Ryan Hall over Meb Keflezighi in poll for Boston win- is a JOKE

Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi are both from So Cal. Isn't their anyplace else that produces contenders for the U.S.A. ?

Only So Cal ? wrote:

Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi are both from So Cal. Isn't their anyplace else that produces contenders for the U.S.A. ?

DJ Ritz is from Michigan

Wow that both these guys are getting over 50% of the vote is way out there. I'm sorry Hall won one big marathon the US Olympic trails, and he's good, but I'm sure the Africans will take this one with all the hills. Meb could win, but I'd put him at 10-20% depending on the other runners in the race Hall I'd put at 1.8% too win. Until he wins a big time marathon agaisnt a international feild he souldn't be given all these props. Yes he's run fast, but in every race he ran fast someone or more then one have run faster... Oh yeah I guess I should mention I'm not American, but I am realistic.....

You really need evidence of a link between racist thinking on letrun.com, which you concede exists (I think) and a poll on this cite regarding who will win NYC, white runner or a black one?

Do you demand evidence that rain is wet?

Silly boy, hell yes racism exists in America! However, VIPAM trotted out that explanation for the voting w/no evidence whatsoever. How in the world would he know why people voted the way they did? He can't.

And, the vote was for the Boston Marathon, not NYC. A quick glance at the subject title would help you there.

Your final question is a bad analogy. Bad. Rain is wet, I can feel it. I can't look at the poll and conclude people voted on the basis of skin color.

I'm not clear on how Hall is on the upswing. His performances have declined since the 2:06:17. He is still young and will in all likelihood return to form and pr again, but in my view, and this has not changed for quite a while, he needs to change up his training, take a season or year's break from the marathon and work on his 5/10000m form again. Maybe not, but we're certainly not seeing progress. Meb has proved that he's the better racer, but we do not know whether he can stay healthy at his age or whether he can hang in a faster paced race. 2:09 at New York is very fast, considering the course and the wind that day, but can Meb stay with the leaders at Boston at 2:07 pace or better? If that kind of pace does not materialize, and it is likely that it won't, then you have to like Meb's chances at top American.

I voted for Hall because I want the white race to win. I am humiliated every time some stinking black African whips the crap out of the white competition. Shameful. Plus, they can't keep their hands off of our white women who have an insatiable lust for their much larger penises. The shit ain't fair.

White power!

Out.

Meb ran great in NYC. Hall ran solidly in NYC. Is it not reasonable to bet on the "upside" of a younger Hall? While not totally analogous, wouldn't many people bet Wanjiru over Geb? Sometimes it makes sense to bet on the potential of a relatively younger athlete.

Meb is from Dago. Deena is from L.A. Rowbury is from Frisco. Kara is from New York City. Can't we get a medal at a top marathon, IAAF Out WC, or Olys from other than Cali or NY ?

Here is a side poll:

Who was the best American 5000 meter runner in 2009?

If you say Dathan Ritzenheim you are an idiot and a rascist.

So what ? He doesn't have a major medal.

i knew some idiot would make a thread about this.

Its clear that the some juvenile minded posters like stirring up things by posting trash and making a joke of the poll. In the time I've visited this site I've seen remarks that could only come from a racist minded individual and to assume a poll on this site could be totally free from such influence is dreaming.

Faster personal best doesn't mean anything on Boston or NYC, heck some days it don't mean much on a flat marathon course.

New York (2nd best field of all non-championship marathons in 2009) was loaded with much faster runners than Meb and he won.

Boston is a hilly course which majority of the posters said Meb does well on when trying to diminish why he won NYC (not flat). Okay Boston isn't flat either.

Ryan younger than Meb has little to do with anything. Its become the NORM for marathoners to have successful careers and continue improving til 37-38. Results of numerous athletes in 2008 and 2009 proves that fact.

could Ryan Hall beat Meb in Boston sure but safe bet would be on Meb Keflezighi. So where is the logic in thinking Ryan Hall would fair better in Boston against Meb K. than he did in New York?

Blah Blah Blah...

Both Men have finished 3rd in Boston, both running basically the same time. Hall did it just last year, while Meb did it in 2006. In fact Hall's time at Boston last year is just off of Meb's all time PR (from NY this year).

Meb trounced Hall in NY. Doesn't mean he will again.

Hall has a PR 3 minutes better better than Meb. Doesn't mean he will run faster than Meb either.

Look, I am Meb fan, and not really a Hall fan, but I have no problem with people thinking Hall will beat him, there is more than enough objective evidence to say that this is a possibility without chalking it up to racism.

And on that, I don't think either of them will win.

NotDenialJustIdiots wrote:

In the time I've visited this site I've seen remarks that could only come from a racist minded individual and to assume a poll on this site could be totally free from such influence is dreaming.

I've gone thru the posts & nobody assumes a poll here 'could be totally free from such (racist) influence'. Key word: assumes. Entirely possible folks voted on the basis of color, however, to say that's how it was done devoid of evidence is flat wrong.

This thread ground to a halt as soon as the race card was played.

"Seemed like very few [Africans]were at NY for some reason."

James Kwambai, 2:04:27, Rotterdam '09

Jaouad Gharib, 2:05:24, London '09; '08 OG silver

Patrick Makau, 2:06:14 debut, Rotterdam '09

Hendrick Ramaala, 2:07:44, London '09

Jackson Kipkoech, 2:08:07, 21 years old

Abderrahime Bouramdane, 2:08:20, 2nd Boston '08

[Martin Lel, entered but DNS, 2:05:15]

As some guy in another sport once said, "You can't be serious."

Sir Lance-alot wrote:

scotth wrote:

As per his other contributions to LR - for the most part, he cites the obvious. He does a reasonable job of putting together stats but these can be gleaned from other sources including David Monti's RRW. .

Hey, let's give credit where credit is due: Vipam DID predict Bekele's dominance before a vast majority of people. You blew that one off. Did David Monti predict it as early as Vipam? No.

Sir Lance, I stand by my comment. I don't feel like digging up VIPAM's thread about KBekele possibly annihilating the world records but I submit he initially posted sometime after the fact the Ethiopian superstar had already won a few major championships (World Cross, etc) and made folks blink twice w/his races & times. Besides that, it isn't the province of Mr Monti to predict what athletes might do. He provides the results - KBekele produces the results. They are different things.

I think it's more fun to talk about what people have done than what they might do.

I'd like to see either of the American's win (or any other one we aren't talking about).

As a caucasian I would like to see Hall win, but I would also be happy to see Meb win another major. It's not racist to root for and be proud of individuals with a similar heritage. If it is, then the entire country of Kenya should be considered racist for rejoicing when Sammy W. won them Olympic marathon Gold.

scotth wrote:

I've gone thru the posts & nobody assumes a poll here 'could be totally free from such (racist) influence'. Key word: assumes. Entirely possible folks voted on the basis of color, however, to say that's how it was done devoid of evidence is flat wrong.

I would love to know where you were when so many posters accused black people of voting for Obama because he was black.