National championships aren't international events. He couldn't win the national championships in the event for which he was Olympic champion. That has been consistent with his losing record in the 1500 since Paris last year. Then he gets DQed because he doesn't know the basics of the rules. Fortunately for Hocker lightning strikes once a year - or no one would know who he is.
You're unaware that free speech, which this place stands for, is not a popularity contest. You need to join a cult.
I mean you’re free to say whatever ya like but if it’s completely braindead then people’s responses are gonna reflect that.
Also, an athlete not being universally dominant every time he sets foot on the track just means his event is super competitive. That is objectively a good thing — makes the sport more interesting for viewers, less predictable, etc. If you’re actually a track fan, you should want competitive races.
Being "universally dominant" isn't anywhere in the picture. The guy loses most times he steps on the track at international level. He couldn't even win his national championships in his main event.
If it wasn't for the Olympics and now the WC no one would know who he is. If his record throughout the season was being compared with Ingebrigtsen you would be saying the Norwegian is finished. He's another Ramzi or Katir.
National championships aren't international events. He couldn't win the national championships in the event for which he was Olympic champion. That has been consistent with his losing record in the 1500 since Paris last year. Then he gets DQed because he doesn't know the basics of the rules. Fortunately for Hocker lightning strikes once a year - or no one would know who he is.
Cope, baby, cope. Someday you might even threaten Harambe about Djokovic as the GOAT coper.
He couldn't win the national championships in his main event, the 1500. The race didn't include international competition. He won the national 5k in a pedestrian 13:26. No athlete in an international race couldn't better that time.
Take away two races in his career and he's a journeyman, a nobody.
I don't think I've ever seen people going on this much about peaking and how the only race that matters is a race that's ran less than once a year outside of American runners. Being the best means being able to perform more than once a year. The best runners are the runners who can both run fast times on the circuit and win global medals.
All this talk about how Hocker is the best peaker ever and the best American distance runner and it's referring to a guy who's not even had a better season than Jimmy Gressier.
On this we agree.
Hilarious how many downvotes I'm getting for pointing out that the best runners win both the major and minor races, not just one of the two.
It must be a purely American perspective, because I've never seen any other group of people take offense at such a basic statement.
Take away two races in his career and he's a journeyman, a nobody.
LOL. Why "take away" those 2 wins? It's not like they were wins in some obscure race in some backwater of the world. You know what they call a guy who wins those 2 races? Olympic champion and world champion. His name is forever etched in history...and he may have more global wins in his future.
Hilarious how many downvotes I'm getting for pointing out that the best runners win both the major and minor races, not just one of the two.
It must be a purely American perspective, because I've never seen any other group of people take offense at such a basic statement.
I like Hocker, and although I agree with your general narrative here, I think you are a little harsh:
1. After his OG win he stayed in/ went back to Europe, and competed against Jakob et co, despite being somewhat uncharged after his tremendous win.
2. He has never claimed that he is the best in the world, as far as I know.
3. He is clearly working on his general fitness, in stead of only being a one time hitter.
I don't have any problems with Hocker, two global golds in two different events at his age is a huge achievement.
I have a problem with his crazy American fans who overrate him and talk about how nothing but the Olympics and Worlds matter, races that are ran less than once a year.
I don't have any problems with Hocker, two global golds in two different events at his age is a huge achievement.
I have a problem with his crazy American fans who overrate him and talk about how nothing but the Olympics and Worlds matter, races that are ran less than once a year.
As I said I agree with your overall narrative. But how do you think you would have reacted if Almgren had won an event he never had done anything good in on the global stage!? F.x the steeple -I think you to would be pretty high and up there too..?