"My goal is focused on being #1, I don't really understand why I would shoot for less than that"- Cole Hocker

Yes but faster does not necessarily mean better in the days of techno advancements. Centro did not have super spikes in his absolute prime. Hocker may end up being better than Centro but let’s maybe pump the brakes until we see more.

Coghlan was a good a runner as Centro. Maybe Hocker can match or even surpass them some day.

He’s clearly a great talent, but he’s not even running the mile at Milrose. Yes, the 3000m has a top field, but you can’t be the best at the mile/1500 when you skip the premier middle distance event held every indoor season.

hobbyjogger1 wrote:

He's earned respect. I'm glad he's not settling.

He'll be made to settle by his rivals.

rorimc wrote:

Yes but faster does not necessarily mean better in the days of techno advancements. Centro did not have super spikes in his absolute prime. Hocker may end up being better than Centro but let’s maybe pump the brakes until we see more.

Nah. No need to pump the brakes. I've seen enough. I've made my prediction.

Flagpole wrote:

rorimc wrote:

Yes but faster does not necessarily mean better in the days of techno advancements. Centro did not have super spikes in his absolute prime. Hocker may end up being better than Centro but let’s maybe pump the brakes until we see more.

Nah. No need to pump the brakes. I've seen enough. I've made my prediction.

Yeah and I suppose you think Woody Kincaid is superior at 5000m to Bob Kennedy. Faster is better according to you. This is where intelligence is a useful attribute.

And before the Olympics he had only ever been tested once,and he magically improved by 11 seconds,his timed will magically stall now he is in the testing pool of AIU.

rorimc wrote:

Flagpole wrote:

Nah. No need to pump the brakes. I've seen enough. I've made my prediction.

Yeah and I suppose you think Woody Kincaid is superior at 5000m to Bob Kennedy. Faster is better according to you. This is where intelligence is a useful attribute.

Kincaid overall is NOT a better runner than Kennedy was (not yet anyway). Kennedy had greater range and has better times at the 1500 and 3000.

Kincaid though IS a fraction of a second faster at 5,000 and 25 seconds faster at 10,000.

I'm not willing to give super shoes TOO much of an advantage, but as Kincaid's time is just a fraction of a second faster than Kennedy's, I'll give the nod to Kennedy there, BUT it has NOTHING to do with how much better in the world Kennedy was then. That matters not. The world is more competitive today which is how someone like Kincaid can run 12:58 and hardly anyone thinks of him as a contender for anything.

FUN FACT - I ran in Kennedy's only serious 10k road race in 1988.

You could be right. I have no reason to believe he is either guilty or innocent of cheating. I'm suspicious of most world-class athletes at this point because so many have been busted.

if you say so wrote:

He’s clearly a great talent, but he’s not even running the mile at Milrose. Yes, the 3000m has a top field, but you can’t be the best at the mile/1500 when you skip the premier middle distance event held every indoor season.

Expectations management. There's a lot of hype around Hocker, if he runs the mile and is anything other than A grade, like 3:49-3:52, it would be a disappointment for everyone. 3k is a nonsense distance so if he does well, great, if he tanks, he can write it off as a training race

Cole is extra motivated to perform well at the World Championship in Eugene this summer. What an amazing homecoming he could have! Super interested to get a glimpse at his fitness at Millrose in three weeks. Strong field in that 3000.

Sure and some of them have become world champions.

UhmNo wrote:

Flagpole wrote:

We were talking about TIMES, not medals. Winning a gold medal is a great achievement, but it really only depends on the competition you have that day. Hocker could end up being a better runner than Centrowitz and never win ANY Olympic medal.

Hocker will have better PRs than Centrowitz. Jeebus.

...the competition you have that day. ???

You do realize the 2016 1500 Oly finals included the World record holder, right?

Kiprop, Makloufi, Souliman, Willis, Kwemoi....all 3:28 and faster guys.

Centro smoked em all from 400 out including Mak who can run 1:41.

Until Hocker is performing at that level, he is not "more accomplished" than Centro.

it included who??

lmao

Crystal ball is saying Cole will run a 3:28.6 in Monaco this year for 3rd place. Will jump another level.

Cole would’ve ran around 3:54-55 his frosh year if covid didn’t happen

This is exactly the opposite of what needs to happen. This sort of terrible goal mindset of being number 1 is destroying our athlete's mental health. They should be focused on the journey and being the best versions of themselves. This will cause thousands of eating disorders and mental health social just warriors. We can't have any of it.

Eh ....

Even if you throw out 2016 Rio, Hocker needs to bag 2 outdoor WC medals, an indoor WC victory, multiple Wanamaker and 5th Street Mile victories, plus a slew of US national championships to equal Centrowitz's competitive record.

If we are talking times, I think Centrowitz is a 3:28.x/ 3:47.x man if Dragonflys come out in 2015.

If Hocker ends up running 3:29, 3:48, 12:57 but doesn't pick up any global hardware there is no way I'm calling Hocker a better runner than Centrowitz.

It's all about the titles, no one remembers times beyond the nerds who are deep into the sport. You think anyone in the UK knows what Web Coe ran for 800/1500? Or what Mo Farah ran for 5/10k? Nobody cares because they were multiple Olympic champions.

What do you do at the end of your career if you're someone like Alan Webb whose great achievement is running a quick time, get a massive printout with 3:46 written on it and stick it on your wall? Get a tattoo of it to show people? Screw that, you want medals and titles.