Lawi Lalang - Arizona - 3:55.09

Please Shut Up wrote:

The argument that you shouldn't criticize someone if you can't do it yourself is stupid as hell and has no place on message boards that discuss the premiere athletes in this sport. I personally hope German makes a comeback and can contend for an outdoor title again, however it is stupid to not recognize his soph-senior year has been a little disappointing to any fan.

My reply to people who say you cant criticize what you cant do yourself is always "well I can't make a table either, but I sure as hell can still tell you when I see a poorly made table."

Now, does German deserve all the hate? Probably not. Though I get the feeling a good portion of the hate isnt really directed at German so much as the German fan boys that drool over German and proclaim him to be a god incarnate. I should say that Smith deserves more hate for what German has done (or more accurately, not done). German has had a history of injury problems, even in high school. Coach Smith seems to not be able to find a way to work with, through or around the injury problems on any consistent basis, and seems to basically just hope he can get a few healthy months at a time out of German.

Really? Dave Smith is ruining his runners at OSU? How do you explain the success of the rest of the team? Lowe, Vail, Girma, Farrell, John Kosgei, etc?

So one runner comes in as the most hyped high school track athlete in years, doesnt live up to the hype and the coach and the program are a bad deal?

2X XC Champs and second this year. Coach is doing something right. [QUOTE]

I can't believe I'm arguing this. I feel like you're a troll. I'll bite.

I suggest you take a look at OSU's roster the past 4 years, and tell me what happened to half those superstars. MOST have left. A small number have been successful and in comparison with other colleges, it's quite pathetic. I also would like to bring to attention, OSU uses ALL their money on distance. If The runners are only allowed 12 credits per semester, that's 15 full scholarships... EVERYONE IS ON FULL THERE (Almost). Therefore, allows to garner a much larger number of runners to their university. Again, I suggest you look at the roster the past 4 years and explain why so many great talents have left, and the one's that have stayed and are deemed great, typically haven't improved at all. Of course, there is an exception or two, not counting foreigners, you have Vail and Lowe as your argument. 2 runners. Also, Vail was there during Coach Weis' time as head coach, nice try. And now you have Colby Lowe, which, according to many, he trains himself. You lose. Research, sir.

Then again, people complain about not having many great American runners. Well, let me tell you folks, it's flawed systems' like OSU is why.

sap bobby wrote:

Lalang is older than German is... RIGHT NOW.

Yeah. As opposed to last year when Lalang was younger than German. I also hear that Lalang will be younger than German next year but we'll have to wait to see how that develops.

I'll predict that he breaks 13 sometime during the outdoor season. Just watched the 3:55 race: terrible pacing, completely alone most of the race.

Where can we watch the race? Link please?

predictor wrote:

I'll predict that he breaks 13 sometime during the outdoor season. Just watched the 3:55 race: terrible pacing, completely alone most of the race.

[quote]wejo wrote:

German ran 3:55.02 as a freshman so he still has the NCAA and World Junior Records.

The IAAF lists show Ilham Tanui Ozbilen of Kenya as World Junior Record holder, with a time of 3:49.29 set in Oslo on 3/7/2009.

OK, I screwed up. That was the outdoor record. GF does still hold the indoor record.

flotrack has coverage of the meet

lawi has got to be like 25!!!! this guy is sick

Cannot help but wonder if Mathew Centrowitz knew that Lalang, having had such a great rookie year, was going to be a thorn in the Duck's bottom and so, at his apex, he took the cash and flew. Mathew, though a great tactical racer, may not of repeated at the NCAA champs. $$$$$$$ go south.

Ha! Centro has run the equivalent of a 3:50 mile, and outkicked everyone but Kiprop and Kiplagat last summer. I doubt he was worried. And anyways, Lalang will almost certainly run the 5K at NCAAs; not the mile/1500.