Why does the US track team suck so bad?

Question

If you have been watching the Olympics tonight you know what I'm talking about.

Answer 1

they stopped doping once marion jones was caught

Answer 2

This is a complex question, so you have to examine several factors:

1)  Title X - title 10 has destroyed a number of minor athletic programs around the U.S.  Don't belive me?, just do some research about the number of programs cut by irresponsible title 10 compliance.  Look at the results - Cejudo won gold in wrestling and he didn't even go to college and we didn't win ANY BOXING MEDALS AT ALL?!??!  Title 10 has killed college wrestling and boxing is just collateral damage as gyms, leagues, and other historic training grounds for combat sportspeople in the U.S. simply dry up and go away.

2)  Capitalism - let's face it, capitalism is GREAT and the most powerful driver is money.  What little boy or girl wants to grow up and be a track star????  How much are they going to get paid for doing that?  How much time can an average little boy or girl in America devote when those with athletic potential are being pulled toward football, basketball, and baseball?  Who can devote the time and energy it takes to become an olympic caliber weightlifter, pole vaulter, or high jumper if it doesn't pay a bill somewhere down the road?  How many high school's do you see with a vibrant pole vaulting program - or even a swimming pool anymore?

3)  The age of the electronics - Obesity, lack of a desire to even go outdoors, and a desire to spend more than 2 hours a day with some form of electronic entertainment has stunted athletic drive in our children.  They don't like to go outside in the heat or even sweat - and how do we expect them to get the energy and drive to seek olympic gold, where children start training (in other countries) at the ripe age of 5 - 8 years old?

4) Talent returns to their home country... The U.S. hosts more foreign students in our universities than any other country in the world.  These atheletes take up spots and train in the NCAA - however they don't go to the Olympics under the U.S. flag and instead return to their countries to compete against us.

5)  Lack of strategic overview - Read the papers, China has around 400,000 people in their sports training programs.  They focused on what they needed to do to win  gold in an array of sport we in the U.S. think of mostly as "recreational" - diving, table tennis, shooting.  We went to the olympics with an "okay, who is running the relay" standpoint that killed us becuase we didn't see it coming - we didn't know the strength of the competition becuase we didn't have the strategic mindset to find out and we rested on our laurels of past olympics because we think our reputation can get us around the track and get gold.

I love America and I love our teams.  I served proudly for over 8 years as a United States Marine, so don't think I don't love our country or think its the best in the world.

  The world is just too competitive to simply show up and start running around.  I was in Beijing all last week cheering them on and saw the 4x100 and the 4x400 relays.  The problem isn't the atheletes.  The problem is the lack of strategic oversight, planning, and policy that prevents us from an overarching and long-term strategy to acheive our awesome potential - WRITE THE USOC and tell them what you think!!!!!  All the college football and basketball in the world will win exactly ONE gold medal in London in 2012 so perhaps we should rethink the way we are funding our college athletics!!

Answer 3

cause micheal phelps doesn't do track

Answer 4

omg i know..it sucks, but at least we are better at other things...

Answer 5

The USA apoints figure heads for its relay teams. These figure heads are only responsible for one year of performance, and thus only have there job for one year, regardless of there success.

The USA relay teams also tend to have little practice because the team is picked on the performance at the USA trials, giving them very little time to practice.  

Answer 6

It appears that they're talented but undisciplined.

The coaches haven't done their job either. Take a look at the relay bib numbers. They're blank bibs where the letters USA are written with a black marker. Plus the athletes never practiced their relay exchanges.

Enjoy!

Answer 7

if i told you it would be considered  as racist !!!!

Answer 8

Is this about the relay race where both teams were DQed in the semi's cause they both dropped the boton. Or is it because of Usane bolt who is crazy fast!!!!!