Great news! Glad to see Murphy join the same team as Strand. Now the buds who finished 2-3 in their Olympic Trials semifinal, 11-12 in the Olympic Trials final, and 8-9 in the NCAA cross country championships can go back to being inseparable.
This is like old Bowerman. All of these guys in one group are trying to make future US 5000 teams: Nur, Nico, Wolfe, Murphy, Woody (maybe), Strand (maybe). Iron sharpens iron, so they could all get very fit.
This is like old Bowerman. All of these guys in one group are trying to make future US 5000 teams: Nur, Nico, Wolfe, Murphy, Woody (maybe), Strand (maybe). Iron sharpens iron, so they could all get very fit.
Seems a little crowded. Smith is used to coaching a bunch of kids at the same time but as adult pros, you would think that more individual attention is required for success. Especially taking on multiple athletes who are competing in the same event. Eventually some of this talent is going to feel as though they are not getting the individual attention they want or need to succeed. Especially as some start to succeed while others don't. I would guess that some of his NAU athletes naturally assume it's going to be a continuation of the success they had as collegians (Nur) while talents such as Wolfe and Strand may actually take quantum leaps with their new coach. ...Which could definitely introduce a new dynamic among Smith's athletes. How are Strand, Murphy, and Sahlman supposed find harmony among each other when they're trying to find success against Kessler, Hocker and Nuguse ....and only one of them might succeed? Same with Nur, Grijalva, Woody and Wolfe when Fisher and Young are virtual locks?? Seems like cannibalism among teammates is required to succeed.
Seems a little crowded. Smith is used to coaching a bunch of kids at the same time but as adult pros, you would think that more individual attention is required for success. Especially taking on multiple athletes who are competing in the same event. Eventually some of this talent is going to feel as though they are not getting the individual attention they want or need to succeed. Especially as some start to succeed while others don't. I would guess that some of his NAU athletes naturally assume it's going to be a continuation of the success they had as collegians (Nur) while talents such as Wolfe and Strand may actually take quantum leaps with their new coach. ...Which could definitely introduce a new dynamic among Smith's athletes. How are Strand, Murphy, and Sahlman supposed find harmony among each other when they're trying to find success against Kessler, Hocker and Nuguse ....and only one of them might succeed? Same with Nur, Grijalva, Woody and Wolfe when Fisher and Young are virtual locks?? Seems like cannibalism among teammates is required to succeed.
This is a great point. They all run the same events AND they are all very young.
They probably don't have room for someone like Gary Martin or Marco Langon next year.
They might have shot themselves in the foot by filling their roster up so much this year. No room to sign someone like Kerr if he wants to leave Brooks.
Seems a little crowded. Smith is used to coaching a bunch of kids at the same time but as adult pros, you would think that more individual attention is required for success. Especially taking on multiple athletes who are competing in the same event. Eventually some of this talent is going to feel as though they are not getting the individual attention they want or need to succeed. Especially as some start to succeed while others don't. I would guess that some of his NAU athletes naturally assume it's going to be a continuation of the success they had as collegians (Nur) while talents such as Wolfe and Strand may actually take quantum leaps with their new coach. ...Which could definitely introduce a new dynamic among Smith's athletes. How are Strand, Murphy, and Sahlman supposed find harmony among each other when they're trying to find success against Kessler, Hocker and Nuguse ....and only one of them might succeed? Same with Nur, Grijalva, Woody and Wolfe when Fisher and Young are virtual locks?? Seems like cannibalism among teammates is required to succeed.
This is a great point. They all run the same events AND they are all very young.
They probably don't have room for someone like Gary Martin or Marco Langon next year.
They might have shot themselves in the foot by filling their roster up so much this year. No room to sign someone like Kerr if he wants to leave Brooks.
Counterpoint here: Mike Smith’s main talent is making teams better. NAU always did great during XC, but other than some individual talent from his too guys, not like they dominated indoors/ outdoors. Personality and expectation management is arguably his biggest strength. Since these guys are all pro’s the talent piece is taken care of.
I also think pro’s actually require less individual attention. They are more mature, life is usually more together. College kids are need more attention with acclimating to adult life, finding self confidence, etc.
This is a great point. They all run the same events AND they are all very young.
They probably don't have room for someone like Gary Martin or Marco Langon next year.
They might have shot themselves in the foot by filling their roster up so much this year. No room to sign someone like Kerr if he wants to leave Brooks.
Counterpoint here: Mike Smith’s main talent is making teams better. NAU always did great during XC, but other than some individual talent from his too guys, not like they dominated indoors/ outdoors. Personality and expectation management is arguably his biggest strength. Since these guys are all pro’s the talent piece is taken care of.
I also think pro’s actually require less individual attention. They are more mature, life is usually more together. College kids are need more attention with acclimating to adult life, finding self confidence, etc.
You are missing the point.
