Bumbalough's lean at the tape

Les Myles wrote:

What was the point?

Bumbi wanted a favored lane for the final.

Jeremy Wariner could learn a lot from this guy.

i think the reason dumbalough is a tool for doing what he did is because he has no business leaning rupp like that, if it was the final then clearly bumbi was the better man but rupp didnt attempt to lean and clearly had another gear left, i think he was just so thrown off by this "zero factor" runner leaning him like that, F bumbi, he has zero chance of making the team thursday so it will be fun to watch rupp, lomong and lagat break him down, dumbi is not proving anything to anyone, put rupp and dumbi in any real race and rupp will destroy him every time,

shookie87756 wrote:

i think the reason dumbalough is a tool for doing what he did is because he has no business leaning rupp like that, if it was the final then clearly bumbi was the better man but rupp didnt attempt to lean and clearly had another gear left, i think he was just so thrown off by this "zero factor" runner leaning him like that, F bumbi, he has zero chance of making the team thursday so it will be fun to watch rupp, lomong and lagat break him down, dumbi is not proving anything to anyone, put rupp and dumbi in any real race and rupp will destroy him every time,

I have no horse in this race, but I cannot wait for Thursday to get this whole ordeal behind us. Rupp fans and Rupp haters are not a problem, but it is funny to see the trash talk from people who probably could not run 3k in the time these guys run 5k.

I just re-watched the video. Here are the facts, albeit grassy-knollesque in detail:

Rupp begins kicking first around 200, then picks it up on the straight.

Bumbalough responds to Rupps's move on Rupp's outside.

Rupp glances inside with 50 to go, but Bumbalough passes on the outside.

Bumbalough pull sup on Rupp, both exert more effort, and Bumbalough leans at tape.

Rupp places hands on hips, scans across his field of vision and as Bumbalough turns toward him, Rupp glances away slightly to right, and then jerks head downward to right as Bumbalough holds his hand out to shake.

Rupp then maintains hands on hips, and bumps Dunbar as he passes, not dropping right arm to avoid contact with Dunbar.

Rupp then walks off track into shoot, hands still on hips, and ignores 2 volunteers who are holding hands out for congratulatory shake as he passes.

Contrast that to the women's 5000m finish D'Agostino edging Culley, and men's Lomong edging Lagat heat in which similar scenarios at line (pushing to tape for the nod/win, granted no obvious leans), but everyone shakes hands, Lagat and Lomong even hug, even though they both finished with apparent push for win.

Seems clear to me Rupp was not displaying normal sportsmanlike behavior, as all other athletes did in above heats.

Does he have to? No, but why waste mental energgy on a non-issue. Just slap some hands, even if going through the motions, and move on to the next race.

you're completely right. i wish everyone else would agree with you. salazar and rupp don't do anything that isn't scripted or according to plan. my HS coach used to make us go out in 65 for an 800 and try to come back in 55 to work on speed/strength. it worked when the pace went out under 60 because we were trained to find that gear

In the know... wrote:

Ok, pay attention folks. Rupp is practicing for the games. Do you not think it will take a 1:53 final 800 in the 5000 heat to make the final? of course it will! Salazar told him to race this way tonight to get used to it and see how his body responds for the final. Once again, brilliant coaching. It will be automatic in the final and his last 2-3 laps are going to punish everyone but Lomong and Lagat and it will be a dog fight for the victory. And Bumbi, he won't be anywhere in sight of 3rd place...book it!

^This. Folks, you have to be able to close in 1:51 to 1:53 while still in contention to win, to actually have a chance at medaling. Rupp knows that and is using these games as actual olympic "trials" for the games.

Since the other two people who have pointed this out seem not to have been heard ...

RUPP DID THE SAME THING IN 2008!

Okay, it wasn't a lean per se, but he kicked it in the 5k heat and celebrated down the homestretch and across the line, gesturing to the crowd and whatnot, while Solinsky (among others) just went about the business of qualifying.

