Yeah for Jager to medal I think he would have had to take the lead before the bell. I didn't see that happening, but then again, he was pretty dang close. He certainly had a chance.
Would love to see him go for a sub-8, but I don't think he's going to attempt that this year.
runn wrote:
. . . Having fungible Kenyans and Ethiopians win everything is boring. A real Frenchman and an American with top finishes and they were a part of the race!
Normally I'd agree, but Ezekiel Kemboi isn't what I would call a fungible Kenyan. Certainly, he's not boring.
weird wrote:
The Jager hate is weird though. Jager ran really well too. He beat Hughes by 3 seconds, his PR is 5 seconds better, Hughes has been running the steeple for nearly 6 years now and Jager is only in his second... I don't know, it seems like there are some decent reasons to discuss Jager a lot.
Both guys deserve major props for their running today, IMO. Exciting look at the future of North American steeplechasers.
I'll never understand why people would go on a message board community and spew hate.
Anonymous losers on forums spew hate because they have this need to feel like their intelligent since they never experienced any success personally. So it really indicates nothing about how well Jager ran. It only reveals their pathological pessimism and narcissism, and how utterly self-absorbed they really are.
Agreed.
Duly noted wrote:
ttc wrote:Too much talk?? I predicted Jager to medal & practically everyone replied, saying likely not. Besides me, not sure who you're talking to, when saying "too much talk".
Is that your act? Wait until a race is over, & say "I told you so?" But when you're wrong, you don't post?
Wait, aren't you the guy who liked Ritz' chances?
Please just stop posting. You are making a fool of yourself.
*they're intelligent
Lord, the tension between Ezekiel and Conseslus on that podium; I thought all talk of animosity was nonsense. Gap the size of Lake Victoria between them during the photos.
Jager now has the three fastest Steeple performances in American history. Seems pretty significant given that those three performances are 25% of the total times he's raced the Steeple.
Hope he can pull off a medal in 2014.
Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree with this one. I am not a fan boy or anything like that I just do not understand how Kevin Buttstank sitting at his home PC can even Justify talking shit or critiquing the FASTEST AMERICAN OF ALL TIME in any event? He should have done this he should have done that. I am not an awesome runner by any means, but I swear half of this message board cant even win the 2 mile in their local fun run yet youre out there giving your 2 cents on 5th place in the WORLD. just doesn't make sense to me.
NERVES wrote:
Matt Hughes 8:11.44 Canadian NR
Didn't he start the meet with an 8:20?
That's great!
Watch the medal ceremony. Ezekiel put his arm around Mekhissi as he and Conseslus completely ignored each other. Means nothing to you yanks I know, but jarring to me as a Kenyan.
What is significant about Hughes is that he hasn't followed the crowd in joining a top training group - not any of the NOP groups (Schumacher, Salazar or Rowland) or even Speed River (Canada). Certainly big progress since his NCAA wins (unlike Cabral)- I didn't think he would get that fast this quickly.
As for Jager - it is not hate, rather a reflection of his fan boys getting a bit carried away, not yet understanding that he is still a newbie at the event (much like those getting too excited about Cain's prospects today). It comes across as dissing other competitors (like the frenchman) when he may have potential to medal, but just isn't there yet. It gets rather irritating to read that he must either medal or others must be on drugs or are cheaters in other ways. Jager will have his day in the sun, and along with Hughes are showing that North Americans can be players is in this event as well. Now there just needs to be more people taking on the event in High school (as did Hughes) so that there isn't as big a learning curve in College.
That there is only one Jager, given the resources and talent in America, is the really shocking thing, and one can only wonder why there isn't greater depth in the event (lots of guys under 8.20) after leaving the NCAA. As good as Hughes is, he shouldn't be winning two NCAA titles if the coaches in HS and College are developing the talent obviously available in abundance throughout the NCAA ranks. That is what is wrong with the USATF - there is no concerted effort (just isolated groups) to develop the talent available, rather it is just left up to individual College coaches and the NCAA in general. The talent rises to the top almost in spite of the structure, not because of it.
fly a kite wrote:
As for Jager - it is not hate, rather a reflection of his fan boys getting a bit carried away, not yet understanding that he is still a newbie at the event (much like those getting too excited about Cain's prospects today). It comes across as dissing other competitors (like the frenchman) when he may have potential to medal, but just isn't there yet. It gets rather irritating to read that he must either medal or others must be on drugs or are cheaters in other ways.
I hear what you're saying, but how unfair is that for a guy like Jager? He runs some unprecedented times in an event that Americans have been historically poor at, and because there are some fanboys out there, this means people get to log on and say hyper-negative things about him? It's just a weird reaction, and I can't think of a good word to describe it other than "hate".
I just don't buy that it's about the fanboys. If it were, there wouldn't be vitriol spewed about Jager, it would be about how people need to stop being fanboy idiots that don't have knowledge about their sport. Instead, you see this pea-brains rooting for him to fail.
That said, Jager absolutely had a chance at medaling today, albeit a small one, and he came damn close. Is that not something to get excited about? To say otherwise betrays a lack of knowledge and awareness about track and field.
Just wish people would be more positive about the talented young runners we have in this world. I acknowledge how idealistic of a wish that is, though.
isn't it a non-championship year. but good point, those stats put things into perspective jager. looks like he needs to work on finishing ability though. i can't help but think that if salzar were his coach, he would have been there at the end
El Keniano wrote:
Lord, the tension between Ezekiel and Conseslus on that podium; I thought all talk of animosity was nonsense. Gap the size of Lake Victoria between them during the photos.
Do you have a link to this?
Hughes may have been running SC for 6yrs, but only 7 months of professional training and money. And by $ I mean very very meagre allowance since January. He lives hand to mouth (like many runners do I know, but your comparing him to Jager. Only now is he with a small professional group getting some speed training and look how far he's come in a few months. Jager's been professional with a lot of financial backing and a solid background of speed training for how long now? I would expect him to be exactly where he is after 5yrs (not 2 as people seem to think cause after you get the steeple mechanics down it's just another race)
Development money matters. Just ask every runner on here who knows they can be at the worlds level if they had the financial backing, and a good group/coach. Kudos to both for getting the breaks they needed to get further.
Ya'll are blind wrote:
Too much talk about Jager. No chance he was going to medal. What should be noted was the impressive performance by 2xNCAA champ Matt Hughes. PR&NR, 1 position behind Jager. Give him another year and the resources Jager has and he'll beat Jager.
Lol.