USA XC All Time Team

People forget that Teg is about as good at cross country at Ritz, he just doesn't run it ever.

If he don't run it he ain't as good!

Hard to take you seriously when Porter was left off your original list. Even if you were born in 1990 or later, that's no excuse for not doing any research.

Nenow does not belong on this list. Running fast even paced on smooth hard surfaces is what he excelled at.

Porter however was one of the greatest cross country runners ever period. He never had the world record or AR for 10k road though. I watched that race on ESPN. He ran around 27:36 but the course was later found to be short. I think not short enough where it could be reasonably assumed he would have broke it anyway at the correct measurement.

Virgin

Porter

Shorter

Salazar

Kennedy

Prefontaine

Ritzenhein

I have heard of Evan Jager and I'm pretty sure that just about everyone will agree that he doesn't deserve to be on the top 7 list. He's ran about 13:20 or something like that for 5k which is good but not good enough and he's never set any American records. Really I don't think he ever will. He's good like I said but nothing special. German will surpass him by next year even.

To the other post, Nenow was a decent xc runner in college and did win the SEC his senior year while at Kentucky. His American record for 10k was after his college days so there's no telling if he could have carried that over to xc running but I'll give him benefit of the doubt on that one. He was pretty impressive considering he never won any NCAA titles. Someone who works as hard as him with his toughness is definitely someone I would want on a team

What do track records have to do with XC success? If you want to make a track all-star team, do it, but you said XC all-stars.

Would you leave John Ngugi off the all-time Kenyan team? If so, you're even dumber than I thought.

To the OP and most others. Learn a little about history of the sport, then get back to us on your "All Time Lists".

I'm not just going by xc performance. If you can set an American record in a 10k or a marathon your still going to be great in xc dumb ass. Obviously you just don't understand. Don't bother replying because your just wasting your time. I'm done with this and dealing with f***ing idiots like you

bryxcrunner wrote:

I'm not just going by xc performance. If you can set an American record in a 10k or a marathon your still going to be great in xc dumb ass. Obviously you just don't understand. Don't bother replying because your just wasting your time. I'm done with this and dealing with f***ing idiots like you

You're done with this? You started a list with no Pat Porter and no Craig Virgin. Honestly, for you to call anyone an idiot is laughable. You'd better start studying for your PSAT's now. Your grammar is as poor as your XC knowledge.

Drop Ritz and Rupp for those two and you've got a start. Now, get back to study hall.

Why isn't Adam Goucher listed?

This list is close to right. Nenow was not that good a cross-country runner. No list should leave Alberto off. He was an excellent and devoted cross-country runner. Is World Cross no longer a nine man team? If expanded to that size, I'd want Danny Dillon on any team I fielded. I'd also concur with the person who said Thom Hunt, very tough on the grass. Not every flat surface runner is good at hill and dale. Bill McChesney was among our very best runners (at both 5K and 10K) but would have had trouble even making a US world team.

Bif Bradley wrote:

Virgin

Porter

Shorter

Salazar

Kennedy

Prefontaine

Ritzenhein

bryxcrunner wrote:

Who do you think would be on the all time USA XC team?

1. Dathan Ritzenhein

2. Frank Shorter

3. Steve Prefontaine

4. George Young

5. Bob Kennedy

6. Galen Rupp

7. Mark Nenow

Rupp???? Is this a joke? Has Rupp even run any senior level cross races? How about:

1.Craig Virgin (NCAA champion, USA champion, 2x World champion)

2.Pat Porter (NCAA champion, 8x consectutive USA Champion, 5x World Top-10)

3.Alberto Salazar (NCAA champion, USA champion, World silver)

4.Bill Rodgers (World Bronze)

5.Ed Eystone (NCAA champion, 3x World Top-20)

6.Frank Shorter (4x consecutive USA champion)

7.???? Toss up between Lindgren, Pre, Kennedy and Ritz

At the very least I'd pick Goucher over Rupp. Both won NCAAs but Goucher has multiple USA titles and a 6th place at worlds (albeit in the watered bown short course).

Porter

Virgin

Rodgers

Eyestone

Pre

Ritz

Shorter

Why do we keep bringing up Maerican Records... Most track times and road times mean nothing once they get on the grass. These 7 (as most have already listed) were proven on the grass. Ritz is an excellent Cross runner and is really the only current guy that fits. Hall could go on there but who would you bump?

oops... American Records

If your list doesn't include Gerry Lindgren and Dale Story, it isn't worth much!

No mention of Todd Williams? Maybe not a lock to be on the team but he was 9th at World Cross in '95 when it was all one race. I believe Tergat won that race and Geb was somewhere around 5th. Definintely not up as high as Virgin and Porter but should be in the same realm as a few of the others listed.

I think that Jorge Torres would be in the running for the 7th spot. He has had an impressive track record in XC. Won the NCAA title....has a couple US Championships as well as top 5's. And has some very solid finishes at the world level.

FutureMarathoner wrote:

I think that Jorge Torres would be in the running for the 7th spot. He has had an impressive track record in XC. Won the NCAA title....has a couple US Championships as well as top 5's. And has some very solid finishes at the world level.

He also won the Footlocker National title his senior year and is the only Male runner in history to qualify for Footlocker finals for 4 straight years

Another guy worthy of consideration is Bob Kempainen. I don't think he's top 7 but he belongs in that second group with Hall and Torres.