I agree that Ritz is very talented. But I don't think a choice to go get him into the most competitive race this side of the Trials means that either he or his coach are selling his talent short. I'd argue that NOT going to Stanford would be ignoring his talent.
I doubt Ritz will have "many" chances for a 10K "A" standard. Rule out the trials for any distance A standards because the weather could just be abysmal - it wll only happen if the weather gods smile. Maybe he'll double at NCAA's, which lowers the chance of an A standard. When else is he gonna do it? Maybe he'd find one other realistic shot. Don't want to run to many 10K's in the season. As for selling short, his PR's don't exactly suggest that he will breeze to an easy A standard. Plenty of people with his times have had difficulty breaking 28:00. I agree that he is immensely talented and that he can get an A standard, but it is just plain false that he will either have many opportunities or that he will have "no trouble" getting the A standard at the few 10K's he likely has planned. And gotta disagree on the reason we haven't had Olympic medalists since 1984. We haven't had them because the sport has become professional and the U.S. no longer has an inherent financial advantage over less developed countries. We also have had a variety of attitude problems, which fortunately seem to be improving somewhat. Having Olympic tourists has nothing to do with it. If I'm aspiring to be an olympic gold medalist, I'm sure as heck going to first focus on getting to the Games, which means getting an A standard before the Trials and then winning the trials or getting top three and not letting anyone without an A standard beat me. Getting the A standard early is simply the prudent move - then he can REALLY focus on training for the Olympics to do well. If he has to chase an A standard after the trials - which is a dicier proposition with the IOC deadlines this year - he certainly will blow his Olympic training. And this year, you could win the trials, but if four other finishers already have A standards, then you won't have a chance to get the A, you are just out of luck, because our four nominations to the Olympic team have to be in by a couple days after the trials. In some of these distance events where 4 or 5 people end up with A standards going in, if it's a hot day then just beating one other A standard person may guarantee a spot on the team. Getting an A standard before the trials is far more important this year than ever before, even if you "know" you'll win the trials. - Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wayne T. Armbrust" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Athletics" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, April 30, 2004 10:38 PM Subject: Re: t-and-f: Sandrock: 'Ritz' aims for Olympic 'A' standard > One of the things I was trying to get across is that Ritz is better than > either he or Wetmore thinks he is. He should have no trouble with the > "A" standard in whatever event he chooses. He is being sold short by > both Wetmore and himself. He will have many chances this year to get > the Standard. He doesn't' t need to punt the conference meet to do so. > > BTW, Ed. I'm sorry, but I don't think it is important at all to be an > Olympic tourist. The fact that we send so many Olympic tourists is part > of the reason why we haven't had an Olympic medalist in any event longer > than 800 m since the rump Olympics of '84. > > edndana wrote: > > >Just a clarification - meant to say that being an Olympic tourist is more > >important than winning points in a conference meet (or even the NCAA meet in > >my opinion). > > > >- Ed > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "edndana" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: ""Athletics"" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Sent: Friday, April 30, 2004 6:18 PM > >Subject: Re: t-and-f: Sandrock: 'Ritz' aims for Olympic 'A' standard > > > > > > > > > >>Wayne - > >> > >> I think you're both right and wrong. I think that there is a > >> > >> > >mentality > > > > > >>of chasing NCAA qualifying times that has done serious damage to both > >>competitive attitudes and programs themselves. This has been discussed > >> > >> > >many > > > > > >>times before. > >> > >> But if I was Ritz and his coach, I would absolutely go to Stanford. > >>This is not an NCAA "B" qualifer we are talking about, this is the Olympic > >> > >> > >A > > > > > >>standard. This is a situation where in the biggest meets of the year, > >> > >> > >NCAA > > > > > >>and Olympic Trials, he wants to be able to race rather than worry about > >> > >> > >his > > > > > >>time. In Sacramento - despite the amazing luck of cool weather in 2000 - > >>the truth is that conditions on July evenings are usually abysmal for > >>distance running. If we have even normal Sacramento conditions, no one > >> > >> > >who > > > > > >>can't break 27:20 on a good day will have a shot at an A standard. I > >> > >> > >can't > > > > > >>even begin to describe how badly conditions have affected some workouts > >> > >> > >I've > > > > > >>done at 8PM in the summer here. > >> > >> And yes, being an Olympic tourist is ABSOLUTELY more important than > >>winning points for your team in a dual meet. I know very few people who > >>would disagree - obviously you are one. If you're saying that no one > >> > >> > >should > > > > > >>go to the Olympics unless they have a chance of getting top five, well > >>you're entitled to your opinion. > >> > >> To me - and I know I'll get creamed by the college coaches for this - > >>the real crime is that most talented young distance runners have to make > >> > >> > >the > > > > > >>sacrifice of NOT going to the most competitive 10K in the country (save > >> > >> > >the > > > > > >>trials) and instead doubling or tripling 3 or 4 times and sacrificing > >> > >> > >their > > > > > >>training