Trials on trial: Is berth process out of order?

USA TODAY, July, 2008 by Tom Weir

Today at Game On!

Picking the U.S. Olympic teams

The U.S. Olympic teams are set for swimming and track and field after grueling trials, but did it really need to be that rough on the athletes?

Traditionally, the thinking is having all-or-nothing trials for swimming and track leaves the U.S. with rosters that are better prepared for the all-or-nothing competition at the Olympics.

But would we be unified behind that philosophy if, say, Michael Phelps had been hit with a virus that sidelined the world's greatest swimmer?

The track trials, where injuries are more common, have more often been the competition ...