Flashback:What if VCB had replaced the new kid on the block?

[Time]

I recall that there was talk that the new kid on the block Shelly Ann should give way to VCB the Queen in 2008.

We can only wonder what if Peta-Gay Dowdie was not replaced in 2000 by Ottey? Perhaps we would have placed 2nd (Dowdie) and 4th (Lawrence) behind Jones the druggist until the druggist was disqualified.

Leave well enough alone, JAAA

Paulk Reid
Thursday, July 03, 2008

In 2000 when the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) took the cowardly decision to replace national 100m champion Peta-Gay Dowdie with Merlene Ottey at the Olympic Games, I was strongly against it.

Fast-forward eight years and two Olympiads later, and many track and field fans are expecting a similar situation to be played out in Beijing, China, next month.
This time the injustice involves track darling Veronica Campbell-Brown who placed fourth in the 100m at the National Senior Championships last weekend.

Speculation started literally minutes after the race was run on Saturday, and up to yesterday was still being discussed by track fans that she will replace one of the three women who finished ahead of her. I would be against that, too.

But are we being a bit hasty here and jumping the gun before we even know what the selectors are thinking?
While we all, or at least most of us, are big fans of Campbell-Brown, who has a unique record among track athletes of winning at every level of the IAAF ladder - World Youth, World Juniors and World Seniors - sentiment alone is not enough to merit selection to the Olympic Games with all due respect to her achievements.
Fact is, Campbell-Brown was beaten by three athletes, two of whom are now among the three fastest female athletes ever in Jamaica's storied track and field history.

New champion Kerron Stewart's 10.80 seconds is second only to Ottey's National Record 10.74 seconds, while 'new kid on the block' Shelly-Ann Fraser's 10.85 seconds is joint fifth with ironically, Campbell-Brown.

Fraser's MVP team-mate Sherone Simpson, a seasoned campaigner and the fastest woman in 2006 and third fastest ever in Jamaica, finished third, and if all three maintain their form from Trials, it would be difficult to make an argument for Campbell-Brown's inclusion in the 100m, even if she carries out her plan to run below 10.80 seconds between now and August.

One of the arguments that have been put forward in defence of Campbell-Brown's inclusion to run the 100m is that it is unfair to use only the results for Trials as the final decision, but results of meets leading up.

If the JAAA should seek once more to ignore the results of their own Trials, then the event would have lost its credibility despite their stated mandate to ensure their best-prepared athletes represent the country in international meets.

The 2000 incident was not the only one where the JAAA ignored the results from Trials; Don Quarrie was not selected for the 1988 Olympics despite finishing in the top six, while four years ago Jermaine Gonzales who was third at Trials was replaced by Davion Clarke who was fifth at the Games.
I think the sensible thing for the JAAA to do is to leave well enough, in this case the top three finishers - as long as they maintain their form- alone.

My gut feeling tells me however that Campbell-Brown is going to drop a series of fast 100m, maybe even a sub-10.80 seconds and on August 16th, the second day of athletics, will line up for the most prestigious event in female track and field.

She could very well go on to win the event, but the fallout will not be pretty.



Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...#ixzz1VEsFZ4m4

[Historian]

Re: Peta-Gaye Dowdie

I recall that there was talk that the new kid on the block Shelly Ann should give way to VCB the Queen in 2008.

We can only wonder what if Peta-Gay Dowdie was not replaced in 2000 by Ottey? Perhaps we would have placed 2nd (Dowdie) and 4th (Lawrence) behind Jones the druggist until the druggist was disqualified.

PROGRESSION

Peta-Gaye Dowdie
1999: 11.03 seconds (Texas)
2000: 11.13 seconds (Kingston)
2002: 11.85 (Cuneo)
2003: 11.50 (California)

Merlene Ottey
2000: 10.99 (last meet in Europe just before the Olympics)
2000: 10.91 seconds (pre-Olympic warm-up meet near Brisbane, Australia). This, incidentally, was the fastest time ever run on Australian soil by a woman (it was wind-aided, by the way).

Time, let me begin by stating two things: First, Peta-Gaye Dowdie is an athlete I absolutely love, adore and admire. As such, my comments in this post should not be regarded as any criticism of this delightful, faithful athlete.

Secondly, my opinion on selection for Jamaica’s national teams at any time is the same as that of the writer when he stated, “I think the sensible thing for the JAAA to do is to leave well enough, in this case the top three finishers - as long as they maintain their form - alone.”

