USA Track and Field has been forced to sidestep the mess. While the organization has denounced the flying of the flag, it will still stage the women's Olympic Trials Marathon in Columbia on Saturday. Believe me, USATF would sooner be anywhere else, but it locked into the Columbia location long before the flag became a national issue.

The flag controversy, many hope, will not affect the race, which on a quadrennial basis maintains its reputation as one of the most exciting road contests in existence. Over 200 of the nation's top female runners will gather, and the stakes will drive many of them to overachieve in spectacular fashion.

While money is at stake ($250,000), the more important lure is the Olympic team itself. Experts and fans will try to predict which of the women will rise to the occasion, but these predictions bear a resemblance to lottery tickets. The experts who are supposed to be right rarely are. Instead, some 13-year-old kid in Sarasota, Fla., will probably be the only person to correctly forecast the top three finishers.

And no one's going to believe that kid. I wouldn't.

The race, however, will surely please those who watch it. Some big favorites will bomb, while some unknowns will rise to the top. Recent race form means nothing in the marathon, because racing long distances in the months before the "Big One" simply doesn't happen very often. Training form means a great deal, but no one has seen all of the top people training, and none of the top runners are volunteering anything.

So we have to wait and see.

Walking coverage not forthcoming
The marathon will surely garner more media publicity than last weekend's 50-kilometer racewalk trials. That event earned only local coverage, something that USATF chief Craig Masback has written makes him "mad as hell."

Strong language aside, Masback bemoaned the fact that the media ignored what turned out to be a great walk competition when there are 70 million Americans who are fitness walkers.

Masback is off the mark. Just because people walk doesn't mean they want to watch other people walk. I mean, I'm a lifelong breather, and I'm not hoping for any media coverage of breathing championships.

Cross country hurting for coverage?
In recent years, we have seen more and better efforts to sell cross country to fans worldwide. College cross country is more popular than ever, and the Foot Locker championships have generated a great deal of excitement on the high school level. Internationally, the IAAF has tried to boost the sport with its Cross Challenge series, which uses prize money to bring together the planet's top harriers.

Last week, however, the IAAF decided to cancel next year's Cross Challenge, because many of the participating nations have experienced problems with the cost of hosting the events. The IAAF Council has not indicated if the cancellation is a permanent move.

That sponsors aren't flocking to back cross country events can't be too surprising. However, the IAAF's acknowledgement of the situation certainly will leave cross country's small but devoted fan base disappointed.

The Mailbag
Monte Wells: "One reason long jumping may be lagging in the U.S. is the perception that it beats up the legs too badly, leading to either a short career or the inability to do other events, like the sprints. Secondly, I wonder if jumpers tend to see a truly great mark as almost inaccessible, seeing as the world record has barely moved since 1968. Jumpers for the last 30 years have been victims of an athletic anomaly and a questionable wind gauge. Lastly, I would imagine a pure jumper has both his notoriety and income floundering at an unsuitable level, especially compared to the sprinters."

Response: Good points all, and the notion that differing income potential in various events affects an athlete's career choices is firmly grounded in reality. It brings to mind a thought once expressed by a former editor of mine: "All events are not created equal."

Jeff Hollobaugh, former managing editor of Track and Field News, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached by e-mail at michtrack@aol.com.