Anyone here ROOTING for Lagat to take the American Record in the 5000 away from Ritz?

I am.

I definitely think he is capable of 12:50. He struck me as having plenty of gas left over after the race in Berlin.

wejo wrote:

I know Lagat today isn't the Lagat of 2006. But he still got silver at Worlds at 5k and bronze in 1500. He easily beat Tegenkamp and I'd have to believe he could beat Tegenkamp in a time-trial type European race.

Webb's mile record may be out of reach but I'd like to see him take a crack at both records.

Anyone know of his plans this summer?

I don't think there are any major 5000m races left. Rieti and the WAF do not have men's 5000m races.

I doubt, with his superb championship record that he is that bothered about the record

Noel Ignatiev of Harvard wrote:

thumpy wrote:

USA Track and Field National ChampionshipsLRC 12:58.56 For Matt Tegenkamp In Brussels

7 days ago, Bob Kennedy was the only American to ever crack 13:00. Now Matt Tegenkamp and Dathan Ritzenhein have shattered the barrier in an awesome 1-2 punch for American distance runners.and posted that ridiculous quote as the story headline. maybe they meant to say, "American born?" inexcusable.

You Hasbara Playbook assholes are all the same. You know exactly what the Brojos meant, you disingenuous, hypocritical pieces of shit.

not sure exactly what was "hypocritical" about my post, and it certainly wasn't "disingenuous." i don't have any idea what the brojos meant. even if i did know what they meant, a headline article shouldn't be open to interpretation you name calling nancy. i stand 100% by my statement that it was "ridiculous" and "inexcusable." Up until seven days ago, two americans had broken 13min in the 5k. not a hard number, and not a difficult number to cite in the headline of an article. and somehow someone got it wrong? TWO. TWO. TWO. someone, given the responsibility of typing a HUGE lead story headline, got that wrong? how is that not embarrassing? that's not a typo or grammatical error. that's plain not researching (if you can even call it that) and just not giving a what.

if you're writing this as "noel ignatiev" kudos to your incendiary post as a character. if you really believe what you wrote, however, your parents and family are all failures.

Lagat did run 13:03 on May 30 in New York. My guess is that if he'd gotten in another fast race in July or August, he could have done 12:55 or better. He did come very close to winning gold in the World Championships, did he not?

B. Johnson wrote:

I didn't think much about it, then saw the recent homepage update, where the BroJos put the white guys in blue and left Lagat and Maree in black.

So now I'm hoping Lagat curb stomps Ritz' record next year.

bernie's having a laugh !

the guy has run 3'26

do you think he gives a toss about not running 12'55 in his career ??

question :

offer ritz/teg a choice :

3'26.3 or 12'55

what woud they choose ?

Honestly I could care less. Only a WC, Olympic medal, or IAAF Outdoor World Outdoor medal matters. Lagat has plenty medals from the Olympics and World Champs. The rest of those guys are wannbes.

Sir Lance-alot wrote:

there is nothing wrong with the white americans being singled out. Let's face it, they are a minority in the land of 5000m superstars, so let's give them their due.

Don't believe it?

Updated top 100 all time 5000m performer list:

East african born athletes : 75

American born athletes: 3

The gap has been closed!!! (hey, better than 70 to 1, right?)

You do know that Morroco/Algeria etc are not in East Africa..right...

Sir Lance-alot wrote:

there is nothing wrong with the white americans being singled out. Let's face it, they are a minority in the land of 5000m superstars, so let's give them their due.

Don't believe it?

Updated top 100 all time 5000m performer list:

East african born athletes : 75

American born athletes: 3

The gap has been closed!!! (hey, better than 70 to 1, right?)

???????? wrote:

You do know that Morroco/Algeria etc are not in East Africa..right...

Yes, I am well aware of that fact. I believe there are 15 north african born athletes in the top 100. That would leave 7 from the rest of the world combined (asia, europe, south america, middle east, etc).

But the bottom line is:

Top 100 all time performers on men's 5k list:

East African born athletes: 75

American born athletes: 3

(now that you know my #'s were not an error, what do you think of them now?)

To the original question:

Absolutely not.

retard trap wrote:

If Lagat was running a 5000m race somewhere i would definitely root for him to break the American record. And if Ritz or Teg ran another one after that i would root for them to do the same, that's what being a fan of AMERICAN track and field is all about. You guys can justify it all you want with PC phrases like "American born" but at the end of the day if you root for the white people to beat the black people you're just a raciest and a bigot.

Agreed.

Piss off, retard. I put Lagat down a level, not because he is black or from Africa, but because he ran for Kenya after becoming a U.S. citizen. He selfishly used both Kenya and the U.S.

retard trap wrote:

If Lagat was running a 5000m race somewhere i would definitely root for him to break the American record. And if Ritz or Teg ran another one after that i would root for them to do the same, that's what being a fan of AMERICAN track and field is all about. You guys can justify it all you want with PC phrases like "American born" but at the end of the day if you root for the white people to beat the black people you're just a raciest and a bigot.

As an American, you bet I'm rooting for him to break records. I don't care what color he is. I wish, caucasian Americans could get over skin color and focus on talent. Recognize that Lagat is teamed against by Kenyans and others because he represents an American. As an American we should all show support for him. I hope he breaks the worlds 5000 record.

Do those of you who hold his "non American born status" against Lagat hold the same thing against Sanya Richards?

Side note: Maybe with these three guys, our middle distance women, and Bolt's willingness to compete we can actually see some records go down on American soil.

observed wrote:

Do those of you who hold his "non American born status" against Lagat hold the same thing against Sanya Richards?

Side note: Maybe with these three guys, our middle distance women, and Bolt's willingness to compete we can actually see some records go down on American soil.

The folks at Deagu are paying Bolt $500,000 to race there later this month. If nobody can put up the money to bring even the top US starts to a US race in the summer when they're in top shape, records on US soil are not in the cards.

If Nike REALLY cared about track and field, as opposed to selling joggers overdesigned monstrosities they don't need....

Finally, the voice of comprehension and reason.

Ditto on that POD.

So if I root for a black runner to beat a white runner doesn't that make me "raciest" as well? Oh I forgot, ONLY white people can be called that. Get real we root for people like Teg and Ritz because they are UNDERDOGS. Yes face it white 5000 runners are underdogs and there is no way any reasonable person can deny that.

retard trap wrote:

If Lagat was running a 5000m race somewhere i would definitely root for him to break the American record. And if Ritz or Teg ran another one after that i would root for them to do the same, that's what being a fan of AMERICAN track and field is all about. You guys can justify it all you want with PC phrases like "American born" but at the end of the day if you root for the white people to beat the black people you're just a raciest and a bigot.

My reason for rooting for Lagat to go out and smash Ritz's record is that I think he is the one American who is currently at the level to do so. I would like to see Lagat go 12:49 just to put the American record at a respectable level. Right now the top American, Ritz, is 117th all time. Fast as hell----sub par on the international level.

bernie is a team guy

kenyans still idolise him ( see asbel in flotrack interviews hanging behind him waiting for him to finish interview )

i'm sure american guys respect him & feed off him ( lopez does, but caveat is that he's african also )

i have little doubt that when bernie meets ritz or teg, he'll be 1st in room to go over, give them a hug & congratulate them, with advice on how to get them faster

bernie has little interest in running 12'49 ( he was after WRs in his prime ), but i have little hesitation in saying he'll try in histwilight/retirement in helping american guys to run it