Thorpe Back in the 400?!?!!

Shaky, Your point is well taken, but go the other way - Stevens is number 2 and he doesn't want to give up his spot, but the Aussie swim federation drops him in favor of Thorpe, because they are allowed to appoint whoever they want (doesn't sound too fair). As for the rules and how they can be bent or skewed. I believe it was Jeff Kostoff who helped a team mate qualify for the nationals in the 1500 (I believe it was the 1500, maybe 1650, and I can't remembr the team mates name). Now this team mate was still a few seconds from the time standard and Kostoff had all ready qualified so at this qualifying meet, at the first turn Kostoff misjudged his turn and ended up in his teammates lane (Kostoff is disqualified but continues to swim ahead of his teammate who benefits from drafting and makes his qualifying time once again no rules broken but definitely lack of sportsmanship ). Lastly call it like is, if they are going to reserve the right to appoint who they want then call it the Olympic Team swimming tryouts.

I tend to agree with Shaky. I hate it when someone says, "Sorry, that's our policy, there's nothing I can do." It sounds llike the Aussies figured out a way to make this right. If he's my teammate, I'd want him to swim his event. As for playing the "what if" game, he didn't swim the race and cramp up, or finish fourth, or get abducted by aliens for that matter. He fell off the block before the start of the race. I didn't think that the Trials meet was meant to be an end in itself but a means to an end--the selection of the Olympic team. Anyway, Stevens still gets to swim the 1500.

Originally posted by aquageek I will agree the whole situation smells a little fishy. In today's sporting world, nothing is really above belief anymore, unfortunately. Unfortunately, you are correct. There is so much money involved in sports for the atheletes, owners, agents, TV, etc., etc., etc. that it rules sports. Those of us who are big sports fans feel like the pure sport of it is lost. At least that is how I feel.

This was not a technicality for crying out loud! It's starting to come across like Stevens has done something wrong for making the team when THORPE FALSE STARTED! The only thing Stevens has done is make the team in a fair competition. The only thing the AOC has done is change the rules, I'm sorry "interpret" the rules, because THORPE FALSE STARTED. Again, would I like to see Thorpe swim? Absolutely. But this absolutely, unequivocally stinks for Stevens. I really have no other opinion than that- I've said it in earlier posts... I just don't want Stevens to look like he's doing something wrong ("he should step down") when he probably had the swim of his life, had his dreams come true, and then get scr#$!@ because THORPE FALSE STARTED! If it were me (and I know it isn't!) no amount of money would make this situation right. And who wants to be remembered in Aussie swimming history for this? Did I mention THORPE FALSE STARTED? :p

tjburk: You seem to be the last holdout that this is some black and white issue, when it obviously is not. The only thing that Thorpe is out of was that heat. The rules, which no one has yet to quote (mabye due to the fact they don't exist), allow, apparently for the "next-ranked" swimmer which is HIGHLY subjective. I have yet to understand why there is such resistance. Either people don't want to see a good race, don't want the USA to miss a medal or just think the US has the right to dictate rules worldwide. I, personally, want the best to race. If that means the "next-ranked" swimmer goes, then so be it. I'd like to see an argument that the world's best swimmer in the 400 doesn't qualify as the "next-ranked" swimmer.

I have to disagree with Shaky. What may be fair for Thorpe (letting him into the O's) is not fair for Stevens. If making a change is not fair for everyone, then it is not the right thing to do. I still believe the right thing to do is to let the guy who earned the spot on that particular day have the spot.

Originally posted by Scansy What may be fair for Thorpe (letting him into the O's) is not fair for Stevens. It's not so much about what's fair for Thorpe and Stevens as what's fair for the team, the country, the games and the world. It's unfair to deprive the team and country of their best athlete for the event. It's unfair to the games and the world to deprive the other athletes of the opportunity to pit themselves against the best. Thorpe is the fair choice for everyone except Stevens. I feel bad for the guy, but I'm pretty sure he too knows who belongs on the team, and that he only had his spot via a technicality. Even if he doesn't, if we're going to talk about what's fair, I think that fairness to the team, the country, the sport, the games and the world outweigh fairness to this one guy who shouldn't have been there in the first place. The sportsmanlike thing here is for Stevens to realize his place and step down. Or does he really think he's a better swimmer than Thorpe, and thus deserving of Thorpe's place? I'm starting to wonder if some of you folks work for the DMV...:p

The fact is the Aussies have an Olympic trials meet to pick the team. It is the end of the line if you don't make it. Going into the meet everyone knew it including Thorpe, the officials, judges and fans. If they didn't want to take the change of having Thorpe miss the team they should've never put him on the blocks. You get up there with the rest of the mortals and take your chance and live with the results. Everything would've gone on just fine without Thorpe in the 400. Now a popularity contest is deciding who swims. I don't want to hear how he's the best and the 400 will be tainted or scarred without him. That's a load of crap. The 400 will do just fine without him and more people will applaud the courage of the officials and Craig Stevens then those that will be upset. How many people would've thought Nat Coughlin would've gotten 3rd in the 200 back at the NCAA meet? We and the Aussies swim the races on a particular day to pick the team. It's fine to argue that's wrong but that's a different topic entirely. He could've gotten third that day but it seems that doesn't matter. Others had to do it right to try to make the team. He didn't have to perform at all because there is no way he could've finished out of the top 2. Right. Upsets never happen. The best always win. They can pick the team any way they want because it's their team and they can interpret the rules any way they want. No argument. It still smells.

Ahh, the good of the many outweigh the good of the few or the one. That may have been true for Mr. Spock but it's wrong here. Stevens earned his spot and I sure wish he'd stick his ground and keep it. Thorpe didn't earn his spot by racing in the trials. If money is the issue then he'll make plenty selling his story either way. Originally posted by Shaky It's not so much about what's fair for Thorpe and Stevens as what's fair for the team, the country, the games and the world. It's unfair to deprive the team and country of their best athlete for the event. It's unfair to the games and the world to deprive the other athletes of the opportunity to pit themselves against the best. Thorpe is the fair choice for everyone except Stevens. I feel bad for the guy, but I'm pretty sure he too knows who belongs on the team, and that he only had his spot via a technicality. Even if he doesn't, if we're going to talk about what's fair, I think that fairness to the team, the country, the sport, the games and the world outweigh fairness to this one guy who shouldn't have been there in the first place. The sportsmanlike thing here is for Stevens to realize his place and step down. Or does he really think he's a better swimmer than Thorpe, and thus deserving of Thorpe's place? I'm starting to wonder if some of you folks work for the DMV...:p

DQ = Disqualification/Disqualify - To make ineligible for a prize or for further competition because of violations of the rules. Merriam Webster