Lets be honest. Is Bekele'd dominance killing the sport of distance running?

I'll get flamed for spelling like a dumbass as well. (Bekele's)

Should we ask him to spread the dope around?

Well it seems he's already gave ritz his secret sauce. I don't know who's next on the list.

Perhaps, but remember that this Chet guy, who seems really smart, said that Bekele has won his last global title on the track.

Gebrselassie didn't. Bekele isn't. He has some name recognition and star power in Europe and a little in America (as far as track goes).

No, it's the endless hordes of East Africans who poor into races across Europe and the US, take all the top places, and are quickly replaced by another horde that are crippling interest in the sport. Media has no desire to cover anything like that. Balanced fields with Americans who have real shots at top places are what's needed to drive interest.

I don't think it really matters if he is or not. I think the majority of folks on here are fans of American distance running.

for me personally, I don't care. I loved seeing ritz break the American record for example. Rupp, Webb, etc. I don't even follow the international scene to much, their are just to many gray areas.

Thank you. More evidence that in the mind of most Americans, there's America and then there are those far flung places that occasionally send in basketball and baseball players. And that's the world.

Is Bolt's dominance killing the sport of sprinting?

actually it's the east african dominance that hurts the sport.

no body in the wester world cares to see "some Kenyan" win all the big marathons and Oly games.

they are nameless faceless & unmarketable

bevis wrote:

actually it's the east african dominance that hurts the sport.

no body in the wester world cares to see "some Kenyan" win all the big marathons and Oly games.

they are nameless faceless & unmarketable

you are generalizing, but you are right indeed. There are of course people that stand out like wanjiru, Kenny B. & geb. But the majority shows no character to a western mind. A western person with star power has to be outgoing and willing to speak to the media. most east africans just come, race, cash in, go home, repeat. sag but true... but what do you want to do about it? More invitationals where you just don't invite them? that promotes mediocrity and is just plain discrimination.

So it's up to us. Either we step up our game and try yo compete as best we can or we let public interest go to waste.

Did Lance kill cycling? Did Jordan kill basketball? Did Gretzgy kill hockey?

I would say it is the opposite.

He has established name reognition in the sport.

It's the Kenyans who keep having great athletes come and go before you recognize their name.

And when you do get to know them they go to Bahrain and change their name.

Lagat has established his name regardless of who he represents.

Bekele's dominance helps the sport.

Mopo wrote:

Did Lance kill cycling? Did Jordan kill basketball? Did Gretzgy kill hockey?

Dude PEOPLE know who those guys are! Nobody outside of LR knows who KB is, to most folks he's just another East African. Heck I bet 90%+ think he's from Kenya.

All of those guys you listed were and are very marketable athletes that also performed very very very well. KB has the dominace, but he's less marketable than the pet rock.

Mopo wrote:

Did Lance kill cycling? Did Jordan kill basketball? Did Gretzgy kill hockey?

Those are all North Americans. And even if they weren't, it's not a matter of individuals having domination over a sport or event. It's a problem of having unknown droves as the apex of your sport.

Did Nurmi kill distance running? Did Zatopek kill distance running? Did Gebreselassie kill distance running?