Houstonag: What I saw was something similar to what you are saying – the incoming runner seemed to slow down too much at the point of the hand off instead of pushing thru.

Overall, we did great! We won a National Championship. It is the first we have won as an SEC team. Our first of many to come - track and in other sports.

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I personally believe our technique in both relays is flawed.

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Why is it that the women can make such beautifully smooth passes in the 4X1 and never miss what should be a safe pass in the 4X4? They have the same coaches.

That's a big part of why the women, especially in the 4X1 have been so good over the last several years - the transitions. It isn't superior speed. We have terriffic sprinters, but they aren't world beaters. We've had exactly 3 relay teams that featured a NC sprinter - one with Simone Facey and two with Porscha Lucas.

Passing the baton is THE critical part of any relay. I don't understand why the men have, and have had, such a difficult time with it.

The women have some problems but not as much as the men. I have watched many meets in person and on tv. Ran in a few many years ago. We can be much better and with our speed we might actually do great.

It takes two things. Method and practice. Practice until you can do it blind.

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Overall, we did great! We won a National Championship. It is the first we have won as an SEC team. Our first of many to come - track and in other sports.

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Congrats to them all!

Amen!

If the points from both MEN’s and WOMEN’s teams are added together, the results are:

Texas A&M – 97
Oregon – 87
Florida – 78
Arkansas – 76.5
Kansas – 68
LSU – 67

Today, we demonstrated that, even with adversity, we still have the best T&F program in America.

In addition, we are definitely in the strongest conference in America. Four of the Top 6 schools are SEC schools.

Very proud of out T&F athletes.



Gig 'em, FAST FRED '65.

Before the world wide web, village idiots usually stayed in their own village.

Fighten' Texas Aggie Band '64

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I know why we have had many mistakes on exchanges over the past several years. Pat must know also.

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Apparantly, the problem is so complex that no one can figure it out. Maybe Pat should petition for a handle being added to the baton.

Not so sure why people are "happy" with a tie. Botched up relays cost us a title. The season was good maybe, but we lost a national championship trophy: we now share that trophy with Fla.

Not to happy about that...

By the way, if you want another bright side, the fact that to weren't DQd means that you will win the cap one cup for the men and not us. The dq or lack thereof is the difference and means 200k for your school. We had won it the last two years.

If we have to share the title it is only fitting we share it with an SEC bretheran which shows the SEC dominance!

SEC SEC SEC

A national title is a national title, no excuses.

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By the way, if you want another bright side, the fact that to weren't DQd means that you will win the cap one cup for the men and not us.

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How do you figure?

Right now in the cap one cup you are slightly ahead of us so with a split that's how it will stay, had the Dq happened you would have gotten no points, we would have won track with you second. A split keeps you ahead of us, the difference between first and second would have been enough for us to pass you.

Amazing. The SEC is strong in every sport except it needs to pick it up in men's basketball. Amazing conference with amazing talent in all sports.

The struggles of the 4x1 are one thing, but the 4x4 has saved our bacon on a national level on numerous occasions. The same group in the same order dominated practically every race they ran this year. It was a most unfortunate incident at the most inopportune time, but the life lesson is that even with practice and repetition occasionally a 22 year old handing off to a 19 year old will make a mistake.

For those asking why we are "happy with a tie" I say we are happy with a National Championship. We are happy with a group of students representing the university in an outstanding fashion. Happy with a group of students giving all out effort, and empathetic toward those same students who feel the disappointment and frustration of that dropped baton a million times more than we will ever know. Some will continue to disagree, and that's fine. The bottom line is in the last 5 NCAA Outdoor meets and a combined 10 M/W results, the WORST team finish on either side is 3rd place. That's better than any 5 year Outdoor combined run for Coach Henry at LSU. And that, my friends, is pretty darn good.

Thanks and Gig 'Em!

+1 and besides, we beat Oregon. In track, that's as good as beating Texas.........

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Not so sure why people are "happy" with a tie. Botched up relays cost us a title.

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You are aware that prior to '09, and with the exception of softball in the '80s, we were known for our national championships in livestock judging and equestrian.

I mean that was the joke - not to belittle any Aggie accomplishments, and I like equestrian.

But, the perception was why would any minority athlete want to attend such a school (read Jerrod Johnson A Progressive A&M: The impact of Sumlin's hiring).

So, when we win a NC, shared or otherwise, let's appreciate our accomplishments and the direction we are heading.

About two years ago at the Dallas A&M Club Friday weekly meeting Coach Henry brought a baton as part of his speech.

We got a huge laugh when somebody at his table dropped the baton to the floor. Lots of rueful remarks.

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Not so sure why people are "happy" with a tie. Botched up relays cost us a title. The season was good maybe, but we lost a national championship trophy: we now share that trophy with Fla.

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We didn't lose anything. We're the National Champions.

I am very proud of our teams. They work hard and Pat has done a great job. The individual scores were phenomenal.

A quote from "The Oregonian" Web site:

“The Oregon women's team has been upfront about its goal of winning a NCAA outdoor title since school started in the fall. When you shoot that high, it makes anything less a miss.

The Ducks finished third in the women's standings, which would be pretty good for most programs. This one is different. With the money, facilities, and commitment from the school and community that Oregon has, it's a little shocking to realize the Ducks haven't won an outdoor championship since the women's title in 1985. The men last won it all outdoors in 1984.”

I cannot believe that it has been that long since the Ducks last won a Championship, esp. with the talent they have recruited.
The announcers focused most of their attention and comments on Oregon throughout the meet.

Great job ags!

It IS disappointing that we were one step away from just needing to "mail in" the 4x400 relay and secure the title, and we came within a hair of conceding the title, due to a flub up.

That being said, as Pat Henry said at the welcome home celebration, it took four days of solid performances to put the team in that place of dominance.

I mean, shoot - if Henry Lelei hadn't stumbled on the 3000m steeplechase (which he was favored to win), he would have scored 10 points instead of 8 points - and we wouldn't have even had to run the 4x400 relay to win the NC.

People who are complaining about the dropped baton and "settling" for a shared title are the same knuckleheads who claim that football games are lost due to phantom pass interference or holding calls.

Our team dominated the competition to the point where even a royal screw up didn't cost us the title. And a shared title is still a title - they won't put an asterisk on the wall of the T&F stadium, I can guarantee it.

In the last 6 years Oregon has:

4 Women's Indoor Championships
2 Men's Cross Country Championships
1 Men's Indoor Championship
1 Women's Cross Country Championship

So while they aren't winning any outdoor titles, they are still winning quite a bit.

(it is kinda amusing that they have won 5 indoor titles in the last 5 years while having an awesome outdoor facility but no real indoor facility while we have won 7 outdoor titles while having an awesome indoor facility but no real outdoor facility)

[This message has been edited by nereus (edited 6/10/2013 5:37p).]

[This message has been edited by nereus (edited 6/10/2013 5:39p).]