And Rupp got absolutely hammered on this very board for showboating in a heat.

Now, in the 5k heat at the next Trials, Bumby leans - doesn't celebrate, just leans - and people are all up in arms about how he dissed Rupp and should have played it cool because it was just a heat. What??

Personally, I don't think either one is a big deal, but the inconsistency/lack of history here is amusing.

SomeActualData wrote:

And Rupp got absolutely hammered on this very board for showboating in a heat.

(...)

Personally, I don't think either one is a big deal, but the inconsistency/lack of history here is amusing.

How's that inconsistent? Rupp did it in 2008, and got hammered on these boards. Bumbi does it in 2012, and gets hammered on these boards. That's consistency, not inconsistency.

I'm certainly fan of Rupp, so here are my thoughts.

Not so cool to bump Dunbar or dismiss the officials.

That said, although I appreciate good sportsmanship and don't appreciate arrogance, I'm actually getting more optimistic on Rupps chances in London with this display.

Rupp has a ton of great characteristics as an elite runner, but one thing has lacked compared to the competitors that have beaten him at the top level is that real desire to win, to the point where you get angry (rather than dissappointed) when you lose. Think Bekele, Komen, Tergat, Geb and on a domestic level Kennedy, Solinsky. These guys don't/didn't walk around high fiving people when they lose/lost races that they could've won.

Like I said, when it crosses over to the arrogance and disrespect for competitors side I'm not a fan but for me it's good to see Rupp so confident and have that burning desire to win right now. I believe that is the difference between having a strong run and a 4th or 5th place finish and driving thru the line with a medal waiting for you.

5K final should be exciting with Rupp, Lagat & Lomong, very exciting.

Trials record is going down. Sorry Prefontaine. Rupp isn't going to risk losing his spot in a slow final and having raced Lagat and Lomong, he knows he can be outkicked. He's not going to risk the same with Bumbalough. I predict Pre's record gets broken by 10-15 seconds.

Bumbi is clearly one of the players - he looked like he was jogging and just playing with his new favorite boy toy - Galen. Bumbi is fit and fast... he clearly showed that and did nothing wrong by easily winning his heet.

shookie87756 wrote:

i think the reason dumbalough is a tool for doing what he did is because he has no business leaning rupp like that, if it was the final then clearly bumbi was the better man but rupp didnt attempt to lean and clearly had another gear left, i think he was just so thrown off by this "zero factor" runner leaning him like that, F bumbi, he has zero chance of making the team thursday so it will be fun to watch rupp, lomong and lagat break him down, dumbi is not proving anything to anyone, put rupp and dumbi in any real race and rupp will destroy him every time,

Zero factor runner? I think that's pretty damn disrespectful as he just won his heat and advanced to the finals of the Olympic trials and has the 6th fastest time of all the entrants. By your logic everyone should scrimp and scrape around rupp because he's rupp. How do you think people earn accolades in T&F? They do so by competing against and beating their competitors. Was it necessary to lean? No. Is there something wrong with it? No. Despite what you may believe the semifinals is still a race and not a mere formality. Rupp may be a great runner, but he has always acted like a petulant child when things don't go his way. Personally I'll be rooting for Lagat, Lomong and Bumbi.

bumbi is a tooool, hes going to fail on thursday, id be pissed too if some moron leaned me at the line of a race that didnt matter, dont care if he did it back in 2008, he was a better runner in 2008 than dumbi will ever be so he is allowed to, also the whole "you cant run 3k as fast as they can run 5k " argument is wussy shit, people can shit on whoever they like, without being at their level, otherwise we wouldn't have sportscenter, letsrun posters, including myself, should all go jump off a bridge,toooolss

ricky wrote:

Trials record is going down. Sorry Prefontaine. Rupp isn't going to risk losing his spot in a slow final and having raced Lagat and Lomong, he knows he can be outkicked. He's not going to risk the same with Bumbalough. I predict Pre's record gets broken by 10-15 seconds.

