Awesome NY Times article on Bekele's debut in Paris - Hermens on Bekele and Haile - 'They’re not really friends'

Even with his records, Bekele will always be in Geb's shadow. There is this tricky thing called charisma....

A Girl Like You wrote:

Even with his records, Bekele will always be in Geb's shadow. There is this tricky thing called charisma....

No, Bekele just doesn't speak English very well

Ethiopian Fan wrote:

A Girl Like You wrote:

Even with his records, Bekele will always be in Geb's shadow. There is this tricky thing called charisma....

No, Bekele just doesn't speak English or smile very well

Even if neither spoke a word, Geb's presence and smile is leagues ahead.

Plus his career paved the way for modern Ethiopian success. Every step that Bekele has taken was made by Geb first.

A Girl Like You wrote:

Even if neither spoke a word, Geb's presence and smile is leagues ahead.

Plus his career paved the way for modern Ethiopian success. Every step that Bekele has taken was made by Geb first.

yes

bekele has the world records now but haile smashed them first

bekele improved them marginally

bekele will trump haile in terms of career achievements if he scores big at the marathon distance

just sayin wrote:

bekele will trump haile in terms of career achievements if he scores big at the marathon distance

Geb left the door open by not winning a major, but Bek winning a major in a WR is a VERY tall order at this point in time. Like Hermans says, he can't be dabbling in business to pull off such a task.

I am excited. Anyone got a streaming URL for the US?

NJ Possible wrote:

I am excited. Anyone got a streaming URL for the US?

Universal is streaming it if you subscribe to them:

A Girl Like You wrote:

Bek winning a major in a WR is a VERY tall order at this point in time. Like Hermans says, he can't be dabbling in business to pull off such a task.

they need a new undetectable drug for the marathon

with hermens having exclusive rights while bekele carves his place in history

A Girl Like You wrote:

Even with his records, Bekele will always be in Geb's shadow. There is this tricky thing called charisma....

There are tons of people with charisma in the world but only one person who ran 12:37 and 26:17 and totally dominated XC.

True fans count only athletic achievements, the others focus on charisma, pretty face and so on.

rojo wrote:

One thing the article forgot. Yes, Bekele hasn't been great the last few years but he did beat Farah at 13.1 last Fall.

And he beat Haile in the same race.

Don't they teach spelling and grammar at any of those numerous, very expensive prep schools and universities to which the American taxpayers sent rojo? Seriously, dude, aren't you embarrassed?

A Girl Like You wrote:

Even if neither spoke a word, Geb's presence and smile is leagues ahead.

Plus his career paved the way for modern Ethiopian success. Every step that Bekele has taken was made by Geb first.

Miruts Yifter paved the way for modern Ethiopian success. Gebrselassie wasn't the birth of Ethiopian distance running. Their progression in terms of the events they race seems natural. Juniors/XC, track, road. Is this really attributable to Gebrselassie?

Every successive step Kenenisa takes betters Geb's accomplishments--- why would the marathon be an exception? Kenenisa is the greatest distance runner that has ever lived. This fact will be indisputable as Kenenisa builds his road prowess.

George Jung wrote:

Every successive step Kenenisa takes betters Geb's accomplishments--- why would the marathon be an exception?

he has been out of sorts for a few years

in case you hadn't heard the news

Actually he does speak great English (I've spoken to him), he is just shy. Ethiopians have a strange combination of arrogance and shyness.You see it in Tirunesh as well.On another note, Defar speaks really good English and seems to be getting better looking with age...

Ethiopian Fan wrote:

A Girl Like You wrote:

Even with his records, Bekele will always be in Geb's shadow. There is this tricky thing called charisma....

No, Bekele just doesn't speak English very well

just sayin wrote:

George Jung wrote:

Every successive step Kenenisa takes betters Geb's accomplishments--- why would the marathon be an exception?

he has been out of sorts for a few years

in case you hadn't heard the news

He sure struggled at the Great North six months ago.

He wouldn't be running Paris if he weren't ready. Has a fit KB ever disappointed (save '03 Paris WC and '04 Athens 5K-- real let downs ...)?

George Jung wrote:

He wouldn't be running Paris if he weren't ready. Has a fit KB ever disappointed (save '03 Paris WC and '04 Athens 5K-- real let downs ...)?

You think his Athens 5k was a disappointment?

Look forward to seeing him back at the top of his game.

In basketball terms, Yifter is Oscar Robertson, Haile is MJ and KB is Lebron. Who you like best often depends on your age and the type of race you like to watch. I like how KB dominated XC. I think Haile and Komen took the records into new territory,

The article also has a small mistake. It says Bekele's first world title was at 5000 in 2003. He was third in that race but won the 10000.