I suppose rowers from many nations who follow the Olympics have
something to say about their country's performance in the rowing
portion of the Olympics. I think the biggest story is the failure
of the United States to win a single medal. Surely there must be
something very wrong about the way US Rowing conducts the business
of preparing athletes for the Olympics?

The long time Men's coach, Mike Teti, is being investigated for abusive behaviour dating back many years. Because the story broke just before the Olympics, it has garnered national attention.

The Women's Coach, Tom Terhar, took an eight that won it's heat
with the fastest time in all the heats (I know that doesn't matter but neither should it set off alarms), changed the boat from Port to Starboard rig, moved the original stroke to 5 seat and sent the boat to a fourth place finish in the final.

Still, that doesn't explain the across the board failure of the US in 2020.

One explanation is the US failure to make use of data analytics. One of the women in the eight was asked if Coach Terhar used data analytics and the answer was "No" (It would take some pretty fancy data analytics to recommend the changes he made between the prelim and final!). In this day and age, the failure to embrace data analytics makes the US program a dinosaur. Worse, when that mindset is at
the top of an organization, it
usually percolates down through the ranks.

New Zealand has "Goldmine". Connie Draper moved to Vancouver where the Canadians train and their eight won gold. The University of Texas, under Dave O'Neill, used data analytics in its rise to 2020 NCAA Champions in women's rowing. The Director of US
Rowing says changes will be made. When you have a whole organization and mindset so far behind the rest of the world, how do you make those changes? Should we steal those Brits from China? Maybe Kleshnev would like to move to America? Invade Canada?

Any thoughts on the US situation?

Bob

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Bob wrote on 02-08-2021 at 20:42:

The Women's Coach, Tom Terhar, took an eight that won it's heat
with the fastest time in all the heats (I know that doesn't matter but neither should it set off alarms), changed the boat from Port to Starboard rig, moved the original stroke to 5 seat and sent the boat to a fourth place finish in the final.

It was already starboard stroke in the heat: https://www.row2k.com/olympics/photo.cfm?action=pf&dir=2021Summer/Olympics/0724W8Heats&start=79&offset=72&label=Olympic%20Games%20-%20W8%20%20Heats&hi=yes&category=Olympic%20Games

This is the final with what looks like the same woman at 5: https://www.row2k.com/olympics/photo.cfm?action=pf&dir=2021Summer/Olympics/0730W8Final&start=30&label=W8%20%20A%20Final%20and%20Medals&offset=24&hi=yes

So, what's up with your story?

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On Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 1:10:56 AM UTC-6, A. Dumas wrote:

Bob wrote on 02-08-2021 at 20:42:

The Women's Coach, Tom Terhar, took an eight that won it's heat
with the fastest time in all the heats (I know that doesn't matter but neither should it set off alarms), changed the boat from Port to Starboard rig, moved the original stroke to 5 seat and sent the boat to a fourth place finish in the final.

It was already starboard stroke in the heat: https://www.row2k.com/olympics/photo.cfm?action=pf&dir=2021Summer/Olympics/0724W8Heats&start=79&offset=72&label=Olympic%20Games%20-%20W8%20%20Heats&hi=yes&category=Olympic%20Games

This is the final with what looks like the same woman at 5: https://www.row2k.com/olympics/photo.cfm?action=pf&dir=2021Summer/Olympics/0730W8Final&start=30&label=W8%20%20A%20Final%20and%20Medals&offset=24&hi=yes

So, what's up with your story?

What's up with my story is that I was told several things and didn't verify them - my great big bad.
The switch from port to starboard rig actually occurred several weeks before the Olympics.
My apologies to Tom Terhar in case he reads this.

Now that I have been rightfully confirmed as misinformed (idiot?), the big question still remains, why did the US
do so poorly in rowing at the Olympics? The lack of data analytics is one surmise.
Are there any surmises from those more informed?

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