The thing is, Rupp is already going in the 10K and there is money and titles in winning the trials. He'll have to run the risk reward scenario but the chances of him taking it out hard (unless from very early on) and winning are slim because Lagat and Lomong can likely sit off him and benefit while he loses energy physically and mentally from having them sitting. There is the small chance that he simply does them a favor and has someone like bumbi sniffing blood if they take off on Rupp in the end. Small chance, but that is the risk.

Rupp also has a chance to win if it comes down to a last 600 at any pace fast or slow, but runs the risk of having other players still in the game if it's slower.

Maybe he should do a 40-30 fartlek and simply break people that way! Probably be down to just he and Lagat.

I have seen athletes do this so many times that it is not a big deal. Also, when you are hyped up, feeling good, with a cheering crowd and your racing instincts take over.

Btw, Lomong looked REAL GOOD and I would not be surprised to see him win finals. Unless Alberto has decided Rupp needs a hard effort/confidence booster leading into the Olympics and it becomes a DL type race, I can see Rupp finishing better than 3rd. This race with out a doubt has the potential to be the most competitve American 5k ever. I try hard not to overhype athletes, but the way most Olympic 5Ks play out, if Lomong can reach the Olympics 5k final fresh, he is a legitimate medalist. I can't think of 3 athletes in the world who are going to beat Lomong in a foot race to the finish line off of a 13:20s pace.

shookie87756 wrote:

bumbi is a tooool, hes going to fail on thursday, id be pissed too if some moron leaned me at the line of a race that didnt matter, dont care if he did it back in 2008, he was a better runner in 2008 than dumbi will ever be so he is allowed to, also the whole "you cant run 3k as fast as they can run 5k " argument is wussy shit, people can shit on whoever they like, without being at their level, otherwise we wouldn't have sportscenter, letsrun posters, including myself, should all go jump off a bridge,toooolss

If the race "doesn't matter", than why would you be pissed if someone out leaned you? That makes absolutely zero sense...if it doesn't matter than you shouldn't care. Only those with a fragile psyche would throw a hissyfit about something so trivial.

amrunner800 wrote:

I think he was making more of a statement. He pushed Rupp to the line and Rupp seemed PISSED. I think it was his way of saying "I can close of a fast pace, do not count me out"

Rupp doesn't get pissed.

Rupp had a sense of mission accomplished, time to get to my warm down.

Only an idiot looks to shake hands after a boring prelim.

Good Luck Galen Nike wrote:

amrunner800 wrote:

I think he was making more of a statement. He pushed Rupp to the line and Rupp seemed PISSED. I think it was his way of saying "I can close of a fast pace, do not count me out"

I thought the same thing. He made a point that you don't just 'get' to win your heat and if the last 50 meters matter, you don't have it guaranteed.

I liked it, it got under his skin. Wariner got a huge thread about 'sportsmanship' when he was distraught about his lifelong dreams finally fading through his fingers.

Rupp doesn't win his heat and storms off ignoring his fellow athletes' high fives as well as those of the workers. And the guy that beat him is the classless one?

His body is ready to race, his mind is fragile. Must be the pollen count.

I watch the replay, Rupp did not "storm off," why are you pansies such drama queens?

Rupp was clearly looking around to get off the track and get to the mix zone, get his sweats and warm down. A semi like this for him is such a non event.

If you knew the guy, you'd realize he was simply focused on getting on to the next thing and finding his way out to get onto his next thing.

Bumbi doesn't register on Rupp's screen, Rupp is/was focused on the next thing.

ah wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lezRyUwJzag&t=2m44s

Whatever Rupp did the same thing in 08 and acted like he won something.

Again, not the same thing at all. What are you, a moron?

Rupp was telling his home town fans they are #1.

That was clear as day.