  I find myself sunburned yet again this summer. Not for lack of SPF, but because when it's 91 degrees outside and you're sitting in the sweltering sun from 1pm until sundown (and then some), you just can't really avoid it.
HOT! The pole vault last night was quite possibly the most impressive vaulting performance I've witnessed in my life. And I've seen (and heard about) a LOT of vaulting. Jake pulled in a 9th place (he couldn't get his sticky grips to work right with the intense heat on the field--it made them too sticky).
During his second attempt at 18'4, the adhesive on the tape near his grip on the pole started to slide causing his easy clear to become a miss (his flailing hand nudged the bar). The winning height was 19'4. Three other guys were over 19'. A guy that jumped 19'+ in the finals of the Olympic Trials has NEVER been left off of the Olympic team before.
But this year, Tye Harvey will have to stay home. Tim Mack, Crash Stevenson and Derek Miles will be headed to Athens. If all goes well (as it did for them yesterday), the US could conceivably bring home all three medals. The 100m? Was straight up good viewing. From our prime (but not) spots in the stands, we couldn't tell who won that final until they showed the photo on the jumbotron.
And even then it was ridiculously close. Nice to see that both Tim and Marion will not be contesting the 100m in Athens. Neither have had the proper training time needed this season to compete successfully in the Olympic rounds. Both looked really sloppy. Both are swirling with drug controversy. Tim moreso than Marion. I don't actually believe Marion is dirty (there aren't the tell-tale signs as there clearly were with Regina Jacobs).
Tim on the other hand looks guilty as all hell every time they talk to him. Marion has been dominant since she stepped foot on the track in high school. Tim has not. Tim was successful for one year and one year only. Which just screams drug cheat. Marion had a baby last year, which contributes to her off-track distractions (and running shape). Tim has no speed-related excuses there. Shawn Crawford is just as fast and talented as he was back in college when he busted up the 200m indoor world record against Coby Miller.
I was at that meet. It was fucking awesome to watch. The man is built like a Mack truck. You may also remember him from FOX's Man vs Beast. I think he raced a zebra or something. It was amusing. I watched it. I laughed really hard. So the 100m field could easily take all the medals in Athens as well. Gatlin is straight up crazy talented. And then Mo Greene of course. The three fastest times in the world were run last night in the finals by these three men.
I can't wait to watch the Olympics. On television. At home. Without a gyro. Anyway. It's time to go buy some aloe and food and stuff. I'll tell you about tonight's action tomorrow. I also may have some guest reporters to update you all in the next few days. We'll see. Until tomorrow, I bid you farewell. 
