I kind of get the feeling there are about 2 (at most) people who really have a problem with how she ran or what she said.
Every top runner has a bad day and maybe even a dropout day. You have to judge runners based on a career, not a day. Keep in mind, these are people, not machines. They have personal lives too. Just because they are fast doesn't mean life is great every day.
I don't know what fleshman had going on back then (if anything) but I doubt you do either.
Shalane, Kara and Begley have all had some lack luster performances over the years but you'd be a fool to bring up a bad day every time they race.
People complaining about the time, ummm that was one of the fastest races 1500 and up for men or women. It was a championship race in hot, humid weather. Jenny B got straight up dropped.
People complaining about US distance women, who are you compairing them too? In the 800 - 10K we are about as deep as it gets outside of E. Africa. Don't count the Russians because their continual postitive test and test skippings cast suspsicion on any of their regime marks.