Unknowing Visitor: Who is this Alan Webb guy, it sounds like he really sucks it running.
Letsrun.com: Yeah, he's pretty horrible. He used to be good in high school, now he is the biggest waste of running talent in the history of American Track & Field.
Unknowing Visitor: So he just tanked after high school?
Letsrun.com: I guess you could say that. He ran some ok times, but never really lived up to his potential.
Unknowing Visitor: Some people just can't hang when they hit the big time, huh?
Letsrun.com: I wouldn't say that, I mean, he has won some big time races, and he was in the mix at a couple World Championships, just couldn't pull it out.
Unknowing Visitor: Winning big time races and being in the mix at World Championships, how is this tanking?
Letsrun.com: I guess saying he tanked might be a bit of an overstatement, I mean, he did set the American record in the mile. Still, he never really lived up to his potential.
Unknowing Visitor: Wait a second, so he has run faster than any American in the history of his event, but he didn't live up to his potential?
Letsrun.com: Well, yeah, I mean he doesn't even have an Olympic Medal.
Unknowing Visitor: Doesn't have an Olympic Gold Medal, that's pretty bad I mean, they must give those out like candy, right?
Letsrun.com: Not really, you get one shot every four years. There are countless examples of incredible runners who just weren't able to get it together when their shot came around.
Unknowing Visitor: But he should have gotten one right, I mean, he is one of the best that ever was?
Letsrun.com: I wouldn't go that far, Webb is really talented, but their are so many talented middle distance runners out there, it really isn't fair to say he was heads above them all. Really no guarantee he should have won an Olympic Medal.
Unknowing Visitor: So what you are saying is, he didn't tank after high school, he actually did somewhat live up to his potential, and you have ridiculously unfair expectations for your country's runners?
Letsrun.com: I guess you could say that, I am pretty much full of shit!