Something stinks in the Arizona desert

Aliens?

Aliens.

Try competing against UTEP when Ted Banks was the coach! Didn't know if he was just a manager of already world-class international athletes or actually did any coaching.

I don't know what is going on at U of A, but it sounds like the program is better off with the coach gone. I hope they hire a great one.

If OP is alluding to something else, then I missed the gist of the post.

A handful of elites went to train with Lagat and Li. None really improved and most went backwards. Try to imagine what happened.

Ol Dirty wrote:

A handful of elites went to train with Lagat and Li. None really improved and most went backwards. Try to imagine what happened.

Thank you.

Is he indicating that the runners had to quit doping because of NCAA testing was tighter than in their countries? I could believe that.

So, the coach then bolted to China?

Aouita 84 wrote:

How in the world did he not produce consistent successful teams EVERY year he coached at U of A? They should have been a Pac-12 conference-NCAA distance powerhouse year in and year out.

"Go Run One"

I don't know Li, and I don't work in the Pac-12, but the above statement makes me raise my eyebrows. Why on earth should Arizona be a powerhouse every year? What advantages do they have over Colorado, Oregon, Stanford, Washington, and UCLA? You loose credibility when you just assume Arizona should run roughshod over a bunch of programs with great coaching, but also a ton of advantages in terms of location, history and environment.

While a lot of the off the track issues at the U of A are concerning (and I am sure are a big reason for his departure) it is probably unfair to say the guy can't coach. Is he Mark Wetmore...no. But how many NCAA DI national champs have you coached?

Why do you keep saying "go run one"? Go run one what?

They had a home grown American steeple guy that was an NCAA finalist (2 years ago?). I forget his name; but he was a bit of a prodigy, had some lean years, and then came on super strong. As an aside, I met him briefly; and his gf was absolutely stunning...definitely not typical for a long distance runner.

Sounds like OP is casting aspersions. A personal vendetta perhaps?

It’s the nuclear waste permitting up from the MarathonProject course.

First off, I am well versed with the Pac-12 and the NCAA both as an athlete and a coach. I don't think my post "Assumes Arizona should run roughshod over a bunch of programs with great coaching" at all. Paraphrasing my post "to produce consistent and successful teams every year", the terms "Successful" and or "Powerhouse" doesn't necessarily mean to win or dominate, more in terms of being a relevant and competitive team year in and year out. If I'm correct, Arizona won ONLY one conference team championship in 2013 on the women's side, ZERO conference team championships on the men's side under Coach Li. Hmmmmm??? I'm sorry, but not to win the conference team championship in the span of 18 years??? Really??? That hardly equates to being a successful collegiate coach at any level. They should have won the Pac-12 championship multiple times in the course of 18 years, not trying to throw shade on Colorado, Stanford, Oregon, etc... but a few championships both team and individual here and there is not far-fetched. The reality is that you're a coach in a Power conference, with every resource available to you which includes one of the greatest distance runners ever with Bernard Lagat not only as a tangible example of what it takes to be the best but also as a recruiting asset. If I'm a high school runner sitting at home and Bernard Lagat calls me up and says "I think you've got talent and I think U of A is the place you should be", I'm packing my stuff ASAP and out the door. Yes, I do realize that being successful "every year" is ambitious, but given Coach Li's perceived coaching acumen and list of world-class runners he's coached and had access to and the aforementioned training environment and history, this program should've been contending for conference and NCAA titles far more than they ever have.

"Go Run One"

Am confused question wrote:

Why do you keep saying "go run one"? Go run one what?

Don't read into it more than you need. A simple statement which I'm sure you can figure out. Apply as needed.

"Go Run One"

ironside 1 wrote:

As an aside, I met him briefly; and his gf was absolutely stunning...definitely not typical for a long distance runner.

You got that right.

Aouita 84 wrote:

. Hmmmmm??? I'm sorry, but not to win the conference team championship in the span of 18 years??? Really??? That hardly equates to being a successful collegiate coach at any level

OP, you have a theory?

Or are you hoping others can figure out why the coach didn't do well, because you're perplexed?

I’m assuming you are referring to Bailey Roth, who was sort of a prodigy. He improved from 8:47 in high school (national record) to 8:36 in college. Not a huge improvement. From what I’ve heard, he would skip entire cross country seasons and train by himself even when he was there. He is not a product of Li’s coaching.

Aouita 84 wrote:

Am confused question wrote:

Why do you keep saying "go run one"? Go run one what?

Don't read into it more than you need. A simple statement which I'm sure you can figure out. Apply as needed.

"Go Run One"

JFC man give it up after multiple threads you’ve started/taken part in regarding this. Sure they both probably agreed to go separate ways with pressure from admin but doesn’t appear there is more to the story than what we have (program drama combined with an easy out because of James’ obvious Chinese connections). So you’re obviously connected to the program somehow or consider yourself part of the “community.” Well guess what, the UA is trying to go after some big distance coaches for fall 2021 but none are interested without a long term contract because everyone is afraid Harvey is next (even though by all accounts he’s a stand up guy and stand up coach). Sounds like your program will continue to be a dumpster fire for the foreseeable future.

What you just described is any and every successful college or pro coach. You go and recruit or draft the best. Why should he have to prove he can coach some Arizona hs kid when he can go get the best from Kenya? Get real and a life.

UA Track coach Fred Harvey has run up the tab at the attorney's office with lawsuit after lawsuit pouring in on that program. Reckon he's got some serious dirt on the administration. For them to keep him on after multiple rotten scandals he must be immune. He wrote a letter of recommendation for a hurdler (some European guy) to run at LSU after he was suspended for sexual assault, on a teammate no less.

Li was a flop as a coach for over a decade at UA but the occasional Kenyan success kept him on life support. He was clearly told to retire or get fired. Administrations don't cut XC coaches mid season.

Nobody "retires" on a weekday in the middle of a season then takes a job 2 weeks later. If he was leaving UA for the new marathon coach position that would have, and should have, been clearly mentioned in the exit articles. It would have been highly inappropriate to have left suddenly for a new job right in the middle of a season with no replacement, and taking the assistant coach out too makes this incredibly shady. It's a stretch to say he's fleeing the country but the whole situation is very unsettling.

Peterson was removed from the coaching staff immediately with James Li's false "retirement". Really makes you wonder. Both of them leaving at the same time in a very suspicious fashion really raises concern. What doesn't add up is the fact that Harvey is still there when he is knee deep in the same scandals as Li and Peterson, and then some. Would not be surprised if more news breaks from the program. Any thoughts?

My gripe with the team results is how on EARTH do you have Stephen Sambu and Lawi Lalang on the same squad and the best you can muster up is 5th at PAC12s, out of 9 teams. Not even top HALF of the conference. No NCAA appearances.. Those guys were a lock to be 1-2 in every race. Can't even get a respectable team result with that combo? Garbage