Bill Rodgers or Pat Porter

The answer is "yes".

Porter. Rodgers was a one trick pony (roads). Porter did it all.

One trick pony? Rodgers finished third in World Cross Country, which if I'm not mistaken is one place higher than Porter ever did. And winning Boston four times and New York City four times is a pretty good "trick" anyway

desert rodent wrote:

Porter. Rodgers was a one trick pony (roads). Porter did it all.

That "one trick pony" was 3rd in the World cross country championships, higher than Porter ever finished

tellin it like it is wrote:

That "one trick pony" was 3rd in the World cross country championships, higher than Porter ever finished

True, but I would argue that world cross in 1985 was much more competitive than in 1975, so that argument is a bit of a ruse. Plus, Porter ran faster than Rodgers ever did at 5k and 10k, but he never ran the marathon. Rodgers, on the other hand, had unbelievable longevity and a marathon record that is just about unparalleled. Two different animals competing at two different specialties in different eras. Very hard to say one was better than the other.

When Rodgers was at his peak he was virtually unbeatable on the roads at any distance. Porter was more of a one trick pony as his claim to fame was cross country. He had quicker 5 and 10k track times, but Rodgers never really competed on the track. However, virtually everyone on this board would kill to have either ones career.

Sagarin wrote:

True, but I would argue that world cross in 1985 was much more competitive than in 1975,

I would argue that it was not in 1984, when Porter had his highest finish. In 75 they were held in Morocco. And Porter took a lot more shots at it than Rodgers did. How many times did Rodgers try to make the US team anyway? Twice?

Porter might have run faster than Rodgers in 10k but then again, Rodgers wasn't really doing too many track 10ks, now was he. Rogers was beating international fields at Boston and New York.

No doubt, Porter was good. But to me there is no comparison. Rodgers won Boston and New York 4 times each.

Porter for X-C and track....Rodgers for road racing: case closed.

2 mints in one wrote:

Porter for X-C and track....Rodgers for road racing: case closed.

That's what I think. Rodgers may have run a bit faster on the track if he focused on it, but his mile PR and raw footspeed was so slow that I doubt he'd ever have run really fast. Rodgers would not even have been in the top ten the year Porter finished 4th at world cross. But, in totality, Rodgers' record was probably more impressive. Personally, I would rather have had Porter representing the US at an international event at any distance below the marathon.

Like comparing apples and oranges....I'd still go with Rodgers, though

tellin it like it is wrote:And Porter took a lot more shots at it than Rodgers did.

Porter took a lot more shots at the Olympic Track Trials 10k than Porter, yet their performances rank nearly the same.

28:03.86 3 Pat Porter '84

28:04.42 4 Bill Rodgers '76

tellin it like it is wrote:

desert rodent wrote:

Porter. Rodgers was a one trick pony (roads). Porter did it all.

That "one trick pony" was 3rd in the World cross country championships, higher than Porter ever finished

Yes, and what did he do xc-wise to follow up on that promising performance!!!

And what did he do to follow up on that promising 1976 Oly trials 4th place!!!!!

Rodgers - a good runner who could have been great.

Porter, like Shorter, took on all-comers....on all surfaces. Personally, I feel Rodgers never took a gamble with his racing career.

I think Rodgers gambled quite alot.He trained thru nearly ever race that he ran (and won) from 1975 thru about 1980!Just because he did not focus on the track/xc doesn't diminish the awesome record that he amassed.I would also add that it's a good thing that he stayed away from the track and trails because he would have been equaly impressive on those surfaces.

desert rodent wrote:

tellin it like it is wrote:

That "one trick pony" was 3rd in the World cross country championships, higher than Porter ever finished

Yes, and what did he do xc-wise to follow up on that promising performance!!!

And what did he do to follow up on that promising 1976 Oly trials 4th place!!!!!

Rodgers - a good runner who could have been great.

Porter, like Shorter, took on all-comers....on all surfaces. Personally, I feel Rodgers never took a gamble with his racing career.

The Dina wrote:

Yes, and what did he do xc-wise to follow up on that promising performance!!!

He realized he had done better than Pat Porter had ever done so he went on to better things

And what did he do to follow up on that promising 1976 Oly trials 4th place!!!!!

He WAS BLOCKED OUT OF THE TRIALS when he was the best marathoner in the world by the Olympic Boycott, of course!

Rodgers - a good runner who could have been great.

Porter - a good runner who could have been... good

Rogers a runner who actually became great.

Porter, like Shorter, took on all-comers....on all surfaces. Personally, I feel Rodgers never took a gamble with his racing career.

Rogers raced international fields. He didn't just race Boston and New York but he sure won them a whole bunch of times.

How many marathons or road races, or World X-C's for that matter, have you won or medaled in?

Hmmmmm?

tellin it like it is wrote:

He WAS BLOCKED OUT OF THE TRIALS when he was the best marathoner in the world by the Olympic Boycott, of course!

Actually blocked out of the Olympics, not the trials. He could have gone to the meaningless trials but what would be the point when nobody was going anywhere? Instead he went to Boston and won it - AGAIN.

NO DOUBT...........WILLIAM H RODGERS!!!

So how fast could Rodgers have been at 2 miles, 5,000, 10,000? When he did run track it was like those staple distances (sarcasm intended) like 20,000 meters and the 1 hour run. Don't you feel he cheated himself (and more importantly us) as a runner by not testing himself at the shorter distances.

Didn't Shorter run an American indoor 2 mile record (1971) the same year he ran (& won) 3 marathons - now that's a runner!