Willis calls out Rupp

Nikeey wrote:

Nick Willis just called out Galen Rupp on Twitter.

Nick Willis ‏@nickwillis -

"Disappointed. The two times I've raced Rupp... two DNFs. Both times he still did a w/o after. #milrosegames?"

Some of you are maybe reading too much into this. Willis is just saying that the two times he raced Rupp he pulled out and then did a w/o after. That is not professional. He's disappointed in that as a fellow professional athlete. Not a big deal.

I agree with Willis. As a professional you don't just have yourself to look after. You have a sponsor and you have the fans that you are entertaining. That is a part of the profession.

It's fine to drop out of a race because something is flaring up and you don't want to risk injury in a low key meet. Few professionals would give their brethren grief over that. But to drop out and then do a workout right after, and make a habit of that? Not professional.

He's not saying Galen doesn't get results when it matters or that Galen is a wimp or anything of that sort. He's just saying it looks bad, and it does.

dsfasdfds wrote:

Look who Favorited the tweet

several professional runners.

Seems Rupp may be disliked amongst his fellow competitors

Which pros favorited it? I looked at the tweet, but could only see the first 50 or so.

DEREKRUBIS666 wrote:

themanontherun wrote:

Why would a 3:50i/7:30/8:06/13:01i guy who was talking openly about going after the WR in this event be scared of the last 400m of a race?

a record setting race is a fast pace, rabbited race with either a small negative split or positive split. negative split in the case of the 5000m record and positive in the case of his 2mile. basically rupp does not have the raw speed to change gears and compete with those guys over the last 400 of a mile. he can perhaps somewhat be there in a 5km after running some 66s then running a 54 or 53 second last lap but when hes running 60 second laps hes not going 53 and does not have the ability too like willis and lamong.

So you're saying a guy who was hoping to average 153.5 per 800 can't change gears off 61/62's down to basically the pace he thinks he can run the entire mile?

Did Willis close in a 53? No, and he ran the last 109 in 15.37, not exactly blazing closing speed.

Let's just be real here. It's insane to suggest he can't go from low 60's to 54. Pretty sure he's made that gear change in a 5k/10k.

george oscar bluth wrote:

the play wrote:

I wasn't a fan (nor a non-fan) of the Oregon Project and Rupp, but I'm starting to become a fan. It's unbelievable the amount of hate for this group and this athlete. All they have done is produce and help bring American distance running back to the front. I don't think I've ever read a negative tweet, facebook post, or lame "favorite" from an Oregon Project member. It seems like the professional track world is petty and ruthless, but the Oregon Project stays above it. Nick Willis has demonstrated a lack of class with this tweet. Sort of a let down in my opinion. I was a fan of Nick.

Lack of class? Please. Nick had every right to be disappointed that he didn't get to duke it out with someone considered to be amongst the top runners in the world currently.

Then Willis should say something directly to Rupp. Twitter?!

Reminds me of Keino and Liquori back in the day:

http://villanovarunning.blogspot.com/2012/03/dont-quit-damn-it-liquori-vs-keino-1970.html

1. Rupp didn't look great the entire race. He was working pretty hard even at the 61-62s pace. Watch the video...

2. Rupp spent a lot of time in lanes 2 and 3 which may have contributed.

3. The shoe excuse is SO lame. Don't RACE in new prototype shoes. Who the hell does that?

4. Rupp said he had a leg problem. Salazar said he had a foot problem.

5. Willis has every right to call him out. Classy move? Not particularly, but not exceptionally crude either.

6. I have more respect for Willis.

7. If I was from Nike I'd be pissed. The athlete we are sponsoring says the shoe is the problem? And dropped out of a race?? And yet did a workout after???

8. Rupp dropped out because for whatever reason he felt like dung at 3:03/1200m pace and Willis was taking off. That's it. And he should be called out on it, and if anyone should be the one to do it, it's Willis himself.

sgt pepper wrote:

I think it is reasonable for Willis to be disappointed. I also think that people will jump all over him for this tweet.

Called it.

Where's sprintgeezer to call Rupp a pansy? He seemed so quick to call out Solinsky...

+1

All the Rupp hate on LRC is laughable. While Willis has every right to be disappointed that Rupp dropped out, he still only ran 3:57. But when Willis runs 3:50 indoors he can call Rupp out. Rupp broke 2 ARs in the last month - how soon we forget. LRC even asks if Hill is the new #1 in the 3000. Not yet. Is Rupp "clean" ? Probably not, but I would bet that anything he may be taking is legal under the rules. Is it right ? That's subjective,but my guess is that anything he is doing is legal.

Willis, you gotta like the guy. Class act.

But Nick! Be careful of gettin" cocky! Remember how sure you were about getting on the podium before the London Olympics??? Oooops.

The rational is to test the extremity out; it either gets worse or gets better. Apparently, it did not get worse thus good to go.

Goldenboy wrote:

But when Willis runs 3:50 indoors he can call Rupp out.

This statement is what's laughable. Willis has more than enough track cred to post a couple facts on Twitter.

There is something not quite agreeable about a runner/coach who drops out of a race due to potential injury and then feels compelled to brag about a workout that occurred after said race.

The Packers gave up at halftime. Outscored 28-0 in the second half. Pulled Rodgers and played all backups. But McCarthy was extremely pleased about the great practice after the game.

I think that there was a Euro 1500m maybe after the Olympics or the previous year?? where Rupp dropped out at maybe 1k.

george oscar bluth wrote:

Goldenboy wrote:

But when Willis runs 3:50 indoors he can call Rupp out.

This statement is what's laughable. Willis has more than enough track cred to post a couple facts on Twitter.

So when was the last time that Willis ran 3:50 indoors?

Goldenboy wrote:

george oscar bluth wrote:

This statement is what's laughable. Willis has more than enough track cred to post a couple facts on Twitter.

So when was the last time that Willis ran 3:50 indoors?

Never. What the fuck does that have to do with anything?

*stipe wrote:

There is something not quite agreeable about a runner/coach who drops out of a race due to potential injury and then feels compelled to brag about a workout that occurred after said race.

The Packers gave up at halftime. Outscored 28-0 in the second half. Pulled Rodgers and played all backups. But McCarthy was extremely pleased about the great practice after the game.

Difference in 2014 that undermines your analogy: NFL games matter. Millrose Games doesn't. Rupp knows this.

Rupp's resume speaks for itself. Rupp is known even to some of the non-running general public. Willis, on the other hand, has to "tweet" to get attention.

Rupp will take the high road here. He won't respond to the troll's tweet bait a la Alysia Montano. Instead, the next time he races Willis, he'll quietly run him into the ground and win. End of story.

Willis plenty well known. Stop kidding yourself.

And it wasn't the Millrose Games, dumbass.