Not sure if you were trying to prove his point, but if you were- well done.
Not sure if you were trying to prove his point, but if you were- well done.
Steve Magness.. Any kid that runs 3:59 1600m in high school then can't even qualify to NCAA's as a Sr. in College. Come on now that is just a waste
Honestly this list is huge. I included only Americans and I was astonished at how immense the number of Americans wasted their talent. I really wonder what it is like in kenya and ethiopia.
Basically it comes down to every American born runner except for Dave Wottle and Deena Kastor. That includes Pre who wasted his ability by abusing cocaine and alcohol which resulted in him plowing his car into a boulder on the side of a straight road.
Even through he is as exciting as watching an underware commerical with fat ugly dudes, I am willing to give Ryan Hall some slack. An olypmic medal will push him over the top.
I give Meb credit but he is not American born.
Top 5
Obea Moore
Tim Danielson
Julia Stamps
Bryan Dameworth (checkout this guys stats)
Pre
Honorable Mention:
Monique Henderson
Ruben Riena
Kim Mortenson
Abdirizak Mohamud
Milena Glusac
Andy Powell
Just look at the California State Meet program and look at past results, it's a darn who's who of wasted talent, dead ends, and "never pan outs" or improves.
Pete Richardson is a old name,glad someone brought him up, went to Arizona State for a while, didn't do much.
How about Dale Scott, set national record in 72, never got much after that.
What about Lindsay Hyatt? Went to Stanford, transfered to Tennessee, was she at Oly trials? Damn,a four time California State Champion!
George Porter, 300IH, I saw him run and just said damn. Thought he was a future Oly Champ. Went to USC, I guess he was hurt all the time, but man what a monster at the state meet, seting the HS Record.
Brings us to Steve Kerho, man he looked good, guess 39" was his limit!
Ramon Gomez sure looked good for Belmont HS. Just strong.
Went to that distance power USC.
Last I throw out, cause this may be the real waste of the bunch, went to UCLA a few years back. Matt Bruno. What happened to him? Enjoy
Recent British ones:
Ricky Soos 800m (injuries). He ran 1.45.70 in the Athens Olympics as a 21 year old. A few years worth of injuries have set him back but he did manage 1.50.9 in June of this year.
Steve Fennell 800m (injuries?). He ran 1.48.26 as a 19 year old and won a bronze medal at the European Junior Champs in 2005. Im not even sure hes still in the sport.
One from Yesteryear:
Steve Binns 5000m/10000m (never fuliffled potential). He ran 13.27 for 5000m aged 19 in 1979 but never progressed into a world class senior. Only beat that 5000 time once 9 years later with 13.23
Mohamud Abdirizak, exchange student from Somalia, running in Boston Ma. the reluctant runner, had to be talked into running cross country halfway through his juinior year and went undefeated, culminated with footlocker win. Ran his senior year, also went undefeated winning Footlocker again, let Jorge Torres do all the work and just coasted by him down the final straightaway. Told reporters he didn't like cross country because it was too long. Ran a few more races in high school, but his heart just wasn't in it. Running career over, I never heard anything else about him.
Murad Campbell
Pre did coke? What the...??? First time I've heard that.
Oh, put Jim Thorpe on the list for ending his track career after the 1912 Olympics (as far as I know). I'm sure he could have done a lot more. I think his best potential was in the 400.
scott fuqua ran down here in alabama. i think he ran for oak mtn., but how good does the average FL finalist all-american really become?
This has to be the biggest bullshit thread ever. Certainly if someone takes a wrong turn in life and does drugs or commits a crime they've short changed themselves. But just because someone fails to progress (even Komen after breaking 8 for the 2mile!!!!??) doesn't mean they wasted any talent. I'd bet the majority of these athletes, especially the high schoolers, probably attained more than their natural ability should have allowed them by being extemely dedicated as youth runners. Daniel Komen waste of talent, that slays me.
I didn't read the whole thread, but has anyone mentioned Yong-Sung Leal?
Maybe we are the waste of talent instead of posting we should be training.
wetgasbombs wrote:
Brendan Beers - Amity High School; set a freshman record for 800m in 2:08; never beat that his entire high school career
Is that a school record or something? I know freshman who have run an 800 in 2:00-2:05, and they didn't get much recognition besides free uniforms from their coaches.
Where did this guy go?
Xavier Carter? I know about 19.63 but it seems like he should be so much more.
any Kenyan/Ethiopian we havent heard about because he/she is stuck there
how about a guy from my hometown.
james stallworth LJ- 26'4 in HS
Before I even look at a single reply I'll throw in names that come to mind.
Note that these are not character judgments -- when people get injured and retire in frustration or simply choose to quit before their best years, it's still considered a waste of talent.
John Capel (incorrigible weed smoker)
Amber Trotter (didn't need the anorexia/pressure)
John Trautmann, Joe Falcon (injuries)
Amy Skieresz (didn't feel like it anymore, apparently)
That Kid In My Gym Class (lazy criminal)
It's hard to justify including people who wound up with NCAA titles or fast PRs on such a list, but it's not like this is some thesis-level exercise anyway.
Oh yeah. Now I've read the thread.
Liz Mueller -- a big friggin'-A to that. I wonder how many here even know the name. Two Foot Locker titles and something like a 2:04 800, out of Waterford, CT. Doubt she even went to college, just kind of a bad news type from what little I know.
Greg Anderson -- his 8:00.3 in...1987 (?) wasn't just an Ontario provincial record, it was a North American high-school record at the time and involved a 2:00 last 800 as well as a six-pack or so of beer consumed the previous evening, in front of a visiting Vin Lananna no less. The part about the keg may be wrong but there was a bus-window-punching-out incident on a ride home from a meet, and definitely a little too much fire water flowing thru certain Ivy campuses at that time. He ran some good times at Dartmouth and more important got his shit together.
Van Halen