Why people hating on Hocker? Talented young Runner who seems like a good guy!!!

AP5000 wrote:

Because people like you who think he has a chance to medal in this Olympics. He has no chance. You have no clue how many dozen of runners are significantly faster than him around the world.

If you can’t understand that your PR is pretty irrelevant in the 1500 at world championships/Olympics there’s no hope for you

I'm troubled by the man bun. Nothing more, nothing less.

Hocker has a helluva finish in a slower race. But the Olympics is another level of competition. He might rise to it - or disappear without trace.

One of my reservations is that even though he can produce some spectacular power his form doesn't impress. The very best tend to look like smooth machines. He doesn't.

oldschoollrc wrote:

I'm troubled by the man bun. Nothing more, nothing less.

Agreed, it's the hair that puts me off.

Agree. He has some incredible potential and a lethal kick and deserves more credit. I think it's a little too early to say he has no chance at the Olympics given he has has had no real international race experience to date. Sure he's only run a 3:35 but he hasn't been in a race yet where the pace has been super hot. If he gets in a race with a bunch of sub 3:30 guys who really push him who knows what he could do.

Emil Zatopek. Enough said lol.

AP5000 wrote:

Dude you are kidding yourself. Centro has a 330 PR. He beat him in a 335 race by 6 hundredths..he hasn't run the standard. There are 421 people who have run the 1500 faster than Hocker. The list goes on an on.

I think you're being disingenuous here. Hocker ran this race with splits of about:

First 800: 2 flat

Last 800: 1:50 flat

Do you sincerely think he couldn't run faster in an even-paced race - say 57-57-57-42?

Most of those 421 people you keep referencing ran those times in rabbit-led races in Europe.

1000%. Lets see what Hocker can do in a European meet like Monaco or similar. He has yet to have that opportunity.

NERunner0353 wrote:

Are you new here? There are threads daily about how he's gonna win Olympic gold. I think you're confusing Hocker with any non-white runners.

Found the Democrat!

GreatDane1 wrote:

Emil Zatopek. Enough said lol.

You had to go back 70 years to find someone who looked as bad?

Hocker is the new Prefontaine. He's very talented and is earning his respect. Now that NCAA's are over. He can start to focus on the 1500. He's going to be even better with recovery and fresh legs.

Not at all but he's a great example. Paula Radcliffe was also often ridiculed because her head nodded quite excessively forward and off to the side which doesn't exactly "look" efficient. Michael Johnson's extreme upright stance was also frequently made fun of.

Two words: man bun

no man buns wrote:

Very disrespectful to put his fingers to his lips. at the finish. Maybe a little more humility is in order. In the larger scheme of things NCAA 1500m champ is not that big a deal. That, and the man bun.

Depends what Centro said to him in the semi final.

Also, Hocker wasn't the one who started the "your move" thing... it was just some college guy making a joke and would never have gained any traction if Centro had just let it die on the vine.

I enjoy the sport mostly for the competition but there's a lot of dead air time between events when your watching a meet so I don't mind the antics at all. Keeps things interesting and gives the commentators a narrative.

Armstronglivs wrote:

GreatDane1 wrote:

Emil Zatopek. Enough said lol.

You had to go back 70 years to find someone who looked as bad?

Sifan Hassan.

Because people like you who think he has a chance to medal in this Olympics. He has no chance. You have no clue how many dozen of runners are significantly faster than him around the world

One reason there are fewer people at the field. He has a chance.

NBC Viewer wrote:

NERunner0353 wrote:

Are you new here? There are threads daily about how he's gonna win Olympic gold. I think you're confusing Hocker with any non-white runners.

Found the Democrat!

Of course you did. It's really not that hard little one.

Given that there are more democrats than republicans by many million, you could literally go out on the street, tap someone on the shoulder, and they are more likely to be a democrat than a republican.

I'm still proud of you though.

Hocker has an inexhaustible well of acceleration.

AP5000 wrote:

Because people like you who think he has a chance to medal in this Olympics. He has no chance. You have no clue how many dozen of runners are significantly faster than him around the world.

He most certainly has a chance. I have no idea why so many people here think the Olympic 1500 will be a 3:30 race. Odds are equally likely, if not better, it will be a 3:40 race.

Upsets and surprise medalists are common in this event. Who would have bet on Manzano or Johan Cronje?? It can happen to Hocker.