Off topic - Mark Lewis-Francis

Slapsie Maxie · Post by **Slapsie Maxie** » 27 Mar 2006, 07:52

Years ago, it may even have been the 1972 olympics in Munich, I remember watching the Chinese Women's volley ball tea.

The treatment of the women by their coaches was horrific. every time one of them messed up a shot, the coach forced them to pt their hand through the net were he twisted it back until they cried in pain, then he finished it with a nice chinese burn

At the time, people thought it was " a bit harsh" now I think he would be arrested.

Sometimes, change is for the better

Slapsie

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 27 Mar 2006, 07:52

The 3,000 at Seoul was one of my favourite races...... wee Yvonne Murray did so well, she nearly took Ivan. I remember Kirsty Wade trying to run Ivan's race (as Murray did) a few months prior to the Olympics and got hammered... Ivan broke her, but not Murray.

Mary Decker was the early pace setter, but she got smashed as the three took control.

harrygreb · Post by **harrygreb** » 29 Mar 2006, 06:52

[quote="Slapsie Maxie"]Years ago, it may even have been the 1972 olympics in Munich, I remember watching the Chinese Women's volley ball tea.

The treatment of the women by their coaches was horrific. every time one of them messed up a shot, the coach forced them to pt their hand through the net were he twisted it back until they cried in pain, then he finished it with a nice chinese burn

At the time, people thought it was " a bit harsh" now I think he would be arrested.

Sometimes, change is for the better

Slapsie[/quote]

thats hilarious!!!!!!
i say put this feller in charge of our mens athletics team and give him a big stick with nails poking out of it.

Twinkle Toes · Post by **Twinkle Toes** » 29 Mar 2006, 07:04

jamesmcdonnell wrote:
Remember Kratochvilova....scary.

Cant see your problem tbh...ffs!!

http://www.cojeco.cz/attach/photos/lide ... a-1max.jpg

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 29 Mar 2006, 07:50

I like Kratochvilova, she takes a lot of stick for her appearance.....
but in an age where everyone was juicing she still kicked everyones
ass. She obviously trained tremendously hard. She also help train the 1999 world champion at 800m...

she was also deprived of almost certain gold in 1984 (maybe double gold) by stupid boycotts (thank you Mr Carter, you tosser).

RobD · Post by **RobD** » 05 Apr 2006, 14:01

It appears Francis maybe taking Justin Gatlin up on his offer to train here in America. The yourh champ Harry Aikines has confirmed he will come over and train with Gatlin.

Grilling Machine · Post by **Grilling Machine** » 09 Apr 2006, 01:49

states wrote:I do wonder about her [Paula's] performances over the last few years as well. Not saying she's on the juice, but if she wasn't a Brit, our press would have a field day about the improvements she's made.

I've always had nagging doubts too.

For so many years she was the 'game runner-up'.
From underdog to unassailable at a relatively late stage in her career.
It echoes Ben Johnson's sudden rise...

On the other hand, it could be a simple decline in competition, as I feel happened to Holmes; Mutola had faded by Athens.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 09 Apr 2006, 09:57

Grill wrote:
states wrote:I do wonder about her [Paula's] performances over the last few years as well. Not saying she's on the juice, but if she wasn't a Brit, our press would have a field day about the improvements she's made.
I've always had nagging doubts too.

For so many years she was the 'game runner-up'.
From underdog to unassailable at a relatively late stage in her career.
It echoes Ben Johnson's sudden rise...

On the other hand, it could be a simple decline in competition, as I feel happened to Holmes; Mutola had faded by Athens.

Its not a late stage of her career, now she is hitting her peak. Distance runners don't peak untill their early/mid thirties. She is not only on about running in 2008, but in 2012 - when she will be 38.

Here career seemed to follow Liz McGolgan's quite similarly - Liz was in her early 30's when she smashed them in Tokyo in 1991.

lamphey · Post by **lamphey** » 09 Apr 2006, 17:42

I hope Liz McColgan doesn't read this Stu ..... she's a lot younger than you're suggesting there.

Grilling Machine · Post by **Grilling Machine** » 09 Apr 2006, 18:11

stujones wrote:Its not a late stage of her career, now she is hitting her peak. Distance runners don't peak untill their early/mid thirties. She is not only on about running in 2008, but in 2012 - when she will be 38.

I'm sure you're right about her progression, it's just that to the casual observer, she kind of went from zero to hero in a short time.

