Donovan Brazier - Where are all the GOAT posts ?

The 800 is so exciting because it's not run in lanes.

Slow-twitchers and 45 second guys can each compete.

The most exciting race in T&F should never be run in lanes!

I am certain you would find it exciting if most or nearly all athletes racing 800m reach 600m sub-77.5, Olympics & World Championships semifinals and finals regardless if a guy has a 44.25 or 47.25 400m personal best. Four-hundred-forty yard dash in U.S. used to be raced one turn stagger in high school and college meets. Many find 400m raced two turn stagger equally entertaining. Eight metre athletes would appreciate four turn stagger. No concern about getting pushed or tripped. Note: I don't consider 47.xx 400m guys slow twitch.

Wawawewa wrote:

Stfu to whoever small brained, egotistical snob who wrote this. Shame on you. This was the first time in Donavon's career (a career that has accomplished way more than everyone on this thread and then some and he's only 24) that he has gotten seriously injured. It happens to all runners and Donavon is human. If I had to guess, this slight set-back will catapult him to a medal at the next Olympics games in either the 800 or 1500m. He's gritty, resilient and he's not done that's for sure.

Donovan Brazier bombed in 2016 too.

It took him years to recover from that (mentally) and then he got very good, especially at Diamond League racing not requiring heats.

Haven't seen the gritty and resilient part yet....more like very talented and wins easily..... when he is mentally there.

His delusions of being an NFL WR or being competitive at 400m two years ago was telling in regards to his lack of focus. DLs were easy wins for him (2017-2020 were the slowest 800 times of the entire 2000s btw) and he lost focus during the pandemic and 2020 delay

Anyways, 2021 Oly trials scarred him and not sure if he really has that grit or resilience.

.... Not to mention Korir has now supplanted DB...just like he did in the NCAA

Brazier didn't bomb in 2016. He broke Jim Ryun's NCAA record and Junior AR as a freshman in college. Korir is great he's still not sub 1:42 yet.

Tell me DB isn't resilient and gritty in this race beating Nijel Amos. You crazy if you saying otherwise. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_r_99KVTeWo&t=115s

snowdays wrote:

sad news wrote:

That’s why he gets paid the big bucks and you post on letsrun

as i see it, defending pete is taking a shot at brazier's talent

You know training isn’t always perfect and things happen right? Your posts make it seem like you get that but at the same time you just don’t seem like you support Nike. Understandable but explain why Pete is so bad for Don when Pete taught him how to race different ways instead of just being a Duane or Johnny knock off. There’s so much talent that can go out in 49 very few have the balls to run 51-51. Think about that. Don’s 3:35 is no joke either. Let the coaches do the coaching and let the athletes do the running. We should be happy we saw such great performances out of him. Most big high school stars don’t always shine bright in their later careers.

Remember when Letsrun.com said Grant Fischer was the greatest talent out of Michigan since Ritz. Still not true. Brazier is the most talented middle distance runner the US has seen in years. If he were a white boy, Letsrun would be talking about like he's Jesus. But, he's Black and despite being the World Champ and AR holder his career is done. Most of y'all are stupid here.

I meant the Letsrun posters not Rojo and Wejo.

You sound like the same dumb@ss that got laughed out of here after claiming Brazier wasn’t injured at the trials but just wasn’t willing to hurt enough or some lame Without Limits cliche.

Tricky007 wrote:

Remember when Letsrun.com said Grant Fischer was the greatest talent out of Michigan since Ritz. Still not true. Brazier is the most talented middle distance runner the US has seen in years. If he were a white boy, Letsrun would be talking about like he's Jesus. But, he's Black and despite being the World Champ and AR holder his career is done. Most of y'all are stupid here.

John Wesley Harding wrote:

Tricky007 wrote:

Remember when Letsrun.com said Grant Fischer was the greatest talent out of Michigan since Ritz. Still not true. Brazier is the most talented middle distance runner the US has seen in years. If he were a white boy, Letsrun would be talking about like he's Jesus. But, he's Black and despite being the World Champ and AR holder his career is done. Most of y'all are stupid here.

