Is Robert Brandt the greatest 8th place runner of all time?

Armstronglivs wrote:

Predictor wrote:

Somebody who is jealous of All Americans.

Somebody who doesn't live in the US and doesn't care. Like the rest of the planet.

You are a nobody that vents your frustrations on a website created in the United States.

Go live on a rock in the middle of the ocean and scream at the world and see who listens.

You need help wrote:

Armstronglivs wrote:

Somebody who doesn't live in the US and doesn't care. Like the rest of the planet.

You are a nobody that vents your frustrations on a website created in the United States.

Go live on a rock in the middle of the ocean and scream at the world and see who listens.

Well, you confirmed that no one outside your little circle in the US could care less - or even know - who the American athlete is that this thread claims is the "greatest 8th placed runner of all time". And why should they? You realise that this claim includes the entire history of the sport for the rest of the planet, right? Do you really think anyone in any other country could be bothered making the claim that they had one of the best also-rans in the sport? (They might also be right to make that claim but when you only see American athletes you wouldn't know.)

Armstronglivs wrote:

loser countries wrote:

What country do you live in?

Why is that relevant?

I come from a country that has had more than its share of Olympic champions and world record holders.

...and how is that relevant?

Armstronglivs wrote:

You need help wrote:

You are a nobody that vents your frustrations on a website created in the United States.

Go live on a rock in the middle of the ocean and scream at the world and see who listens.

Well, you confirmed that no one outside your little circle in the US could care less - or even know - who the American athlete is that this thread claims is the "greatest 8th placed runner of all time". And why should they? You realise that this claim includes the entire history of the sport for the rest of the planet, right? Do you really think anyone in any other country could be bothered making the claim that they had one of the best also-rans in the sport? (They might also be right to make that claim but when you only see American athletes you wouldn't know.)

True, unless they are from your country that is full of "also-rans"

big loser countries wrote:

Armstronglivs wrote:

Well, you confirmed that no one outside your little circle in the US could care less - or even know - who the American athlete is that this thread claims is the "greatest 8th placed runner of all time". And why should they? You realise that this claim includes the entire history of the sport for the rest of the planet, right? Do you really think anyone in any other country could be bothered making the claim that they had one of the best also-rans in the sport? (They might also be right to make that claim but when you only see American athletes you wouldn't know.)

True, unless they are from your country that is full of "also-rans"

Running is an international sport, right? So how many athletes from other countries were included in the assessment and subsequent claim in the thread that an American runner (running in US events - how surprising) was the "greatest 8th placegetter of all time"? The basis of the claim is so insular - no other country than the US or period in history is taken into account - that it gives parochialism a good name. But the truth is, who outside Letsrun could give a rats *rse who is the greatest 8th place-getter of all time, even if it were possible (which it isn't) to decide the matter? I can't wait for the next thread about "the best American loser".

OP: Here's an interesting fact about a guy most haven't heard of in the NCAA

Nob: You suck, the US sucks, I'm bitter, and everyone wants to award mediocrity

Look in the mirror and you will have the answer to your question wrote:

Armstronglivs wrote:

And he who is last shall be first. You take the Bublical text a bit too literally. For Letsrun it probably should read - everyone's a winner, baby!

List your accomplishments for all to read and comment on.

Still waiting for your list. Cat got your tongue?

Post title and post text ask two different questions.

As to the first, Haile Gebrselassie finished 8th in the '91 World Cross Junior race and is a much better candidate for "the greatest 8th place runner of all time."

The US is the best and Brandt is almost the best in the US so he is better than the foreigners who are questioning his accomplishments.

Armstronglivs wrote:

big loser countries wrote:

True, unless they are from your country that is full of "also-rans"

Running is an international sport, right? So how many athletes from other countries were included in the assessment and subsequent claim in the thread that an American runner (running in US events - how surprising) was the "greatest 8th placegetter of all time"? The basis of the claim is so insular - no other country than the US or period in history is taken into account - that it gives parochialism a good name. But the truth is, who outside Letsrun could give a rats *rse who is the greatest 8th place-getter of all time, even if it were possible (which it isn't) to decide the matter? I can't wait for the next thread about "the best American loser".

Did you just get a thesaurus for christmas or something? dude stfu nobody cares to argue with you over trivial stuff.

You are on Letsrun where people care about American runners.

Armstronglivs wrote:

loser countries wrote:

What country do you live in?

Why is that relevant?

hahahaha so you are going to bash American runners but you are too embarrassed to say what country you are from? Is it because they have thousands less olympic medals that USA?

So there is only one country that counts when there is a discussion about the "greatest (also-ran) runners of all time". That will come as a surprise to followers of the sport outside the US who will have noticed that the best distance runners in recent years have been overwhelmingly from other continents. The most ridiculous response to my pointing that out is to be challenged over my own achievements to prove it. That the sky is blue doesn't depend on who says it is blue. I'm also not claiming to be the "8th best runner of all time". But the question that still goes begging here is why would anyone anywhere else care who that runner is?

Armstronglivs wrote:

But the question that still goes begging here is why would anyone anywhere else care who that runner is?

I think we are asking you this question....because you have not stopped commenting trash on this thread.

Armstronglivs said: why would anyone anywhere else care who that runner is?

as Yoda would say, "there is no why. clear your mind of that question."

if you don't find the question interesting there are plenty more where that came from. but it seems inherently irrational to ask which nerd would care about a nerdy thing.

cheers.

this guy.... wrote:

Armstronglivs wrote:

But the question that still goes begging here is why would anyone anywhere else care who that runner is?

I think we are asking you this question....because you have not stopped commenting trash on this thread.

I can see why it would matter to some of you guys. Before Matt Centrowitz at Rio '16 it was over forty years before we see another American Olympic champion in either middle or long-distance running (Wottle or Shorter in '72 - take your pick.) That's a long time between drinks. An American today who comes 8th at something is a big deal.

Armstronglivs wrote:

this guy.... wrote:

I think we are asking you this question....because you have not stopped commenting trash on this thread.

I can see why it would matter to some of you guys. Before Matt Centrowitz at Rio '16 it was over forty years before we see another American Olympic champion in either middle or long-distance running (Wottle or Shorter in '72 - take your pick.) That's a long time between drinks. An American today who comes 8th at something is a big deal.

And we can see why you won't tell us where you are from.

total olympic medals:

USA 2,827

2nd place: 1,204

That's a lot of medals between drinks.

the truth can be brutal wrote:

Armstronglivs wrote:

I can see why it would matter to some of you guys. Before Matt Centrowitz at Rio '16 it was over forty years before we see another American Olympic champion in either middle or long-distance running (Wottle or Shorter in '72 - take your pick.) That's a long time between drinks. An American today who comes 8th at something is a big deal.

And we can see why you won't tell us where you are from.

total olympic medals:

USA 2,827

2nd place: 1,204

That's a lot of medals between drinks.

So the thread is about which country has the most Olympic medals, including wrestling and table-tennis? I though it was about distance running achievements, where, sadly, we see that American runners have contributed very little to the country's overall tally. 3 golds since 1972. Dear me. I can see 8th is now aiming high.

If a claim is being made - as it is here- that a particular runner is the "8th greatest placegetter of all time", wouldn't that assessment require including runners from all countries, not just the US, and over history and not just today? It could also be argued that a runner who finished 8th in one event but won many others at championship level is a better "8th-placed runner", than someone who never did much better than that. As I indicated at the outset, it's kind of a pointless - and unprovable - claim.