Fastest Miler: Steve Scott, Jim Ryun or Matt Centrowitz in 1 Mile Race?

Coach Dunbar wrote:

Americas Golden age of the Mile. Jim Ryun of the 60's and early 70's? Steve Scott late 70's and 80's or Matt Centrowitz of today? just the 3 of them? who would win? are there any other prominent American Milers you would put in this field? please don't mention One and Done milers. Folks with some proven longevity.

As a British track fan, can I ask why Jim Spivey seems to get so little love from Americans here? 7 tenths of a second faster than Scott over 1500m, made 3 Olympic games and only missed 88 by one place (yet 88 was the year he ran his 1500 pb - I think the second fastest time of that year).

Not saying he was better than Scott, but he seems to get less attention given that their records don't seem so far apart. Maybe it's because Scott was competing against the Coe and Ovett?

Also, Spivey has posted here a few times and seems a very modest guy.

if you are talking about webb, he was not "one and done".the dude ran 3:53 in HIGH SCHOOL, to be the #1 US MILER while he was in HIGH SCHOOl.

then proceeded, 6 years later, to take 7 seconds off and run 3:46 (!) for a NATIONAL RECORD, he WON USAs, WON OLY TRIAL, and BROKE 3:50 multiple times. he also had good range, running 27:3X for 10,000 meters.

I believe he belongs in this race.

Alan Webb, idiotic not to include him. I feel like your last two sentences are your troll setup to tell us Alan Webb was a one and done miler but whatever, he is without a doubt one of the best Americans ever.

Coach Dunbar wrote:

Americas Golden age of the Mile. Jim Ryun of the 60's and early 70's? Steve Scott late 70's and 80's or Matt Centrowitz of today? just the 3 of them? who would win? are there any other prominent American Milers you would put in this field? please don't mention One and Done milers. Folks with some proven longevity.

Apples to apples with modern training, footwear, and facilities:

1. Ryun

2. Webb

3. Scott

Apples to oranges, the way it played:

1. Scott

2. Centro

3. Ryun

I agree with the first list but why not Webb on top in second list?

Well, Spivey also competed against Coe and Ovett (and Cram and I believe Peter Elliott). Maybe you meant in a different sense than I am taking it. Spivey does seem quite modest (and described Scott's passing him as a freight train or the like in one of Spivey's sub-3:50 races (his only one?) in Oslo). Spivey had an impressive career including 3 Olympic Games (1984, 1992 and 1996) despite the fourth place finish at the Olympic Trials in 1988. He competed in the 5000m in 1996 in Atlanta.

Coach Dunbar wrote:

Americas Golden age of the Mile. Jim Ryun of the 60's and early 70's? Steve Scott late 70's and 80's or Matt Centrowitz of today? just the 3 of them? who would win? are there any other prominent American Milers you would put in this field? please don't mention One and Done milers. Folks with some proven longevity.

It's a prisoner's dilemma, and therefore the person with the best kick and best tactical sense is the most likely winner. If you were in the movie Groundhog Day and saw that race 10 times, Centro would win 8 of them. Put in rabbits and the result would probably be different.

compressed wrote:

Coach Dunbar wrote:

Americas Golden age of the Mile. Jim Ryun of the 60's and early 70's? Steve Scott late 70's and 80's or Matt Centrowitz of today? just the 3 of them? who would win? are there any other prominent American Milers you would put in this field? please don't mention One and Done milers. Folks with some proven longevity.

It's a prisoner's dilemma, and therefore the person with the best kick and best tactical sense is the most likely winner. If you were in the movie Groundhog Day and saw that race 10 times, Centro would win 8 of them. Put in rabbits and the result would probably be different.

Ahem, no. Ryun and Scott would not walk the first 3 laps like Centro does in order for their "kick" to work.

Centroless wrote:

compressed wrote:

It's a prisoner's dilemma, and therefore the person with the best kick and best tactical sense is the most likely winner. If you were in the movie Groundhog Day and saw that race 10 times, Centro would win 8 of them. Put in rabbits and the result would probably be different.

Ahem, no. Ryun and Scott would not walk the first 3 laps like Centro does in order for their "kick" to work.

Haha are you serious? Centro has the fastest time of the three, and has incredible tactical sense. I get that Centro is not charismatic and comes off as a jerk, but you couldn't rationally bet on Ryun and Scott to beat him (assuming all of them were at their 'peak' selves). Like I said, add a rabbit and/or give Ryun modern training & knowledge, and the answer probably changes. Ryun was certainly the most talented of the tree.

Uh, no. Scott has the fastest mile.

Even with modern tracks, equipment, rabbits, etc. Centro only beats Ryun by .5 secs.

In a slow race, Ryun probably outkicks Centro.

In a fast race, it's Scott or Ryun- pick-em.

Any Which Way But Loose wrote:

Uh, no. Scott has the fastest mile.

Even with modern tracks, equipment, rabbits, etc. Centro only beats Ryun by .5 secs.

In a slow race, Ryun probably outkicks Centro.

In a fast race, it's Scott or Ryun- pick-em.

I didn't realize that 1500m marks were off limits. Centro lives in a 1500 world so I went with that for him (i.e. I compared best marks for mile OR 1500).

At each's peak, Ryun far & away, over Scott, Spivey, Centro. Webb could be second or last, depending on which one shows up.

1955 wrote:

At each's peak, Ryun far & away, over Scott, Spivey, Centro. Webb could be second or last, depending on which one shows up.

oh look its the guy who thought that centro saying hes 28 three times was too much to count.

it's definitely not ryun far and away. 07 summer webb would give him a run for his money, most definatley. We can't give 4-5 seconds to just track, training, and pacing. that's a lot to give ryun. although I do agree he was prolly a sub 3:48 or better talent

I meant that Spivey seemed to reach his peak as a Miler around 87 and 88 ( even though he didn't qualify for Seoul) and Coe, Ovett, and even Cram were past their best by then, whereas Scott was very much the same generation and had many famous battles with them. Scott, for example, was the last man to beat Ovett (in early 77) before the latter went on his 3 year unbeaten run and 6 years later missed out to Cram for World Championship Gold, and then was one of the favourites agianst Coe and Cram in LA. It's true Spivey didn't have as good a mile time as Scott, but I doubt very much he ran half as many mile races as him.

"Proven longevity"? You would have to leave Ryun out in that case since he had only two great years and had run his best times by the time he was 20.

All of you are wrong. Kyle Merber is the greatest Miler that the US of A has ever seen! He is so good and has a cool hair cut. Better than your `steve scott` that guy sucks man.

Week in week out Scott easy (assuming the hypothetical all the runners are at their peak), but at key times Centro would win, he has l-carnitine infusions remember and Alberto's special gel . Naturally, Ryun would fall over and lodge a protest to declare him the winner.

Venti must have been banned because this thread has his name splattered all over it. He must be furious.

ICanSeeForMiles&Miles wrote:

Coach Dunbar wrote:

Americas Golden age of the Mile. Jim Ryun of the 60's and early 70's? Steve Scott late 70's and 80's or Matt Centrowitz of today? just the 3 of them? who would win? are there any other prominent American Milers you would put in this field? please don't mention One and Done milers. Folks with some proven longevity.

Apples to apples with modern training, footwear, and facilities:

1. Ryun

2. Webb

3. Scott

Apples to oranges, the way it played:

1. Scott

2. Centro

3. Ryun

Apples to apples with modern training, footwear, facilities, and et. al.

1. Ryun

2. Webb perhaps but there are many, many others.

3. Many other runners including Centowitz

Apples to oranges the way it has played.

1. Centrowitz

2. Webb

3. Ryun