Is Andrew Wheating washed up? Has UO ruined him? He just seem to have that domination factor like he once had.

andrewsfan wrote:

There are alot of haters on this board. I believe he can run 3:33. You know what I'll even go a step further and say Andrew Wheating is the next Chris Lukezic.

Don't want to slam on Lukezic but he needed to change things up in a system that was broken. He stayed with what was comfortable instead of going to a better situation.

I certainly like Wheatings speed over Lukezic (about 3 seconds faster over 800) who seemed to rarely have any fight left at the end of races.

Perhaps Lukezik stood out from coming up in a time of less depth? A 3:54 mile is not that fast for a runner racing at meets like PRE and in Europe.

Excellent comments. I have enjoyed this thread as it has inluded some posts with great insight and obvious knowledge of these two distances (800/1500) and of the MAN, Andrew Wheating. Just from observing him, one can tell how special he is as a talented runner and as a good person of character and charisma. Wheating will probably have a great future, save potential injuries, but what he does for the sport is as important as what he has already accomplished in his short career. Let's all hope that he ultimately achieves what he is capable of. BTW, for the poster who questions his commitment, don't worry about that, he is as focused and commited as anyone out there. I'd love to see him try to double at NCAA's, and I think he will. Andrew will lay in on the line, win or lose (WIN 90%), and this is what I appreciate most about him.

OLP wrote:

just really concerned.

You should pray to God you get ruined just like Wheating. Miracles do happen.

Perspectivation wrote:

Get Real Real wrote:

the more important question is what can he do when he doesn't have college to contend with while training, what can he do when he is "just" a Pro, with good guidance.

That last bit will be the key.

And who will be his coach/team? Vin is a great college coach but his post collegiate coaching is far from extraordinary and he's got a ton on his plate.

He should go with a coach designated to a small group of runners and that's it, so who would it be? OTC in Eugene? They have decent results but not fantastic, especially at 1500. OTC portland groups are much more distance focussed unless he can lump in with Webb as a 1500 guy. Will Salazar even take on another? He's said no but Wheating might have an in.

That is what I am hoping for, that Alberto takes on Wheating.

I generally hate the hype over the Oregon team, mostly because that is the only college related subject people talk about on here, but two weeks after Andy goes 3:37 is not the best time to try to punch below the belt. Doesn't even make sense, "washed up". He's getting ready to unload at PAC 10s. A thread with this title should get deleted.

He never wins?

He won the DMR two years in a row, plus 2 Penn Relay titles this year. Won every race to qualify for NCAA's then won the big show itself with a pulled calf. He doesn't do as well indoors because he is six foot f***ing six, getting around those turns may a little tough when you are all legs.

So are you saying the he does or doesn't have that domination factor? Or did you mean Is Andrew Wheating downdate?

Relays don't count he had a big lead at Penn and was only part of 1 winning realy, remember he sat out the 4xmile so he could get SLAPPED by Andrews for a second time this year. And the DMR indoors is not the same as winning an individual title. And paaaalleeeeasssse with the claf injury. Once he beats SYmmonds I will consider him a REAL runner. I on't even care if its an off day for Symmonds. For me to take him seriously he has to beat him. I didn't take Symmonds seriously until he beat Borzi. The truth is I just cannot see Wheating just stepping up and "doing it to it" the way Symmonds has time and time again. Symmmonds is always a threat for a title, Wheating is just a threat to finsih NEAR the top...end of story. Until he sacks up and upsets someone of actual class I can't agree that he is a WINNER.

So, all those USA 800 meter stars that he beat at the Trials were not guys of "actual class". I suggest you review your notes, and take a look at some of the guys who he beat there, as well as some of the guys who he has beaten Indoors. Then take a second look--this time, at YOURSELF, and wonder why you are so angry. If YOU has any class, you would realize what a competitive talent Wheating really is. Try sitting back, observing and enjoy him...athletes like Wheating come along once in a lifetime.

Oh, yes, and Pulllleeeessseee, about Andrews "slapping" down Wheating. Yo obviously hav an agenda, or are a total idiot.

mytake wrote:

And paaaalleeeeasssse with the claf injury.

What does this mean? You think the guy faked a calf injury to miss USA's in Eugene and the chance to be a scorer on an NCAA championship cross team?

