Just 4 years ago they went into the national meet as heavy favorites, having won 3 of the last 4. Now they are very, very far from being contenders. Only one man in the top 50 (their second was 150th). Will they be good again in the foreseeable future?
I was thinking the same thing. Team needs a rebuilding. Would have hated to be in the Okstate team tent after that race today.
This is no longer the successful program which I once ran for. Obviously there are major problems within the program that need fixing. I have not talked to many current athletes in Stillwater, but from what I've heard the relationships between the runners and Dave Smith is very poor. I hope Dave can turn the program around and be as successful as we once were.
Back when OK state was winning national championships, they were using all of their money on distance runners. But now they are trying to expand to an all around track team and cannot afford to give top runners scholarships.
Agreed, and with the amount of foreigners and Junior College athletes they have on Big Money there's no excuse
Former C0wboy wrote:
This is no longer the successful program which I once ran for. Obviously there are major problems within the program that need fixing. I have not talked to many current athletes in Stillwater, but from what I've heard the relationships between the runners and Dave Smith is very poor. I hope Dave can turn the program around and be as successful as we once were.
Yes, from what I've heard Smith and his athletes do not go well together. A lot of running potential dies at OSU
How is this a good explanation? Look at some of the teams that beat OK state today: Arkansas, Virginia, Oregon, and Alabama. Also Texas wasn't too far behind. All these teams have much much better track teams than OK state and can still beat them in cross country. In my opinion, Ok state's struggles are much deeper than just your scholarship idea.
And what high schoolers have they signed this year? All I can find is they signed 2 junior college guys and 1 guy from New Zealand. It seems like they can no longer get good american high schoolers
It’s going to take more than 20/20 vision to see the true problems this team is facing
good pt wrote:
And what high schoolers have they signed this year? All I can find is they signed 2 junior college guys and 1 guy from New Zealand. It seems like they can no longer get good american high schoolers
Name one good American high schooler that Dave Smith has developed to the top. Anthony Armstrong? Craig Nowak? Cerake? Luis Martinez? These are all kids who were top high school athletes who are not running to their potential.
High schoolers and their coaches notice this stuff and refuse to go. That is why Dave Smith can only get foreigners now-a-days.
Yungdagerdic, I know what you mean. I am sure that there is systematic problems that cannot be seen outside the team.
Those thoughts crossed my mine too. Even look at a guy like Sukhi Khosla - 4:05 and 8:58 as high school junior. Has not done much for the cowboys.
good pt wrote:
Those thoughts crossed my mine too. Even look at a guy like Sukhi Khosla - 4:05 and 8:58 as high school junior. Has not done much for the cowboys.
I think they were all deceived by the success Smith had for those few short years. Looking back... That was all from foreign talent as well. It's a real shame.
Not sure if I entirely agree with you there. They had some damn good americans too: German Fernandez and Colby Lowe
Smith did win those national championships. However, was it due to his coaching ability or did he just have the right athletes? I think if any coach had that group of guys they would have won championships.
This team will not even make it to nationals next year. They are losing 4 of their top 7 and it does not look like they are signing guys who will help them out. All teams have their up and downs, look at Wisconsin right now. It is going to take Oklahoma State a while to build back up to the championship caliber they used to be.
good pt wrote:
Not sure if I entirely agree with you there. They had some damn good americans too: German Fernandez and Colby Lowe
How can you guys talk about Smith successes and not immediately mention Ryan Vail?
It is too bad that these athletes are wasting their college careers running for Dave. Even the Americans that OSU does get are pretty talented guys who I'm sure would develop into elite runners somewhere else. I personally know a runner on the team and he has told me some similar things about Smith. Thanks for giving us your point of view.
Its the new generation of Millenial atheletes coming up, they are all a bunch of snowflake pansies who can't hang with hard workouts like bad*sses in the past ie. German Hernadez could.
Haha thats a cute joke. Even if that were true, Smith no longer gets 4:00, 8:32 guys out of high school.