Manny Pacquiao: overtrained by Freddie Roach but overburdened by expectancy ?

Photo: Chris Farina, Top Rank

Freddie Roach has admitted that Manny Pacquiao was "overtrained" for the contest with Juan Manuel Marquez, and it stands up in some ways. I remember thinking, and saying to his biographer Gary Andrew Poole on Wednesday when Pacquiao spoke to us at small media conference before the main head to head shindig at the Hollywood Theater at the MGM Grand, that Pacquiao looked old in the face, sullen even. Is the burden of expectation, coupled with his pull towards politics beginning to weigh more heavily on him than ever before ?

In an interview Wednesday with The Sweet Science, Roach confessed. "I give him a B minus. He wasn't really himself, he had a bad night. I don't know why, but he maybe overtrained for the fight. Maybe we started him too soon. He helped Jorge Linares get ready, and we thought that was a good idea at the time. Maybe he was overtrained, and left a little in the gym."

However, while many believe on the strength of Pacquiao's performance against Marquez that Floyd Mayweather would enjoy tactical supremacy, Roach added: “Floyd Mayweather is my first choice. If he comes to the table, we’ll take the fight any day.”

Meanwhile, Marquez has laid out his demands ahead of a potential re-match. "The fight can't happen in Las Vegas, and there have to be neutral judges and we must do well economically," Marquez told boxingscene.com. "Then people will realise the fight is going to be completely neutral and a true winner will leave the ring."

"We must convey that boxing still has credibility. In the two matches that I've had with him, I found a weak point. And I've always said that if I fought him with the same speed, with movements of the waist and with counter-attacks, it makes things complicated for him. And that's just what we did, and we fought him with intelligence. If I don't fight [Pacquiao], there isn't anyone else, I'll just retire."

Marv Dumon, of Examiner.com, has had clarified the "yellow substance" being given to Marquez during the fight on Saturday night. Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), told Dumon: "Water and electrolyte drinks are allowed in the corner. Any electrolyte drink must be brought to the arena in factory-sealed, plastic bottles. Mr. Marquez used water and Pedialyte on Saturday night."

Pedialyte, an electrolyte solution, is manufactured by Abbott Laboratories and is designed to rehydrate one's body, replacing fluids and mineral lost either through illness or strenuous activity.

CHRIS EUBANK JNR MAKES OPENING STATEMENT AS CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

Chris Eubank Jnr made quite an impact last weekend on his professional debut in the UK, with his proud father in attendance. Via BritishBoxers – interesting piece.

UCLA basketball: Reeves Nelson reinstated, will play against Chaminade

UCLA Coach Ben Howland reinstated Reeves Nelson on Wednesday, welcoming the volatile junior forward back to the team after a one-game suspension for behavior issues.

Nelson is scheduled to resume practicing with the team Thursday and will travel to Hawaii and play in the Maui Invitational, which starts for the Bruins (0-2) on Monday with a game against Chaminade (3-0).

"Reeves understands that his reinstatement is contingent on his ability to continually meet the high standards we have established for all UCLA men's basketball players," Howland said in a statement. "He expressed to me in our meeting earlier [Wednesday] that he desires to be a better person and better teammate going forward and, given that, I feel as though I should give him that opportunity."

Nelson said in a statement that he acknowledged there were "corrections that need to be made and I'm grateful to Coach Howland and to have this opportunity to improve and work on being a positive force for our team."

Nelson had 13 points and eight rebounds in UCLA's season-opening loss to Loyola Marymount, during which he tuned out coaches during timeout huddles and sulked on the court when things went poorly for the Bruins.

ALSO:

UCLA-Colorado is a family feud for the Embrees

UCLA falls flat in 86-66 loss to Middle Tennessee State

Mike Krzyzewski or Bob Knight: Who's the better coach? [Poll]

--Ben Bolch

Photo: UCLA Coach Ben Howland, left, speaks with forward Reeves Nelson during an exhibition game on Nov. 6. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

USC football: Dillon Baxter considering San Diego State and UNLV, report says

Dillon Baxter, who last month was removed from USC’s football program by Coach Lane Kiffin, is considering transferring to San Diego State or Nevada Las Vegas, according to this report.

