Justin Freeman??

How does Justin Freeman make the Olympic team given his form at the
U.S. Nationals? A very good skier, but....Chad Giese, David
Chamberlain, or maybe Erik Flora would have been a better selection.

I don't want to be too cynical, but I guess it doesn't hurt that little
brother is the country's best skier.

Jim

Must be another influence-peddling scandal in the brewing. With all the
huge money in nordic skiing corruption is inevitable. I wouldn't be
surprised if Tom Delay was involved.

Jim Howe wrote:
How does Justin Freeman make the Olympic team given his form at the
U.S. Nationals? A very good skier, but....Chad Giese, David
Chamberlain, or maybe Erik Flora would have been a better selection.

I don't want to be too cynical, but I guess it doesn't hurt that little
brother is the country's best skier.

Jim

wrote:


How about Leif Zimmerman making the team after his showing at
Nationals. Seems to be a very subjective process. Subjective
selection processes do not help build a base of atheletes or a
competitive team.

I know there are many factors that are considered when picking an
athelete for the Olympic team (past results, experience, etc.).
However, I think the factor that should have the greatest weight is
most recent results and D. Chamberlain has proven at Nationals that he
has better form than Justin Freeman atg the present time.

Jim

....selection based on points over the previous year.

Jay Wenner

For LOTS of comments on the selections and the selection process, head over
to teamtoday.com, lots of big names giving their thoughts.

As I have read through them, it is very interesting. Overall I think the
process for selection may not be the best but one central point is that all
athletes knew the criteria. The team didn't have to select solely on the
points list but they could and looks like they did. As many others have
said, there will always be people on the bubble. Always some
dissapointments.

Personally I think Chamberlain should be on the team. He is skiing better
than Leif or Justin right now but who knows who will be skiing well in a few
weeks when it counts.

Dave



"Jim Howe" wrote in message
oups.com...
How does Justin Freeman make the Olympic team given his form at the
U.S. Nationals? A very good skier, but....Chad Giese, David
Chamberlain, or maybe Erik Flora would have been a better selection.

I don't want to be too cynical, but I guess it doesn't hurt that little
brother is the country's best skier.

Jim

A correction: teamtoday.ORG, not teamtoday.COM

Please read the selection criteria before insinuating conspiracy.
http://ussa.org/PublishingFolder/432.htm. The men were taken straight
off the USSA points list. 100% objective criteria. This has basically
been the same criteria used for the last 5 years to select teams.

Justin Freeman could not get out of his own way at Nationals, but he
also raced exceptionally well earlier in the year. He was sick at the
World Cups in Canada, raced the long race and killed himself, then
spent the time in between recovering. He has talent and the training
that could allow him to rebound by the Olympics. He is lucky to have
squeaked onto an unusually large team, but he did so based on the
published criteria. Fair and square. Same with Leif. Should they be
on the team ahead of Chamberlain? Probably not. But that's a tough
call and it is 100% subjective. Dave raced well at US Nationals and
got screwed because Ivan Babikov destroyed the field and made US
Nationals points worth about as much as a local time trial for anyone
who was not on the form of their life. But that is just fate
conspiring against him and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

I know that it is fun to speculate, but come on guys, at least have a
little bit of knowledge or do some basic research before making broad
proclamations like this. This kind of baseless negativity just
detracts from the fact that we have a team of great US athletes
representing us at the Olympics. This is a crew of athletes that has
been producing exciting international results showing potential for
performances we haven't seen in decades at the Olympics. If you have a
problem with the selection process (and there are problems), be
constructive about it, learn the facts and try to help get it changed.
I don't understand why everyone is so up in arms about using the
objective criteria that have not changed in years to select a team. It
seems a lot better to spend our energy supporting the athletes and
coaches that are going to represent us at the Olympics.

-Nathan
www.natronnordic.com
www.teamfsx.com

Nathan Schultz wrote:
A correction: teamtoday.ORG, not teamtoday.COM

Please read the selection criteria before insinuating conspiracy.
http://ussa.org/PublishingFolder/432.htm. The men were taken straight
off the USSA points list. 100% objective criteria. This has basically
been the same criteria used for the last 5 years to select teams.

Justin Freeman could not get out of his own way at Nationals, but he
also raced exceptionally well earlier in the year. He was sick at the
World Cups in Canada, raced the long race and killed himself, then
spent the time in between recovering. He has talent and the training
that could allow him to rebound by the Olympics. He is lucky to have
squeaked onto an unusually large team, but he did so based on the
published criteria. Fair and square. Same with Leif. Should they be
on the team ahead of Chamberlain? Probably not. But that's a tough
call and it is 100% subjective. Dave raced well at US Nationals and
got screwed because Ivan Babikov destroyed the field and made US
Nationals points worth about as much as a local time trial for anyone
who was not on the form of their life. But that is just fate
conspiring against him and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

I know that it is fun to speculate, but come on guys, at least have a
little bit of knowledge or do some basic research before making broad
proclamations like this. This kind of baseless negativity just
detracts from the fact that we have a team of great US athletes
representing us at the Olympics. This is a crew of athletes that has
been producing exciting international results showing potential for
performances we haven't seen in decades at the Olympics. If you have a
problem with the selection process (and there are problems), be
constructive about it, learn the facts and try to help get it changed.
I don't understand why everyone is so up in arms about using the
objective criteria that have not changed in years to select a team. It
seems a lot better to spend our energy supporting the athletes and
coaches that are going to represent us at the Olympics.

-Nathan
www.natronnordic.com
www.teamfsx.com

Nathan-

I respect your knowledge and agree that the team WAS pciked as per USSA
rules. Maybe this years process will finally help to make the reform
that has been needed for years. The USSA points system has been flawed
for years. The womens rankings have been and still are an absolute
joke. Luke has heard this for many years, but prefers not to mess with
the system- but it NEEDS to be messed with. I also beleive any system
that removes coaches discretion will leave some good people off the
team every year. Most of the other sports have the coach choose the
team. If we have faith in our coaching staff, then we should have faith
in their abilty to coose a team- maybe not the whole team, but at least
part of it should be chosen by the coach- not a flawed points system. I
think most of the bashing is aimed at our USSA leadership and process-
not at the team. Although some of the complaints come from people who
do not understand the process, there are also many people in the know
who question the choices also. USSA needs to be open to criticism and
change the process for the furture years.

Joe Ricci

The USGA changed the points format for Ryder Cup qualification to
reflect who is strongest when the team is made. They used a cumulative
points system over two years in the past that promoted guys who were
hot two years ago but wound up pretty cold by the time the Ryder Cup
Team was announced. Maybe the USSA-USST should check into changing to a
system weighted more towards recent results. Although, arguments can be
made for Dave Chamerlain, Chasd Giese, Justin Freeman, Erik Flora, Dave
Stewart etc, only one could be picked. Let's face it though, after
"Kalle", Kris Free, AJ and possibly Southam, the talent level drops a
bit. In fact, those four should be the Relay Team. Obviously, I'm not
addressing the sprinters. However, I'm sure some of the fringe team
members won't even ski a race...

J Tegeder
"On the podium if the right people don't show up!" JT