Jamaica vs USA – Americans call for Sprint Challenge

Anthony Foster, Gleaner Writer

A sprint challenge between the world’s two power-houses, Jamaica and the United States, could take place later this year.

The Americans issued a challenge to Jamaica in a letter delivered to Teddy McCook, president of the North America, Central America
, and Caribbean Track and Field Association, in Florida yesterday.

In confirming the challenge, president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA), Howard Aris, said yesterday that the local association would be interested, given the right conditions.

Aris said McCook contacted him about USA Track and Field’s (USATF) proposal of a possible Sprint Challenge.

“We are interested in anything to further the development of track and field in Jamaica. However, we need to be clear of what are the implications.

“I told him (McCook) until the USA Track and Field writes to the JAAA, indicating the events, the time of year, whether it’s in the United States or Jamaica, for how long, and the sponsorship arrangement, we cannot give any official response, other than we have an interest.”

News broke yesterday that USATF proposed that the world’s two sprinting powerhouses face each other in a unique, dual-meet format that could see some of track and field’s superstars match up like never before.

The USATF is proposing a series in 2009 that that will pit the two nations’ sprinters and hurdlers against each other in head-to-head, team-scored competition.

In Beijing, Jamaica, led by Usain Bolt, who collected the sprint double in world record times of 9.69 (100m) and 19.30 (200m); Shelly-Ann Fraser (10.76) and Veronica Campbell-Brown (21.74) for the women’s 100m and 200m, respectively, won all the short sprints.

Jamaica also had a world record run of 37.10 seconds in the men’s 4x100m.

Not ready to give up control

Douglas G. Logan, general secretary and chief executive officer at US Track and Field, who said he was in Beijing to witness Jamaica’s dominance over his country in the sprints, told McCook in his invitation letter that they were not ready to give up control to the Jamaicans.

” … Our sprinters are not ready to concede Jamaican dominance. Let us not forget that less than two years ago, it was the United States on top of three of the four short sprints and both sprint relays at the 2007 World Championships,” his letter stated.

The meets would feature male and female athletes in the 100, 200 and 400 metres; 100/110m hurdles and 400m hurdles; long jump; and the 4×100, 4×400 and sprint medley relays.

The proposal is that one competition would be in the United States, with the other taking place on Jamaican soil between May and June this year.

Its daggerin time

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CD review Busy Signal: loaded

loaded

http://www.vpreggae.com/scripts/itemdetail.asp?IK=VP1826.2
buy the cd here

Busy Signals latest full length effort entitled, “Loaded” has become the latest victim of VP Records over priced mediocrity by the powers that be at Reggae Giant.
A half bred sophomore album, it can only pass as a compilation. There’s nothing loaded about it. Yet still it carries a few singles that could have been themed into a good full length effort.

With a slew of “daggering” singles, mixed with an anemic blend of ghetto and gangster inspired lyrics the album does no justice to the man whose name graces the cover.

For it is not an album, but a well executed compilation.

Yet from the jump street track “People so Evil” the album is a head bouncer. No need to press the skip button, even on the over exposed “Jail”, which braces the album at track two.

The cross over flavored “TicToc” presents some spice to the set, followed by the monster hit, “Wine Pon De edge”, which has become a staple play in the Dancehall circles worldwide.

“Hey Girl” and Real Jamaican featuring Mykal Rose are somewhat forgettable. The underground club banger “Unknown Number”, is slotted on the album and should be a good cross over single if properly marketed in the United States and Canada.

The monster single “These are the days” regarded by many as a “Dancehall Classic” drops in on track 9, giving time for retrospect before the hiphop induced “Hustle Hard” creates a drag on the vibe of the album, and the punch line becomes a bit tedious after three minutes.

Once “My World” bounces through the speakers, the realization hits me.
After bracing for nearly two years for a second album, VP spits out a well hyped compilation disc.

I feel shafted when the underground single “Strappings” hits track 12.

My expectation of Busy Signal might have been too high(or hyped). A great lyricist, with beautiful writing skills, we have all been waiting for him to finally separate himself from the pack and step forward with a mint fresh flavor to dancehall. It was expected in this release. But Busy did not deliver.

So as the dancehall hit “Cool Baby” rolls in on track 13, I am convinced that the so called album is simply another botched product that VP coughs up when they don’t understand the potential of the artist.

“Knocking on Your Door” steps in on track 14, I was barely consoled, but why cry over spilt milk?

The final track featuring Italian Reggae Star Alborosie, “Murderer”, is an anemic effort to seal off the atrocity that has occurred to what was proposed to be a fresh plate of musical delicacies from an artist who has created some of the best lyrical chops that dancehall has tasted in the last decade.

Cheer up Busy. It wasn’t your fault.

Not this time.

2008 Record of the Year

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