Mottram: Another Message to the Americans

european# wrote:

In yet another brilliant performance, Craig "Buster" Mottram exhibits why he's the man to beat, and why timing is everything. He's moving forward while the Americans are seemingly moving backwards; he's showing what it takes to win at the highest international level, and is seemingly fearless in the final stretch, outkicking every African in the process. The Americans, though certainly talented, don't seem to have Mottram-esque guts or power to pull off performances like these.

It seems that despite the progression in American running - there is no one particular guy who has the heart of Mottram, the unblinking, unwavering belief that he can win any race.

Who is America's great hope? I just don't know...

Oh. Believing that you can win any race is all it takes? I guess I've been wasting my time with all that training.

The guy who beat him at the mile about a month back? Or the one who beat him at 10k a little before that? Or Nick Symmonds, who beat the Olympic gold medalist, or Teg, who just set a new AR in the 2 mile, or Ryan Hall, with his half marathon and amazing marathon debut...

european# wrote:

Who is America's great hope? I just don't know...

I'm not sure, but I know Europe's greatest hope...oh wait, nevermind, they don't have one

Mottram won a slow race.

also was Teg or Lagat in the race? naw they wasn't. But if they had been, they would have ripped Mottram a new one.

How do you figure the US is moving backwards?

I love peeps wrote:

Mottram won a slow race.

also was Teg or Lagat in the race? naw they wasn't. But if they had been, they would have ripped Mottram a new one.

I love peeps,

You believe Tegenkamp would have out-kicked Mottram? Fool. Lagat isn't in his best fitness right now, but even then he would've had his hands full with Mottram. Wake up, man. Mottram eats Americans for breakfast when it counts. Period. In a distant 17th place, an American. Good time. Way out of the race. More of the same...

who wrote:

I love peeps,

You believe Tegenkamp would have out-kicked Mottram? Fool. Lagat isn't in his best fitness right now, but even then he would've had his hands full with Mottram. Wake up, man. Mottram eats Americans for breakfast when it counts. Period. In a distant 17th place, an American. Good time. Way out of the race. More of the same...

Did you even look at the results? Blincoe runs for New Zealand, their weren't any US runners in the race.

*There

Yeah, come on, get with the program!!!!

yep, i heard those american bones gnawed on at pre.

15min wrote:

The guy who beat him at the mile about a month back? Or the one who beat him at 10k a little before that? Or Nick Symmonds, who beat the Olympic gold medalist, or Teg, who just set a new AR in the 2 mile, or Ryan Hall, with his half marathon and amazing marathon debut...

Timing is everything. Symmonds is a middle distance runner. Teg got easily handled at PRE, and struggled at US champs. Ryan Hall ran a fantastic half marathon in Jan, yes. A great debut marathon. But that has nothing to do with international TRACK competition, which is the object of discussion here. Where is your boy Ritz-he's a track specialist, right? Do you honestly believe Ritz could compete with that field in Ostrava? Honestly? Perhaps in the future, perhaps. But it takes guts to actually show up at these races first, and then real big balls to compete. I give credit to Blincoe - at least he showed up. (granted, it would be difficult for an American to show up in Ostrava after Nationals, but when was the last time you saw a top American distance athlete compete in a Golden League event? I'm sure Ritz has had the opportunity. Why not take it? In the end, Americans have to go to Europe if they want respect, if they want to compete on an international level, and when they have the opportunity, they turn it down. Why?

Yeah, fool, don't forget that Dathan Ritzenhein, our 3rd Best 10,000M runner absolutely spanked Mottram over 10K in NYC just a couple of months ago.

MOTTRAM = USA's 4th Best 10,000M runner, if that.

You guys certainly don't know what you are talking about. Mottram has been in more races than the likes of teg. Mottram is not that fit? The Americans haven't had a chance to race in Europe this year. Last year the only race where teg and Mottram raced teg won.

...and earlier this month, Mottram beat Teg by 4 seconds in a very fast race. I would say the more recent results mean more than one race last year.

However, I also think that if Dathan can get he stuff together, and if Teg rounds into shape, that both of them can at least put up a fight with him. Teg can, in my opinion, beat him too. Not every time, but he can certainly beat him.

Mottram sent another message to the Americans by beating 1 Alan Webb who is currently one of our poorer 2 milers.

USA guys definately have ability there. Teg should be up there in years to come. Remember Mottram has been round a while now and has leant his trade in Europe and is now an excellent racer.

I love peeps saying teg would have spanked Mottram is rediculous, lagat is also doubtful as he is not the force he once was. As I said though, Teg will become very good but he is not at Mottrams level at the moment.

i dont think it was that slow of a race and i highly doubt teg could beat mottram, given their PRs and past races. same with lagat, definitely can beat mottram over 1500, but not mottram's specialty 5000.

I love peeps wrote:

Mottram won a slow race.

also was Teg or Lagat in the race? naw they wasn't. But if they had been, they would have ripped Mottram a new one.

sizzle wrote:

USA guys definately have ability there. Teg should be up there in years to come. Remember Mottram has been round a while now and has leant his trade in Europe and is now an excellent racer.

I love peeps saying teg would have spanked Mottram is rediculous, lagat is also doubtful as he is not the force he once was. As I said though, Teg will become very good but he is not at Mottrams level at the moment.

Don't doubt Bernard Lagat. We all know what he's capable of using when protected by politics. This makes him the man to beat at the 5k in Osaka.

"Granted it would be difficult for an American to show up in Ostrava"--goodness gracious: it would be more than difficult. One doesn't run a hard 10,000 or 5,000 in the Nationals and just jet over somewhere. So stop such nonsense. On the substantive front, Webb regularly runs in Golden League events. Ritz has been injured a great deal, but he did go to Rome last year. Teg has run a few Golden Leagues and will run many more. Abdi has run several. Rupp will no doubt run many. Now, Mottram is a great runner, and for 5,000 he has run faster than any American ever has, and it would not surprise me if he medals in Osaka, but what in the world has that to do with the quality of American distance running? Nothing as far as I can tell. That one man is great does not mean that others are not very, very good, improving, and getting close. And just as a prediction, it would not surprise me at all if two Americans run under 13:00 this summer.