Baxter told the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Mark Anderson that he was intrigued by the possibility of playing for UNLV and was "looking at it pretty seriously.” Baxter also said he would prefer to play wide receiver.

Baxter starred at San Diego Mission Bay High, but he was suspended twice during his freshman season at USC. He did not travel with the Trojans to their Oct. 22 game at Notre Dame this season. Kiffin announced Baxter would no longer be part of the program the next week.

Baxter played sparingly in four games this season.

More later at latimes.com/sports

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USC's Matt Barkley says Oregon is deserving of its ranking

USC's Hayes Pullard eager to face Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas

With Matt Schaub injured, Matt Leinart is a starting QB again

-- Gary Klein

Photo: Former USC running back Dillon Baxter. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Angels promote Hollander to director of baseball operations

The Angels on Wednesday promoted Justin Hollander from player development and scouting assistant to director of baseball operations, a position in which he will report to new General Manager Jerry Dipoto.

Hollander, 33, has been with the club for four seasons, working closely with department heads in several aspects of baseball operations, including arbitration, statistical research and advance scouting. Before joining the Angels in 2008, he worked for one year as an associate attorney in San Diego.

ALSO:

Dodgers not likely to add big bat during off-season

Kirk Gibson, Joe Maddon win manager of the year awards

Justin Verlander wins AL Cy Young Award in unanimous vote

-- Mike DiGiovanna in Milwaukee

Report: Houston Astros join Angels in AL West if sale approved

Major League Baseball told Jim Crane it would not approve his purchase of the Houston Astros unless he agreed to move the team to the American League in 2013. Approval of the sale could be announced as early as Thursday at a meeting of baseball executives in Milwaukee. And if they do move, the Astros would move to the AL West, joining the Angels, Texas, Oakland and Seattle.

According to the Associated Press, Crane will receive a $70-million discount off the $680-million purchase price in exchange for moving the Astros to the AL in 2013.

The move would create two 15-team leagues, which would create a more proportionate schedule.

Commissioner Bud Selig addressed a possible Astros move during a Twitter chat on Monday.

"For 15/15 realignment, Houston would be the team moving to AL West. Would create more fairness in baseball," Selig said. He also added that "15 teams in each league would necessitate interleague play every day but it will be better schedule overall."

The Astros currently play in the six-team NL Central. The AL West is the only division in the majors with only four teams.

ALSO:

Dodgers not likely to add big bat during off-season

Kirk Gibson, Joe Maddon win manager of the year awards

Justin Verlander wins AL Cy Young Award in unanimous vote

-- Houston Mitchell

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

Joe Paterno gave wife ownership of their home for $1 in July

Less than four months before the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal made headlines nationwide, Joe Paterno transferred full ownership of his house to his wife for $1, according to documents obtained by the New York Times.

The transaction took place in July. Two lawyers who examined the documents for the Times drew different conclusions; one said that "it appeared to be an explicit effort to financially shield Joe Paterno." Another said the transfer appeared "benign."

The documents placed the value of the Paternos' house, which they had previously held title to jointly, at $594,484.40.

FULL COVERAGE: Penn State scandal

The paper reported that one of Paterno's lawyers, Wick Sollers, said in an email that the transfer had nothing to do with the Sandusky scandal, which led to Paterno being fired as head coach at Penn State last week.

Paterno has received intense criticism for telling only his superiors and failing to go to the police after a graduate assistant told Paterno that he witnessed Sandusky, a former defensive coordinator, sexually assaulting a young boy in a school shower in 2002.

On Nov. 5, Sandusky was charged with 40 criminal counts, including six first-degree felony charges, in connection with alleged deviate sexual intercourse.

Some legal experts have speculated that Paterno could be a target of civil actions.

RELATED:

Franco Harris loses job for supporting Paterno

Jerry Sandusky tells Bob Costas: 'I am innocent' [Video]

Penn State's Mike McQueary says he told police of alleged rape

-- Melissa Rohlin

Photo: Sue and Joe Paterno stand on the front porch of their house in front of fans and media members. Credit: Joe Hermitt / Associated Press / The Patriot-News

Mike McQueary did not report incident to us, police chief says

Mike McQueary did not report his allegations of child sexual abuse against Jerry Sandusky to the State College police department, Chief Tom King said Wednesday.

