Jakob - poor sportsman?

People watched the Pre movies too many times.

Such an idiotic post.

They have pacemakers.

Stewie snugs in behind. Jakob follows him, because it works, and the rest drop 50 yards behind.

Its a race.

He front runs when the pace is really slow. When it's already fast because of someone else, he lets it ride. Why would he force himself to the front and risk blowing up when someone else is already making it fast? You gave an example of how he doesn't usually front run when Timmy is in the race, it's because Tim always puts up a really fast pace, no room for Jakob to go even faster than that.

Jakob is the front runner of all front runners when compared to his American competitors. I'm happy with how he approaches is races. Not so much with my fellow countrymen.

Nor-way wrote:

Yes, absolutely, the races are faster and more fun because of McSweney. But does he run like he does "because he wants to give the viewers a good competition"? Of course not.

He does it because thats the way he thinks will give him the best final result. Maybe not win, but allways in the top.

Same with Jakob. He does what is required to win. He have more ways to do it than Mcsweney therefore he wait and see how it unfolds. As simple as that.

Stop this foolish "bad sportsmanship". They run to win. Period.

100% agree. The same crew that get upset when they see jostling in the pack and a few elbows being used to defend their space. I sometimes wonder what some people think pro-racing is - it's not f-ing kindergarten or pop warner out there - to quote the great Herm Edwards (sorry for any international visitors that may not get this reference) but you "play to win the game". Period.

Not intended as Jakob bashing. But shame on him?

8/10

Nor-way wrote:

Yes, absolutely, the races are faster and more fun because of McSweney. But does he run like he does "because he wants to give the viewers a good competition"? Of course not.

He does it because thats the way he thinks will give him the best final result. Maybe not win, but allways in the top.

Same with Jakob. He does what is required to win. He have more ways to do it than Mcsweney therefore he wait and see how it unfolds. As simple as that.

Stop this foolish "bad sportsmanship". They run to win. Period.

This.

McSweyn is trying to win with his strengths

any race with McSweyn is exciting. He likes to go out hard and run hard. Respect. However its all tactics now not poor sportsmanship.

However, I do notice him and Filip do tend to do some shoving and also kind of barge their way in places they can't fit. Sometimes they aren't the cleanest.

if its a pedestrian pace like the euro indoors he is comfortable taking control since he is a class above any other athlete in those fields (before katir took off and guys like kerr didnt show). in a competitive race there is usually someone that likes to front run taking control after the rabbit (or being one if no pacer). its the best strategy for someone like stewey i guess, but he is never going to win a race like that and just ends up looking like jakobs pacer half the time.

LondonLocal wrote:

Not intended as a Jakob-bashing thread, just curious to get people's thoughts. Was watching the Lausanne 3000m tonight and was thinking how other than front-running some 1500's (usually those which dont involve Tim) we never see Jakob share the lead in longer events (3000/5000), he always sits in and like tonight lets McSweyn or others do all the work.

Of course I appreciate he has no obligation at all to help out, but it does strike me as annoying when someone of that calibre never helps push along the pace in competitive events. Had he have helped, they surely would've stayed on 60s laps tonight?

Shame.

Racing to win is not at all being a "poor sportsman".

landon wrote:

LondonLocal wrote:

Not intended as a Jakob-bashing thread, just curious to get people's thoughts. Was watching the Lausanne 3000m tonight and was thinking how other than front-running some 1500's (usually those which dont involve Tim) we never see Jakob share the lead in longer events (3000/5000), he always sits in and like tonight lets McSweyn or others do all the work.

Of course I appreciate he has no obligation at all to help out, but it does strike me as annoying when someone of that calibre never helps push along the pace in competitive events. Had he have helped, they surely would've stayed on 60s laps tonight?

Shame.

Racing to win is not at all being a "poor sportsman".

Hitting is timing, pitching is disrupting timing.

Running is the same. This is why the Africans surge so much. It their tactic to win.

From the videos I’ve watched of Jakob he is not afraid to lead. He is not afraid to follow. To criticize a runner for using a tactic, that is allowed. to win a race doesn’t understand racing to win.

Someone find me the rules that state that you can’t surge, sit on someone shoulder and you have to lead in order to win a race.

If you can’t find those rules then your just hating and crying to make your myself feel better.

I was thinking the same thing. Although it's part of racing. But I would like to see him tow the line and earn his victory. I started rooting for his opponent after watching his opponent going for it.

To be honest I think you've got it the wrong way round. It's poor sportsmanship for McSwyen to disappear off so fast at the start of the race and try to leave Jacob behind.

Nor-way wrote:

Yes, absolutely, the races are faster and more fun because of McSweney. But does he run like he does "because he wants to give the viewers a good competition"? Of course not.

He does it because thats the way he thinks will give him the best final result. Maybe not win, but allways in the top.

Same with Jakob. He does what is required to win. He have more ways to do it than Mcsweney therefore he wait and see how it unfolds. As simple as that.

Stop this foolish "bad sportsmanship". They run to win. Period.

I don’t think runners are all as robotic as you think. While it is likely that McSweyn races the way he does because he is confident in his front running above his other skills, it is equally likely that he enjoys the admiration that frontrunners always receive. Perhaps he feels that he brings the race alive, I would be sad if he didn’t feel that way because it’s exactly what he does. It is amazing to see people scrambling behind him, coming to grips with the fact that yes, they will have to run fast this whole time.

Look: the bottom line is that Jakob is the best distance track runner in the world at age 20. He beat all the best at 1500m (3:28.32), mile (3:47.24), 3000m (7:33, but they were all tired and it was windy), and 5000m (12:48).

WinnytheBish wrote:

LondonLocal wrote:

Not intended as a Jakob-bashing thread, just curious to get people's thoughts. Was watching the Lausanne 3000m tonight and was thinking how other than front-running some 1500's (usually those which dont involve Tim) we never see Jakob share the lead in longer events (3000/5000), he always sits in and like tonight lets McSweyn or others do all the work.

Of course I appreciate he has no obligation at all to help out, but it does strike me as annoying when someone of that calibre never helps push along the pace in competitive events. Had he have helped, they surely would've stayed on 60s laps tonight?

Shame.

The reason he is that caliber is because he's not dumb enough to lead a race just to "help out"

Prime BEKELE or Mo Farah would've loved racing Jakob

Here's what might have happened to prime Bekele or Farah if they had raced 20 year old Jakob:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEht_JTLtIk

zxcvzxcv wrote:

Here's what might have happened to prime Bekele or Farah if they had raced 20 year old Jakob:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEht_JTLtIk

masterpiece.

I am not saying he is the GOAT, but I think his name should come up more in GOAT discussions.

I would rank him behind Bekele and Haile, but in front of or equal to Kipchoge.

No. In a long competition like a Tour de France-stage, sure, cyclists will go to the front, try to break free from the field early on, to show off to their sports director, the girlfriend back home - or the spectators. Because it lasts for 7-8 hours.

They would not do that in a race thats finished in under 15 minutes. That would be foolish.