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Ryan Nips Brooks For MI....
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Thursday, 06 November 2014 00:10
Minnesota Multisport Awards – Men’s MOST IMPROVED was one of the more hotly debated categories. In the end, Ryan Bailey won the award, though by the narrowest margin over Brooks Grossinger.
Here is a cursory explanation of how this award was determined:
CHAP ACHEN – Achen’s improvement was definitely nomination-worthy, but the Selectors ranked him generally in the 12th-15th range, though one supporter had him in the 10th spot. That the 45-year-old was never tested head-to-head with the other MOY nominees, nor did he beat any eventual Team MN athletes along the way hurt his chances to win this award.
NATE HOFFMAN – When figuring out this category the Selectors look at a nominee’s movement within or toward Team Minnesota. A few Committee members ranked Nate 10th, the rest ranked him #11. A star duathlete, had his tri performances—5th at Buffalo Olympic, 10 minutes behind the winner; 10th at Heart of the Lakes, nine minutes...
behind the amateur champ--been more impressive, he would have been a more serious contender here.
JOSH BLANKENHEIM – No Selector ranked him lower than 7th on Team Minnesota (one ranked him as high as 5th). His previous best ranking was 11th in 2011, thus his upward mobility was pronounced. But it was not perceived as being quite as significant as Brooks' or Ryan's.
BROOKS GROSSINGER – All Selectors ranked Brooks 3rd on their respective lists. That his best prior ranking was 10th (2013 and 2010), it was obvious that Grossinger had a great chance to win the award. It should be noted that pros were ineligible for Team Minnesota in 2014. Last year, four pros were ranked in front of Brooks. If pros were ineligible in 2013, Brooks would have placed 5th. Any upward movement within the Top 5 is significant.
Why, then, did he not receive the award?
RYAN BAILEY – Though some Selectors adamantly supported Grossinger--and one fervently believed that Blankenheim should receive the award--Bailey won the MI by a margin of one vote. His eventual Team MN rank was 10th. (One Selector ranked him in 8th, three placed him in the 10th position, and two had him in the 11th spot.)
The majority of Selectors believed that his improvement was more pronounced and dramatic than the others. In 2013, while racing in Colorado, his best finish was a 9th. This year he won three races and set two course records. In 2013, his best Olympic time was 2:03. This year his best was 1:54:57. In the history of the MMAs, no athlete has climbed the Elite Amateur Ladder as quickly as Bailey.