McQueary has stated in a grand jury report that he saw a boy, whose age he estimated at 10 years old, "being subjected to anal intercourse" by a naked Sandusky, then the Nittany Lions defensive coordinator, in a shower at the Penn State football building in March 2002.

Facing public criticism for a perceived lack of action during the incident, McQueary said in an email obtained by the Allentown (Pa.) Morning Call that he "did have discussions with police and with the official at the university in charge of police."

FULL COVERAGE: Penn State scandal

McQueary, who was a graduate assistant at the time of the alleged incident, did not specify which police department he spoke to. Penn State has its own police force, and administrators are looking into whether McQueary made contact with that department.

According to the grand jury report, McQueary left "immediately," was "distraught" and called his father. His father told him to leave the building and come to his home. McQueary did report the incident to his  then-coach Joe Paterno the next day and later met with athletic director Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, vice president for finance and business.

Curley and Schultz have been chargedwith perjury and failure to report. Curley was placed on administrative leave, and Schultz, who oversaw university police, returned to retirement. Paterno was fired last week by the university's Board of Trustees. McQueary, now a wide receivers coach for the Nittany Lions, has been placed on administrative leave.

Sandusky is charged with 40 counts of sexual abuse of children and is free on $100,000 bail.

RELATED:

John Stewart comments on Jerry Sandusky interview

Joe Paterno gave ownership of their home to his wife for $1 in July

Judge in Jerry Sandusky case may have benefited from Second Mile

-- Chuck Schilken

Photo: Mike McQueary. Credit: Tim Shaffer/ Reuters

Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito face off

 

It was nearly two years ago now that someone passed along to me a photo that California officials attempted to introduce as part of the evidence they used to ban Antonio Margarito from boxing.

The picture showed Margarito celebrating his 11th-round knockout victory over Miguel Cotto in 2008 -- Cotto's first loss and a performance that made Tijuana's Margarito boxing's next big thing given his thundering power and big-hearted performance in the championship rounds.

Looking closer, you could see part of Margarito's hand wrapping had been torn in the knuckle area and that the covering underneath appeared to have a blood stain on it.

Months later, Margarito would have his hand wraps confiscated by state athletic commission officials after Shane Mosley's trainer, Naazim Richardson, found hardened pads over the knuckles that ultimately were found to be caked with plaster substances.

One of those knuckle pads was stained with blood, eerily in the same area where the post-Cotto photo showed the stain.

Cotto had concluded his final news conference for a fight he'd lose to Manny Pacquiao when I yelled to him that I had been given something he might want to see.

He summoned me to the back of his bus, alone, and reviewed the photograph.

"I know about this," Cotto said.

A look of sadness and confirmation overtook his face. Had his perfect career been sabotaged by a cheater? What could he do about it?

To me, it was one of the most powerful moments I've experienced covering the sport.

For a while, Cotto insisted he'd never allow Margarito to earn "another penny" off him, but as happens in boxing, the idea of this "Redemption" fight on Dec. 3 is just too rich not to happen.

Now, HBO has gotten Cotto and Margarito into the same room to let the pair hash out their differences in "24/7 Cotto/Margarito," which premieres Saturday.

And that photo plays a prominent role in the conversation. 

ALSO:

Pacquiao vs. Marquez: Round-by-round recap

Manny Pacquiao doesn't look much like a champion

Marquez an appetizer for fans who want Pacquiao-Mayweather

-- Lance Pugmire

Video: Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito meet face-to-face outside the ring for this exclusive interview with Max Kellerman in "24/7 Cotto/Margarito," which premieres Saturday on HBO. Credit: HBO

Kirk Gibson, Joe Maddon are named NL, AL managers of the year

As a member of the Dodgers, Kirk Gibson was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1988. More than two decades later the league is honoring him again — as manager of one of the Dodgers' NL West rivals.

Gibson was voted the NL Manager of the Year in his first full year as skipper of the Arizona Diamondbacks, which won 94 games and the division title after consecutive last-place finishes.

In voting conducted before the playoffs, Gibson received 28 of 32 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, while runner-up Ron Roenicke of the Milwaukee Brewers got three and Tony La Russa of the St. Louis Cardinals one.

Gibson joins Frank Robinson, Don Baylor and Joe Torre as the only former MVPs to be named manager of the year.

Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon won the American League honor for the second time in the last four seasons. After leading the Rays to 91 wins and a playoff berth, Maddon got 26 of 28 first-place votes, while Jim Leyland of the Detroit Tigers and Ron Washington of the Texas Rangers got one each.

The Rays lost such players as Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Matt Garza and Rafael Soriano, but still managed to overtake the Boston Red Sox for the American League's wild-card berth on the final day of the season after trailing by nine games in September.

The NL’s Cy Young Award winner will be announced Thursday.

ALSO:

Dodgers not likely to add big bat during off-season

Justin Verlander wins AL Cy Young Award in unanimous vote

T.J. Simers: Frank McCourt might be up to his old tricks on sale of Dodgers

-- Chuck Schilken

Bloomberg News contributed to this report.

Top photo: Kirk Gibson. Credit: Eric Risberg / Associated Press

Bottom photo: Joe Maddon. Credit: Patrick Semansky / Associated Press

Greg Norman hopes pairing helps Tiger Woods, ex-caddie move on

Greg Norman says no one wants the recent controversy between Tiger Woods and his ex-caddie Steve Williams to be an issue at this week's Presidents Cup.

Nonetheless, the captain of the International team and his U.S. counterpart, Fred Couples, decided to put the two on the course together for the feature match in the opening session Thursday at Royal Melbourne.

It may sound like a counterproductive move, but it made more sense after Norman's comments at Wednesday's opening ceremony.

“If we had to defuse anything and just get this thing over and done with, wouldn't you rather have it sooner than later?” Norman said. “Because I personally wouldn't have wanted to be sitting down at the singles and everybody is playing a really tight match and it comes down to the last group or the second to last group, and all of this pressure is coming on because it's the first time the two met.”

The Presidents Cup captains take turns filling out the lineup for each match. When it came down to Thursday's feature match, the only pairs left were Woods and Steve Stricker for the U.S. and K.J. Choi and Adam Scott for the International team.

And Scott happens to be Williams' current employer. Which means Woods will be facing the caddie he fired this summer just two weeks after Williams' seemingly racist comments about Woods at a caddies award dinner.

Williams has since apologized for the matter, and Woods has said that the caddie is not a racist. Norman said he hopes Thursday's pairing helps put the issue to rest rather than stir up more controversy.

“I'm sure Freddie and I — everybody — we want to put this behind us,” Norman said. “It's a dead issue as far as we're concerned. There's no animosity between any of the players. I know it's good fodder. People like to talk about it in the media. But from our perspective, it's dead and gone. And we would like to keep it that way going forward.”

RELATED:

Tiger Woods falters in Australian Open

Tiger Woods still has a long way to go in comeback attempt

Tiger Woods' ex-caddie may not be racist, but he sure is bitter

-- Chuck Schilken

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Tiger Woods is introduced during the opening ceremony prior to the start of 2011 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne. Credit: David Cannon / Getty Images

USC football: Lane Kiffin OK with Marc Tyler appearing on TMZ.com

Last summer, USC tailback Marc Tyler made remarks on camera to TMZ that were deemed inappropriate by the school and triggered a suspension by Coach Lane Kiffin.

This week, Tyler appeared again on TMZ.com in a video, saying the website helped him change, become sober and made him more conscious of what he says and does.

"I want to thank TMZ for helping me out," Tyler said in the video.

Kiffin said he had watched Tyler's latest appearance and had no problem with it.

"I thought he handled himself in a first-class manner," Kiffin said. "He's still a kid and those situations are hard.

"I thought he handled himself very well. Now, people can say, 'Why is he on?' But he's not out there looking for it .... They find him, he doesn't find them."

-- Gary Klein

Jon Stewart comments on the Jerry Sandusky interview

 

Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show," had a segment Tuesday night on the interview disgraced former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky conducted with Bob Costas on Monday on NBC's "Rock Center."

Sandusky, who has been charged with sexually abusing eight young boys, said he showered with a young boys while maintaining that he was innocent. Costas asked Sandusky, "Are you sexually attracted to young boys?"

"Am I sexually attracted to underage boys? Sexually attracted? You know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them, But, no, I'm not sexually attracted to young boys," Sandusky told Costas.

Stewart could not believe Sandusky's answer.

