Tom McLean Bucknell
Tom McLean Bucknell
Enter_The_Dragon_Runner wrote:
I read the prompt and since she was the first who discussed other sports and the thread title/subject takes priority, then to also excuse myself, I made a one sentence statement. It was not mean. But you took offense and took the time to post your curt remark, and contribute nothing else. And call me "dummy." Singling me out.
So, in summary, you not only failed to read the prompt, but you also missed the 2nd response (submitted my Joseph McVeigh). Dummy.
Did anyone mention Jalen Rose? I am a huge NBA fan and listen to his podcast "Jalen and Jacoby" on Grantland. He told a story on there a couple times about running XC. He said that he dogged it and hated it but that it helped him with basketball, toughness, staying out of trouble etc.
Do I think that he could have been an average d1 cross guy? Maybe, but probably not. As someone else mentioned, that is a fairly tricky measurement. But let's call it a 26:00 8k guy. It is tough to run enough to gain that fitness when you're 6'5". That's the main hurdle for these guys. Whoever said Wilt was an example was a moron (i think you were trolling anyway). Wilt was 7 feet tall and injury prone as it is. He couldn't handle the training and would be incredibly inefficient over long distances, ESPECIALLY over hill and dale.
I don't think that the 26 min 8k 'average' ability I mentioned above requires any insane talent level, but I do think that for most it requires a frame suitable for training for sustained periods without getting injured. You don't see a lot of dudes over 6'3"-6'4" out there, for a reason.
IMO, FWIW, the best current NBA XC runners would be / would have been (if they trained for it):
- Derrick Rose
- Ray Allen
- Mike Conley
- Jeff Teague
- Brandon Jennings
Aaron Murray of Texas A&M ran 4:10 in the mile at Arkansas this past weekend. He had offers from Tulsa and Houston Baptist to play basketball among others. Went to a smaller private school in Houston, so probably flew under the radar a bit as far as basketball recruiting goes. Says the smaller schools (non D1) that were recruiting him stated he could play basketball I. Addition to running cross country and track.
This is tangential, but arguing Wilt Chamberlain wouldn't have succeeded in cross country because he was injury-prone alone is just inaccurate.
Chamberlain played 15 seasons in the NBA. He missed 70 games in the 1970 season. Aside from that, he missed 19 games over the course of 14 other seasons and never averaged below 43 minutes per game. In 1962 he played 48.5 mpg due to overtime games. I do agree his height may have been a challenge to a running career, but he was the paradigm for durability as a big man in the 1960s NBA.
Space Jam - Wayne Knight wrote:
Ladies and Gentleman:
Michael Jordan
http://www.directathletics.com/athletes/track/2762546.html
Nice find.
In all seriousness, I personally believe the real MJ could have probably been an Olympic medalist at the 400 (or 400 hurdles) had he trained for it.
Justin Switzer:
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-track/mtt/switzer_justin00.html
Hoops mentioned at the end of the Prep section of the bio.
I believe that basketball was his true love and he would have preferred to play that if he had a choice. I think I remember that his senior year of HS he averaged 25+ pts per game, and considered playing at the college level, though not sure about D1.
the late Keith Francis, Boston College... 4:00.8 mile as 19-year-old sophomore; won NCaa's Division 1 at the then distance of 1,000 yards; Oly trials finalist at 800 meters; AND at 6-3 and 170 was highly recruited b-ball and baseball star at H.S. in New Bedford.MA...
Walter McCarty ran 1:53 in high school.
Nolan Swanson could have played D-1 basketball, All-State and McDonald's nominee in basketball in New York.
Jack Cuvo is a three time PIAA Wrestling State Champion from Easton High School, a two time National Champion while at East Stroudsburg in Division 1 in the NCAA'S, Pan American gold medalist. alternate to the US Olympic Team in 1988, 1987member of the World Team, 1st high school athlete to earn 3 sport All American in HS, (Wrestling Cross Country and Track) and 2 sport College All American (Wrestling and Cross Country). Jack never lost a Midget, High School or College Duel Meet in wrestling and had a 73-0 dual meet record while attending ESU. He is 3rd on the all time NCAA list for consecutive victories with 89. He has wrestled internationally and teaches all styles of wrestling. Jack has the highest winning percentage in Easton High School's history and District X1 history with 99.6%. Keep in mind, this percentage was for Folk style wrestling, which is what we stress 10 months a year.
Cuvo's Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club operates year round with two summer camps. Our club enters tournaments under the name of "Team Cuvo
I lived in Portland for a few years when the late Jack Ramsey was coaching the Blazers, and he always opened training camp with a timed two mile run. I'm sorry I no longer recall any of the times, but even among the guards, they were surprisingly slow.
It's off topic, but the mention of Wilt Chamberlain reminds me of a funny story I once heard. After Wilt's pro basketball career was over, a Track and Field News reporter spotted him in the stands at the PAC 8 championships, carefully watching the action. Wilt was 7'2" or whatever, and one of the most easily recognized people in the World. The reporter approached Wilt and said, "Excuse me, you look so familiar but I can't quite place you." The reporter looked at Wilt closely, pretending to search his memory. Then he said, "Wait, I remember now... you're Chamberlain, the Drake Relays champion from back in the 1950s." I forget if he won the high jump or decathlon while at Kansas, but Wilt got a good laugh out of it.
Rob Kampman, from Forest City, Iowa, played basketball at Wichita State. He was a 20 point, 10 rebound type in high school and averaged around 10 per game for Wichita State. In high school, he was also a good cross country and track runner. He ran around 16 for 5k, low 4:20s for 1600, and 1:57ish for the 800. He could have run D-1 somewhere.
This is the correct answer. Anyone that paid attention knows how good this kid is. It's a shame. He would be a 3:55 miler at this point if he stuck with running. Literally just played basketball and went for a couple 20 minute runs every once in a while and made Footlocker and was North Carolina state XC champ. Ran one track race as a junior and ran 1:54 in the 800. It's a shame that he's wasting away on the bench at UMES.
Erin Donohue is a good pick. I believe she was an all star in high school basketball before she quit because of the risk of injury, and also completed the rare 3200 - javelin state state championship.
1970's wrote:
Tom McLean Bucknell
Yes. Tom McLean played DI basketball for Bucknell under coach Jim Valvano right before he left for NC State, where he won his national title. McLean wanted to go with Valvano and play for him at NC State but Valvano convinced Tom that he should stay at Bucknell and continue his track career.
Ended up being a good choice, because McLean went on to run 1:45 for 800 while in college and was an All-American, among a number of other tremendous accomplishments.