the american olympic team

Quoted message said:

will an american either male of female medal in a track and field event from
the 800 meters on up? this is quite simply not a very good team of distance
runners that the americans are sending to athens and i do not see them
coming close to sniffing the medal stand. i wonder how much longer we will
have to wait for the americans to be competitive and reach the medal stand
in the distance events.

The last week was actually very good for US distance runners and a couple of
others.

Tim Broe ran 13:18 in a 5000, got the A standard. So he and Riley go. Dan
Browne ran 13:16 I think, but he's a marathoner. Galen Rupp ran 13:37 to break
the US High School and US Junior record (he's a hs senior coached by Alberto
Salazar).

Something to keep in mind here. Both Browne and Rupp are with Salazar...and he
trained HHHAAARRRDDD.

Craig Mottram of Australia became the third non-African to run sub-13 for 5000.
He ran 12:55, and the interesting thing is that Geb just barely beat him. Does
Broe have a chance at breaking up the Ethiopian medal train? No, but Mottram
just might.

Alan Webb ran 2 more PRs, one in a mile and one at 800 (1:46.09, which is one
second slower than Steve Scott ran just before his 3:47AR mile). Right now, it
looks like Webb needs to be capable of a 3:29 1500 to have a medal shot, and he
just might have it in him. But he's the only shot, I think. Our top 800 guy
at the US trials, Jonathan Johnson, is a 400/800 guy (i.e., a sprinter).

Look... There's a Baylor student named Jeremy Wariner. He has the fastest 400
time in the world, the gold medal favorite, and he's very close to breaking
Superman's Baylor record for the event. And he's WHITE. Wariner goes to
Michael Johnson's school, runs for MJ's coach, trains like the best in the
world.....and gets the results he worked for. American distance runners (now
that Bob's past his prime) do NOT train as hard as Kenyan distance runners (or
American sprinters), take the easy way out (high mileage, low intensity; They
don't want to train hard--it might hurt too much)...and they also get the
results they worked for. Just happens that those results are a little
different.

So when the Olympics come around, the high mileage guys can sit on their ass
and watch the sprinters win the medals....again.

Lyndon
"Speed Kills...It kills those that don't have it!" --US Olympic Track Coach
Brooks Johnson

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

will an american either male of female medal in a track and field event

from

Field events - yes (a shot put sweep for the men is even concievable); track
distance events - no.

Quoted message said:

the 800 meters on up? this is quite simply not a very good team of

distance

Quoted message said:

runners that the americans are sending to athens and i do not see them
coming close to sniffing the medal stand. i wonder how much longer we will
have to wait for the americans to be competitive and reach the medal stand
in the distance events.

The best bet for an American distance medal would be Meb Keflezighi (sp?) in
a hot, hilly marathon.

"Lyndon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dan
Browne ran 13:16 I think, but he's a marathoner.

Browne is also running the 10K in Athens IIRC, but no realistic medal hope.

meb has NO shot in medaling in the marathon. how is he suppose to compete
against the world's best when he could not even win the american trials
""El Paisano"" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

will an american either male of female medal in a track and field event

from

Field events - yes (a shot put sweep for the men is even concievable);

track

Quoted message said:

distance events - no.

Quoted message said:

the 800 meters on up? this is quite simply not a very good team of

distance

Quoted message said:

runners that the americans are sending to athens and i do not see them
coming close to sniffing the medal stand. i wonder how much longer we

will

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have to wait for the americans to be competitive and reach the medal

stand

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the distance events.

The best bet for an American distance medal would be Meb Keflezighi (sp?)

in

Quoted message said:

a hot, hilly marathon.

X-No-Archive: yes
"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

will an american either male of female medal in a track and field event from
the 800 meters on up? this is quite simply not a very good team of distance
runners that the americans are sending to athens and i do not see them
coming close to sniffing the medal stand. i wonder how much longer we will
have to wait for the americans to be competitive and reach the medal stand
in the distance events.

Greene will get a silver or bronze in the 100 meters sprint race.
Powell of Jamaica will probably take the gold.

MWL

----------------

And what have YOU done lately? Instead of bashing the U.S. team, why don't
you do something useful?

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

will an american either male of female medal in a track and field event

from

Quoted message said:

the 800 meters on up? this is quite simply not a very good team of

distance

Quoted message said:

runners that the americans are sending to athens and i do not see them
coming close to sniffing the medal stand. i wonder how much longer we will
have to wait for the americans to be competitive and reach the medal stand
in the distance events.

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Marathoner52 is right on his assessment; how many distance medals have US
runners won since 1976? A bronze in the steeple is about it and Joanie's
gold in the marathon.

It is not really bashing to point out the dearth of medals or even top 10
finishes in distance events.

The 800 is the one event that is very wide open where one of the young US
runners could shock everyone. I would feel better if Krummenacker had not
had a bad day at the Trials and missed making the team.

"Dave Stempfly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

And what have YOU done lately? Instead of bashing the U.S. team, why

don't

Quoted message said:

you do something useful?