FULL COVERAGE: Penn State scandal

"You can't even bring yourself to lie emphatically," Stewart said. "'Good God no! Sexually attracted? I'm not!.' It's like in that phone conversation, your actually fighting the urge to come clean."

All in all, it's a funny and sad segment. You have to wonder what Sandusky was thinking with this interview, and you have to wonder why his lawyer, who was sitting next to Costas, would even allow the interview to take place.

RELATED:

Franco Harris loses job for supporting Paterno

Jerry Sandusky tells Bob Costas: 'I am innocent' [Video]

Penn State's Mike McQueary says he told police of alleged rape

-- Houston Mitchell

 

Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Paterno

Franco Harris' comments in support of his former college coach, Joe Paterno, have cost him his job.

The former Pittsburgh Steeler running back is the latest person to lose his job in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal, as The Meadows Racetrack & Casino in Washington, Pa., announced Tuesday it was suspending its business relationship with the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee who played with the Nittany Lions from 1969 to 1971 under recently fired coach Paterno.

Harris, along with fellow former Pittsburgh Steeler Rocky Bleier, was hired by The Meadows in September to help with various outreach activities, charitable events and public appearances.

FULL COVERAGE: Penn State scandal

The Meadows issued this statement Tuesday night: "In light of the recent developments with Franco Harris regarding Joe Paterno’s dismissal, Franco and The Meadows have mutually decided to put their business relationship on hold at this time, while these matters are looked into further."

Paterno and university President Graham Spanier were fired Nov. 9 by Penn State's board of trustees as part of the fallout from the Sandusky scandal. Harris blasted the school for its treatment of the legendary coach.

”I feel that the board made a bad decision in letting Joe Paterno go,” Harris said. "I'm very disappointed in their decision. I thought they showed no courage, not to back someone who really needed it at the time. They were saying the football program under Joe was at fault.

”They really wouldn't give a reason. They're linking the football program to the scandal and, possibly, the cover-up. That's very disturbing to me.... I think there should be no connection to the football program, only in the case that it happened at the football building with an ex-coach. I'm still trying to find out who gave him access to the building, who signed that contract.”

Harris also is one of several high-profile athletes listed as an honorary director of The Second Mile charity, which was founded by Sandusky. Others include Cal Ripken Jr., Arnold Palmer and Andy Reid.

RELATED:

Jerry Sandusky tells Bob Costas: 'I am innocent' [Video]

Bill Dwyre: Penn State scandal can't be swept under a rug

Penn State's Mike McQueary says he told police of alleged rape

-- Chuck Schilken

Photo: Joe Paterno and Franco Harris in 2006. Credit: Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press

John Wooden statue to be erected at renovated Pauley Pavilion

John Wooden and Pauley Pavilion forever will be linked.

His UCLA basketball teams went 149-2 there. The basketball floor is named the "Nell and John Wooden Court" after the legendary coach and his wife.

His memorial service was held there in June 2010. His great-grandson, Tyler Trapani, even scored the final points at the arena before it closed for renovations after last season.

And when Pauley Pavilion reopens in 2012, Wooden certainly will be there in spirit -- and his image will be there in the form of a statue that will be situated on the new plaza on the building's north side along Bruin Walk, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero announced Tuesday in his weekly blog.

The statue will be sculpted by Blair Buswell, head sculptor for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

"I, along with some of my staff, was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit his studio and see his initial maquettes [concepts] for the statue when the football team played at Utah last weekend," Guerrero wrote. "The studio contains life-size replicas of some of his outstanding work, including statues of Jack Nicklaus, Mickey Mantle and Merlin Olsen ... what an amazing place"

He added: "I cannot wait until we unveil the final product."

RELATED:

John Wooden dies at 99

Photos: John Wooden, 1910-2010

Graphic: A bigger Pauley Pavilion coming in 2012

-- Chuck Schilken

Photo: John Wooden coaches at Pauley Pavilion. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Was Bob Knight drinking a beer while broadcasting the Duke game?

Legendary Coach Bob Knight was on hand at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night as his record for most coaching victories went down in flames. Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski passed him as the winningest Division I college basketball coach when the No. 6 Blue Devils defeated Michigan State, 74-69.

