Well Said, Baddaz!!

[Historian]

Baddaz, I hope you don’t mind me copying and posting this comment from the track and field forum next door without your permission. I’m posting it here because it I think you made a really relevant observation as well as a timely reminder to us track and field fans who sometimes go overboard with our patriotism.

I agree 100 percent with the sentiments you have expressed.
http://disc.yourwebapps.com/discussion.cgi?disc=113916;article=341137;title=Ca ribbean%20Track%20%26%20Field%20Forum

baddaz
these athletes respect jamaica and support our meet...
Sat May 5, 2012 13:41

they are deserving of our respect... they make the rivalry real and hold the interest of track and field fans throughout the world... and they do come to jamaica and support... i respect them for that...

darvis (doc) patton
carmelita jeter
bershawn (batman)jackson
bianca knight

i've met all of those i mentioned and they all had good things to say about jamaica and jamaican athletes... they love the vibes of the people and look forward to going to jamaica to compete...

they deserve a big ups...

oh, btw sanya richards-ross is deserving of mucho big ups... she has done much to help with athletes participation at the games...

[Karl]

2nd dat!

[MdmeX]

Me 3rd dat! RESPEK to you Baddaz for the post!

[TDowl]

There are a lot of newbies in the Bar, who have no sense of T&F history, or where we should be going...Big up Badazz...

Historian stop peep and buy a rounds...

[Historian]

It's the Truth

There are a lot of newbies in the Bar, who have no sense of T&F history, or where we should be going...Big up Badazz...

Historian stop peep and buy a rounds...

TDowl, you are correct, my friend!

I don’t often copy other people’s posts from elsewhere and place them here, but I am so much in agreement with what Baddaz said that I decided to place it here.

Too many Jamaicans, in their overt nationalism, sometimes fail to be honest and assign credit where it should be given, for example in the case of athletes like Carmelita, Sanya, Bianca, Darvis, Bershawn, and others such as Richard Thompson and Debbie Ferguson. These athletes can always be depended on to show themselves at our premier track and field event and thereby helping to make it the success it has become.

On another but related note, I think back to some of the disparaging comments that have been made about Ato Boldon, with his critics conveniently forgetting that (a) he is an employee of NBC, and (b) that since he landed the job as a live commentator with that television station, Jamaica’s athletes have been given the prominence we never had (from NBC) in the past. Now, for the first time, American and other viewers know the fine, positive details about our athletes and about the existence of world class institutions such as MVP and Racers.

[Jangle]

Very good points Histy. I was one who disliked Ato from back in the days when he was running because i thought he was trying too hard to accepted by the Americans. However, I must say that his commentary and analysis, especially concerning the Jamaican athletes are very astute. He gives credit where credit is due and criticism accordingly. His knowledge of the sports is vast, and I like how he is at Champs every year which helps him to educate the American tv fans of just how much work we Jamaicans put into our T&F.

[Gamma]

so ato has grown and progressed, that has to be a good thing.

[Exile]

RE: Ato..knows T&F but must prepare for the commentary...smtimes out of time...BTW - I keep saying Ato's Mom is a JAMAICAN!! Cld hv ran for Ja and almost did....till Gov gave hime $$$s

[Baddaz]

so weh mi fi seh... yuh done put it up aready... lol... you kno its no worries... glad yuh decide tuh put it here...

pon de real, as yuh seh, sometimes some of us get overzealous wid de patriotism and lose sight of de bigger picture, dat is track & field wi enjoy and support... de athletes respect dem one anedda and we should too... de sport is de bigga ting...

when we have global meets iz a whole nedda kettle a fish... jamaica str8...

[Willi]

Its correct.

Despite the rivalry, all these athletes are friendly and approachable.

These especially come to Jam to compete regularly, so deserve a big up just for that.

[Willi]

From Clarendon too. LoL

In fact, mi know Ato personally.

Him personally arranged 2 free tix for me back in the day when he was a big track star...and he only knew me online before. Just as a favor to a fellow Caribbean who he knew from forums. Tickets in Zurich did sell off and when I told him that, he hooked me up with 2 tix for me and a co-worker (who eventually couldn't make it)...Face value of the tickets at today's exchange rate??? $500!

Turn out I didn't even need them, as Ratbat and Tessa Sanderson get mi in free and we sat in the media section right on the finish line! We coulda almost touch merlon after she crossed the line. LOL

[Peter R]

The same could be said of some attitudes toward American football, I mean football as played by Americans... some people refuse to give them credit despite the fact we are always competing for third spot in CONCACAF for WC qualifying... we've made it once, they are there every four years now for the last little while...

[Islandman]

True but anyone who refuses to admit that the US is now way ahead of Jamaica where football is concerned is just being silly. The hard facts speak for themselves.