Harambe wrote:
Based on what's on these boards I had assumed Tinman wasn't getting results.
WTF? He's doing great! Thanks for the analysis Rojo. Tough break for Tinman.
To be honest, I must admit I hadn't been paying attention to their results and don't know if on the whole they are doing well or not. But it didn't take long to look up those guys and realize they improved quite a bit.
I did know people loved to make fun on them. I did know that. And I actually was going to join in on the fun and make (and maybe still will make) a tshirt that said
Brandt > Tinman....
But that's not because I think he's a bad coach.
I was just oign to do it because if you are playing the social media game - then I figured you would almost be fine with it as all publicity is good publicity.
The group gets piled on because they have a big social media presence. That attracts a lot of young fans (who have no perspective) and it also makes others - who are way better runners - jealous which means more critics.
But the reality is the young fans think these guys should be good as they have a social media channel, right? People think youtube = reality. it's not. And perhaps many of the athletes think the same thing. We're famous. We shoudl be good..
There was a young college grad who called me up about 2 years ago who had a good finance job and asked me if he should go quit his job to make youtube videos with these guys in Colroado. He's like - they are having so much fun, I think social media is the future."
I was like, "Dude, when you are 25 and all you care about is having rent paid and running fast" it's a lot of fun but i wouldn't quit my job if I were you.
What nearly every runner 25 and under doesn't have is perspecteive.
Look, when I was their age, I too thought I could work my way to the top. My coach John Kellogg thought the same thing. He says he remembers thinking, "If I keep training hard, I'll run 2:08 in the marathon (which would have gbeen a world record at the time)."
That's not the way it works. Talent is a huge part of it.
Le'ts look at the best US men's runners over the last 25 years. Here are 10 in no particular order
1) Centro -star in HS and college
2) Manzano - star in college
3) Solinsky - star in HS and college
4) Webb -star in HS
5) Ritz - star in HS , star in college
6) Rupp - star in HS and college
7) Brazier -star in college
8) Kennedy - star in HS and college
9) Keflezighi - star in HS and college
10) Lagat -star in college
The reality is if you don't have talent that jumps off the wall in HS or college- you shouldn't be expected to be a top pro. There are hardly any exceptions to that on the men's side.
Now many would argue that Hunter falls in the category above. So they've got one super stud. Perhaps but I remember last year when I learned that Hunter's contract was worth millions, I was talking about it with a coach who said, "I can't believe they paid him that. I don't think he's very talented." I pushed back and said, "But he ran 3:57 in HS. They said, "I'll repeat. I don't think he's that talented as compared to other super elite guys - look at that his form."
I hope Drew is super talented and does go on to great things but it's not right to judge a coach on one elite guy. I mean it's crazy to do so. Thank god Alberto Salazar wasn't judged on how he did with Mary Cain, Caitlyn Chock or Franklyn Sanchez. Same thing goes for Jerry and Geman Fernandez.
When I was at Cornell, I recruited Steve Magness who ran 4:02 in HS. He never broke 4 and i remember saying years later, "Thank god he didn't come to Cornell. I had just started there and people would have judged me solely on how Magness did because hes' high profile."
Looking at the group from the outside having spent only a little time thinking about it, I do think one problem with it is the coach isn't in charge and the boss. If you are going to have a group, the coach needs to run the show. Here, Hunter has the power and the purse strings. Is he the only sponsored pro with a big contract on the team?
When you sign with Nike, they tell you are running for the BTC. When yo usign with adidas, you are more of a free agent which means you pick your own coach, find your own physio etc.
It seems to me that a Schwartz or even a John Kellogg would thrive being an assistant at a BTC type program. An unreal offensive coordinator - that's how I think oif John Kellogg for me at Cornell. Write up the best workouts in the world and let the personality - whether it's Schumacher, Coogan, Fox, implement it.