That, like the rest of your post defies logic and sense.

Reeling and Slow wrote:

So, all those USA 800 meter stars that he beat at the Trials were not guys of "actual class". I suggest you review your notes, and take a look at some of the guys who he beat there, as well as some of the guys who he has beaten Indoors. Then take a second look--this time, at YOURSELF, and wonder why you are so angry. If YOU has any class, you would realize what a competitive talent Wheating really is. Try sitting back, observing and enjoy him...athletes like Wheating come along once in a lifetime.

Oh, yes, and Pulllleeeessseee, about Andrews "slapping" down Wheating. Yo obviously hav an agenda, or are a total idiot.

Yeah even though I neither hate nor love Wheating mytake has a point. He doesn't WIN big races. At the trials he beat some studs but a lot of them were going for the WIN and Wheating and Christian Smith cleaned up because they ran conservatively. To say he comes along once in alifetime is a bit of a stretch. He only has one NCAA individual title. He just your "run of the mill" NCAA champ. Now Webb, he is an athlete that comes along once in a lifetime, Wariner too. But Wheating definitely is not and neither is Solinsky, i think alot of other guys are right on his level right now and Wheating is alittle behind schedule if you ask me, it about freakin time he either wins a big race of breaks 1:44.

meant to say breaks 1:45

Wheating is very good but when is this mythical time when he had some sort of domination factor going? He has won a few big races and lost others. I don't remember him ever being unbeatable.

DMR NCAAs, final leg, 3:35 guy, cleaned him up. That's 2 ncaa titles even if you don't want to count last years dmr where he took the ducks from mid pack to 2nd and stayed there to the handoff per Rupp's instructions, which they one. He also has won the stanford invite, pac-10 conference titles over some very good runners. Plus his various sub-4 mile and sub 3:40 races with pros in the fields.

If you want to say he has not one a lot of olympic trials OK, but not winning big races is silly. Wow, a college sophomore greenhorn didn't win the olympic trials and was injured during last years world trials.

He could have at least beat Hernandez head to head once or freaking Andrews c'mon with that one. That like Manzano getting tooled on by German Fernandez (i know they weren't in college at the same time,, but still)

themanishere wrote:

That like Manzano getting tooled on by German Fernandez (i know they weren't in college at the same time,, but still)

Yes exactly like it, except Manzano had a tad more years behind him coming into college:

Prepped at Marble Falls High School (Marble Falls, Tex.) where he was a nine-time Texas 4A champion at 800m (twice), 1,600m (twice), 3,200m (twice) and cross country (three times) … claimed the mile, two-mile, and cross country state championships as a sophomore for the Mustangs … also finished 4th in cross country as a freshman, second in the mile as a junior, and 7th in the mile as a senior at state

But you're right in saying that Manzano also won and lost NCAA several titles in his career, and they both finished as runners up to make US national teams, only wheatings was as a 3rd year runner (runner, not college runner) and it was the olympics, while leo had at least double that base and experience (assuming his sophomore of high school was his first year of running) and made a world team.

As a side, Fernandez ran 3:55.2 indoors as a freshman, as a junior Leo ran a PR 3:58.78 indoors and as a senior he ran a PR of 3:56.98. So Fernandez very well may have dusted him.

to all of you ......

you expect any (accomplished) runner to be at their best all the time, to never lose to run pr's all the time, to live up to your ridiculous standards as runners (and people).

one day may you wake up, grow up and enjoy the sport but i doubt that will happen.

Manzano also won NCAA's over an Lukezic in 3:37 as a freshman. Since when did we give preferential treatment to mile times over 1500 times. There is no way Manzano would have let a freshman Fernandez beat him (hypothetically speaking)

themanishere wrote:

Manzano also won NCAA's over an Lukezic in 3:37 as a freshman. Since when did we give preferential treatment to mile times over 1500 times. There is no way Manzano would have let a freshman Fernandez beat him (hypothetically speaking)

Well Manzano ran in the World 1500 final, where German watched from home, that kind of makes me think that Manzano might have beat German.

As for Wheating, I don't remember him ever being "dominant". But I think given his age (in year's running) and the glimpses of potential he's shown he can't he be called a "run of the mill NCAA champion". To the person calling him not a real runner I generally consider Olympians to be "real runners".