First Congrats to both M&W Track Teams. Bringing it home every year...but tell me how do you drop the baton on the 4X400 when you are already without your 4X100 and all you have to do is get it around and you win outright. Never dropped it once in 4 years of HS track on 3 different relays several of which ran in the state finals. Still way to go!!! Really proud for them and A&M. More Learfield Director's Cup points. Wish we could finish about Florida.

[This message has been edited by 67Walkon (edited 6/10/2013 12:25p).]

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how do you drop the baton on the 4X400 when you are already without your 4X100 and all you have to do is get it around and you win outright

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They were trying to post their best time, not just ensure that we didn't split the team title with Florida.

Laying down a best time wasn't the issue...winning a national championship was! Outright if they could. Sometimes you have to sacrifice time for place. At that moment the NC took presedent over that particular race. They had already proven they were clearly the best team in the field, with poor connections they finish 3rd or 4th and would not had to share the podium with Florida. It meant a swing of about 30 points in the Director's Cup as well. Just an opinion..still impressed and proud.

[This message has been edited by 67walkon (edited 6/10/2013 2:01p).]

The point that the team won in the 4 X 400 is the point that won the national championship for us. Let's be happy about that, celebrate our victory and let it go at that. I, for one, am very proud of all of our track athletes and their great accomplishment!

You don't train one way all season then when you get to nationals try to run the race differently.

Use common sense men! I can tell what Pat Henry told them. Make your exchange. The NC is hanging in the balance. We didn't win the 4x400. We won the 4x100. We were lucky . Used to be you got no points for not finishing. I wasn't being critical just stunned they dropped it! Gig'em

[This message has been edited by 67Walkon (edited 6/10/2013 8:48p).]

Ok, my bad. I had read a report that they had dropped the baton and not finished! I just read they were running in the lead, dropped it, it stayed in their lane, Ricky picked it up and made the correct exchange within the Zone. Heads up move. If the receiver had picked it up he would have been DQ'd. I bet everyone in the stands was screaming for a DQ. Great coaching Pat. Sorry for running my mouth. Still should have been making absolutely sure they make the exchange even if they finish 3rd. Moving on. Nudder Natty!

They finished 8th. A 7th place finish wins the title outright.

I'm still proud of the effort!

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We didn't win the 4x400. We won the 4x100.

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Hard to win it when you don't even run it. A&M was DQ's at the regional meet and wasn't even an entrant in the 4X1. Makes it even more spectacular to win the NC scoring only 1 point in two of our strongest events.

I am very proud of our track and field athletes and their accomplishments on both the men's and women's side. It actually took a great effort by the ladies in both their relays to post a 2nd place finish given they were projected only somewhere in the top 6 prior to the meet. They had stellar performances all through the meet to get second.

The men, on the other hand, were projected favorites, but not my a lot. Arkansas unexpected buried everyone at the SEC meet and they qualified a ton of people, as did Florida and Oregon. Moreover, OU was running at home, which you'd figure would be worth some points. Things started out poorly in the regionals when our men's 4x100 was DQ'ed for passing out of lane, even though they got bumped on the pass. We protested, but to no avail. However, the rest of the meet went exceptionally well up until the 4X400. Some people are forgetting that we were in the great position prior to that final race only because we got exception performances all over the track and field exceeding our projected point totals while others were dropping like rocks.

I am disappointed the men dropped the baton in that last relay - I frankly have never heard of that happening in the 4x400. But the guys kept their head and made at least a bit of lemonade out of the lemons. And it doesn't make we any less satisfied with the final results.

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I frankly have never heard of that happening in the 4X400

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2010 Penn Relays, Curtis Mitchell to Tabarie Henry on the 3rd pass.

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/236836-2010-Penn-Relays/video/329611-M-4x400-Event-267-Champ-of-America

We also caught a break when Henry Lelei could have been dq'd for a false start in the steeplechase.

The dropped baton is due to a flawed method. The palm of the hand of the receiving runner must be up and the approaching runner must come down with the baton into the open palm. Simple, it works. The incoming runner must also drive through and not slough off at the end for he then decelerates causing a baton to be dropped.

