BIG 10 XC Updates?

Trustme wrote:

MSU really really does not care about cross/track and walt doesn't have the interest in doing the work to promote his team or event.

As Flotrack's guy covering the meet, I agree 100%. The only people at MSU who gave a damn about this meet were the athletes and the coaches. Most age-group soccer games treat fans better than this.

I was there. It was reasonably cold (I was freezing waiting for the races to start). No wind. It rained lightly during the men's race, but not during the women's.

Sarah Kroll looked very good. She and the gal from Iowa were absolutely hauling--the carts with the cameras and stuff could barely stay ahead of them. They were far ahead of the chase group from the half-way point on, and Kroll put on a surge with 600 meters left and the Iowa woman could not respond.

Michigan's women were packed very tight. Michigan State was battling them but it seemed from watching (didn't analyze final results) that after the first 2 there was just too big of a gap. MSU's 3-4-5 seemed to be falling back as the race went on. State's third runner was right up in that chase pack at first, but then faded a bit. Michigan ran well today.

The other thing I noticed was the MSU women were very graceful in defeat, congratulating Michigan as team with smiles and hugs. It had to be a bitter pill on their home course.

Michigan is just the class of the Big 10 this year. Several Big 10 women's teams are just pathetic. Why aren't the Wisconsin women as good as the men?

The thing to say about the men's race was that Wisconsin didn't look as dominant as I thought they would. Were they sitting out runners they are going to use at nationals? Wisconsin has come into Big Tens much more dominant in years past, especially when they are highly ranked. The last time they were ranked No. 1, that I remember, they went 1-2-3-4-5-6 or whatever it was. I expected Wisconsin's top 5 to be in that lead group, which they weren't. They have to be holding something, or someone, back. I can't see them beating Colorado running like this, even though they won today.

Wisconsin's top 2 and Indiana's top 2 looked very, very good at the end. For most of the race the front pack was 6 runners--3 Wisco, 2 Indiana, 1 Michigan. Mayhew surprised me--no catching him those last 400 meters. Maverick was in 3rd and sprinted past Mo, but I don't think he could catch Mayhew even if there was more course to chase him down.

Michigan looked better than I thought they'd be. Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan State all looked like stragglers as teams. Iowa looked pretty bad and Nebraska looks absolutely horrible on both the men's and women's sides.

There were almost no amenities there--long waits for coffee/hot chocolate and portajohns. T-shirts were $20, which I thought was high. Admission was $5, which was cheaper than the Spartan Invite, which I think was $8. That little proshop, the only indoor building on site to warm up at least a little was closed. You get sweaty from running around, then when you're waiting you get cold.

MSU changes their course layout every few years, it seems. This is the 4th layout I've witnessed at that same golf course. It seems that they deliberately avoid the few hills they have there. Course was flat but very conducive to spectate. It was fun watching some reasonably old people--people in their 60's, and older moms with big purses, running all over the place to watch their kids.

I'm one of the seemingly infinite number of Gopher distance fans who think Plasencia has never done a good job getting the best out of the talent on campus in Minneapolis. I hope the poor races for the Gophers thus fall are an indicator of later season success. Usually Plas has the guys ready for Griak and then bombing at nationals. This season could be different!

I LOVE the Gophers with their school flags, running all over the course. Not obnoxious like Michigan fans get sometimes.

All those runners from Minnesota drove in a convoy of cars, like 8 or 10 cars or something from what they were telling me, for 14 hours to get to East Lansing. They cheer and really have a lot of spirit. All the other schools get nice buses, and there's the Minnesota contingent arriving in all those cars. It does seem like the Gopher runners have the most fun of all the schools. I hope they come on at the end too.

Purdue should improve drastically under new coach Dave Hartman.

Penn State is horrific and has been for years, matters not who coaches

I predict a big change in big10 xc over the next few years. Wisconsin and Indiana loosing their low sticks and don't appear to have the depth to replace them. Impressed with what Purdue have done and returning 6 of their team bodes very well. Especially if mcclintock keeps improving. Illinois finally delivering on their potential have to be contenders next year along with Michigan. They have a number of returners racing very well and a lot of other guys on the roster that redshirted. Interesting to see will the Illini and Purdue continue to build and legitimately challenge for BIG titles.