When I mentioned her age, it was because athletes don't usually improve drastically after a certain point; unless they've previously been plagued by injuries like Holmes.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 09 Apr 2006, 19:29

lamphey wrote:I hope Liz McColgan doesn't read this Stu ..... she's a lot younger than you're suggesting there.

I've just done a check - I have the 1991 race on tape, I thought David Coleman said "Liz McGolgan, 31" - but no she was 27.

But she was still in her 30's when she reached her Marathon Peak.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 09 Apr 2006, 20:18

Grill wrote:
stujones wrote:Its not a late stage of her career, now she is hitting her peak. Distance runners don't peak untill their early/mid thirties. She is not only on about running in 2008, but in 2012 - when she will be 38.
I'm sure you're right about her progression, it's just that to the casual observer, she kind of went from zero to hero in a short time.

When I mentioned her age, it was because athletes don't usually improve drastically after a certain point; unless they've previously been plagued by injuries like Holmes.

Yes, but Paula hadn't reached that "certain" point when she was at "Zero" - she was only lost to the very best in the world at the straight and was still one of the fastest in the world at 24/25.

It is kinda like Mark Lewis Francis being there and there abouts at 18 running 9.99 and progressing to run a 9.75 at 20.... It would have been expected. Paula was there or there abouts before her prime, now she is at it - she is now running to her potential.

I still think she is capable (agewise) of going even faster, but I doubt she will.... Since Athens, I think there has been a change of attitude more focused on the win than the times. Once she build a winning lead, I don't think you'll see her focus on records, incase she hits the wall again.

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 09 Apr 2006, 20:38

Twinkle Toes wrote:
jamesmcdonnell wrote:
Remember Kratochvilova....scary.
Cant see your problem tbh...ffs!!

http://www.cojeco.cz/attach/photos/lide ... a-1max.jpg

Is that Steve Ovett or Steve Cramm?

Razor · Post by **Razor** » 10 Apr 2006, 06:53

Camel toe

Coconut · Post by **Coconut** » 10 Apr 2006, 07:05

Grill wrote:
states wrote:I do wonder about her [Paula's] performances over the last few years as well. Not saying she's on the juice, but if she wasn't a Brit, our press would have a field day about the improvements she's made.
I've always had nagging doubts too.

For so many years she was the 'game runner-up'.
From underdog to unassailable at a relatively late stage in her career.
It echoes Ben Johnson's sudden rise...

On the other hand, it could be a simple decline in competition, as I feel happened to Holmes; Mutola had faded by Athens.

Radcliffe was winning top level cross-country races on Grandstand when she was a teenager. Brendan Foster used to sit there gurgling about what a 'fntstc prspct' she was.

She changed events as well, as she developed.

Maria Mutola scares the living bejasus out of me. I'll bet not many girls were rushing to the showers after an international 800.

lamphey · Post by **lamphey** » 10 Apr 2006, 08:08

Coconut wrote: Maria Mutola scares the living bejasus out of me. I'll bet not many girls were rushing to the showers after an international 800.

..... except maybe Kelly Holmes.

jomothepure · Post by **jomothepure** » 09 Aug 2006, 09:26

I'm dragging this excellent thread back in honour of the Euoropean champs currently on the go.

It has only been a few months since the Commonwealth's, but nevertheless no light at the end of the tunnel for British athletics.

You can justifiably start arguments based on individuals and how they are underperforming etc.

But in general, British athletics just does not seem to have any strength in depth whatsoever. Of course, you have your Radcliffe's etc, the individuals who really are world class. But then I'd argue they're no. 1 on their genetics, natural aptitude for their sport etc. nothing to do with what country they're from.

For example, qualifying for the woman's final, there was two Brits. One is the Scot Shirly Webb. Now I don't want to pick on her personally, but in qualifying, she threw 60m, with a PB of 67 or something. Come the final (and probably in the q's before) the girls were regularly throwing around 70+

Completely outclassed. And this is the Euopeans, not a world event. Admittedly, the hammer field is dominated by Europeans, but nevertheless this example is replicated in other events.

This morning I watched a couple of guys in the 200m 1st round. Scraping through really, just to get to the 2nd round.

Now, a lot of these GB athletes are young, and I have absolutely no objection to them getting the experience on the big stage (for example, the youngest GB Heptathlete, who did a new PB). In fact, I'm sure it's hugely beneficial.

