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Post by sprint logic on Jul 31, 2009 7:06:39 GMT -8
I mentioned in the Stokcholm thread that Asafa Powell needs to show that he is indeed a contender this year. Wanted to talk about that for a minute, because I've seen/heard a lot of talk about Powell playing "possum". That's the talk/excuse being bandied about in the Caribbean community. This idea of Possumism!
And I want to throw that out there and ask what you all think. Is he "laying low" in hopes of shocking everyone in Berlin?
Doesn't fit anything that he's done in his whole career. His model (some have said it is a business model) has been to get fast early and stay fast all season. Debut at 9.8 run 9.8 all year and throw in a WR effort somewhere. The idea being that if you are faster than everyone else you will always win. Which has worked everywhere but the Majors.
He's done poorly in the Majors but he has made a living on the Circuit. Now, suddenly, we are told that his focus is the Major. That now he is trying to "peak" for the one race.
Seems to me that "if" this is true, he could be setting himself up for disaster, because if he doesn't win in Berlin, he's damaged his credibility on the Circuit - ie harder to get paydays in the future. He's already dropped in stature as a top draw with the ascendancy of Gay and Bolt. I would think that at the very least he would want to try and maintain his status on the Circuit.
Or, maybe, wear and tear has finally caught up with him. Part of the "possum defense" is that he is doing this because he lost some training time with the ankle injury. But we've seen him lose training time every year since 2004 and he hasn't had to go this route. We've also seen his top rivals - Gay and Bolt - lose training time this year and they haven't had the same poor results in races.
Maybe time has caught up to him. He's now looking at 50 sub10 races and it was somewhere around here (50 sub 10's) that Mo Greene really started to break down. So perhaps he's run too fast too often and his body is beginning to have problems. He ran 9.88 against Tyson earlier in the month only to run 10.26 and 10.4x. Difficulty recovering at this point?
I'm just trowing it out there. What do you guys think?
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Post by canmak60 on Jul 31, 2009 8:24:41 GMT -8
I cannot speak for the rest of the Caribbean, but the perception amongst most Jamaicans, myself included, is that Asafa Powell is "soft". He is being labeled in some quarters as "Asofter".
I am not buying the "possum" argument. I do find it strange though that he can drop so dramaticaly from 9.88 to 10.26. I believe that how he runs today should say a lot. He is going up against his nemesis, and this should be the time for him to make a statement going into Berlin. I seriously doubt that he can!
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Post by balance on Jul 31, 2009 9:31:02 GMT -8
Not sure if Powell is "soft" as much as he's just not a good competitor. But I do believe he has too many miles on him. too many hard miles. the body can only take so much. And he didn't take advantage of his time. he didn't win medals when he should have and now others have stepped up.
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Post by sprint logic on Jul 31, 2009 11:38:10 GMT -8
There was no possum in that race just a bit ago. Just a man that MUST get out front early and run relaxed in order to have a shot. Powell cannot run in traffic. Just can't handle it.
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Post by zoser on Aug 1, 2009 18:44:06 GMT -8
Balance when talking about the 100 that is defined as soft. I am over the needing to prove a point, now it is just about the man. I love an underdog, and I am a sucker for the downtrodden. What keeps people rooting against Asafa are his fans, his management, and the unreal hype about this young man.
They have run his career in unconventional ways and are now trying to "fix" him in an unconventional way. He is a nice guy, that much has been made clear through the years. With nice people you have to empower them so they are confident in being that momentary asshole it takes to win. Allyson has mastered this. She is a beast between those lines not just a nice girl that can run fast. I do not need to see Asafa in the law ledgers, but ocassionally it would be refreshing to hear something untowards about the man. So far all I have seen about AP is he is a dancer and can drink. But he has been pummeled for that and the nice guy stepped on the track.
