Rupp is the runner Prefontaine dreamed of being.

Pre = Nike - that will be pretty hard to Duplicate

Pointing out a dope wrote:

knower of heroes' minds wrote:

Pre would consider Galen Rupp an even more despicable candy-ass than his enemy, Harold Norporth.

Candy-ass huh?

Does running a stupid race in the Olympics exclude one from that title?

How about getting drunk and driving ones MG into a rock, is that the kind of "blue collar" credential you are looking for?

Only thoughtless and uneducated people are cool

bty: I like rupp, he seems like a good kid, and very determined to be good/great, he is highly competitive and doesn't like to lose, I think pre would like galen....seems to me, pre always praised the best americans and encouraged them. he respected talent regardless of his methods

ingoramusx wrote:

Pre RACED the best.

Rupp is setting American records against no international competition.

There is a reason Rupp is time trialing instead of running at the big pro meets this year, this way he can't get beat.

You people are pathetic, RUPP had an Olympic silver metal quit the insecure reasonless hating it's embarrassing

Other than St. Ronald Reagan, Pre was the most admired American ever. Rupp still has a long way to go...

Rupp has more major championship wins than Pre already and also with much stiffer competition. Did you forget Rupp just broke Pre's 5k record last Olympic trials? Rupp has made it to more finals and also has an Olympic medal.

Northop being brought up was interesting. I had heard of him being Pre's "nemesis" a while ago, but I didn't know about his silver medal. The thing is, no one really gives a crap about him. Nobody remembers him because he wasn't influential, inspiring or likeable. Some people like Rupp, i mean he's not an unlikeable character. But he really isn't a character. He's a robot who goes to bed at 8 o'clock, never has fun and is completely obedient to Salazar. Although a silver medal would be great, I'd much rather be Pre. His image was never tainted by getting old or falling off (Webb). And he was inspirational, had fun, and pissed a few people off. Rupp will go down as the best US distance runner ever, but Pre will be remembered longer.

Wait a second...Pre was a drunk...and is revered...Galen is on dope...shouldn't he be deified?

I mean, seriously, shouldn't he be more than doubles in terms of marketable for being on the hard stuff? Like, booze is passé. Keith wasn't cool because he drank. Keith was cool because of dope. Let's get our little minds on large-scale awesome. I'm tired of small-time boozing.

Without Pre, Rupp wouldn't have his juicy contract with Nike. Rupp would be working in the real world trying to make ends meet.

blargh wrote:

Northop being brought up was interesting. I had heard of him being Pre's "nemesis" a while ago, but I didn't know about his silver medal. The thing is, no one really gives a crap about him. Nobody remembers him because he wasn't influential, inspiring or likeable. Some people like Rupp, i mean he's not an unlikeable character. But he really isn't a character. He's a robot who goes to bed at 8 o'clock, never has fun and is completely obedient to Salazar. Although a silver medal would be great, I'd much rather be Pre. His image was never tainted by getting old or falling off (Webb). And he was inspirational, had fun, and pissed a few people off. Rupp will go down as the best US distance runner ever, but Pre will be remembered longer.

This ^^^^

People like and respect Alberto, but Rupp is a robot to most.

Pre was legend, life of the party, best on the track and just plain fun to be around. Everybody has a Pre story in Eugene. Ask around doubt you won't find many Rupp stories... Truth

Couldn't agree more! Rupp is a fantastic runner but disgustingly boring and robotic. He has less personality than a rock. His interviews are painful and always along the lines of "Well Alberto's given me some good workouts, it was a good race, I gave it my all, blah blah blah". Show some emotion, excitement, controversy or personality, really anything other than his bland boring vanilla dweeb self.

Big Thirst wrote:

asu guy wrote:

This ^^^^

People like and respect Alberto, but Rupp is a robot to most.

Pre was legend, life of the party, best on the track and just plain fun to be around. Everybody has a Pre story in Eugene. Ask around doubt you won't find many Rupp stories... Truth

Couldn't agree more! Rupp is a fantastic runner but disgustingly boring and robotic. He has less personality than a rock. His interviews are painful and always along the lines of "Well Alberto's given me some good workouts, it was a good race, I gave it my all, blah blah blah". Show some emotion, excitement, controversy or personality, really anything other than his bland boring vanilla dweeb self.

I love how people tear Rupp apart for his personality. What the f do you know about his personality? Do you know him personally? Hang out with him on weekends? Maybe he's a private person, ever think of that? You want some flashy jagg-off, boozing and acting like a jerk? Grow up. It's about the races and the running, not that other immature sh**. And you're some fly-by-the-seat of your pants party animal? Those people suckk btw.

I like the way Rupp handles his business, similar to Lagat. And he's perfectly pleasant, except to Brojos, which actually shows some personality, ironically, how much he dislikes them.

Ryan Seacoast wrote:

The Legend of Galen Rupp will be greater than Pre or any other American distance runner.

Except for that American that is 21-2 against Rupp.

Adele = Rupp

Miley = Prefontaine

Faith Hill = Rupp

Amy Winehouse = Prefontaine

I bet the people saying Rupp has no personality and needs to be controversial are the same people that were crying a week ago about Richard Sherman being classless.

Let the guy do his talking by his performances, not his post race interviews. That should be what it's all about anyway.

I disagree with the implication that the running community remembers or idolizes Pre because he was "the life of the party" or "fun to be around" or that we won't remember Rupp in the same light because his "interviews are painful" and he "has less personality than a rock".

I can only speak for myself but I think the reason Pre stands out in a list of other talented American distance runners is because of his kamikaze, balls-to-the-wall style of running. Not that his style was optimal - far from it. I think his results against international competition would have been better if he had been a smarter tactical runner. But his "somebody may beat me but they're going to have to bleed to do it" style & swagger is definitely memorable. He's like the Rocky Balboa of distance running.

Rupp will be (and already is) memorable for completely different reasons - because he has the physical tools, work ethic, and tactics to run insane times as well as compete and win at the international level.

ryan foreman wrote:

Prefontaine probably did dream of being 27 years old.

First, gotta give credit to this reply.

Ryan Seacoast wrote:

The Legend of Galen Rupp will be greater than Pre or any other American distance runner.

Now.

No way Prefontaine ever dreamed of being the runner Rupp is.

Rupp is clearly better. And will be far more accomplished when his running career is done.

But Prefontaine would never dream of being someone else. He made his own way.

And character makes legends. Rupp will not be a legend.

Again, he's a great runner. Hats off to him.

But he just doesn't give off that aura that resonates over time for legend status.

it was a different time then. beers and running went hand in hand. maybe thats why the sport isnt popular anymore. because instead of having a beer after the race, the athletes hit the track again so hard that all they can do is sleep. i bet rupp cant even drink 4 beers without puking his guts out. while Pre could probs have that beer mile WR.