Predictions for 2011 Footlocker High School National Championsips aka (The Olympics of U.S. High School Cross Country) ?

Advice General wrote:

That's funny because I am 99% sure that Futsum = Ryan Hall. I've never seen them in the same place at the same time and they both run really fast. It's a shame that they let 28 year old white guys compete at the high school level, taking away opportunities from true 17 year olds running a full 5k.

Futsum isn't white.

Tell me it wouldn't be awesome if Cheserek ran the FL qualifier then quick drove over to the NXN qualifier and did that (if the times were far enough apart).

Only the internationally reknowned Footlocker High School Cross Country National Championships matter at the international level. No others deserve consideration.

Ha, that's cute. Actually, I went to the same high school as Nef, and he comes back every now and then to catch up with the coaching staff (the current coach there was actually a teammate of his). I believe he's doing work in Silicone Valley out in CA with that Stanford degree. Nef was actually a terrible runner when he started his freshman year. Ran in Jordans and I don't believe he broke 20. He actually quit the team cause the kids made fun of him for it. Then, worked his butt off and became great.

For those saying Futsum is old...

Check out this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLlAPIc9spo&feature=player_embedded

He looks like a high school senior, or even younger, to me.

I remember talking to him and running against him his freshman year and you could tell from how he looked, talked, and acted that he was definitely just a 15 year old. A damn good 15 year old, but definitely still a kid.

26mi235 wrote:

High schools teams are really only of parochial interest. ... I see absolutely nothing of real interest in it as the good teams are a matter of chance of where enough good runners just happen live.

I like FL, but I can infer from your post that you have not attended either NXN or any of the regional qualifiers, which are FILLED with positive energy from team-mates, other teams that didn't make the seeded race, parents, fans, dogs, etc. NXN is a fantastic addition to the national cross country scene.

And it is simply not correct that 'the good teams are matter of chance'. Not true in college. Not true in high school. Powerhouses emerge where a set of people decide to get the job done. If anything, college results (with the ability to recruit, unlike high schools) are just a matter of where the good runners congregate.

In other news... might as well call it Futlocker

XC2 wrote:

In other news... might as well call it Futlocker

Or the African championships? Adding in Andrew Gardner who is from Ethiopia and finished 4th last year....Paying for educations and now paying for their championship race...Just wait until St. Benedicts gets the guy the really wanted from Kenya, then next year he gardner and cheserek can have their championship again.

Verzbicas won the past 2 years, and I believe Solomon Haile won Foot Locker before that. Now it appears that at least the next 2 years will also be dominated by runners born in other countries, so possibly talking about a 5 year stretch here. What is the longest stretch for non-native runners in the past for Foot Locker? Anything like this back in the 90's? I guess like anything else in life - kids from USA can either be inspired by this to try harder, or can be disheartened and look elsewhere for athletic success.

XC2 wrote:

In other news... might as well call it Futlocker

Agreed

Molly Seidel.

Former Lifter wrote:

Back to the topic of predictions-

Molly Seidel FTW! On Wisconsin!

Not to put down Molly Seidel but IF Sarah Baxter from Calif decides to run, everyone else will be running for 2nd place. Look for her to own ALL the HS national distance records by the time she graduates, assuming she stays healthy.

Quick stats -

As a FRESHMAN last year she ran the 3rd fastest ALL-TIME performance on the Calif State XC course at Woodward park. Only 2 sec's from #2 All-time. This course has over 30 years of history. Jordan Hasay's fastest time only put her #6 all-time. The 2 faster times ahead of her, by Julia Stamps and Amber Trotter, were run when they were SENIORS!

(Baxter has a good chance to be #1 all-time, as a soph, when she runs this course in 3 weeks)

In Track as a freshman she ran a 10:13 for 3200m - she crushed the National freshman record.

Her team, Simi Valley, will most likely be competing at NXN so look for her to win that. I don't believe she will double and run footlocker as well. Bummer!!

Footlocker champions are immortal.

It's a toss up.

Scy Enrgy Steve Chu UCBerkeley wrote:

Great to have an Asian-American footlocker winner. Asians-Americans are especially proud of young Lukas !

You're terrible. You clearly also made the first and fourth posts on this thread under different names. Your schtick is old and tired. And even when it was new, it was shit. Really, shut up.

Can't wait togo to Dago

Verzbicas won the past 2 years,

I was wondering why a Euro-Oriental like Lukas would pick a low academic school like UO but I was fooled bad. He never intended on running at UO. He setup and used UO to fire a load into Phil Knight's butt increasing notoriety and worth for the Lukas Verzbicas Brand. Dude has been studying Kobe and Allyson learning their ways.

Kanye North wrote:

Advice General wrote:

That's funny because I am 99% sure that Futsum = Ryan Hall. I've never seen them in the same place at the same time and they both run really fast. It's a shame that they let 28 year old white guys compete at the high school level, taking away opportunities from true 17 year olds running a full 5k.

Futsum isn't white.

Really? You figured that out all by yourself, did you Sherlock?

Advice General wrote:

Really? You figured that out all by yourself, did you Sherlock?

You are impressively dumb. Just saying.

So what if Futsum isn't White. Ryan is part-Asian with those high cheekbones and Siberian Oriental slanty eyes. America is a melting pot.