-There is no team championship in the pro world.
-Nike has limited money to offer people big contracts.
-Top NCAA talent like Marco Langon are less likely to join a team where his biggest rivals to make Team USA are the same guys that he would be pacing in workouts.
-The bigger the group, the less individualization each athlete gets.
-Nike has limited money to offer people big contracts.
-Top NCAA talent like Marco Langon are less likely to join a team where his biggest rivals to make Team USA are the same guys that he would be pacing in workouts.
-The bigger the group, the less individualization each athlete gets.
Smith has always been good at individualizing training for his athletes and we don't know what kind of budget he has been given. He might have an NOP esque blank check.
Counterpoint here: Mike Smith’s main talent is making teams better. NAU always did great during XC, but other than some individual talent from his too guys, not like they dominated indoors/ outdoors. Personality and expectation management is arguably his biggest strength. Since these guys are all pro’s the talent piece is taken care of.
I also think pro’s actually require less individual attention. They are more mature, life is usually more together. College kids are need more attention with acclimating to adult life, finding self confidence, etc.
You are missing the point.
-There is no team championship in the pro world.
-Nike has limited money to offer people big contracts.
-Top NCAA talent like Marco Langon are less likely to join a team where his biggest rivals to make Team USA are the same guys that he would be pacing in workouts.
-The bigger the group, the less individualization each athlete gets.
Why would he care about Langdon joining his team when he just signed the guy who beat him in the 1500.
He’s signing the most talented people he can who fit the personality of his team. Not sure why that’s a bad approach.
-Nike has limited money to offer people big contracts.
-Top NCAA talent like Marco Langon are less likely to join a team where his biggest rivals to make Team USA are the same guys that he would be pacing in workouts.
-The bigger the group, the less individualization each athlete gets.
Why would he care about Langdon joining his team when he just signed the guy who beat him in the 1500.
He’s signing the most talented people he can who fit the personality of his team. Not sure why that’s a bad approach.
Because Langon is a 5k runner with a 3:33 PR in the 1500 at only 20 years old. He only turns 21 in August.
This is a great point. They all run the same events AND they are all very young.
They probably don't have room for someone like Gary Martin or Marco Langon next year.
They might have shot themselves in the foot by filling their roster up so much this year. No room to sign someone like Kerr if he wants to leave Brooks.
Those two guys have NILs with different brands in Brooks and Diadora respectively. Those brands will have a leg up, though Diadora would be a new entrant I guess. I can see Nike not allocating much into them with Spencer also being on the roster it seems. Rocky Hansen has an ON NIL so that’s the other prized target along with Habtom Samuel (Hoka) and Brian Musau (unclear where his head is at). The Kerr thing seems irrelevant, as he signed a lifetime deal with Brooks.
Wouldn’t it be cool if Mike Smith decided that he was coaching a cross country team for 2026… Tallahassee world championships. OK I get it Strand, Murphy, these guys are super speedsters. But in college cross country teams are always made up of power houses who have someone like Nico plus some milers who do magic at NCAA’s in spite of supposedly being in over their head with the long-distance horses. Plus, I imagine it would be very cool for these guys, making it like college again, a real team instead of everybody just competing for whatever individual PRs they can get on the track. Ok, the PRs and fast times are cool too.
But who doesn’t want to see a powerhouse US team at World Cross?
@MikeSmith, bring home the title!
@THOUGHTSLEADER… you’re a locked in guy of the sport, what do you think? Is this a weird fantasy? Would Smith care? Would the athletes care? Would Nike care?
If they did, could these guys plus a couple from other groups (Grant Fisher, Graham Blanks) bring home the world title?
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Well there’s also the 4x2K relay. I’d imagine Hocker, Nuguse, Strand, Nathan Green and Murphy could target that as all have some good XC credentials but 10K is a big long. I do think there’ll be good buy-in from US athletes, and I expect Nico Young to do it and Abdi Nur to take a crack as it well.
Wouldn’t it be cool if Mike Smith decided that he was coaching a cross country team for 2026… Tallahassee world championships. OK I get it Strand, Murphy, these guys are super speedsters. But in college cross country teams are always made up of power houses who have someone like Nico plus some milers who do magic at NCAA’s in spite of supposedly being in over their head with the long-distance horses. Plus, I imagine it would be very cool for these guys, making it like college again, a real team instead of everybody just competing for whatever individual PRs they can get on the track. Ok, the PRs and fast times are cool too.
But who doesn’t want to see a powerhouse US team at World Cross?
@MikeSmith, bring home the title!
@THOUGHTSLEADER… you’re a locked in guy of the sport, what do you think? Is this a weird fantasy? Would Smith care? Would the athletes care? Would Nike care?
If they did, could these guys plus a couple from other groups (Grant Fisher, Graham Blanks) bring home the world title?
Or you could just have the trials that are scheduled for December.