Thanks Javman. I remember incredible performances by distance runners like Brannon Kidder, Ron Addison, Bob Benz, John Zishka, Ricky Pittman, and a whole host of boys and girls distance runners, sprinters and field eventers that, without people like you and Craig Whitmore would see their historic performances vanish into the ether. Completely forgotten thanks to the thoughtless, irrational, archaic rule set forth by people who do not recognize how hard these athletes work and how rare it is to achieve these marks. The OHSAA rule covers all athletes of course, but in the case of a senior, how can they not recognize a mark set at our own national championships, regardless of whether a person has officially graduated or not? A graduation date is a random date set by the school. The athlete is still competing within their senior season. And regardless of class, it’s our sports national championship for God’s sake. Was this rule created by people that really understand the blood, sweat and tears these kids go thru to attain these heights? It’s a very cruel rule. These kids get to the end if an historic season, they are peaked, and against all odds achieve something incredible only to be denied by the fat cats in the suits. I understand maybe my frustration is just a Don Alexander thing. Maybe everyone agrees with the rule and it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been on the outside of the conventional. But I don’t think I’m alone. Actually, I may care more than the kids that set the marks. I think they just laugh, roll their eyes, and figure (correctly) that the rule was made up by a generation of people that don’t understand the sport and there is absolutely and apparently nothing anyone can do to change it. Kids are, if nothing else, very resilient by nature.
Analogy…look at the season as one race. The elite athlete gets to the very end of the race ready to break the string, realize a life long dream, and set an All-Time record. And then right before the finish line, a line of OHSAA officials stretches across the track to prevent them from finishing. Nice.
Lastly, don’t get me wrong…the accepted OHSAA marks are very impressive marks set by some of our All-Time best athletes. But many (most) of those marks are inferior to marks set at our own national championship/post-season invitationals. I look at the current OHSAA record list and feel real bad for the Kidder’s and Zishka’s and all the others who should without a shred of a doubt be on the list..
but aren’t.
Shaking my head….
Further to Mr. Alexander's points:
Elite athletes generally achieve historic performances when the peak of the training cycle coincides with the right circumstances: for example, when the competition is also great, the race strategy can be individually-focused, and the weather is favorable. The stars don't always align during the span of OHSAA season... as such, the OHSAA record holder may not also be the "GOAT".
Again, I look back to the 2012 season... a week before Brannon's 4:01.71c, his focus was on winning the 1600-800 double and helping his team make a run at the state title. The competition in the 1600 was strong but seemed to focus on their best strategies to ensure a runner-up finish... they allowed Brannon to go through 1200M in 3:17high. A 56.x close secured the 10points for the team but left enough in the tank to allow him to come back and win the 800M about an hour later. Brannon was clearly fit enough to run 4:05 on the day (in fact, he had run a converted 4:05 nearly a year earlier (at the Midwest Distance Gala), but that was not his goal at the state meet... the stars weren't aligned for a record run.
Moving to the national meets, the athletes are still generally under the care of their high school coaches... and have not started their college preparation. My experience suggests most athletes still feel like they are representing their communities and their schools... even their State, with great pride. Competition in the national meets is simply an extension of the high school season which provides elite competition, a motivating environment and the opportunity to "go for it". It's generally possible to hold the peak a little longer... and in good weather "records" fall.
Organizations set rules... and so be it. But people who know, know.
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it... did it make a sound? Of course it did.
If a guy runs 1609 meters in 4:03... is that faster than 1600 meters in 4:05? Of course it is.
Of course I am a "homer", raising the example of a Lancaster guy.
I am also a "homer" when it comes to the heroics of John Zishka, another Lancaster guy, back in the late 70's and early 80's. How is that we expunged the records John (and others) set before the conversion to metric distances. In addition to John, I got to watch Pittman and Nicholas... I got smoked by Alan Sharsu. Are their performances less impressive, their effort less worthy, because of a what amounts to an after-the-fact "management decision". How hard would it have been to maintain official records for the Mile and the 1600, the 440 and the 400... To not recognize the efforts and achievements of guys who raced before the metric conversion is just downright disrespectful.
Am I a "homer"? Yup! Guilty as charged. But I'll bet there are folks in Cleveland and Dayton... at Austintown... other schools and cities who feel the same way about their GOATs. And they are right!
This brings me back to my appreciation for the work of Mr Whitman, continued by the "Javman"
Thank you.
