6-7 secs.

doclinkin wrote:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8s4C7TqbP4[/youtube]

Whoever calls Shaq fat didn't see that video. He looked fit and fast.

Dwight Howard

Scary fast big man!

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:

doclinkin wrote:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8s4C7TqbP4[/youtube]

Whoever calls Shaq fat didn't see that video. He looked fit and fast.

Dwight Howard

Scary fast big man!

He barely beat a 36year old, out of shape Maurice Greene. Anybody can look fast depending on who's lined up next to them. Not to say Dwight aint an athletic freak, but going by the video I'm clocking him at around 8 secs for the 70m. Even if he maintains his speed for the final 30, he's crossing 100m at around 11.3 secs. I was even generous and chopped off .10secs for the minimal curve he ran. That puts him damn near last place for the womens 100m final in Berlin. I get so annoyed when athletes from other sports think they could hang with T&F athletes who are the ultimate specialized specimens.



Even in his epic kill the breaks Beijing race, Bolt was clocking 7.3secs at 70m. Don't get me started. I'll drop the 9.58 splits on your ass.

oh no doubt. guys like chris johnson who want to race bolt are just... laughable. he thinks coming in 2nd to dix back in 2k3 gets him in the conversation against THE FASTEST HUMAN BEING EVER CREATED?

oh yeah, i found the commercial. myzell ROBINSON. apparently he's just an actor. disappointed. here it is, regardless. it would have been sweet if it was a cocky middle school kid talkin smack to lance.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw3SmQyRDXw[/youtube]

Dwight Howard is 7 feet tall. I believe he could be very close to being the fastest 7 footer ever. It's even more impressive at how fast these non specialized atheletes actually are since running is just a small part of their job.