Ato Boldon blasts underperforming U.S. tracksters
Ato Boldon has been first-rate for NBC as a track analyst.
Check out this eye-opening stuff from Boldon and Tom Hammond hammering the U.S. squad for its, um, uneven results in Beijing:
HAMMOND: "You have to look at the new leadership here at U.S. Track & Field and wonder if it's been a vacuum of leadership. There does seem to be no cohesiveness, seems everyone has their own agenda."
BOLDON: "It is really not just the relay team. We were at their training camp and they have had every single thing laid out for them -- they were absolutely in the lap of luxury. And maybe that's part of the problem. Because this team, I thought when it was chosen in Eugene, Oregon, was one of the best USA teams ever. And in fact, they have come to Beijing and they have underperformed, the likes of which we probably have never seen from a U.S. track & field team.
"And guys to be quite honest, the fact that there was a departure by the previous CEO, and there was a vacancy there in the Olympic year, quite possibly could have meant that that vacuum of the leadership for USA Track & Field has affected severely the performance of this U.S. Olympic team."
Yikes! I didn't write enough about the Olympics over the past two weeks. Blame Mike, Chris and Brett.
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Comments (3)
How can you consider this sort of commentary "first rate?" I've been wanting to reach my hand through the screen and punch those track & field commentators ever since I started watching. I thought that exchange you quote above was disgusting and uncalled for. You know, mistakes happen. Hurdles get clipped, batons get dropped. And Jamaica is really stinking good. It's like every time a favored American fails to bring home the gold these idiots have to tear them to shreds.
Batons get dropped. I feel bad for the two involved but it happpens. Other countries are just better.
And the best USA teams ever meme from Boldon is a total ESPN-ization of sports about "Who's Now?". What about the '36 team who despite Marty Glickman and another team member could not participate due to their religion in Nazi Germany and still beat the Nazis and Italian Fascists. Plus they did it cleanly. Some people were saying the girl's US gymnastics team ever, uh no that's the Magnificent Seven from '96. Some people even dare to say the Redeem Team is better than the Dream Team. Even with the warts such as Laettner and no Isiah Thomas the team would put 30 on this team.
honesty is the best policy. batons should never be dropped at the olympics. thats just concentration. you wait 4 years and then you drop the baton. inexcusable.
and its a disgrace to compare this team to the dream team. the center position alone would end the argument. plus the 96 team would kill this team by the 30.