A.J., he no wanna run the Steeple...

Running on Full wrote:

And the argument that Malmo throws out about A.J.'s lack of focus shows just how little Malmo knows about A.J. Believe me, his ferocious intensity to battle more than overcomes for his "lack of intensity" (perceived or not).

WTF? Typical of your ilk. When you don't have anything to say you make up shit.

NCAA Fan wrote:

Out-of-Wedlock Danny wrote:

acosta did go 2k. looked smooth. he'll be 8.40 or better when he really wants to get after it next attempt. great TEAM player attitude

http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2010/05/oregon_track_field_aj_acosta_s.html

People focus on the steeple. Its not like no one cares and then all of the sudden they hop in a race towards NCAA. Acosta is a good 1500 man, have him focus on that, which they will. He's horrible at the steeple. It is what it is.

Typically they do and for various reasons. One example would be coming into a team as a 2 miler with out great speed so 1500 is out and the 5K squad is deep. So they become steeplers. Others just like the event for the nature of it and want to do it right away. Some programs are basically devoted to it or have a long history of success so they throw the event at everyone and see who sticks.

However most of the guys who focus on the steeple do not run on teams like Oregon where you're the 4th or 5th fastest miler and the 4th or 5th fastest 5k guy despite NCAA championship quality times.

AJ is faced with a decision based on a circumstance not many steeplers encounter. He could get beat by no one else but his teammates and still end up 4th at conference and NCAA's. And watching his recent dabble I wouln't say he's horrible. He knows where he's at in the 1500 so doing a steeple at Pac-10's will let him know where he's at in a quality steeple field.

Only 1 more year after this month and he'll be free to move back to So Cal. The sun, the beach, the surf, the...

A guy with his flat 3K/5K fitness ought to be able to run about 9:20 stepping on the barriers a la Mel Lawrence. Something seems off to me with AJ's steeple performances.

If he were going to be a force this year we would've seen something better by now. Sure it's possible for him to throw down a 9:10 or so but he's not going to run 8:50.

Well if AJ does go back to So Cal after he graduates in 2011, I hope he has learned a few things up in Oregon. Keep your attitude straight and it will turn a boy into a man. AJ has made some major leaps in his maturation, I'd hate to see him go back to the LA cesspool.

aren't the top steeplers usually guys who are stronger at 3k/5k and maybe xc than 1500m? they are strength guys because it takes a lot out of you to jump over all those barriers. So, while Acosta was a footlocker champ in xc, he has not done well so far at the event and does not have the kind of up distance credentials. Fleet has shown a great deal of promise at the mile. Why not look for candidates among the 13:30s guys?

i have seen people put their foot on top of each barrier instead of hurdling them, they seem to run good times too, is that efficient or a waste? maybe acosta could run faster if he stepped on each one?

big bird wrote:

i have seen people put their foot on top of each barrier instead of hurdling them, they seem to run good times too, is that efficient or a waste? maybe acosta could run faster if he stepped on each one?

Basically it requires energy to lift your center of gravity above the level it's at when you're running. The most efficient way to hurdle is the way that keeps your center of gravity lowest. By stepping on the barrier you're guaranteeing that you're raising your CoG by roughly the height of the barrier on each barrier.

see, what characters like malmo and others who say he should focus on his true talents (whatever that means) is this:

where else can he help oregon? for nationals, which is the main thing banananana cares about, where can he slot acosta? as another said, there's 3 guys on his own team that will take his 1500 spot. he's not a 13.30 5k guy, so that's not guaranteed points by any stretch. steeple is logical. and with more practice and work, perhaps he gets there.

ok, got it now ? through your thick lemon-headed skulls?

Out-of-Wedlock Danny wrote:

see, what characters like malmo and others who say he should focus on his true talents (whatever that means) is this:

where else can he help oregon? for nationals, which is the main thing banananana cares about, where can he slot acosta? as another said, there's 3 guys on his own team that will take his 1500 spot. he's not a 13.30 5k guy, so that's not guaranteed points by any stretch. steeple is logical. and with more practice and work, perhaps he gets there.

ok, got it now ? through your thick lemon-headed skulls?

Uhm, perhaps, Danny Bastard, you should not drink and post.

--Everyone here clearly understands what Vananna's concern is...

TK1451 wrote:

A guy with his flat 3K/5K fitness ought to be able to run about 9:20 stepping on the barriers a la Mel Lawrence. Something seems off to me with AJ's steeple performances.

If he were going to be a force this year we would've seen something better by now. Sure it's possible for him to throw down a 9:10 or so but he's not going to run 8:50.

Haha, you gotta love getting called out. Acosta runs 8:52 tonight hours AFTER a 3:46 1500 semi.

I suggest the naysayers go back here and read what was said BEFORE this race and keep in mind that this result came shortly after a 1500 semi and with a 1500 final on the line tomorrow.