However, I will always believe that while our coaches set an unfortunate precedent in the final selection of Jamaica’s 100-meter women in 2000 (hopefully, this will never happen again), the situation back then was nowhere similar to 2008. Based on comparative performances between Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown during and after the Jamaican National Championships, the selectors would have a much more difficult time explaining Fraser-Pryce’s removal in favor of Campbell-Brown.

Now to your suggestion that perhaps Dowdie would have placed second, I’m absolutely sure that Peta-Gaye Dowdie would NOT have placed second behind Marion Jones in the 100-meter dash! For instance, Chandra Sturrup, Sevatheda Fynes and Debbie Ferguson were Caribbean athletes who were running superior times to Dowdie back in 2000, and look what happened to all three women in the finals of the 100-meter dash!

Also, are you aware that Dowdie was apparently injured (prior to the start of competitions at the Olympic Games) but did not disclose this?

The indisputable fact is that Ottey was, in 1999, still the fastest Jamaican woman ever, a distinction she held for many years until Fraser-Pryce ran a splendid 10.73 seconds in the finals of the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin.

My other view on the matter is that Beverley McDonald could have given up her 100-meter slot to Merlene, and then concentrate on the 200-meter race. In hindsight, she would have benefitted! Ironically, in that same month at the Bahamas’ National Qualifiers, third-place winner in the 100-meter dash, Pauline Davis-Thompson, voluntarily gave up her 100-meter spot on the team to fourth-place Sevatheda Fynes. (Please note, in the context of our discussion, that Fynes was no pushover, as she had a personal best of 10.91 seconds, which she ran in 1999.)

In surrendering her 100-meter position, Davis-Thompson then gave herself the freedom to concentrate on her specialty, the 200-meter race. The results are there to see as Davis-Thompson today proudly holds the gold medal she got in that Sydney Olympic Games 200-meter race!

But back to our discussion. I suspect that with Dowdie on anchor, Jamaica might have gotten a bronze medal in the women’s 4x100-meter relay instead of a silver, because third-place finisher Marion Jones (anchor) was bearing down like a damn freight train on both Merlene Ottey and the Bahamas’ Debbie Ferguson! Looking at her (Dowdie) relay performance on anchor the year before in Seville, there is nothing that gives me any confidence that Dowdie would have held off Jones!

In addition, Peta-Gaye Dowdie on anchor would most likely not have outrun Debbie Ferguson in the 4x100-meter relay in Sydney. If she found it difficult to do so in those straight 100-meter epic battles during her time at LSU (Ferguson was at Georgia around the same time), I have no reason to believe Dowdie would have done so on anchor at the Olympics.

Now, Time, let me ask you a couple of questions.

Did you watch the women’s 4x100-meter race at the 1999 IAAF World Championships in Seville, Spain? Did you feel exhilarated after watching Dowdie on anchor as Christine Arron took her down stride by stride to give France the silver medal behind the gold medal-winning Bahamian women? Jamaica was in a clear second position when Dowdie received the baton!!

Now, compare that 1999 anchor performance with Jamaica’s anchor on the women’s 4x100-meter relay team in the finals at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Do you understand the real meaning of the term “relay animal”?

At the 1996 Olympic Games, anchor Merlene Ottey received the baton from a talented but injured curve runner, Nikole Mitchell. Nicole had pulled her hamstring about ten meters before reaching Ottey. Jamaica had no right winning any type of medal after the position in which Ottey was given her baton. If you didn’t see that race, let someone explain to you the blazing run by our dependable, super-talented anchorwoman, sending the Russian Irina Privalova back into fourth place and enabling Jamaica to snatch a bronze medal from the jaws of certain defeat.

As far as track results are concerned, I have no reason that Jamaica would have benefitted in any way with the inclusion of Peta-Gaye (over Ottey).

[Sickko]

Who name Paulk Reid? Funny name...but we have yet another selectors incidents again this year with JAAA giving Isa Phillips until the very last minute to go find a club meet in Mannheim Germany to run an A standard and 'get out' Roxroy Cato who was third at Trials.

But then Roxroy did not help himself as he failed to even match his B standard at Trials with two poor tuns at CAC in Puerto Rico where Leford Green improved his seasons best.

Word is that the JAAA actually sent Cato (from Green Island) a ticket to Daegu and then when they took him off the team, failed to contact him and just went and canceled the ticket and the kid was only notified he was not on the team by what he read in the media.

tsk tsk tsk time for changes in the JAAA

[Sickko]

Time's track and field experience started with SAFP in Beijing so you asking him questions he wont be able to answer.

