Bill Rodgers - the most liked and respected runner on the Lets Run message boards?

You won't find many that don't like BR but the same can be said for Shorter. With Frank's Olympic achievements I give him the nod on most respected runner.

They are both great role models for today's runners.

I 'like' Shorter, but I LOVE Billy.

Haji wrote:

You won't find many that don't like BR but the same can be said for Shorter. With Frank's Olympic achievements I give him the nod on most respected runner.

They are both great role models for today's runners.

I think Shorter is also widely respected but I've often heard people say that he was a jerk--arrogant and stand-offish. I've also heard many people say they like Shorter.

I have always been a big fan of both Rodgers and Shorter. I don't know either personally, so this is just based on what I have read about them.

The sad thing is that if either was at their peak today, they would probably have people bashing them on this board.

Rodgers would probably be slammed as an unrepentant mayo and cold pizza eater.

Bill is easy to like. He certainly has done plenty of good will for the sport.

I’ll throw a respectful nod to Bob Hodge, he is positive, helpful and his career very under rated in my opinion.

I don’t know toro (he was a very good 800 runner) but appreciate his comments always.

I would add Billy Mills to that exclusive list. I never really hear anything negative about him. Very rare on this board.

He did walk during his 2:09:55 in Boston in 1975. Guess who his college teammate was?

Ummmm, Amby something or other

I can't recall any elite World Class Runner like Rodgers. He really is abnormal in how talkative and friendly to everyone at races. After a race I went up with a poster and asked hin to sign it and he even knew who I was and my times and I was only a middle pack national class runner 20 years younger than him. And he also took the time to talk with my Mom for at least 10 minutes.

I don't think this guy was hated by anyone in his entire life.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

Haji wrote:

You won't find many that don't like BR but the same can be said for Shorter. With Frank's Olympic achievements I give him the nod on most respected runner.

They are both great role models for today's runners.

I think Shorter is also widely respected but I've often heard people say that he was a jerk--arrogant and stand-offish. I've also heard many people say they like Shorter.

Shorter probably had good reason for his mood swings. Lets give the man a break.

Anyone that can stop and tie their shoe and still run a 2:09 is awesome in my book. But, to become a trail blazer for the sport and speaker for the average runner is also as admirable.

[quote]break it up wrote:

I can't recall any elite World Class Runner like Rodgers. He really is abnormal in how talkative and friendly to everyone at races. [quote]

I can second this. I met him at the Cherry Blossom expo this weekend. He tries to engage in a real conversation with everyone that he meets.

BR really seemed to bridge the recreational runner (of the 70's and 80's- a different breed from today's sloggers)and the elite runner.

Later on you had AlSal more of a traditional great collegiate runner moving into the road race scene. BR just seemed to be like the guy you saw win the local road race, but now he had moved on and was winning the Boston Marathon.

Shorter comes off as a screw ball to me.

Bill Rodgers is cool though.

C'mon, Boston Billy!

LetsbeFrank wrote:

Shorter probably had good reason for his mood swings. Lets give the man a break.

I don't know Frank Shorter and have no personal opinion on him (as a person, I greatly admire him as a runner). I am just pointing out that while Bill Rodgers is pretty much universally liked and admired that Frank Shorter is not universally liked.

In late 1978 Bill R. came to Miami to help promote the old Orange Bowl Marathon. I was writng about Running for the Miami News and interviewed him by going on a couple of 10 mile runs with him. (I was a high school teacher/coach, not a journalist.) We kept in touch by mail and at one point I asked if it would be okay to establish a Bill Rodgers Award for my prep school Cross Country team - and. if so, what criteria he would like for an award with his name. He said "fine" to the award and asked that it go "to the one who loves running the most."

In March '79 I wrote to tell him a little about the two boys who were to share the award at our All-Sports banquet in the Spring. In late April I got a response which included two handwritten, personalized letters for the two boys. And the letter was postmarked from Dallas and sent 4 days after he'd won his 4th Boston, been on the Today show, traveled to Texas, etc. Yet he took the time to do what I described. In May the kids got plaques. They also got his letters. You know which they treasured more.

Gerry, Gerry, Gerry... as the TV chant goes

How about Dick Beardsley as another widely respected elder of the running community?

I'll just join the chorus and say that Bill Rodgers is, indeed, universally liked. He's a great dude. Pretty much everyone in the Boston area has a "bump into Bill Rodgers on a run and he was the s***" story.

I do think Joanie is about as universally liked as Bill, and just as deserved.