2011 Big 10 Cross Country

Mead has to take it out fast from the gun for him to have any chance to win. If it comes down to the last 400 - 800 meters he will get blasted by Wisco and IU guys.

"That's not all that different from what happened last year. There is no incentive for Wisconsin to take it out fast.

I think that a couple of Wisconsin guys will have the green light to go with Mead when he tries to separate. I'm not saying they'll beat Mead, just that a couple will go, even if it's fairly early."

The Ohio State women wouldn't even challenge to win the MAC and are only about the third or fourth-best program in the State of Ohio. They have lost to Toledo like three times so far this year and they haven't even run Fisher yet. Ohio State's women will be 10th at the Big Ten.

Karen Denis has no need for distance. She will never hire a bigtime distance coach.

Illinois women need to make a change as well. I think they made a mistake in not hiring Scott Jones from Akron when they had the chance.

[quote]More Fun wrote:

Mead has to take it out fast from the gun for him to have any chance to win. If it comes down to the last 400 - 800 meters he will get blasted by Wisco and IU guys.

It's hard for me to imagine anyone from Wisco or IU "blasting" Mead in the last 400-800m. I realize Hassan's only at 95% or so, but he probably wouldn't let it come down to a last minute kick. The Illinois course will be pretty flat, essentially a grass track ( I raced there years ago and it was pancake flat in that area. Can't imagine too many hills on any course in Champaigne!) No worries for Mead.....or Wisco for the win.

horizon league at best wrote:

Illinois women need to make a change as well. I think they made a mistake in not hiring Scott Jones from Akron when they had the chance.

Really because last time I checked Akron's cross country team is a middle of the pack MAC team. Why would Scott Jones be so much better at Illinois?

I think Mead was up at third with some separation (behind Estrada) at Wisconsin/adidas after 7000m and was making a push the last 500meters up the rising finishing straight but did not have the snap that either the NC State guy or Cabral. Good but not great finish.

If this were at Madison, I think Wisconsin would push to finish first as well as win. NOT sure they will do it as a major objective unless it fits into a 'plan'. Certainly they did race for the win at the end, with their senior taking it. It does not seem like Krause would be natural guy to sprint to a win but he was actually very close last year. It is not impossible for Wisconsin to go 2/3/4/5/6 and they might end with Mead in the group than ahead of it. They might also let a single Indiana guy go, but Bayer is probably the best of the group and he has been late getting there this season.

Enough nonsense.

How would NOT winning the conference be part of the "plan"?

That is why Mick is a good coach; he instead would ask, "if we are going to win Nationals, why would we not win conference?"

Too many "plans" by American distance runners is why we suck on the world scene the vast majority of time.

horizon league at best wrote:

The Ohio State women wouldn't even challenge to win the MAC and are only about the third or fourth-best program in the State of Ohio. They have lost to Toledo like three times so far this year and they haven't even run Fisher yet. Ohio State's women will be 10th at the Big Ten.

Karen Denis has no need for distance. She will never hire a bigtime distance coach.

Illinois women need to make a change as well. I think they made a mistake in not hiring Scott Jones from Akron when they had the chance.

Please understand the different levels that exist even inside Division 1. Here are some facts:

1. Ohio State could very easily finish 10th on Sunday.

2. They would be 2nd easily in the MAC.

3. Big 10 is a 100x better/deeper than the MAC.

Please review the last decade of this happening (particularly on the men's side), by reviewing conference standings and then Regionals where most compete against one another.

clueless beyond wrote:

Enough nonsense.

How would NOT winning the conference be part of the "plan"?

That is why Mick is a good coach; he instead would ask, "if we are going to win Nationals, why would we not win conference?"

Too many "plans" by American distance runners is why we suck on the world scene the vast majority of time.

He was talking about the individual win, not the team win.

Even on the individual side, I don't see all five Wisconsin guys letting somebody go and handing him the win. A couple will probably go with any break.

Fun to talk about wrote:

clueless beyond wrote:

Enough nonsense.

How would NOT winning the conference be part of the "plan"?

That is why Mick is a good coach; he instead would ask, "if we are going to win Nationals, why would we not win conference?"

