On Athletics Club/Dathan Ritzenhein Haters Go Home Devastated

From his limited stable of athletes, Eyestone arguably had the best overall results these Games.

Ritz has failed miserably, a few survivors doesn't make up for all the shattered biscuits.

Eyestone wins by knock-out.

Does anyone know what the contract situation is for any of them? Do they have break clauses? Can they be let go for underperforming? I just have a gut feeling there'll be some changes coming ...

Good summary.

Update: Garcia-Romo admitted recently on IG he has been hiding an injury from the public for the past few months:

Correction: McDonald belongs in the Olympic Duds category. A known kicker who didn't kick through the line in his semi heat and thus got pipped for the 8th/final Q. Shameful.

Addition: Maia Ramsden. Has been training with OAC for over a month. PR'd in the Oly 1500 semis. Put her in the Good Shape but No Finals category.

I would put it this way:

Underperformed this Year (for any reason): Klecker, Monson, Andrews, Beamish, Hoare, Garcia-Romo (6)

High Achievers (equaled/exceeded expectations): Nuguse, Obiri, Vissa, Ramsden (4)

TBD: Robinson, Markezich (2)

So, on balance, sub-par/mediocre but quite a nose dive from last year.

Note: no Coffee Club podcast last week. First weekly miss in several months, maybe first time ever. Wallowing in an anguish so no surprise.

McDonald and Vissa are big underperformers relative to their ability. Ramsden is new, she'll improve a lot in the next 18 months, then deteriorate, like all of them.

Add Hurta-Klecker to the High Achievers list as she has run quite well in the 800 this year and recently set a mile pr which is the equivalent of her 1500 best.

Like Vissa, anyone who sets a personal record and doesn't screw up his/her biggest race of the season a la McDonald deserves high praise.

So, revised list:

The Good: Nuguse, Obiri, Vissa, Ramsden, Hurta-Klecker (5)

The Bad: Klecker, Monson, Andrews, Beamish, Hoare, McDonald, Garcia-Romo (7)

Thi Unknown: Robinson, Markezich (2)

So, at present, a sub-par season.

However, if Robinson & Markezich run well post-Paris then, on balance, we have a 7-7 tie so would not a bad year after all.

Just not as good as 2023.

Hurta a high achiever? Why because she ran a few decent times? She never would have medaled in the trials 800 and couldn’t even get into the 1500 finals. Sorry not a definition of a high achiever. Otherwise the list is correct and still subpar as a team. Maybe they should stop peaking for indoor races and then get injured and burned out by summer

Definitely time for some to leave. Namely Morgan and Andrews and let’s see what J Klecker achieves. They can always finish off their racing with other low key teams since none of them will be national medalists or getting any faster

If Ollie and Beamish were American they would have had accessed to team USAs secret drug recipe to win the 1500m medal.

McDonald should beg Fisher to coach him. Show me the way.

Big fan of OAC here - love watching Alicia Monson - but still disappointed/devastated? That she didn’t get to compete because of injuries.

Time to list out the season results of the following groups next (all similar size to OAC?)

Bowerman TC - 11 athletes / 2 olympians (Karissa & Mo) / 0 medals

Union AC - 10 athletes / 2 olympians (Simone & Suguru) / 0 medals

UA Dark Sky - Couldn't find roster but I think they have like 15 athletes / Sharon, Wilky, Weini / 0 medals

UA Baltimore - Same as above but maybe 10? athletes. / Laura Ryan / 0 medals

New Balance Boston -12? athletes / 2 olympians (Elle, Emily) / 0 medals

Brooks Beasts - 17 athletes / 2 olympians (Josh & Nia) / 1 medal (silver, Josh)

Mike Smith Elite - no idea how to quanity this - maybe 10? / 5 Olympians (Abdi, Woody, Luis, Nico, Nikki) / 0 medal

7 groups / 85+/- athletes / 17 olympians / 1 medal

I think OAC is doing PRETTY GOOD BUD. haters go home devestated

Team Boss has like 15 atheletes. No Olympians for that group.

Tinman has 10-15. No Olympians this time since Parsons missed.

Missed Gourley for Dark Sky.

Agree OAC is performing solid overall this year relative to other groups, but there remain significant concerns about Ritz's training methods or intensity and the numerous overtraining-style injuries. But a little of that is on each athlete as well, either not being aware of their own bodies and limits, or not communicating concerns to the coach (apparently).

I think it's safe to say OAC is disappointed in their overall performance. I think it was pretty average though given what I would assume the team strategy that errs on the side of too much rather than too little in training. That kind of strategy leads to feeling banged up sometimes and pushing through, especially in an Olympic year.

For Hurta-Klecker, she seems to run good times in one off races, but she also has a pretty long history of not dealing well with running rounds. She has the talent to win a national title, she just needs to put all the pieces together.

As for the team as a whole, I'd expect 1-2 departures at a minimum this winter. I think all three coffee club boys will consider if the current club set up is best for them individually going forward. Similar to Grant and Elise whom they have interviewed. They may choose to stay, but all three will at least consider alternatives. Personality wise, I think Klecker probably is a good match with Ritz, but he might benefit with an Ed Eyestone discussion as he likely heads into a marathon career. I think Monson had too much success with Ritz to look elsewhere. With the majority of the athletes being foreign, some level of departure may just be a need for a change in location as well.

Didn't Lokedi finish 4th?

I'd definitely say that Klecker qualifies as an athlete that has pushed his body too hard despite who coaches him. I'd also say that Ritz has taken on some athletes based on personal friendships/connections and without filtering them objectivly for actual elite international talent. Perhaps groupsize is a hinderance to some of the actual elite athletes on the team. OAC would be better off if they were more exclusive.

c'mon. rupp is 38 and a shell of his former self when he arrived. nur was tripped. you're being completely disingenous or just plain dishonest.

Are they Mike Smith coached athletes or not?

Besides participation, Smith coached athletes at the Olympics did not register a performance of any consequence whatsoever.