Solinsky admits 2004 Wisco XC team "kind of choked" while Bairu says "we were overly confident and maybe not as focused"

Gega wrote:

AlSalShu wrote:

Point of fact: Jerry didn’t become a good coach until AFTER his time with Salazar.

His Wisco teams sht the bed more than once at NCAA. Never acatully won a title.

Normally points of fact have actually facts. Wisconsin won the 2005 title (easily) with Jerry as coach. They ran amazing at 2002 NCAAs to get second. I guess you could say they choked in 2003, but still got second. They definitely choked in 2004. Their 2006 team choked too.

But they won NCAA Indoor in 2007, largely on the strength of their distance.

In 2003, Stanford put 4 in the top 10 and scored 24 points. They didn't remotely choke in 2003. They, and the rest of the NCAA, got blasted by the best squad since the old UTEP teams. And there's no shame in that.

AlSalShu wrote:

Point of fact: Jerry didn’t become a good coach until AFTER his time with Salazar.

His Wisco teams sht the bed more than once at NCAA. Never acatully won a title.

Look, it's fair if you want to criticize Jerry, but at least be factual.

They won the title in 2005.

But let me address your point. In a 5 year period, Wisconsin finished 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 1st and 2nd at NCAAs and you say he wasn't a good coach? You are crazy. It's kind of like saying the Buffalo Bills were now good when Marv Levy was the coach and they made it to the Super Bowl 3 years in a row.

Is Andy Powell a good coach? His teams haven't finished in the top 2 at NCAAs ever. Judging someone only as to whether they win ncaa xc or not isn't great in my opinion.

I''ve always been amazed that the 2004 team didn't win and think some criticism may be warranted but it may not be that hard to explain. Miler types really struggle normally when it's a mudpit. If it's a mudpit, that's certainly not going to help a giant like Solinsky either. In the end, the fact of the matter is they scored 94 points. That's pretty darn good. Colorado was just a little better.

Mahavishnu1500 wrote:

So what were the conditions like, windy/rainy? I realize the meet was at Terre Haute...

While Wisco certainly had a dominate team, Teg and Solinsky have always been better track guys for what its worth. And CU usually much better at XC than on the track, not to mention their team wasn't exactly scrubs, with a few solid future pros as well.

Weather was actually not too bad on the day. Sun came out for the mens race but it was cold. Not cold like some of the early 2K NCAA"s that took place in Iowa (Ames for example) but cold. The real problem was the course was so sloppy that day and it favored a more conservative energy approach. Wisconsin did not take that approach and their second 5K was not what was expected from that talented squad.

That Stanford team that won at Northern Iowa was simply amazing...Don Sage was a 28:40 guy and NCAA 1500 champion and was their 6th runner that day. Simply unbelievable.

popeye doyle wrote:

Gega wrote:

Normally points of fact have actually facts. Wisconsin won the 2005 title (easily) with Jerry as coach. They ran amazing at 2002 NCAAs to get second. I guess you could say they choked in 2003, but still got second. They definitely choked in 2004.

fact: nobody was beating Stanford in 2002 or 2003.

Definitely. But that doesn't mean the other teams in the race can't choke. Wisconsin was figured as an easy runner-up (T&FN even wrote an article on the potential of them upsetting Stanford). They barely finished second, and were beaten by a meet-record 120 points.

Fact, Wisconsin knew that it was running for second in Waterloo.

I was in Waterloo when the Cardinal scored 24 points and I and the rest of the field were in disbelief from the start. That was one of the worst courses for a national meet and once positions were established it was hard to move. Stanford established themselves and dominated. It was the most amazing sporting spectacle I have ever seen. Damn cold that day.

But they kick ass in 2005

I think the statute of limitations has passed. I don't think you can persecute them. ;-)

Ghost1 wrote:

44. 31 191 Stephen Pifer Colorado 16:01 25:31 31:56.8

Stephen Piper -This is the guy who moved up most in the race.

He was 44 seconds behind the leaders at the 5k split, close to the back, and then began an incredible comeback to finish 44th.

More info on this 'snail catches the hare' runner.

This and the fact that 14:20/30:10 guy, Jon MF Severy of a little place called Aaaaspen threw down for 21st overall. That’s a CU performance at its finest!

Ashton Kutcher - Punked wrote:

Fact, Wisconsin knew that it was running for second in Waterloo.

Yes, but that doesn't mean they didn't choke. It's possible to get second place against a juggernaut and still choke. Most of the Badgers ran like crap that day. Hence, they choked. Most people figured they'd score about 80-100 points at worst. They scored 174. They choked.