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

will an american either male of female medal in a track and field event

from

Quoted message said:

the 800 meters on up? this is quite simply not a very good team of

distance

Quoted message said:

runners that the americans are sending to athens and i do not see them
coming close to sniffing the medal stand. i wonder how much longer we

will

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have to wait for the americans to be competitive and reach the medal

stand

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the distance events.

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am i bashing the american team? i frankly do not think so. i have only been
stating the obvious. isn't it obvious that the americans are not very good
in the distances from 800 meters on up and the future of american distance
running not look all that promising. is it too much to ask for a nation with
the pool of talent that we can pull from along with the most up to date
training methods to be able to produce 2 or 3 runners in the top 10 in
distances from the 800 meters on up. it seems that we have no problem what
so ever with producing world class sprinters. why can't we do squat when it
comes to the distance runners. as for my doing something about it. well i
happen to be a bit past my prime at 51. so there is not much i can do today
as a competitor. i do not think a 2:41 marathon time or a 36.52 10k time
would quite cut it. basically i am just basing my opinion on what i have
seen over the past 36 years and have experienced.
"Dave Stempfly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

And what have YOU done lately? Instead of bashing the U.S. team, why

don't

Quoted message said:

you do something useful?

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

will an american either male of female medal in a track and field event

from

Quoted message said:

the 800 meters on up? this is quite simply not a very good team of

distance

Quoted message said:

runners that the americans are sending to athens and i do not see them
coming close to sniffing the medal stand. i wonder how much longer we

will

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have to wait for the americans to be competitive and reach the medal

stand

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the distance events.

---
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"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

meb has NO shot in medaling in the marathon. how is he suppose to compete
against the world's best when he could not even win the american trials

Maybe you saw the race, I didn't. I do know Meb finished about the same time
the Culpepper did. I seriously doubt that Culpepper could beat Meb in a
finishing sprint if they both went all out. Meb and Alan Webb are the only
two U.S. distance athletes that are competing on an international level. I
haven't seen any recent Culpepper performance that says he is at the level
of the international elites but maybe he isn't racing right now.

marathoner52 said:

meb has NO shot in medaling in the marathon. how is he suppose to compete
against the world's best when he could not even win the american trials

You make it sound as though the marathon trials are the only race that Meb has
competed in this year, and that this race was his signature achievement.
Nothing could be further from the truth.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You make it sound as though the marathon trials are the only race that Meb

has competed in this year, and that this race was his signature achievement.
Nothing could be further from the truth. <<

Saying "Meb has spent the entire goddamn year commuting between Krispy
Kreme and Golden Corral" would be further from the truth.

Mike

M1ahearn said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You make it sound as though the marathon trials are the only race that Meb

has competed in this year, and that this race was his signature achievement.
Nothing could be further from the truth. <<

Saying "Meb has spent the entire goddamn year commuting between Krispy
Kreme and Golden Corral" would be further from the truth.

He does good milage, it wouldn't surprise me if he goes past both of those
places on his training runs (-;

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Saying "Meb has spent the entire goddamn year commuting between

Krispy

Quoted message said:

Kreme and Golden Corral" would be further from the truth.

He does good milage, it wouldn't surprise me if he goes past both of those
places on his training runs (-; <<

To be honest, I'm not sure Krispy Kreme and Golden Corral have invaded
California yet.

Mike

X-No-Archive: yes
"Dave Stempfly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

And what have YOU done lately? Instead of bashing the U.S. team, why don't
you do something useful?

Absolutely. Way to go Dave Stempfly!!
marathoner52, you are just being unpatriotic and un-American bashing
the team.
Even if it is the truth, you should not be bashing them in these
difficult times when the country is at war.
Learn from Dave Stempfly. Support the troops, I mean, the athletes.
Give them better roids, undetectable roids, more lucrative contracts
so that they don't have to worry about where there next meal is coming
from.
Also, like Dave Stempfly, if you haven't run Olympic times lately, you
have no right to be criticizing our brave athletes.

MWL

------------------

Quoted message said:

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

will an american either male of female medal in a track and field event

from

Quoted message said:

the 800 meters on up? this is quite simply not a very good team of

distance

Quoted message said:

runners that the americans are sending to athens and i do not see them
coming close to sniffing the medal stand. i wonder how much longer we will
have to wait for the americans to be competitive and reach the medal stand
in the distance events.

---
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"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

am i bashing the american team?

with a post like the following (from rec.sport.swimming), yes

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

what is with all this hype about this kid? i do not get it? he is on the
cover of every single olympic mag cover and they are talking about all the
gold medals he can win. plus the media is tabbing michael to be "the
greatest american swimmer ever." now how can michael possibly be

considered

Quoted message said:

to be "the greatest american swimmer ever" when he will have his lunch
handed to him by ian thorpe in 200 m freestyle? in my opinion u have to

win

Quoted message said:

gold in every event u enter like what mark spitz did in 1972 if u want to

be

Quoted message said:

considered "the greatest american swimmer ever."

