I have been looking at the USATF qualifiers list at http://www.usatf.org/events/2001/USAOutdoorChampionships/entryStatus.asp and the following questions and comments come to mind. First of all the lists seems to be firming up with only three total entries listed as open and three listed as pending. First question is where is Tom Pappas? Overall we seem to have at least 5 to 8 WC A qualifiers in the men's field events with the exception of the Hammer, Javelin and Decathlon. In the Javelin Pukstys and Greer can show up and throw great or poor and they are both on the team, as the only two with A qualifiers and no one else likely to get one (and it would take two more A qualifiers to bump one of them off the team no matter where they finish at nationals). In the Hammer throw Kevin McMahon has the only A qualifier but needs to win the event to make sure he goes to the World Championships. If he fails to win he can be bumped by someone with a B qualifier. In the Decathlon Janvrin and Phil McMullen are the only people entered with A qualifiers. Hopefully someone will step up and all three of the top finishers will have qualifiers when the meet is over. On that note it seems that last couple years has seen a definite decrease in the depth of the US Decathlon talent. A look at the third place score and the number of people over 8000 points for the last few years looks like this Year 3rd Place score # over 8000 2000 8057 3 1999 7938 2 1998 8123 5 1997 8268 7 1996 8546 9 1995 8257 7 1994 8287 6 1993 8057 6 1992 8163 5 Anyone have a theory about why this is? My final point is a specific qualifying question in the Pole Vault. The rules state that athletes within 1 cm of the qualifying standard can enter and can be accepted if less that 16 people are entered. In the men's pole vault the standard is 8.65 (18' 6.5) and Pat Manson has a mark of 8.63 (18' 5.5). There are currently 15 vaulters listed as qualified. By the letter of the law he would not be allowed in the meet. Do the USATF officials allow themselves any wiggle room in cases like this? If not I have to question to whole concept of entry in the meet based solely on your best mark of the year. In the past four years Manson has placed 2000 - Tie 3 1999 - Tie 2 1998 - 2 1997 - 3 I remember the outcry on behalf of Erik Nedeau when he was not allowed in the Olympics trials last year when he missed the qualifier by 0.06 seconds. It seems clear to me that based on past performance Manson is far more deserving than Nedeau was (not that letting Nedeau in the meet would have been a bad thing). Look at his four years prior to 2000 1999 - 8 1998 - x 1997 - 6th heat 1996 - 4 David Donley
