Midwest D1 Regional Results

Bump

I looked at the Gopher XC history on their website---their results at Nats. are really pathetic, given the talent and the number of times they've qualified.

Since Bjorklund it is all downhill. The Plas years are embarrassing, really. This has nothing to do with Plas's confidence---it has to do with his training systems and his training/racing philosophy. It doesn't work---except to run well at Griak.

Eagle - I don't think Rombough really gave it everything for most of the race Saturday. He's probably got bigger expectations for next Monday. He lay well back (19th at 3K) until he started moving the last 2K or so. He was still in fourth last time I saw him, maybe 400-500 from the finish. I was stunned that he caught Uhl. The rest of the team, however, didn't go out too easy. I wasn't counting places, but it was my impression that they were bunched around 30th at 3K. Other than Puhl, who had a strong finish, they all faded 10-20 spots. One of the guys (Torchia?) kept closer to the front for at least 6K, but then he really faded, too, and was even caught by his teammates.

Plas continues to coach sub-par and remain a jerk. He has done little to nothing to reach out to the local running community. I challenge anyone to find an ex-gopher runner who would recommend a (male) high school runner go to Minnesota. (Sure, some might not bash the program... but, for example, I doubt they would recommend their little brother run for Plas). If being a jerk is a pre-requisite to success, why hasn't he produced. Also, how can the head track coach at Minnesota, Lundeen, be such a nice guy yet produce such great results. It's funny, Lundeen has produced some of the best runners in the country and reaches out to the running community. Plas generally makes people hate the sport... and has little to show for it. Some of the innane shit he focuses on with his runners have nothing to do with being fast, yet being fast is all he cares about. Torchia, go to Wisconsin.

Agreed

gopher fan wrote:

Some of the innane shit he focuses on with his runners have nothing to do with being fast, yet being fast is all he cares about.

What do you really mean? Does he focus too much on non-runningrelated stuff? Just curious.

Interesting post. I've met both Plas and Lundin (pronounced Lundeen), and initially you get an opposite impression, that Plas is a nice guy and Lundin is a hard-ass. But what it comes down to is who really cares about their guys, not just their last race.

bump

dude, minnesota was up front at the beginning of the race. seconding what one of the other posters already stated

Plas is generally a hardass, I guess a jerk if you must. It does amaze me how shitty the gophers can get, how disappointing their good recruits end up being (sans Rombough) and yet how those runners will stand by and defend him.

Lundin on the other hand is a great guy, totally down to earth and pretty much just a quality individual to deal with.

I have dealt with Lundin and he isnt exactly a nice guy. Unless your name is Gerding or Steele