Too many "plans" by American distance runners is why we suck on the world scene the vast majority of time.

He was talking about the individual win, not the team win.

Even on the individual side, I don't see all five Wisconsin guys letting somebody go and handing him the win. A couple will probably go with any break.

Keep your eye on the prize. The prize is the Big Ten title and, especially, the NCAA title. Winning the individual title at Big Tens is not as important as the other two, although I do not think that they are going to throw it away. Remember, Mead is no slouch, and he usually finishes pretty well. However, I do not think that Wisconsin will fall into the Stanford trap of great performances during the season, at league and at Regionals, only to fall short of expectations at NCAAs.

More Fun wrote:

Mead has to take it out fast from the gun for him to have any chance to win. If it comes down to the last 400 - 800 meters he will get blasted by Wisco and IU guys.

"That's not all that different from what happened last year. There is no incentive for Wisconsin to take it out fast.

I think that a couple of Wisconsin guys will have the green light to go with Mead when he tries to separate. I'm not saying they'll beat Mead, just that a couple will go, even if it's fairly early."

What makes you think Mead would get blasted? I dunno how many B1G races you've seen over the last few years, but it's usually Mead doing the blasting even if somebody is still with him near the finish.

Mead has always won conference if healthy and he is.

Nobody from Wisconsin or IU can beat him. He will run them into the ground over the last 2k.

Badgers win Nationals.

Wisconsin, IU, Minnesota, Penn State and Michigan all qualify for Nationals from the Big 10.

Illinois will get up for 4th because they're at home, and may just qualify for Nationals out of the Midwest.

OSU needs their #1 or they won't be top 5 or qualify for Nationals.

Nebraska vs Purdue for last?

IU will beat Badgers. Sit and kick baby!

gopher mania wrote:

Mead has always won conference if healthy and he is.

Nobody from Wisconsin or IU can beat him. He will run them into the ground over the last 2k.

Badgers win Nationals.

Wisconsin, IU, Minnesota, Penn State and Michigan all qualify for Nationals from the Big 10.

Illinois will get up for 4th because they're at home, and may just qualify for Nationals out of the Midwest.

OSU needs their #1 or they won't be top 5 or qualify for Nationals.

Nebraska vs Purdue for last?

I think Mo Ahmed and Mav Darling have something to say about that. what is mead's best finish at NCAA cross country? 16th place as a junior compared to MO and Mav's 12th and 13th place finishes as Sophs

You can give your big 10 predictions in our NCAA Conference polls here:

http://www.letsrun.com/ncaa/ncaaconf/ncaa-voting.php

You can vote for men, women or both. Voting will close tonight or early thursday.

But the year before he got injured on the course due to course conditions and he was right in the thick of things. I think he made the unfortunate decision to continue, which led to a more significant injury, and he still is not completely well yet.

Zapp Brannigan wrote:

What makes you think Mead would get blasted? I dunno how many B1G races you've seen over the last few years, but it's usually Mead doing the blasting even if somebody is still with him near the finish.

Ask Brandon Bethke about that one

My boys of Wisconsin will be my other boys of Indiana at Big Ten XC Conference Championships for the 13th straight year in a row. Wisconsin will go on to win Great Lake Regions for the 9th straight year in a row and win Nationals. You heard it here first

hooopla wrote:

Zapp Brannigan wrote:

What makes you think Mead would get blasted? I dunno how many B1G races you've seen over the last few years, but it's usually Mead doing the blasting even if somebody is still with him near the finish.

Ask Brandon Bethke about that one

That indoor race was amazing; Mead must have run 28 or faster for the last 200 on the flat track and they were going pretty hard the lap before as well. But Bethke threw down a 25 or so and it was amazing to watch from 10 feet away. Note that it was Mead's freshman year (and only BB's SO).

There is a video of Mick Byrne on Badger site that talks about letting the guys go a bit at Big Tens. So, I think we will see a pretty good race up front as well as a team race that could be interesting if Indiana has everyone going at their best.

I can't tell if Bayer is a little young/naive or just brimming with confidence, but his latest interview certainly claims IU is going after the win for sure.