Slowtwitch Forums: Edit Log

In Reply To:

You know what, though? Whenever the subject of "outlier performances" being indicative of nefarious actions comes up...I always think of a single name: Bob Beamon

Tom,

That was a different age of sport. I think it was different. Perhaps I am being naive but we were all innocent back then. When records were broken the way Beamon did on that Jump in Mexico City - it was a jaw dropping, gee-whiz kinda moment. I was 7 years old. I remember going out in the back yard and my Dad walking off 28 feet to show me how far he had jumped. It was shocking! Now, if someone breaks a record by that amount and magnitude, in any sport, unfortunatly we have had that inocense taken away. We are, a bit to a lot, skeptical of it and that's unfortunate.

I agree that it's unfortunate about the skepticism, but I highly doubt that Mr. Beamon was on anything, let alone something that would allow that sort of "leap" (pun intended) in performance. I just always look back on that example as "proof" that outlier performances don't necessarily imply cheating.

Your story about walking off Beamon's jump is pretty funny. But, remember, even if you'd just walked off the previous world record in that event, it would've looked pretty shocking as well since it was "only" 2 feet shorter. I was a fairly mediocre high jumper in high school (although not really that bad for my height - I was only 5'7" to 5'8" at the time)...but I recall in practice setting the bar at the current world record and just staring up at the bar thinking "No freakin' way"...

http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

Edit Log

Edit Log:

Our Partners

Edit Log

Edit Log:

Our Partners

Newsletter