Olympian Mulkey: Is there any intelligent life out there?
Rome Olympian Phil Mulkey is spittin’ mad. He’s the latest to ream USATF for its decision not to give his longtime friend Phil Raschker its Masters Athlete of the Year Award. Phil, who won the USATF Masters Male Athlete of the Year Award in 1993, once coached Raschker. Now he’s sent a note detailing his arguments on Phil’s behalf. After I first wrote on this insane decision, I learned that it was the doing of USATF President Bill Roe, Masters T&F Chair Gary Snyder and Masters LDR Chair Donald Lein. They alone chose a sympathetic but obscure distance runner for USATF’s top masters award. Mulkey’s reaction? “Hello! Is there any intelligent life out there? Are you just visiting!”
Here’s the rest of Phil’s screed:
The absurd reasoning(?) for justification for Philippa Raschker NOT receiving the award defies (credulity). Pray thee, just what criteria has to be obtained by any one individual to qualify for such? But wait! Perhaps there are NEGATIVE reasons that would enable the honorable & noble committee to DISQUALIFY her and thereby prevent “a miscarriage of justice” and allow some other worthy person to be declared the recipient of the award, which I believe declared to be “THE MOST OUTSTANDING MALE or FEMALE T&F ATHLETE IN THE USA, 2007”
Limited as I am with all the ramifications of the English language, it still appears to me (without further explanation) that the award is intended for just that. (BLoggers please correct me if I am in error here). But following my earlier premise of why she SHOULDN’T get it, I present the following, to wit:
1) It is a well known presumption that she is an extremely dedicated, hard-working, and somewhat indefatable trainer and competitor. You call this fair? What ever happened to “the level playing field?”
2) She hasn’t had to overcome enough injuries. If one were to put aside the three knee and two achillies operations, plus a few hamstring and quad pulls (do migraines count?) she has been almost totally injury free!
3) She isn’t old enough. And besides, I know for a fact that she beats most of the men her age in a given event.
4) And what about this percentage thing? Can we in our hearts really accept a mathematical system that has been derived and fully accepted by all the major track and field organizations? Come on – 90+% indeed. What would that have to do with arriving at any MVP?
5) And championships and gold medals? Give me a break! What’s so tough about that? A bunch of old people running around in colored
10 Responses
So much for my early New Years resolution to stop commenting on this blog – or limiting myself to once a month. But enough about me.
The awarding of the female Athlete of the Year award has demonstrated clearly that there needs to be some clear cut standards for awarding any of these awards. It has been suggested in other places on this blog that age grading might be an appropriate standard. In that case it would be obvious that Phil Raschker’s numerous world records and gold medals trumps anyone else. Personally I was amazed to see that awardee had set a couple of American records – as in – oh American records trump world records. Hum – really!
I feel badly for the woman who was given the award with all the complaints about “how the heck”. It is not her fault – it is the doing apparently of three people who seem to have had some impairment of judgment.
And I was not aware that spreading it around was a criteria – gee- Phil has so many awards – we need to give someone else a break.
The change of the award system to limit the numbers and avoid giving age -group athlete of the year to someone just because they are still standing up and doing something seems to have deteriorated into – well lets spread it around.
There is something just a little screwy about all this.
I agree with Mary when she says that she feels bad for Lois Gilmore, the lady who won this award. She did run 35 road races this year that were age-graded above 90%. She had an outstanding season as well. We can debate this all we want, but I would hate to see her award tainted through no fault of hers. Stick a fork in this situation because it’s done! Let’s look forward to a more accurate selection in 2008.
I do not know much about the giving of awards for top female or male athlete
as discussed on this blog.But,I would like to stand up for Lois Gilmore.
I don’t know the lady or ever heard of her but it sure is disconcerting of how things are turning out
in her behalf.
Phyllis Provost
Dallas,Tx.
And another reason; Lois ran on the roads, where you have to think about what you’re doing so you don’t get run over by a car. Being a track athlete doesn’t really take any skill, compared to road racing. Phil didn’t have to worry about being lost on the course, or having a dog chase her. Most of us can even take a nap during a long distance track race, without worrying about hitting a pothole or tripping on a tree log. T&F doesn’t really require any athleticism!
And medals, shmedles! I got a fourth place ribbon in the 10,000 in Orono (M50), and I am still in heaven. Had I won a medal (or 10), I would have been like that ESPN commercial with that kicker trying to get through the medal (oops, I mean metal) detector. They take up too much space, are dangerous when handled by children under five, and probably contribute more to global warming than ribbons–so think of all the pollution and other degradation of the planet Phil was personally responsible for by winning all of these medals–and we were thinking of honoring for that? SHAME!
If I were in Ms.Raschker’s shoes (which, I could not even begin to fill) I would say, “If the winner of the award isn’t determined by a stop watch or a tape measure, then I don’t want it. I prefer to earn my awards rather than have them given to me.”
But that’s just me.
Well I guess all of those people complaining about having standards at championship meets need to shut their traps! Judging by all this fuss over an award, I guess all that stuff about running for the joy of the sport and including everybody was a bunch of crap. It’s a subjective award, get over it! At least Ms. Raschker has the class to stay out of it.
I think they should have the award for Phil every year (she deserves it ) and then one for other mortals. Some people might become discouraged.
George
This is the same Don Lein responsible for dumbing down the road all american standards to the point that my cat qualifies??
Shame on Phil Mulkey.So nice of him to defend his friend Phil but to say that Lois Gilmore is a sympathetic and obscure runner really shows a lot of class on his part.Have you read her resume? Not exactly as you described her.
Hello, I am the daughter of a former Master’s athlete, Adam Lanning III (96 marathons – 94 triathlons) and I’m trying to get in touch with Phil Mulkey who was his friend. bayberryls@yahoo.com
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