He is not playing possum. He is playing loser. We have seen him lose races he should win on a jog. And now they will go to Berlin full of confidence that he can flip the switch. I just want to see the young man get pissed off one time and fight for his life out there. Leave me some tears on the track and grit your damn teeth. Throw a chair, curse your coach and training partners. Make people call you Mister when they address you! This is the 100 meters, nice guys truly finish last.
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Post by sprint logic on Aug 2, 2009 6:28:03 GMT -8
Well losing has never been a strategy .. Even with Donovan Bailey .. Bailey was just not a circuit sprinter .. He was just at His Best with the lights on ..
Powell has always been at this best on the circuit and never at this best with the lights on .. That's not a matter of "strategy" that's a matter of "mentality" ... And you do not change one's mentality by having them lose when they are used to winning !!
And, frankly, not sure he is going out there to lose .. Yes we've seen him shut it down at the end of some races .. But only after the race had been decided - and not in his favor .. I'm more inclined to believe we have seen a very frustrated sprinter whose body is not reacting the way he wants it to ..
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Post by Seabiscuit on Aug 2, 2009 7:28:50 GMT -8
Possum? LOL...exactly WHO would this trickery impact and what edge can it possibly give Asafa Powell? This notion that someone as fast as Asafa Powell (who is desparate as he may be facing his last shot at a major gold medal) could "play possum" and fool two veterans like Gay and Bolt is silly. Nothing more than forum talk by ardent AP fans' in their attempts to explain his uncharacteristically pedestrian circuit showing.
Both Bolt and Gay have a history of respecting their opponents and both understand that Powell is trying to save himself and run best in Berlin. It is unthinkable and misguided to think/hope/fantasize that either would overlook Asafa Powell. Powell cannot 'play possum'. He can't "play" anything. His best shot is to try to get through the rounds in good shape and leave it all on the track in the final.
Powell is not the sort who can engage in head games aside from his OWN head's tendency to go awry under pressure.
Folks in my opinion Asafa Powell's season is a story of too much, too little, too late. The strategy early on was to bid up fees by running fast every time out--this, from the mouth of Stephen Francis. Perhaps we are seeing the toll taken now as I cannot recall a season since possibly '06 where Powell wasn't niggled somehow. True sign of wear and tear.
Similarly there was too little recovery time in many of the season plans--note that MVP had nearly the whole camp injured in 07, at least as they reported it. I'm not certain it wasn't overtraining but that is what it appeared to be.
As for this season it is too late. Gold in Berlin is unlikely for Powell but even if it were to occur it changes nothing. The legacy is what it is, although I'm sure it would provide Powell a personal satisfaction.
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Post by sprint logic on Aug 2, 2009 21:47:57 GMT -8
Well, playing possum is NOT going to do anything to the top two guys - because they both know they can beat him ... And not sure it does anything to the guys fighting for bronze because they're already chasing Gay and Bolt, so anyone else becomes insignificant ..
The one thing about Major's that has always confounded Powell and messed up his seasons is that EVERYONE ELSE always plans to have their "A" Game ready for that meet ... Ergo, he's not sneaking up on anybody !!
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Post by balance on Aug 3, 2009 6:20:43 GMT -8
Zoser by not a good competitor I mean that he seems to only be good when out in front. If that is soft then I guess so. I always thought of soft as just not ever being able to get it done.
But how does a man that has 50 sub 10's, more sub 9.9's and sub 9.8's than anyone plan on "fooling" anyone?
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Post by zoser on Aug 3, 2009 19:26:15 GMT -8
Hahahahaha He is not fooling anyone. As a matter of fact he is discounted by his competitors now. He is the weak lion of the pride. Big and a flowing mane but weak with no fight and has been beat up by the other alpha males in the pride.
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Post by sprint logic on Aug 4, 2009 5:22:53 GMT -8
Perhaps he is fooling himself .. Or maybe not .. Perhaps he is fooling his fans .. As they have been certain for years that he has gold written all over him !! Of course there is an old saying .. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me ..
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