LETTER OF THE DAY - Asafa Powell The 'Macka Diamond' Of Athl

[Skeng DX]

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I am very displeased with Mr Asafa Powell's attitude towards major championships. He continues to chicken out when it comes to the test for him to prove himself against top athletes such as Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay on the greatest stage.

However, he has no problem 'tearing' up the track when it comes down to money. The latest saga was at the recently concluded World Championships.

According to the 'man' who called Yohan Blake a 'boy', he was 99 per cent sure of winning a gold medal at the championships. However, he pulled out on the eve of it. He couldn't run for the 4x100m team, yet miraculously recovered in time to compete in the Diamond League.

Usain Bolt - the triple world record holder, Olympic and World champion. Yohan Blake - the World champion. And Asafa Powell - MVP's 'cash cow'.

I pray that Asafa doesn't become the Macka Diamond of athletics.

ANDREW JAMES

realcutey2k@yahoo.com

Seaforth, St Thomas

[Willi]

Why post this when the writer does not check facts.

It has already been stated that the 99% sure interview was 6 weeks before the Daegu and the press ran it like it was recent.

Getting injured at the WCs does not mean he chickened out. Not running the relay was wise as if he pulled up when we had a certain gold, he would never live it down.

The letter writer is a waggonist and does not deserve a soapbox.

[Time]

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I am very displeased with Mr Asafa Powell's attitude towards major championships. He continues to chicken out when it comes to the test for him to prove himself against top athletes such as Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay on the greatest stage.

However, he has no problem 'tearing' up the track when it comes down to money. The latest saga was at the recently concluded World Championships.

According to the 'man' who called Yohan Blake a 'boy', he was 99 per cent sure of winning a gold medal at the championships. However, he pulled out on the eve of it. He couldn't run for the 4x100m team, yet miraculously recovered in time to compete in the Diamond League.

Usain Bolt - the triple world record holder, Olympic and World champion. Yohan Blake - the World champion. And Asafa Powell - MVP's 'cash cow'.

I pray that Asafa doesn't become the Macka Diamond of athletics.

ANDREW JAMES

realcutey2k@yahoo.com

Seaforth, St Thomas

Andrew James, money is what matters most in professional sport. Asafa has bills to pay.

If he was not feeling well then it was wise decision not to run the 100m. Why risk injury when the Diamond League money was there for the taking after the WC.

It was the team doctor kicked him off the 4 x 1 team and that was the best decision for Asafa and the 4 x 1 team. We did not need him to win and he needed to start in the Diamond League in order to collect that money.

[Historian]

Agreed! Also....

The other question is this: Why did the Gleaner’s editor(s) choose to publish this trivial letter so prominently as “Letter of the Day,” and in the well-read Sunday edition at that?! Also, wasn’t the IAAF World Championships completed some three weeks ago? I thought issues for discussion in the print media benefitted from the element of “timeliness” and relevance?

Asafa’s weakness at major championships has been obvious, since 2004, to everyone on this planet who cares to know! What is the point of even selecting this re-hashed, stale discussion of Asafa’s well-known flaw for publication in a prestigious national newspaper?

Finally, maybe I’m missing something, but the literal relevance of the figure of speech in the final sentence eludes me: What does the writer mean by the “Macka Diamond of Athletics”?

[Skeng DX]

The other question is this: Why did the Gleaner’s editor(s) choose to publish this trivial letter so prominently as “Letter of the Day,” and in the well-read Sunday edition at that?! Also, wasn’t the IAAF World Championships completed some three weeks ago? I thought issues for discussion in the print media benefitted from the element of “timeliness” and relevance?

Asafa’s weakness at major championships has been obvious, since 2004, to everyone on this planet who cares to know! What is the point of even selecting this re-hashed, stale discussion of Asafa’s well-known flaw for publication in a prestigious national newspaper?

Finally, maybe I’m missing something, but the literal relevance of the figure of speech in the final sentence eludes me: What does the writer mean by the “Macka Diamond of Athletics”?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-DnXABW0BQ

[Historian]

Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-DnXABW0BQ

Much thanks for the clarification, Skeng D. I appreciate it.

[Islandman]

This "not running the relay" thing is the most ridiculous part of this anti-Asafa movement.

The team ran without him, won the gold, broke the world record. Sounds like the perfect outcome to me.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqBGlPsKyNs

Is what the ************ more we want???

[Gamma]

yes..but yuh know anytime people have yuh up dem throw everything after yuh ... what stick, stick ... (stick stick stick ... get ih?)

[Sickko]

no, I dont get it

[Mosiah]

has to do with the Puma ad I'm guessing.

[Gamma]

das right....