But, finally getting to a conclusion, is there a time, when these athletes clearly have no hope of, say, top 8, continually compete in these events, receive funding, and are built up as hopes?

Why is GB athletics so poor? It surely can not be a population thing - I'm sure there's plenty of nations with a sub-60 million population who regularly out-medal us. So what's wrong? The funding, the general running of the sport, the education, the general mindset of potential athletes. WHAT?

p.s. I don't want to come accross really harsh here, or offend or diss any of these athletes achievements, it's just that surely there's a larger spanner in the works that needs to be removed

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 09 Aug 2006, 09:38

Grill wrote:
states wrote:I do wonder about her [Paula's] performances over the last few years as well. Not saying she's on the juice, but if she wasn't a Brit, our press would have a field day about the improvements she's made.
I've always had nagging doubts too.

For so many years she was the 'game runner-up'.
From underdog to unassailable at a relatively late stage in her career.
It echoes Ben Johnson's sudden rise...

On the other hand, it could be a simple decline in competition, as I feel happened to Holmes; Mutola had faded by Athens.

Ben Johnson's rise wasn't THAT sudden, he placed in an olympic final before winning that one.

Loftgroov · Post by **Loftgroov** » 09 Aug 2006, 09:42

I think Football is one reason – that is the nation’s obsession with it – which is to the detriment of youth participation in other sports.

I’m a football fan, and do go to see Saints at Saint Marys, but I also go to The Rec to see Bath play rugby, and I enjoy tennis, squash, athletics… lots of sports – a mix.

However for most our sporting culture, reinforced by the national media, means all the kids want to be the next David (have England ever won anything despite these numerous “star players”?) Beckham.

Nobody gives much of a shite about other sports – or if they do, it suddenly ends when they reach 16/17 and decide getting pissed up regularly is the way to go. In many respects we have a pathetic sporting culture and philosophy in this country aside from a hardcore minority.

Loftgroov · Post by **Loftgroov** » 09 Aug 2006, 09:48

Another reason is the idiotic “play for fun” rather than “play to win” philosophy that some twat somewhere decided must apply to school sports so that nobody gets upset.

Competition = a bad thing … that’s the mantle of school sports. If you lose it “doesn’t matter”…..whereas it should matter and should inspire you to improve.

That’s why in athletics you get Americans who have come through the US high school and college track and field systems mainly, where mediocrity isn’t tolerated against some prat like MLF over here who is more interested in “bling” and “trying his best”…..

The result of that mix is cringe worthy and that’s what you see today……….

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 09 Aug 2006, 09:49

Just reading Game Of Shadows, about the baseball Barry Bonds steroid scandle, interesting stuff.

There's a lot in there about Dwane Chambers too, using the same "lab" as Bonds - they really got him BANG to rights.
Tim Montgomery, Marion Jones loads more too.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 09 Aug 2006, 11:13

Hmm. That looks an interesting book. Hasn't Gatlin just failed a drugs test as well?

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 09 Aug 2006, 11:37

jomothepure - british athletics is piss poor at the moment. we got the olympics in 6 yrs time and we seriously need to improve, otherwise we face major embarassment.

1 medal at the european championships is pathetic. let's be honest, the euro's are a world away from the world's and olympics.

we need a new crop of talent to emerge badly.

Slapsie Maxie · Post by **Slapsie Maxie** » 09 Aug 2006, 11:39

without knowing the inside out of the Athletics board, there does seem to be an entirely amatuerish ( in the bad sense of the word ) approach to the sport

The training given is, by all accounts, a joke and the drug issue looms ever larger.

Only this week a woman was banned for not turning up THREE times to her off competition drugs testing. When Ferdinand did the same once in football they threw the book at him.

The truth is that the great British public neither know nor care anything about track & field. If we get a winner all well and good and they win the BBC sports personality and we can pretend that we matter in the world of athletics until the next championship where we win only a bronze in the 10k if we are lucky

Slapsie

harrygreb · Post by **harrygreb** » 09 Aug 2006, 12:37

the drugs thing is going to hit athletics very hard. there is already apathy to contend with now if drugs are going to be a factor then people will be even less interested in track and field.
they face an uphill battle to drum up some interest - i love it, me but even i find it very easy to ignore when athletes like ohourogu are under a cloud.
justin gatlin is an athlete who has been outspoken in his condemnation of drug use in the sport...ooooppps.
the guy who drew attention to the attitude to competition in schools is right
and yet the children themselves love competitiveness...witness any sports day in any school...