\'El Paisano\ said:

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

am i bashing the american team?

with a post like the following (from rec.sport.swimming), yes

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

what is with all this hype about this kid? i do not get it? he is on the
cover of every single olympic mag cover and they are talking about all the
gold medals he can win. plus the media is tabbing michael to be "the
greatest american swimmer ever." now how can michael possibly be

considered

Quoted message said:

to be "the greatest american swimmer ever" when he will have his lunch
handed to him by ian thorpe in 200 m freestyle? in my opinion u have to

win

Quoted message said:

gold in every event u enter like what mark spitz did in 1972 if u want to

be considered "the greatest american swimmer ever."

I think he's saying that Phelps cannot be considered to be the
"greatest American swimmer ever" until he does what Mark Spitz did.
I agree. I don't think it's bashing the American team.
What Spitz did was truly incredible. Phelps has to prove himself first.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

\'El Paisano\ said:

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

am i bashing the american team?

with a post like the following (from rec.sport.swimming), yes

"marathoner52" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

what is with all this hype about this kid? i do not get it? he is on

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

cover of every single olympic mag cover and they are talking about all

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

gold medals he can win. plus the media is tabbing michael to be "the
greatest american swimmer ever." now how can michael possibly be

considered

Quoted message said:

to be "the greatest american swimmer ever" when he will have his lunch
handed to him by ian thorpe in 200 m freestyle? in my opinion u have to

win

Quoted message said:

gold in every event u enter like what mark spitz did in 1972 if u want

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

be considered "the greatest american swimmer ever."

Quoted message said:

I think he's saying that Phelps cannot be considered to be the
"greatest American swimmer ever" until he does what Mark Spitz did.
I agree. I don't think it's bashing the American team.
What Spitz did was truly incredible. Phelps has to prove himself first.

A few random thoughts:
* Mark Spitz was similarly hyped before the 1972 Olympics.
* Phelps has proven himself. No swimmer, including Spitz, in any country has
ever sucessfully swam in the range of strokes and distances at which he will
compete. Phelps is a national age-group record holder at his weakest event.
* Spitz had an easier Olympic schedule than Phelps, even after Phelps pulled
out of the backstroke.
* If Phelps wins 6 golds and "loses" to Thorpe in the 200 free, you could
hardly say he "had his lunch handed to him."
* Thorpe must not have a medal chance since as Marathon52 likes to point out
about Meb "he didn't even win the trials." Hell, he didn't even place in the
trials.

\'El Paisano\ said:

A few random thoughts:

....

Quoted message said:

* Phelps has proven himself. No swimmer, including Spitz, in any country has
ever sucessfully swam in the range of strokes and distances at which he will
compete. Phelps is a national age-group record holder at his weakest event.

He might have proven himself as far as the statistics you provide are
concerned. However, I don't think he has proven himself to the extent
where he can be called the "greatest American swimmer ever." Yet.

Spitz had 17 national age-group records and 1 world record by the time he was 10.

Spitz had already set 10 world records by the time he was 18.
This is before he went on to win the 7 golds - all in WR times.

Plus, he was the World Swimmer of the Year in 1969, 1971, and 1972.

Quoted message said:

* Spitz had an easier Olympic schedule than Phelps, even after Phelps pulled
out of the backstroke.

Might be. I would also think competition is much tougher these days.

Quoted message said:

* If Phelps wins 6 golds and "loses" to Thorpe in the 200 free, you could
hardly say he "had his lunch handed to him."

Agreed.

However, as it is right now, I do not think Phelps can be considered to
be better than Spitz as far as achievements are considered. If we're
talking about potential, it's a different story. Hard to say...

jobs

Sam said:

Marathoner52 is right on his assessment; how many distance medals have US
runners won since 1976? A bronze in the steeple is about it and Joanie's
gold in the marathon.

Some you're missing:

Olympics

Lynn Jennings 10000 bronze
Earl Jones 800 bronze
Kim Gallagher 800 bronze
Johnny Gray 800 bronze

World Championships

Jim Spivey 1500 bronze
Rich Kenah 800 bronze

Quoted message said:

It is not really bashing to point out the dearth of medals or even top 10
finishes in distance events.

Notice that the list is almost exclusively 800 in the last 30 years and none of
these guys are high mileage types. And in the US the successful 800 types are
not what they once were. Rick Wolhuter was ranked #1 in the US in 1500 and 800
and Earl Jones (1984) was a distance type. But since then....

Brandon Rock was a sprinter. Mark Everett was a sprinter. Jonathan Johnson is
a sprinter. Johnny Gray trained in the Igloi system (speed all the time and
lots of intervals). Kenah and Krummenacker (especially Krum) were not
successful as mileage-oriented guys.

Lydiard-oriented folks have done lots of lecturing, but they have very little
to show for it in terms of results.

Quoted message said:

The 800 is the one event that is very wide open where one of the young US
runners could shock everyone. I would feel better if Krummenacker had not
had a bad day at the Trials and missed making the team.

Krummenacker and Jonathan Johnson are both entered in Zurich. So is Kipketer
(loaded field). So we'll see where we really stand.

Quoted message said:

Lyndon
"Speed Kills...It kills those that don't have it!" --US Olympic Track Coach
Brooks Johnson