Matt Centrowitz does not need Rojo to argue on his behalf. He's probably getting a google alert right now and enjoying a good laugh that Rojo felt the need to correct Malcolm Gladwell's bad take.
Gladwell has some bizarro world running takes. I expect that comes from making a career as basically portraying yourself as an expert on things to audiences that have no expertise in what you are talking about.
I'm sure Malcom Gladwell could give a talk to a corporate audience about why Centro is not on the same level as Nick Willis and there is NO WAY Asbel Kiprop could have been doping, all based around whatever anecdotal theme his latest book has and a bunch of people would stroke their chin thoughtfully and go "hmmm that is so interesting"
Centro is by far the most overrated runner of all time. This dude yes won gold in Rio but it was just pure luck. Most world class runners were not in shape many injured and a very pedestrian race that anyone could have won even college kids. Other than that race can’t remember anything remarkable.
I typed this before reading his comments and predictably Gladwell made his pronouncement in the service of a dumb new theory that "longetivity" is the most important thing and he didn't even get his facts right claiming Centro was a flash in the pan who won one race once when he was one of the worlds most consistent medal threats for a six year span between 2011 and 2016
they were both world class milers of similar abilities, I think Centrowitz came away with more hardware in his career and an Olympic title.
No idea why MG would try and suggest they are so different.
One was the partner of Buritto girl. The other was cheated out an Olympic gold by Kiprop and Ramzi (and won bronze in 2016 behind Centro and Dirty Makh).
I admire Nick Willis quite a lot. Still, though I'm unsure about it, I think Centro has a better head-to-head record against him. And not many mid-distance or distance runners have a trophy /medal case like Centro's.
Olympic 1500 gold medal, world indoor 1500m gold medal, two world championship medals at 1500m, easily puts Centro in the conversation with the very best 1500m runners of all time.
if gladwell doesn’t understand how great cento’s 1500m Olympic win was, he doesn’t understand middle distance running. Centro gave a master class in championship 1500m running that day. His courageousness, tactical brilliance and 1500m running ability that day was magnificent. Failure to recognize this brilliance reveals ignorance of the event.
Gladwell actually says that race is his favorite of all time, earlier in the same conversation. It is mine too. And I'll add I love the commentary from the British guy and from all of us watching at the time—"absolutely pedestrian!" "I could run this!" Then it becomes a barn burner. I remember Centro deftly keeping his position with a shoulder move. Maybe over Souleiman?
Anyway here's what Gladwell says: What’s my favorite race? I’m going to say Matt Centrowitz Jr.’s victory in the men’s 1500 meters at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. You will remember this I’m sure, David. It was an absurdly slow race. They basically jogged for the first two laps—which made it agonizingly suspenseful. (The first lap was 66 seconds, which means that I could have kept up, at the advanced age of 58!) The runners were all in a huge clump. Who would break away first? Centrowitz ran an absolutely perfect race: hugging the rail, never losing his cool, and turning away challenge after challenge while running a blistering final lap. I’ve never seen such a tactically impeccable performance. As an added treat, one of my all-time favorite runners—Nick Willis—somehow snuck in for third, with such a stealthy move up the rail in the final 50 yards that I sometimes I re-watch that race just to marvel at Willis’s moxie. That race was a very good reminder that the reason we watch running is for the competition, not for the time.
Nick Willis in his prime raced how I raced 5K road races in my late 40s & early 50's.
From middle school through college, I would go to the front and race to win. Often I did not win as a track athlete from junior high, senior high and in college, but I raced to win.
From my late 40's to early 50's I raced 5K races in 4th to 7th place until about 500m to go. My goal, 3rd place overall. In Nick Willis' prime, he raced in 4th to 7th place until 300m to go. Not one Olympic or W.C. did Nick Willis race 1500m to win. I know what racing for 3rd looks like. At least we can all agree: 2016 Olympics, Matt C. raced to win.
“Who never won gold but was a threat to win every big race he entered for a good 10 years,” MG said of Willis.
And yet he seemingly never won any of them. Not a single Golden League or Diamond League win. Never won the Wanamaker Mile in 8 tries. He did win the Commonwealth Games 1500 in 2006, probably his biggest victory, and he had the Reebok Indoor Games mile on lock.
Terrible take by Gladwell. As others have said, nobody should give him credit for being any more of an expert on professional running than dozens, maybe hundreds of anonymous LetsRun posters.