While I do agree with a lot of what you said here...consider this two days after Trials when Merlene was still here she told reporters she was going to run the 100m, how could she know that then, was PGD injured yet?

The JAAA has shown a yellow streak and has continuously bowed to loud agresive coaches/agents/managers and this year when they replaced Cato with Isa is just another in the long line of bad decisions they have taken.

Two years ago Shereefa Lloyd came to Trials with a A standard in the 400m and in the finals she placed fourth behind Christine Day who had a B. Yet it was day who ran the flat 400m in Berlin and was not even considered for the relay pool but Lloyd ran both rounds and got a medal.

Ps- in 2000 Ottey was at the end of her great career so to use what she did in 1996 and there abouts has no relevance, if track and field was run on sentiments Quarrie would not have been dropped off the team when he came sixth in the 100m.

Do the research and tell me how many Jamaicans she has beaten in a 100m race since then.

[Historian]

Good Points

Ps- in 2000 Ottey was at the end of her great career so to use what she did in 1996 and there abouts has no relevance, if track and field was run on sentiments Quarrie would not have been dropped off the team when he came sixth in the 100m.

Do the research and tell me how many Jamaicans she has beaten in a 100m race since then.

I agree with your very valid points here, Sickko . We have to remember, however, that although Ottey was coming to the end of the Jamaican leg of her career, she was still unquestionably the fastest Jamaican woman in 1999 and 2000, hence my view that she was essential to the 4x100-meter relay at the Sydney Olympics.

Looking back at what I wrote this afternoon, I’m wondering now if maybe I came down too hard on Peta-Gaye Dowdie. She has, after all, represented us very well, and the unchangeable fact is that she indeed won the Jamaica National Championships in 2000. Also, she is among my all-time favorite Jamaican athletes (and the one who, given a choice, I think I would would marry before any other) .

In fact, despite my criticisms, it was the same Dowdie who anchored us to a relay gold at the 1999 senior Pan Am Games in Canada (that wonderful 1999 Jamaican team had Aleen Bailey on lead-off, Kerry-Ann Richards on backstretch, Beverley Grant on curve and Peta-Gaye on anchor).

I mentioned the 1996 Olympic Games in order to illustrate the relay fighting spirit in Merlene Ottey, a trait which I desperately wished I saw in Peta-Gaye Dowdie in that relay finals at the 1999 Seville IAAF World Championships. Maybe it is her running style (a very relaxed style sometimes reminiscent of Trinidad’s Darrel Brown), but I remember screaming for her to “change gears” as I saw Christine Arron catching and then passing her in that Seville final.

So, my lengthy response above was not to excuse the Jamaican selectors’ decision to replace Dowdie with Ottey, but rather it was primarily to answer Time’s question as to whether or not Dowdie would have won the silver behind Marion Jones in the 100-meter dash. I’m 100-percent certain that she would not won a medal (despite the fact that Tayna Lawrence won the bronze).

[Historian]

The Track Forum Next Door

[*Ranting to myself] Sometimes I think of taking part once again (as I used to do in years past) in the discussions on the track and field forum next door, but that message board has descended to a level that is quite simply unbelievable! There was a time when enjoyable, informative and somewhat balanced discussion was the norm there, but today it has become nothing but a show board for the most parochial, unsophisticated minds among Jamaican so-called track fans!!

The sad thing is that most likely as a result, a majority of the outstanding posters no longer contribute there.

I must say this, though: I get really, really annoyed when I see posters on this Reggae Boyz Forum quote things here that they read on that drug-obsessed track and field forum next door, a forum where (in the minds of many) the only clean athletes on the planet represent Jamaica, and everyone else who runs fast is assisted by performance-enhancing drugs.

It’s truly a pity how things are now, especially when one recalls the varied discussion by both Jamaican and non-Jamaican coaches and track and field fans that used to be a regular feature of that message board. Of course, I can pinpoint exactly when the rot started to set in over there, but I won’t. [*End of ranting]

[Sickko]

I owe you a six pack of your favorite drink, milk or vodka. There is so much intolerance and garbage over there it is unbelievable but to be fair there are a few, very few there that make sense.

There is no place for dialogue and divergent opinions, if you dare post anything that they dont like they either cuss you off or delete it, even a good friend of mine has been ranting against a few US athletes for years now...and when i ask him what proof does he have against them he just laughs because he really does not have anything but he just wants to hate on the athletes who work just a shard as anyone else and maybe even harder to get success.

It is typical of the mind set there and true they have chased away a lot of people who used to post there including MadamX who post here as well.