In fact, Knight was working the game as an analyst for ESPN. And it appears the sadness of losing his record may have gotten to him, as there was a shot of him drinking what appeared to be a beer during the game.

OK, it's possible it's something besides beer. Iced tea, perhaps? But there isn't a lot of iced tea sold at sporting events, and it's fun to imagine Knight pounding down a brew while working.

I imagine Coach Knight as a Budweiser guy myself. Maybe Dos Equis though, and he can give "The Most Interesting Man in the World" a run for his money.

Hopefully this post won't entail a visit or phone call to our department from Coach Knight. It's all in good fun, coach. But if you are reading this and are unhappy, my name is T.J. Simers. If you realize this is all in good fun, well, then my name as at the end of this post.

ALSO:

Poll: Who's a better coach: Bob Knight or Coach K?

Third time isn't a charm for USC against Nebraska

UCLA falls flat in 86-66 loss to Middle Tennessee State

-- Houston Mitchell

Photo: Screenshot of the game, with Knight drinking the mystery substance. Credit: @AOliva3 Twitter page.

Yohan Blake and Vivian Cheruiyot are the true world athletes of the year

All smiles: Usain Bolt and Sally Pearson with their awards (Photo: GETTY IMAGES)

The world governing body of athletics may have got one vote right by choosing London instead of Doha to host the 2017 World Championships, but its choice of the male and female world athletes of the year has provoked understandable anger.

So much so that it prompted a walk-out by Kenyan delegates in protest at the women’s vote at the International Association of Athletics Federations gala in Monaco.

The choice of Usain Bolt as the male winner was controversial enough. Even Bolt would admit that 2011 was not one of his best years as he struggled to find top gear in the early part of the season and then false-started in the 100 metres final at the World Championships in Daegu.

His training partner, Yohan Blake, was surely far more deserving of the accolade for his 100m world gold, his brilliant bend to set Jamaica up for a world record-breaking 4x100m relay victory and his spectacular 200m performance in Brussels, where his winning time of 19.26sec was the second fastest in history.

But when it comes to its choice of female athlete of the year, Australian Sally Pearson, the IAAF would appear to have lost the plot.

That is not to denigrate Pearson’s achievement in winning the 100m hurdles gold in Daegu in the fourth fastest time in history. She is one hell of an athlete.

But how could the IAAF possibly rate her above Vivian Cheruiyot? The Kenyan was untouchable this year, winning world titles in the 5,000 and 10,000m to add to the 8km crown she won at the World Cross Country Championships.

She rounded off her unbeaten season by taking the overall Diamond League title – a feat Pearson was unable to match after falling in the Diamond League final in Brussels.

The vote for the two athletes of the year, which carries a substantial prize of $100,000 for the winners, is a relatively internal affair and is not open to the public.

Members of the so-called ‘IAAF family’ – national federations, meeting directors, athletes and their representatives, media – are invited to vote for three male and female athletes. A final shortlist is then drawn up and the IAAF’s ruling council has the final say.

The IAAF says it went for Pearson above Cheruiyot because she attracted more votes than the Kenyan in the IAAF family poll.

But that has provoked the ire of Isaiah Kiplagat, the chairman of Athletics Kenya, who says the election procedure penalises African athletes:

“We are all disappointed and the reason I was given when I asked – that Vivian received 30 votes less than Pearson in the online voting – is not enough. The purpose of the sportsman or sportswoman of the year is nothing else other than the performance.

“This is not a beauty pageant where the one with the best looks gets to win. Neither should they use online voting as a reason since it is quite clear that Africans are not on the same level in the usage of the internet. The selection needs to be changed.

“Even Pearson admitted Cheruiyot should have won it. Everyone there thought the same and to have any other outcome does not reflect the true nature of the awards.”

By way of a consolation prize, both Blake and Cheruiyot were presented with 'Performance of the Year' awards at the IAAF gala, though neither of them looked too enamoured as they received their trophies, which do not come with any prize money. They are both entitled to feel hard done by.

It is surely no coincidence that Bolt is the most marketable and iconic athlete on the planet, while the personable and articulate Pearson has emerged this year as the new face of women’s athletics.

Despite their brilliance on the track, Blake and Cheruiyot simply do not have the same cachet or charisma off it. You need to be popular to win the IAAF's top award. Running fast just isn’t enough.