A track meet produces three national records
A closer look at a story that's been building for weeks, and what the next move likely is.
Skeptics point to the long history of premature declarations. Their caution is earned, and worth keeping close at hand.
Still, the conversation has changed. The questions in the room are different from the questions in the room six months ago.
The shift did not happen overnight. It accumulated in quiet decisions, small wins, and a handful of unglamorous fixes that no one tweeted about.
The decision-makers involved insist nothing is settled, which is exactly what decision-makers say when something is starting to settle.
Outside the room, the response has been faster, messier, and considerably more interesting.
The institutional response has been measured, which in this context is a polite way of saying slow.
