Justin Gatlin chooses a new coach - and he's 84 years young!! Brooks Johnson

Should be an expert in doping methods from the 60s.

He's probably got great connections at the pharmacy

Good grief.....

First Tommy clears the barroom of all of the Gatlin boys, the doping scandal(s), and now a coaching change. Those Gatlins have no luck!

The two most hated people in U.S. Track and field (not named Salazar) finally unite!

YMMV wrote:

The two most hated people in U.S. Track and field (not named Salazar) finally unite!

Did you enjoy your post? Got nothing better to do but knock a former Olympic Head Coach, father and husband, among other things, besides being a very good person, no matter what you may think.

You should be ashamed of yourself and your mother should wash your fingers with some lye soap.

If you don't get it, you are a total jerk.

justthefacts wrote:

YMMV wrote:

The two most hated people in U.S. Track and field (not named Salazar) finally unite!

Did you enjoy your post? Got nothing better to do but knock a former Olympic Head Coach, father and husband, among other things, besides being a very good person, no matter what you may think.

You should be ashamed of yourself and your mother should wash your fingers with some lye soap.

If you don't get it, you are a total jerk.

You forgot to mention Justin! I mean he spent his time being persecuted and nailed to a cross then proverbial days later rolled away the stone to win in London last Summer. It's a miracle! Stay tuned as they both walk on water and turn loaves into more gold medals!

Nope, first guy had it right: Brooks is a lot of things, but "a very good person" is not one of them. Coached by him a long, long time ago and can vouch for what an angry, pompous and racist (ironically) SOB he is. Also knew his then-wife, Deanna. How many wives did he have because that marriage certainly didn't last, fortunately for her.

Brooks, one of the great con men of the sport.

He does know coaching. Not sure how he talked himself into this one though.

Wow! Just wow! Those that don't know history are doomed to repeat it. Earlier post was exactly right. Two of the most "misunderstood"? men in the sport.

Watch your wallet wrote:

Brooks, one of the great con men of the sport.

He does know coaching. Not sure how he talked himself into this one though.

He didn't have to "talk his way into it". He previously was Gatlin's coach and actually talked Gatlin into leaving because Brooks didn't think his personality and work ethic meshed with Gatlin. Also keep in mind sponsored athletes are limited in who can coach them especially if the sponsor is a particular company known for crafting "tight" (as in binding, as in bondage) contracts.

I can just see Brooks Johnson's camp doing these workouts: https://youtu.be/bEJOPVoheM4

YMMV wrote:

The two most hated people in U.S. Track and field (not named Salazar) finally unite!

Gatlin I agree with (Lifetime Cheater). Why Brooks Johnson???????

The most important Man in his camp is his pharmacist.

BUTTHOLE SURFER wrote:

YMMV wrote:

The two most hated people in U.S. Track and field (not named Salazar) finally unite!

Gatlin I agree with (Lifetime Cheater). Why Brooks Johnson???????

Opened up the links and scrolled through many of them. There are some good observations and a few first hand accounts.

When I opened the first link Matt Giusto and Balco popped up, I'm assuming the post was insinuating that Brooks was incorporating and or giving steroids via Balco to Giusto while he trained with Brooks' group at Stanford. If anyone has met Matt Giusto (aka- "Juice"...no pun intended) and have actually asked him about his involvement with Balco he will openly and freely discuss it with you (preferably over a cold beer or Tequila shot).....I did both! He will quickly reference the NPR interview he did which details his involvement with Victor Conte and Balco. Matt had started working with Victor Conte just before his senior track season at San Mateo High (after he won Kinney X-C Nationals!). He continued to work with him and Balco on and off through the 80's and 90's. Matt jokes about how there were two doors in the Balco lab, one locked and one unlocked. He went through the "Unlocked Door" where there were shelves full of bottles containing minerals and vitamins. After thorough testing of his blood, urine, and hair Matt was prescribed a daily treatment (3 x daily) of Iron, Ascorbic Acid, Chromium, Copper, Brewers Yeast, Magnesium, and Zinc. Nothing more, Nothing less. That's it! These minerals and ONLY minerals were prescribed to him based on his test results. The "Locked Door", he jokes was a door he never had a key to. "This is the door that only Marion Jones, Barry Bonds, Tim Montgomery, and Regina Jacobs had keys to I guess". Obviously Matt was referring to the steroid or "The Clear" room. Giusto was not involved with Victor or Balco after 1995 and definitely not in 2001 or after when the Balco investigation began with Marion Jones et al... Matt's simple response to Victor becoming embroiled and guilty in one of the largest steroid busts ever is simply...."Looks like Victor went to the dark side.....I'm glad I was never there or invited".

Sorry for the long response but I had to stand up for Matt and the person he was and is. I never met him before that night in Tucson, Arizona and was a fan of his since his days at Arizona. I introduced myself and we began talking about running. After a few beers and shots (Tequila) I asked the "Juice" what was the deal with Balco?...Did you really cheat? and the story above was his answer.

Matt lives outside San Francisco, CA (Danville) with his wife and 5 kids. He's a successful businessman in the organic commodities industry and does private consultation for running technique and speed development for high school and collegiate athletes.

With regard to Brooks Johnson, Matt spoke very highly of him. He said Brooks' knowledge of track was amazing and that he was a fantastic motivator that taught athletes to believe in themselves.

Interesting stories about Guisto.

As for Brooks, the idea that's he's a good guy in the sport is laughable. Talk to anyone who ran for him at Stanford. Seriously, I'd be shocked if you could find anyone who'd go to bat for him.

By the way, he also took on 400m WR holder, Butch Reynolds, as an athlete and coached him, as he was fighting a doping suspension in the early '90s.

+ wrote:

Interesting stories about Guisto.

As for Brooks, the idea that's he's a good guy in the sport is laughable. Talk to anyone who ran for him at Stanford. Seriously, I'd be shocked if you could find anyone who'd go to bat for him.

By the way, he also took on 400m WR holder, Butch Reynolds, as an athlete and coached him, as he was fighting a doping suspension in the early '90s.

You conveniently forgot to mention that Butch Reynolds won his lawsuit to clear himself. He is now owed $10 million dollars if I remember correctly but unfortunately he will never be able to collect it.