Yes. Assertive tactical runners are rewarded in the Mile/1500, but going back to this past indoor season Kessler has really been pushing the limit on his tactics to the point of being borderline aggressive. Bowerman was a shot across the bow. It makes sense for any competitor to position themselves the best way possible; not get boxed, but that’s got to be done with respect to your competition. If he keeps rolling the dice he risks his own chances for success.
Impossible to know. Maybe he felt a tweak a twist a strain a pain. He made a split-second decision something wasn’t right and that was it, the field was past him. He’s a young man with a lot to learn. Let’s hope he bounces back strong.
I think most are being a little harsh on Hobbs. Yes I think he made a bad decision by not getting back in the race but that's racing. He will learn from it to fight another day
Hocker had position and Kessler tried to pass on the inside when there clearly was no space to do so. It was on Kessler.
Hocker had positioning for about half a second, and only after he shoved his way in front of Kessler and knocked him off his stride once already. Kessler was doing everything he could to leave zero gap in front of him -- without clipping wightman. He'll need to learn to use his upper body more in that situation, but it's not easy for anyone to stay out of trouble when you've got a nuisance like that treating you like you're not there. Hocker ran like a bit of a prick.
This post was edited 13 minutes after it was posted.
Reason provided:
Also, Kessler didn't clip Hocker. Hocker tripped himself and fell into Kessler. And Kessler had no easy way back onto the track without putting himself and others at risk.
I know Hocker is Rojo’s son that he never had but he pushed Hobbs and should be DQ’d
You all are NOT seeing the bigger picture.
Kessler is Adidas sponsored.
Hocker is Nike sponsored.
Place of Incident - Nike's HOME turf
Hocker was PUT UP to this by his sponsors, and NO WAY is anything happening to a Nike athlete in the PNW. This is DEEPER than a couple of youngin's.
ASICS had their earlier event, the Festival of Running in PARIS...you know, home of the OLMYPICS. Expect Asics to pull off some major upsets or take people down along the way.
I slowed it down and zoomed in a bit...There was minor position jostling and both recovered...then Cole had 2-3 clean strides and appears to have clipped his own leg somehow...seems unlikely but that is what it looked like. Then he stumbles and inadvertently takes out Kessler...they could have taken out Kerr which would have been a real freaking mess...Will try to link the video sequence here ->
Thanks. Nobody's fault. Things like that happen. If you're in the middle of the pack and the runner directly in front of you falls or even slows down you're sh*t out of luck. If Hocker had gone down it would have been a bicycle crash.
Hocker had position and Kessler tried to pass on the inside when there clearly was no space to do so. It was on Kessler.
Hocker had positioning for about half a second, and only after he shoved his way in front of Kessler and knocked him off his stride once already. Kessler was doing everything he could to leave zero gap in front of him -- without clipping wightman. He'll need to learn to use his upper body more in that situation, but it's not easy for anyone to stay out of trouble when you've got a nuisance like that treating you like you're not there. Hocker ran like a bit of a prick.
How cker definitely ran like a prick afraid of the new youngster. Kessler had good positioning on the rail and had no positioning issues until Hocker squeezed in on him after only passing Kessler by a half stride. It's NASCAR out there so it should be expected but Hocker definitely was aggressively going at Kessler by moving in front of him without fully passing....and then slowing immediately. It almost seems like Hocker was not racing Bowerman to win but to make sure he beat Kessler before the trials.
I slowed it down and zoomed in a bit...There was minor position jostling and both recovered...then Cole had 2-3 clean strides and appears to have clipped his own leg somehow...seems unlikely but that is what it looked like. Then he stumbles and inadvertently takes out Kessler...they could have taken out Kerr which would have been a real freaking mess...Will try to link the video sequence here ->
Thanks. Nobody's fault. Things like that happen. If you're in the middle of the pack and the runner directly in front of you falls or even slows down you're sh*t out of luck. If Hocker had gone down it would have been a bicycle crash.
Yeah, the collision that knocked Mary Slaney out of the 1984 L.A. 3000m, had huge ramifications and is still talked about. A trip between two guys that probably weren’t going to finish in the top 6, in a non-championship, doesn’t need to be commented on at all.
i don't know what the heck people are talking about hobbs did that, dove to the rail or something, what are you watching. hobbs was already sitting on the rail. hocker goes around the outside. live i thought he bumped him some from there but i can't see it on the replay. hocker as soon as he gets by cuts across his bow, then seemingly trips and spikes him backwards. i don't know if what hocker did is a DQ, technically he was past him and can cut over, but he cut it very close, but we would usually call tripping up their own feet and taking someone out a racing incident but in a heat hobbs might get progressed -- if he bothered to finish. which he didn't.
i thought it was a little soft by hobbs but be real, this isn't a NAIA meet at valley city state, hobbs was going to be shot out the back and basically finishing for pride, and in a heats meet, to make a case for the jury to progress him. thing being, by stepping off, they'd probably say, effective DQ/DNF, thanks for playing. i also get where he might have thought, with trials coming, i don't need this crap, but as some are hinting at, adult racing is more physical and he needs to be tough and also consider in real time what his response does to the meet. this isn't HS, they will DQ people, in the world events they can put you through, it helps to stay in the race.
re hocker wanted to get in front of him, i did notice where hocker ran on his shoulder for a bit, and i thought he cut over close on purpose. i don't think he meant to spike him or take him out, but i thought he was messing with him. as i said on the other comment, i think the racecraft responses are off target, he was sitting on the rail, got spiked hard and was headed down or out the back as the secondary pack went by.
i'd be more concerned with the "emotional response." if hocker was gonna bang into him and pass him close a little bit, i kind of want hobbs to finish head up and accidentally clatter him after the race.
Looks to me like Hockers leg made inadvertent contact with Kesslers on the back kick. Hocker then had his stride thrown off as his legs collided mid-stride and nearly lost balance. His leg just hit Hobbs as he regained his stride and Hobbs lost his balance and went into the infield. Again just mostly a bad luck instance from the initial contact to Hockers leg hitting Hobbs in a vulnerable part of his stride.
In simpler terms: Tailgating … Kessler got too close.
I generally like both guys and enjoy rooting for them. Hocker clearly cut in without enough space and relied on Kessler to back off, which he didn't.
In a race that fast you can't give up any momentum and both guys were stretched. I thought that Hocker looked labored and uncomfortable at that point in the race (the race was too fast for him). He was desperate to get to the rail. I didn't feel that way about Kessler, although I thought Kessler made several tactical mistakes after a smooth start where he found the rail immediately. Kessler learned that sprinting to the rail and then drifting backward to a bad spot is a risk in a very fast race. I don't think that Hocker can be successful in a race that goes out fast and stays fast. I do think that Kessler can be one of those guys in the next two years. Probably not soon enough but that's why we race.
Hocker clearly cut in without enough space and relied on Kessler to back off, which he didn't.
Kessler clearly reacted too late and tried to cut-off Hocker from moving into a space Kessler did not control. Hopefully, Kessler learns from this and doesn't make this rookie mistake again.
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