Centro is by far the most overrated runner of all time. This dude yes won gold in Rio but it was just pure luck. Most world class runners were not in shape many injured and a very pedestrian race that anyone could have won even college kids. Other than that race can’t remember anything remarkable.
Let me refresh your memory with Centro Jr's 1500 m results in top meets (this assumes you had previously recorded the following information there, a highly questionable assumption):
Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro 1500 m - Gold medal
World Championships 2013 Moscow - Silver medal
World Championships 2011 Daegu - Bronze medal
World Indoor Championship 2016 Portland - Gold medal
NCAA Division I Championship 2011 - Gold medal
PAC-10 Championship 2011 - Gold medal
Pan American Junior Championships 2007 São Paulo - Gold medal
It strikes me that Centro is far "luckier" than you credit him.
they were both world class milers of similar abilities, I think Centrowitz came away with more hardware in his career and an Olympic title.
No idea why MG would try and suggest they are so different.
One was the partner of Buritto girl. The other was cheated out an Olympic gold by Kiprop and Ramzi (and won bronze in 2016 behind Centro and Dirty Makh).
Well, Centro took silver behind Kiprop's gold in the 2013 World Championships 1500 in Moscow. Doesn't it follow your reasoning then that Centro was cheated out of WC gold?
I admire Nick Willis quite a lot. Still, though I'm unsure about it, I think Centro has a better head-to-head record against him. And not many mid-distance or distance runners have a trophy /medal case like Centro's.
The World Athletics site has a nifty feature for this. Willis has a 12-10 winning record versus Centrowitz at 1500 & mile, indoors and outdoors. “Not in the same conversation,” right…
I admire Nick Willis quite a lot. Still, though I'm unsure about it, I think Centro has a better head-to-head record against him. And not many mid-distance or distance runners have a trophy /medal case like Centro's.
The World Athletics site has a nifty feature for this. Willis has a 12-10 winning record versus Centrowitz at 1500 & mile, indoors and outdoors. “Not in the same conversation,” right…
The problem is that Malcom is seen as a authority on track and field. He knows no more or no less about the sport than anybody else.
OK but I am pretty sure he would not say he is an expert on track and field and he does know much more than the average person about it. This is obvious if you have ever discussed the sport with the average person.
As far as the subject, Malcolm stresses that he values longevity and “being very very good for a long time.” This is why he gives the nod to Willis. He is not necessarily incorrect if that is what he is predicating his case on. However, his error was saying they don’t belong in the same conversation. Malcolm refers to “peak performance bias,” which is something that can happen but of course it shows his own bias. Everyone is biased so Malcolm is no different. If one pays attention, his main argument is that Willis was world class for a longer duration than Centro, which may indeed be true but is potentially premature. Nonetheless his point is not irrational and it simply follows from his premise. I think the “not in the same conversation” remark was a misstep but his other point was not and simply shows the subjective nature of what fans value.
I think Nick is the inspiring athlete-role model whereas Centro seems a little aloof and arrogant. It's never hard to root for Nick and you never know when he has a kick in him
"Malcolm Gladwell told New York, “I don’t remember much except being baffled as to who this (Jeffrey) Epstein guy was and why we were all on his plane."
10,000 hours might be too old for Epstein and Gladwell, haha
“Who never won gold but was a threat to win every big race he entered for a good 10 years,” MG said of Willis.
And yet he seemingly never won any of them. Not a single Golden League or Diamond League win. Never won the Wanamaker Mile in 8 tries. He did win the Commonwealth Games 1500 in 2006, probably his biggest victory, and he had the Reebok Indoor Games mile on lock.
Terrible take by Gladwell. As others have said, nobody should give him credit for being any more of an expert on professional running than dozens, maybe hundreds of anonymous LetsRun posters.
He was competing against a whose who of dopers, including being robbed of an Olympic gold by the two worst of the last 15 years. Though I can see why somebody such as yourself who admits to having no problem with taking EPO to win, wont care about that.
I don't know whether or not Gladwell is an 'expert' but he lives, breathes running, ran a 5:15 mile at age 57, and probably has a higher IQ than anybody on this forum.
I don't know whether or not Gladwell is an 'expert' but he lives, breathes running, ran a 5:15 mile at age 57, and probably has a higher IQ than anybody on this forum.
Oh please. You have already told us your IQ has been tested twice, with 157 and 162. Malcolm is probably about 135. So you have one of the highest IQs here, and you prove it with every post. Surely you know this.