In a message dated 2/21/01 4:28:08 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Well, like metrics, we've done this thread amny times before too. And I'll
> say again what I always say: Team Track will never catch on.
>
> It will not catch on for the same reason that Team Tennis never caught on.
> Track and tennis are both intrinsically *individual* sports. There are
> relays, but those are just one more event. The track "team" does not
> compete as a unit in a central game. Instead we add up a bunch of scores
> from individual competitions and call it a team score.
>
> When the Lakers and Jazz play each other, you know that Shaq and Malone
will
>
> be shoving each other under the basket for the rebounds. Each will be
> running plays with their respective teammates. But when the "Indiana
> Invaders" face the "LA Lions" in track, Kennedy and Godina might as well
all
>
> be standing on different continents for all the direct competing they will
> be doing against each other.
>
> If NBA basketball were played the same way as team track, you would have
two
>
> opposing guards face each other in a free throw shooting contest. The
> centers would stage a slam dunk competition. And for the final event the
> forwards would compete in a rousing game of HORSE. Then the individual
> scores from each of these events would be added up to determine which
"team"
>
> won the "basketball meet".
>
> I say give it up. Track is simply not a true team sport. If it were they
> would give Olympic gold medals to all members of the winning team as they
do
>
> in basketball and soccer. But it's not, so they give separate medals in
> each event, as they should.
>
> Kurt Bray
>
Why does it work for Gymnastics and it sure seemed important and exciting at
my collegiate conference track championships.
