Never felt more patriotic than watching Graham Blanks just now - USA!!

They get more credit for being individuals because those countries don't churn out great running talent en masse. And their coach and team will get more credit for nurturing their development. Also because they are white they don't stand out as much if three of them are top 15. Also three of them are never on one team being top 15. But if that happened, I could see people thinking of that as charming bc they are not threatened by Aus/NZ/Ireland as a pipeline replacing American talent. If they were 24 and older and still a freshman, there would be grousing.

So race plays a part that makes everything more emphatic but it's not like people didn't love Cheserek. He went to high school here. Or root for Abdi Nur and I don't even know his deal. I think with Oklahoma it does feel like a pro basketball or baseball team that buys its roster for the championship year. Losing the tie score was their villain origin story. Who did they give the trophy to? Their 5th guy. Cause everyone faster is a freshman or has only been on the team for a couple of years.

He ran a very smart race. Didn't spend all his energy trying to up man the Africans like Bosley. He made that move up that steep hill to finish off OK State Africans.

That would be a “dumas”

Will be fun to watch Graham at the Oly trials next year. Hard to see him finishing in front of Grant, Woody, or Klecker. But he should be ready to scare 13 in the 5 next spring.

I’m about as excited about an American winning men’s XC as I am when the USMNT make it to the knockout rounds. Call me when he goes pro and makes a mark there.

I just like good races.

Do you mean "dumbasss?" That's not wash-your-mouth-out-with-soap worthy, is it?

This is an age based competition?

You got a lot of down votes here. Why does American pride bother you so much?

Down under they’re actually the age they claim to be, don’t use PEDs, and they actually do the academics.

Obviously the Africans aren't that good if they got beat by a nerd from Harvard.

Harvard boy wins. FIRST EVER. Nice job. Will be shown again and again by the media while ignoring African Americans doing equally as well or better.

You are not supposed to feel the way you feel regarding college sports.

Little League Baseball and Pop Warner Football are guys from a neighborhood.

High school sports are usually gals & guys from 10 square miles competing against other high school kids in a state.

Men & women at a college or university are individuals who selected a school for a combination of location, majors & minors offered, academic standard. Gals & guys on a college XC team may be from all over the world. College athletes know if they are going to compete well, ethnic, national, regional and racial differences should not be emphasized.

Save your nationalism for your overseas time in D.o.D. or U.S. Department of State. N.C.A.A. sports is not the place for your nationalism.

The N in NCAA stands for National. Which is the United States of America here.

Therefore we shouldn't claim Hicks as an American runner if he's not going to represent the US

They certainly did, and I for one think it sucks for the American kids. Yes, the imports have been here for decades, but this was egregious. NAU had no chance. It simply was not fair and it is supposed to be fair.

What was with the announcer saying "touchdown" when he crossed the line? Seemed pretty stupid...American wins NCAA XC and you say "touchdown"?! That's what you come up?

People like you get coaches fired. Coaches get in trouble because clowns like you flame ethnic and other divisions on a team.