While I appreciate your description of Mr. Mulherin and don't doubt that he is passionate and was very likely distraught after begin DQ'd, your statement that Mulherin did not swear at any FSU coaches is false.
After the final decision was made on the dq, Mulherin walked down off risers where the media was asembled, walked by FSU sprint coach Ken Harnden and muttered "f***ing c***sucker." Then, as Coach Harnden walked through the warm-up area towards the finish line, Mulherin pointed directly to Coach Harnden and SCREAMED "you f***ing c***sucker." Coach Harnden then approached at VT asst, told him what happened, and asked the coach to get the athlete under control which the VT coach attempted to do.
As passionate as he may be, and as much of a team player he may be, his actions were uncalled for, and a very black mark on his program and the ACC.
VT runner DQ unfair wrote:
With a ton of accusations being written I will give what I know of Will. Will is definitely a passionate runner and a great guy (and nice). A guy from a small Virginia high school that never broke 4:30 in the 1600 meters in high school (did run 9:31) he has worked hard to being one of the best guys in the ACC. The 3K was the last event prior to the 4x400 and he needed to go out and win for his team to most likely win the ACC Team Title. He did. Look at him in the picture at the finishline. Passion, heart and the distance guy won it for the team with everything on the line. Total elation! After the race he was distraught but did not go after the FSU coaches and swear out them. Will the kind of guy that mutters and swears under his breath in the corner. Iwas n't by him so cannot say what he said, but I also know only his own coaches were next to him. He didn't go after any FSU coach to give him a piece of his mind. He represented the Hokies very well.
It is clear there was no foul from the picture and video and when the ACC Select video comes out which should be much better looking at the angle of their camera set up (high up and looking down the straightaway)- it will be even more clear. Will doesn't even push the other runner but has his hand out to steady himself. Watch it again and hopefully we will all get to see the ACC Select video.
All the FSU posters, FSU's Coach Braman and the few other bashers (probably Coach Bramen himself as he is a fairly often internet poster on the Florida High School site; hopefully not contributing to this mess, probably just a troll) along with the VT asst coaches can learn from the NC State 3K runner that was edged at the line. Martinez (the NC State runner), a class act offered Will his ACC Championship medal. Will team mates had to find him as he was in the locker room dejected from what happened. From the ultimate high to the ultimate low. He came out and shook hands with the NC State runner but politely turned it down. So thumbs up to Will's fantastic race and big time finish, thumbs up to Martinez of NC State who is a great sportsman and ran terrific race making it hard, and finally thumbs up to the FSU runner, Leeder who ran a gutsy race for his team after already running the mile ealier. Thumbsdown to Coach Braman of FSU for not leaving the officials alone from the mile on. He still complaining about the mile on the FSU website. Thumbsdown to the VT asst coaches for losing their cool. Thumbsdown to the head referee for not getting the coaches under control ealier. They did reprimand Braman and one the asst VT coaches but waited to long.
I have been to a clinic to listen to Coach Bramen as one of the guest speaker and I like that he gives credit to where it is earned (like Coach Harvey excellent coaching) but this behavior was not expected. The same for the VT assistant coaches, they need to keep their cool in an unfair situation and not lose it. But that would be hard to do for most of us. I like track because it is decided by who ran faster, jumped higher or further and by the best throwers. Unfortunate here a blown call was made and feel Coach Braman won the ACC for his guys, not the other way around. His constant hounding of the officials finally paid off. At least the Clemson women can definitely be called the ACC Champions without any hesitation. They were tremendous. One thing for sure - there was a lot of passion about track and field and kids competing at a high level after multiple events to help their team.
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