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6316899

My post got erased for some reason. I said the Letsrun posters and not Rojo and Wejo. Still, they bigged Clayton Murphy and allowed the whole board to proclaim Brazier as a eadcase at the start of his pro career, even though Murphy was older than him but I'll let that slide.

Headcase I meant.

sad news wrote:

You know training isn’t always perfect and things happen right? Your posts make it seem like you get that but at the same time you just don’t seem like you support Nike. Understandable but explain why Pete is so bad for Don when Pete taught him how to race different ways instead of just being a Duane or Johnny knock off. There’s so much talent that can go out in 49 very few have the balls to run 51-51. Think about that. Don’s 3:35 is no joke either. Let the coaches do the coaching and let the athletes do the running. We should be happy we saw such great performances out of him. Most big high school stars don’t always shine bright in their later careers.

Armchair Coach Opinion: (yes, i'm fully aware i'm a nobody and have "no right" to say such things - but it's FUN to do so)

Brazier as an early pro bonked out of USOT rounds and was super inconsistent. He was visibly in need of strength that he probably wasn't getting from the Pat Henry/Francique program.

I was in full support of increasing his mileage a bit and adding strength workouts. What I think happened with Julian was overkill.

You are spot on that he needed to be able to run the 800 in more ways than taking it out in 49. That was huge in getting him to the WC Gold. That doesn't mean he needed to become a 1500m runner in the process. I think chasing Engels and Jenkins around in high volume workouts was great for him to get better at the 1500, but was completely unnecessary to improve his strength and repertoire of 800m strategies. A 3:35 is a great result yes, but I'd happily trade a 3:35 away if it means I get to the starting line in one piece. Other 800m guys are doing more mileage than Brazier, yet not running 1500m ever - Tokyo 800m Gold Medalist Korir could be one example if he's still training like he did under Paul Ereng (55-60mpw offseason, 30mpw inseason)

General Opinion: (if you think that i can't say this - i have no idea what you're doing on letsrun, there is FAR worse than me.)

The results of the last 2 years do not add up to having a genius coach and the 800m GOAT. Something is wrong here. I can't tell you what that is. Chalk it up to bad luck if you want, but bad luck is not a great trait to have when you need to survive 6 rounds of racing to become a gold medalist when you run for the USA.

I wish the best for DB, and if he sticks with Pete hopefully he proves me wrong :^)

I will give you a massive clue that brazier is not doing huge amounts of mileage. Don’t ask how I know but I have seen some details. 7-8 mile long runs for a guy who has 45 speed and 3:35 strength is not crazy. If I added up what I saw Over the past two years he’s more like at 35-40 quality miles a week.

I want you to know I’m not coming for your life in these posts. I think Don and Pete work well together but everyone has 2016-2018 in mind. That had nothing to do with Pete.

2016 1:43 and a long lasting back injury is why we never saw Don go off early. I mean he literally talked about it that year. Yes he ran 1:43 in the perfect race but he was dead in the water like Duane going out in 54 at the trials. Weird year and being 19 probably didn’t help (although it didn’t matter to athing mu).

2017 still made the team and made it to the semis at worlds.

2018 had a couple things come up if I’m not mistaken. Indoors was solid but didn’t have the finish required for a true indoor 800. It’s not the same race as outdoors trust me.

2019 comes along very nicely sets new WR AR and wins a gold.

2020 Ran 1:43 multiple times at 90% fitness. Lingering issue that went into 2021.

Nonetheless Don is a guy who is going to go out and give it his best healthy or not. Clearly it was hard to hold him back this year. He had a goal and fell short with a broken foot. That’s not Pete’s fault, Pete is pretty calculated as you can tell from interviews. The best thing that happened for dons career is NOT making the team with this injury.

OozmaKappa wrote:

Kid's done for. Wish it weren't so. The 800 will continue to be a bore until someone can get their act together and rise to the top.

Seriouisly- look at Brazier's WC race- the Puerto Rican who took the race out- the 800 was exciting that year.

The Olympic Final was so freaking boring I was pissed!