Someone even suggested he shut it down coming in the last 100 or more.

former 8:4X guy wrote:

Haha, you gotta love getting called out. Acosta runs 8:52 tonight hours AFTER a 3:46 1500 semi

Dont ya just love it. 8:52 still sucks.

former 8:4X guy wrote:

What's wrong with having him go for it at Pac-10's and see how he ends up? If he's in it to win it we have our answer. If he's a distant 5th, you stick with the 1500.

He was a distant 4th. Back to the 1500.

AJ Nayshun wrote:

former 8:4X guy wrote:

Haha, you gotta love getting called out. Acosta runs 8:52 tonight hours AFTER a 3:46 1500 semi

Dont ya just love it. 8:52 still sucks.

former 8:4X guy wrote:

What's wrong with having him go for it at Pac-10's and see how he ends up? If he's in it to win it we have our answer. If he's a distant 5th, you stick with the 1500.

He was a distant 4th. Back to the 1500.

This is college TEAM TRACK competition; he'll go where the points are.

8:52, with his 1500/3000 times, he has room to continue improving.

AJ Nayshun wrote:

former 8:4X guy wrote:

Haha, you gotta love getting called out. Acosta runs 8:52 tonight hours AFTER a 3:46 1500 semi

Dont ya just love it. 8:52 still sucks.

former 8:4X guy wrote:

What's wrong with having him go for it at Pac-10's and see how he ends up? If he's in it to win it we have our answer. If he's a distant 5th, you stick with the 1500.

He was a distant 4th. Back to the 1500.

Ummm, he was 4th hours after a 3:46 1500 semi, and the "distant" was him letting up to save for his runner up and 3rd place finishes in the 1500 & 5K on day 2. His options are very open at this point. This guy has a very good problem decision to make.

You can try and argue this again, but I think you might want to go out for a run and clear your head and see how ridiculous it is. You don't like the guy. Fine, you don't have to. But don't try to create a fantasy world where he is not as good as he is.

AJ Nayshun wrote:

former 8:4X guy wrote:

Haha, you gotta love getting called out. Acosta runs 8:52 tonight hours AFTER a 3:46 1500 semi

Dont ya just love it. 8:52 still sucks.

former 8:4X guy wrote:

What's wrong with having him go for it at Pac-10's and see how he ends up? If he's in it to win it we have our answer. If he's a distant 5th, you stick with the 1500.

He was a distant 4th. Back to the 1500.

How many 1500/miles did he run to get to 3:39? 30? 40? 50? more?

How many steeples did he run to get to 8:52? 3?

And 8:52 is no more an indication of his top end in a steeple than his 3:46 for the 1500 from his prelim.

1 4 the short bus wrote:

How many 1500/miles did he run to get to 3:39? 30? 40? 50? more?

How many steeples did he run to get to 8:52? 3?

And 8:52 is no more an indication of his top end in a steeple than his 3:46 for the 1500 from his prelim.

Let me walk you through this slowly. You don't improve in the 1500 because of lack of experience, you improve as your body matures and your fitness levels increase. When you have a guy like Acosta who is a 3:39 1500 man who steps up to the steeplechase and runs 8:52, that shows a glaring lack of aptitude for the event.

I don't get where running the steeplechase in 8:52 two and a half hours after running 1500 heats means anything? When I was a 3:42 1500m runner I ran a 3:45/8:06 1500/3000 double with 20 minutes rest in an all-comers meet. 8:06 for a flat 3000m is about the equivalent of an 8:54 steeplechase. 20 minutes rest and neither me nor anyone else I know thought anything of it. Yet we are expected to believe that a 3:39 1500m man who runs 3:46/8:52 has put in a herculean effort? This is silly. If Acosta had any talent for the event he would have taken the lowest hanging fruit in the entire meet, 10 points in the steeplechase. That's what "team players" do. There's a good reason why he didn't. It's the same reason why Bethke isn't running the steeplechase.

The fact that he came back with the 5000 after one of his better 1500s should be applauded. No need to kneel down to the alter of the Oregon myth machine though. Reality is impressive enough. 8:52 is good for a 3:50 1500m man, it sucks for a 3:39 man.

All of this crap about Acosta is disrespectful to the three guys who finished 10 seconds ahead of him.

For added perspective:

AJ Acosta 2010 Pac 10

Saturday

2. 3:46.6 (heats) 2 hours 30 min rest

4. 8:52.6 (final)

Sunday

2. 3:41.8 (final) 2 hours 25 min rest

3. 13:46.8 (final)

Tommy Fulton 1973 NAIA (times converted from yards)

Wednesday

1. 3:50.0 (heats) 1 hour 30 min rest

1. 1:49.5 (heats) 45 minutes rest

1. 14:28.1 (heats)

Thursday

1. 1:49.5 (semi) 35 minutes rest

1. 14:02.4 (final)

Friday

1. 3:40.3 (final) 55 minutes rest

2. 1:48.8 (final) loses to Mike Boit, 25 minutes rest

2. 29:57.0 (final)

Now THAT's herculean. So is Henry Rono's 27:46/13:20 double at the 1978 Pac 8.