I am sure you know by now they banned me back in 2009 because I dared to try and educate them about the Jamaican laws pertaining to what is advertised.

The hypocrite owner told me point blank it is his site and he can damn well do what he likes and if he wants a pro-MVP site then who dont like it can go to hell... I paraphrase bu that was the gist of it

[MdmeX]

I owe you a six pack of your favorite drink, milk or vodka. There is so much intolerance and garbage over there it is unbelievable but to be fair there are a few, very few there that make sense.

There is no place for dialogue and divergent opinions, if you dare post anything that they dont like they either cuss you off or delete it, even a good friend of mine has been ranting against a few US athletes for years now...and when i ask him what proof does he have against them he just laughs because he really does not have anything but he just wants to hate on the athletes who work just a shard as anyone else and maybe even harder to get success.

It is typical of the mind set there and true they have chased away a lot of people who used to post there including MadamX who post here as well.

I am sure you know by now they banned me back in 2009 because I dared to try and educate them about the Jamaican laws pertaining to what is advertised.

The hypocrite owner told me point blank it is his site and he can damn well do what he likes and if he wants a pro-MVP site then who dont like it can go to hell... I paraphrase bu that was the gist of it

Dem not only cuss you, some of them tek the cussing to a personal level

[Time]

Sicko is partially correct. My interest in track and field started about 2006 before then I only watch the big races on race days. I had a deep interest in the SAF because she was connected us here in this city. Our folks had heard rumours that the JAAA wanted to toss out SAF in favor in VCB. I am no expert like you and Paul so I only have three questions. Did you foresee Tayna Lawrence beating Merlene Ottey in the 2008 final? Can you say for sure that a fit PGD could not have beten Tayna Lawrence for 3rd in 2008? Did you foresee the gold from SAF in 2008?

[Time]

Hey, I did not change your name. I copied and pasted what is on the web site.

[Sickko]

LOL! I think I remembered it came out that way in the paper then.

[Sickko]

Dont know that we could have seen anything but I can tell you that in early 2008 Paul Francis had been touting SAF as the next best thing to sliced bread as far back as the pre-season but then every season Paul always has an ace up his sleep but very few of them ever pan out...

Re the earlier scenario and I guess you meant 2000 and not 2008, the beauty of having a number of athletes running well at Trials especially in the short sprints is that ANYTHING can happen- this is the proverbial ball is round situation.

I am sure no one thought VCB would be fourth in the 100m final in 2008 like wise Ottey being fourth in 2000 especially after she blasted the first round to run a time that was the fastest of the entire trials.

But running too fast in the early rounds has always been Ottey's Achilles heels and while we blamed drugged up athletes for robbing her of medals, maybe her rounds management had some thing to do with it too.

She always ran too fast in the prelims and seem to have very little left for finals, ala Jeter.

[TDowl]

You were only suppose to fire a shot across the bow, not to sink ship Boss, talk about putting an end to an argument.

[Time]

I agree with your very valid points here, Sickko . We have to remember, however, that although Ottey was coming to the end of the Jamaican leg of her career, she was still unquestionably the fastest Jamaican woman in 1999 and 2000, hence my view that she was essential to the 4x100-meter relay at the Sydney Olympics.

Looking back at what I wrote this afternoon, I’m wondering now if maybe I came down too hard on Peta-Gaye Dowdie. She has, after all, represented us very well, and the unchangeable fact is that she indeed won the Jamaica National Championships in 2000. Also, she is among my all-time favorite Jamaican athletes (and the one who, given a choice, I think I would would marry before any other) .

In fact, despite my criticisms, it was the same Dowdie who anchored us to a relay gold at the 1999 senior Pan Am Games in Canada (that wonderful 1999 Jamaican team had Aleen Bailey on lead-off, Kerry-Ann Richards on backstretch, Beverley Grant on curve and Peta-Gaye on anchor).

I mentioned the 1996 Olympic Games in order to illustrate the relay fighting spirit in Merlene Ottey, a trait which I desperately wished I saw in Peta-Gaye Dowdie in that relay finals at the 1999 Seville IAAF World Championships. Maybe it is her running style (a very relaxed style sometimes reminiscent of Trinidad’s Darrel Brown), but I remember screaming for her to “change gears” as I saw Christine Arron catching and then passing her in that Seville final.

So, my lengthy response above was not to excuse the Jamaican selectors’ decision to replace Dowdie with Ottey, but rather it was primarily to answer Time’s question as to whether or not Dowdie would have won the silver behind Marion Jones in the 100-meter dash. I’m 100-percent certain that she would not won a medal (despite the fact that Tayna Lawrence won the bronze).

