2012 Open, Regional and Games thread

[Mauricio Leal]

I wouldn't read into the top peoples' comparisons too much. Many are focusing on things other than their thruster-pull-up abilities. Although on average I'd expect everyone to get a little better at everything. 10 year anniv of Games should be repeat 2011 Open in it's entirety.

[Jeff Binek]

Rich is 5'8 on his best day. Dan is 5'7" -- They are super tiny people, it shocked all of the people we brought to the Arnold how small they are (yet how huge they are)...it is really quite awkward seeing someone that short be that thick.

[Joey Shishineh]

Originally Posted by Jeff Binek

Rich is 5'8 on his best day. Dan is 5'7" -- They are super tiny people, it shocked all of the people we brought to the Arnold how small they are (yet how huge they are)...it is really quite awkward seeing someone that short be that thick.

Yes, 2010 Games site has him at 5'8" (WFS)

[Nalin Prabhu]

Originally Posted by Jeff Binek

Rich is 5'8 on his best day. Dan is 5'7" -- They are super tiny people, it shocked all of the people we brought to the Arnold how small they are (yet how huge they are)...it is really quite awkward seeing someone that short be that thick.

Miko, Rob O et al aren't very large either. It sucks realizing these monsters aren't any bigger than I am- I liked it better when I justified the weights they moved by telling myself they are all 6'3"+ and 220lbs+..

[Michael Kelley]

Originally Posted by Jeff Binek

Rich is 5'8 on his best day. Dan is 5'7" -- They are super tiny people, it shocked all of the people we brought to the Arnold how small they are (yet how huge they are)...it is really quite awkward seeing someone that short be that thick.

That's hardly "super tiny," considering the average height for an American man is about 5'9" or 5'9 1/2".

[Charles Applin]

Originally Posted by Charles Applin

Originally Posted by Charles Applin
Why do they do this? I'm not into the inner working for regional site sponsors, but it seems it'd only help if they max out the number of athletes actually competing in Regionals.

Show of hands: If you were not in the top 60, but were among the top sixty people able and willing to compete at Regionals, would you do it? More athletes at regionals means more tickets sold and better sales for the sponsors.

Originally Posted by Nicholas Wheeler

I agree with you 100%. But rules is rules. Hopefully they will change it in the future. It seems the decision is based mostly on logistics... maybe

Sorry for the late reply. It might be a rule, but it's an arbitrary rule that doesn't help, and likely hurts getting sponsorship at Regionals. If it's based on logistics in the computer database then it's a programming issue easily fixed.

However, maybe I'm jumping the gun. I'm just thinking about last year's Regionals where you had a couple dozen guys and a dozen or so gals show up to some. If that's not replicated and most of the top 60 show up then all is good. Last year, at the outlying regionals, you made it just by staying in the open. This year, you needed to beat out a lot of people. Stands to reason that more will be showing up even at the smaller regionals.

Bottom line: the closer you get to 60 athletes actually competing at Regionals, the better the overall experience in my opinion.

[Christopher G. Woods]

They tried inviting late fill-ins back in 2010. Almost none of the second round invites showed up. By the time the first wave deadline comes and goes, you only have a week or two before the first Regionals start. That's not a lot of time to get yourself ready and make travel arrangements.

[Michael Kelley]

Originally Posted by Christopher G. Woods

They tried inviting late fill-ins back in 2010. Almost none of the second round invites showed up. By the time the first wave deadline comes and goes, you only have a week or two before the first Regionals start. That's not a lot of time to get yourself ready and make travel arrangements.

Except that if that were the norm and if you were in that 61-70 range in the rankings you would know to prepare yourself for the late invite.

[Christopher G. Woods]

Originally Posted by Michael Kelley

Except that if that were the norm and if you were in that 61-70 range in the rankings you would know to prepare yourself for the late invite.

How many people do you really think are going to spend $500-1000+ dollars on travel arrangements to Regionals just in case they get a late invite?

[Nalin Prabhu]

Originally Posted by Christopher G. Woods

How many people do you really think are going to spend $500-1000+ dollars on travel arrangements to Regionals just in case they get a late invite?

How far away is your regional from your home??
I know in the Central East you could quite easily drive to Columbus in under 10 hours from anywhere in IN, KY, MI, OH. And since hotel bookings don't need a deposit- I'm not sure I agree with the $$ the limiting factor.

If I was 61st in the region (never going to happen) and I there was a CHANCE I could get invited to regionals, I'd be there in a hearbeat if I had to drive 12 hours to get there.