egenrgjentg wrote:
westsouthrunner wrote:
A fit Teare or Grijalva can kick with him still in my opinion in mile+ distances.
You are forgetting what Hocker did at NCAA Indoors last year. After winning the mile (in I think a meet record?) he outkicked a fresher Teare to win in 7:46 closing in 25.XX. When has Grijalva ever closed a race in 25.XX let alone a 7:46 race?
I think I am one of the few that think Cooper would have run the 3k differently last year if he knew Hocker was going to do that. I just don't think Hocker is invincible and his results at 3000m to me don't put him head and shoulders above everyone YET. I just don't count on the field allowing this to be a ideal Hocker race.
I totally get the arguments for him winning I just don't think it's set in stone. To me this is a real race where he can build on his legacy. Which prompts my other point in me seeing Drew Hunter winning. I feel like he has real motive to show that he's still here to be a American distance force since he's allegedly healthy. Even though this is still just a 3k in January. He has run 7:38 before and runs well here.
And responding to the guy who mentioned the footlocker championships as him taking initiative. Does highschool really count ? Lol. That's my point. As far as I can tell there's his footlocker race and his 2021 indoor mile won where he took over. Not much of a sample size. Who was the last great runner who always came from behind to win races? I just don't think that's a long term winning formula.