Dowdie's dad against protest but calls out JAAA.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports1.html

Peta-Gaye Dowdie

DELANO Dowdie, father of national sprint champion Peta-Gaye Dowdie, yesterday expressed mixed feelings about his daughter's involvement in a protest by Jamaican athletes over the inclusion of veteran Olympian Merlene Ottey in the 100 metres ahead of her.

The elder Dowdie said on one hand he was supporting and defending his daughter but, on the other hand, her participation in the demonstration cooled his fire.

On Sunday it was announced that Peta-Gaye was withdrawn from the list of three female sprinters to represent Jamaica at the Olympics as according to the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) she had lost form. The decision resulted in a number of athletes demonstrating outside the Games Village.

"The feelings are mixed. I am supporting and defending Peta-Gaye but the tone now, about the result of this demonstration, it has subtracted from my zeal and zest."

Getting to the Olympics in Sydney has been a long-time dream of his and Peta-Gaye.

"In 1996 when I took her and about three other athletes to the Pan Am Games my last words to them were "we are starting here for Sydney 2000".

Though he is disappointed by the shattering of his daughter's dream, it did not come as a major blow for him as he was prepared.

"I believe in philosophy, you know and that is why it does not affect me like most people. It is because I was prepared.

"I am in politics and one of the things that I say to people a lot is that you cannot fight City Hall. A lawyer told me four years ago and it has not left my mind. You cannot fight City Hall, find a way to work with it because it will always be there so you can't fight City Hall and win.

"I am consoled because I was right. If push comes to shove, I know City Hall would want Merlene in that race and my first position if Peta-Gaye is out I would advise Peta-Gaye not to make the same mistake Ottey did, saying that if she is not running the flat race then she would not participate in the relays.

Dowdie said his back-up plan would have been for his daughter to stay in the relays and do a better leg than Ottey.

"That is the only way you can prove a point to City Hall."

"No lie liveth forever. Truth crushed to the ground will rise again. I have no doubt whether Peta-Gaye should be running the race or can run a better race than Merlene because the last two times they met she beat her. To me that means that if the same task is put to them again she (Peta-Gaye) is going to do better. That is the trend."

Dowdie also dismissed statements by team manager Winston Ulett that his daughter was not following the coaching plan given to her by the coach assigned. This, he said, despite the fact that he had not spoken to her since she went to Australia, is difficult to believe.

"I don't know her to be like that. That's not the way we taught her and brought her up. When I hear Ulett talking about Peta-Gaye not adhering to programmes given to her by her coach, something has to be wrong because that is one of the qualities of Peta-Gaye. For all her coaches she is like a lamb to the slaughter. That has always been her approach all along.

"The fact that the argument about Peta-Gaye now is that she has not run many races since the trials is inconsistent with what happened after the World Championships last year. I was approached by a member of the JAAA's who expressed to me that they think Peta-Gaye could have done better at the Games had she not gone on the Grand Prix circuit and for this reason, this year she only signed for two races after Champs because she did not want them to complain again that she was burning out herself running after money and not being able to do anything for the country.

"As a matter of fact she didn't go to one of those races that she signed up for because of the travel and the hassle that was involved, she opted not to go and it was all in concern about her being exhausted. She ran two races and the times were better than the Olympic trials," he continued.

He said he knew the powers that be were in trouble as they wanted Ottey to run.

"I do not have a problem with that. Merlene has done a lot for herself and, in extension, the country. They (her statements) have shown me now that she has done it for herself first and then the country.

"It was not country then self because Peta-Gaye would not have made that statement. As I said, I am really disappointed because what does she have to lose? She could have medalled and her earning potential would have risen. She has also said that she does not want to be in athletics as long as Merlene because she wants a family," said Mr. Dowdie.

By Nodley Wright

Staff Reporter

[Karl]

We would have been worse off with Peta-Gay Dowdie. If you say with the argument that the JAAA should have stayed with the results based on the thought that the first 3 past the post should be selected then...?

...but as far as I know the JAAA had laid down regulations that they could make that call of replacement.

I do not know if the regulations have changed ...but I think it is a sound one.

Has the JAAA made selections that appear strange?
Of course!

...but selectors are human and in some cases it their subjective opinions find the majority of public outraged. ...but we live with the human call.

The VCB situation I think was of a different kind. Those three ladies - Kerron, Shelly-Ann and Sherone were going great guns. There just was no logic that suggested any of the three could be denied their place.

The JAAA made the right call in both instances. I agree with Historian.