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The dropped baton is due to a flawed method. The palm of the hand of the receiving runner must be up and the approaching runner must come down with the baton into the open palm. Simple, it works. The incoming runner must also drive through and not slough off at the end for he then decelerates causing a baton to be dropped.

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Be sure to tell Coach Henry

You're right HoustonAg. It looked to me like the incoming runner slowed up as he extended his arm to make the pass and the outgoing runner didn't look the baton in but took his eyes off it to look down track. The result fumble. And this is not the first time A&M has had trouble getting the baton passed.

In my day we were taught as the receiver to look down track with our hand up and make sure the baton was passed in the legal area. It was the passer's responsibility to make sure he placed the baton in hte receiver's upturned hand. However, I've noticed the more modern technique is to look the baton in to avoid drops. See the technique most teams use in the Olympics.

Having said all that, Congrats to Coach Henry and the Fightin' Texas Aggie Track Team. It's time to build this Coach and his Team an Outdoor Track befitting 7 National Championships. Gig 'em

Don't discount the pain of running 400m in 45 seconds or so. Nothing is easy after that.

Congratulations to the men's and women's track team for their outstanding accomplishment! Now let's build an outdoor track facility.

Pat knows, believe me. The method and execution technique that I am suggesting has proved itself over a long period of time. Effective passing in a 4X100 can be worth
(+or-)0.5 seconds on average. Blind exchange technique is recommended for this race with the baton never changing hands. The receiving runner drops his arm to his hip with his open palm up to receive the baton from the approaching runner who lays it into the open palm. The reciving runner never looks back.

In the 4X400 I estimate it can even be worth more if they are fully extended at the time of the exchange. I.e. a stride per exchange. You do the math.

I have seen teams beat faster individual runners of an opposing team due to crisp, perfect exchanges.

Of course, a runner is tired at the end but he still must deliver the baton to the receiving runner. The same way a champion swimmer drives into the wall. Just do it.

I completely agree with 67 here that winning the NC outright was the main goal, and not setting a PR.

I think Redd is off-base to believe that it requires a different way of running than you train all year to accomplish that.

That's like saying taking a knee in football at the end to protect a lead is different than the way you train all year to move the football downfield.

gimme a break- you sacrifice a little bit of speed to make sure you don't drop the baton. it's really not THAT complicated.

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I completely agree with 67 here that winning the NC outright was the main goal, and not setting a PR.

I think Redd is off-base to believe that it requires a different way of running than you train all year to accomplish that.

That's like saying taking a knee in football at the end to protect a lead is different than the way you train all year to move the football downfield.

gimme a break- you sacrifice a little bit of speed to make sure you don't drop the baton. it's really not THAT complicated.

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lol, totally different, but believe what you want

They f***** up. **** happens. They , and the fans have to live with it.

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I completely agree with 67 here that winning the NC outright was the main goal, and not setting a PR.

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I think its an interesting question...

First, its easy forget they had the 4x400 national championship on the line, too. I understand you might say "defer to the team" but lets also remember the team still won the national title. They got the same t-shirts, they got the same medals, they'll get the same rings that they would have got had A&M beat Florida outright.

I really don't believe anyone on the team would want the 4x400 guys to take it "easy" and give up on winning the race they've been busting their asses for just so they don't have to "share" with Florida.

Second, national titles are kind of "old hat", so to speak. I don't mean to say I think the team is bored of them, or that they're not vastly important, but I don't think their goal, at this point, is to just go out and win the team national championship outright. Its to go out, put together a weekend full of performances like we've never seen before.

If it backfires, it backfires. That's the risk when trying to push the limits, and I think the team realizes it just as easily could have been them screwing up earlier in the meet and costing the team points. Its not the 4x400 guys' fault their race is the last one of the meet.

[This message has been edited by TXAggie2011 (edited 7/9/2013 4:00a).]

Good thought Aggie2011. I am still placing a outright and possible capitol cup win over a 4x400 championship! They might have won that race anyway! Your sure not going to do it without making connection! We had already f-upped the 4x100 going all out! Just think where we would have been if they had been in Oregon! Track is not just an ******* and elbows sport! Congrats for tying for the NC. Doesn't ring true especially when SEC Florida is who you tied with. That is all from me

[This message has been edited by 67Walkon (edited 7/12/2013 7:40p).]