for it. It's the fact that kids get hardly a break from > >> > >> > >September > > > > > >>to late June. That most cannot hone their skills in Europe or even other > >>summer meets at ages 20,21 and 22 because their college season, full of > >>meets below their abilities (unless they attend one of less than ten top > >>schools), takes priority. > >> > >> Decry the loss of competitive college meets if you will. From a fan > >>standpoint it makes sense. But in today's global reality, NCAA distance > >>competition won't prepare you to break 27:00 or 13:00. We are fortunate > >>that Colorado realizes this and is properly nurturing the brightest young > >>talent since Bob Kennedy. > >> > >>- Ed Parrot > >> > >> > >> > >>----- Original Message ----- > >>From: "Wayne T. Armbrust" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>To: "tandf listserv" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>Sent: Friday, April 30, 2004 5:22 PM > >>Subject: Re: t-and-f: Sandrock: 'Ritz' aims for Olympic 'A' standard > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>>It's hard to believe that an athletic administrator would support > >>>something like this, or that a head coach would want his athlete to do > >>>this. I guess Wetmore doesn't really want to have a track team, just a > >>>few good (by U.S. standard) distance runners. Does Wetmore think that > >>>Ritz can't get a standard except in the idealized environment of a race > >>>at Stanford? He is either a great runner or he isn't. Great runners > >>>don't have any problem getting standards. People who have a problem > >>>getting a standard aren't going to do well in the competition in > >>>question. Is being an Olympic tourist more important than winning > >>>points for your team in the Conference meet? This is the kind of > >>>mentality that is killing collegiate track. > >>> > >>>magpie wrote: > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>>>Instead of stepping on the starting line in Norman, Okla., Friday night > >>>> > >>>> > >>to run 10,000 meters against Big 12 competition in what would likely be no > >>more than a hard workout, CU junior Dathan Ritzenhein will be in Palo > >> > >> > >Alto, > > > > > >>Calif., to run 10K against the best Americans in a race that should be as > >>competitive as this summer's Olympic trials. > >> > >> > >>>>With the backing of associate athletic director Chris May â head track > >>>> > >>>> > >>coach Mark Wetmore's boss â "Ritz" is getting the chance to go for the > >>Olympic "A" standard of 27:49 at the Cardinal Invitational, one of the > >> > >> > >best > > > > > >>meets for distance runners in the country. It will be Ritzenhein's first > >>track 10,000 meters ever and will give he and Wetmore a feel for what > >> > >> > >event > > > > > >>Ritzenhein should run at the Olympic trials in July. > >> > >> > >>>>"I feel ready and am excited to do my first one," Ritzenhein said. > >>>> > >>>> > >"There > > > > > >>should be some good post-collegiate guys in there." > >> > >> > >>>>Indeed there will be. Start with American 10,000 meter record holder > >>>> > >>>> > >Meb > > > > > >>Keflezighi, who is expected to follow pacers in an attempt to break his > >> > >> > >own > > > > > >>record. Bob Kennedy, the U.S. record holder for 5,000 meters will also be > >>there, as well as Dan Browne, Abdi Abdirahim, Weldon Johnson and Brad > >>Hauser. Boulder's Justin Young is also in the field and could surprise > >> > >> > >fans. > > > > > >>>>Full article: > >>>> > >>>> > >http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/running/article/0,1713,BDC_2413_2846220,00.h tml > > > > > >>>> > >>>>Buff men, women set for Big 12 meet > >>>> > >>>>CU's Metivier should be favored in 2 events > >>>> > >>>>http://mas.scripps.com/BDC/2004/04/29/0429meti_e.jpg > >>>>CU's Renee Metivier has one of the nation's top collegiate marks in the > >>>> > >>>> > >>5,000 this year. > >> > >> > >>>>By Michael Sandrock, For the Camera > >>>>April 29, 2004 > >>>> > >>>>Renee Metivier has just one complaint about her time at the University > >>>> > >>>> > >of > > > > > >>Colorado _ she wishes she had started here a couple of years ago. > >> > >> > >>>>As it is, Metivier has made a big mark in a short time at CU. Since > >>>> > >>>> > >>transferring from Georgia Tech and joining the cross country team last > >>August, Metivier has progressed to the point where she is one of the > >>favorites in the Big 12 Track and Field Championships that start today at > >>the University of Oklahoma's John Jacobs Field. > >> > >> > >>>>Full article: > >>>> > >>>> > >http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/cu_track_field/article/0,1713,BDC_2458_28462 19,00.html > > > > > >>>>=========== > >>>> > >>>>"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." > >>>>Patrick Henry > >>>> > >>>> > >>>>_____________________________________________________________ > >>>>Sign up for a 6mb FREE email from > >>>>http://www.spl.at > >>>>Join the buzz, chat with us! > >>>>http://chat.spl.at > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>-- > >>>Wayne T. Armbrust, Ph.D. > >>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>Computomarx (TM) > >>>3604 Grant Ct. > >>>Columbia MO 65203-5800 USA > >>>(573) 445-6675 (voice & FAX) > >>>http://www.Computomarx.com > >>>"Know the difference between right and wrong... > >>>Always give your best effort... > >>>Treat others the way you'd like to be treated..." > >>>- Coach Bill Sudeck (1926-2000) > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > Wayne T. Armbrust, Ph.D. > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Computomarx (TM) > 3604 Grant Ct. > Columbia MO 65203-5800 USA > (573) 445-6675 (voice & FAX) > http://www.Computomarx.com > "Know the difference between right and wrong... > Always give your best effort... > Treat others the way you'd like to be treated..." > - Coach Bill Sudeck (1926-2000) > >
