"He's beatable - and I will be the one to beat him" - LaShawn Merritt

Should he have said "He's unbeatable - I know I'm going to lose"? Confidence counts for something.

It's fine for Merritt to throw the gauntlet down. I don't think Wariner is going to melt upon hearing that.

Wariner's number one - and when you're number one, they're all gunning for you. Doesn't matter if your Bekele or Liu Xiang or Wariner. Being the best, you become the focus of all the top competitors in your event.

right, right. I get it. But why is it ok for Merritt to "throw the gauntlet down" and call out his competition, but when Craig Mottram says something similar (maybe even less cocky), people talk about how arrogant he is and how he shouldn't be running his mouth?

Mottram is white, no one likes a cocky white guy.

YO. My boy LaShawn he now be takin da same drugs Jermy be usin. We gonna wipp yo whiteboyz ass.

If you're going to go into competition with the mindset that your competition is unbeatable, why even show up? Other people may not be publically stating that they believe that Wariner is beatable, but if they didn't think he was they wouldn't show up at the track. I mean why run a race that's not winnable.

Harry Kooter wrote:

If you're going to go into competition with the mindset that your competition is unbeatable, why even show up? Other people may not be publically stating that they believe that Wariner is beatable, but if they didn't think he was they wouldn't show up at the track. I mean why run a race that's not winnable.

That's a great question, because the race isn't winnable unless you're Jeremy Wariner.

You know, it's won thing to have confidence in yourself. It's quite another to shoot your mouth off and essentially guarantee victory over someone you've never beaten. Merritt should just sit back, keep his mouth shut, and let his performance on the track speak for itself. That way, if he loses, he won't look like an asshole.

i kinda like running wrote:

people talk about how arrogant he is and how he shouldn't be running his mouth?

Mottram-12:55

Bekele-12:37

Merritt-43.93i

Wariner- 43.50

Mottram is a little farther away that Merritt from being the best in the world, I don't know if that's why. But that's why I don't like it when he opens his mouth.

*Also, last year's WC, Wariner won in 43.93

JJ wrote:

You know, it's won thing...

Should read, "You know, it's one thing..."

hmmss wrote:

Merritt-43.93i

Wariner- 43.50

Merritt has never broken 44 seconds for 400 meters.

i kinda like running wrote:

right, right. I get it. But why is it ok for Merritt to "throw the gauntlet down" and call out his competition, but when Craig Mottram says something similar (maybe even less cocky), people talk about how arrogant he is and how he shouldn't be running his mouth?

Bulletin board material. If an NFL player said similiar things 2 weeks before the Superbowl, his coach would want to shoot him. Instead they give out meaningless drivel like how much they respect the other team and how it really doesn't matter who they play....

If you're the #2 or #3 guy, and you have to try to beat someone who hasn't lost a 400 race in a couple of years, the last thing you want to do is give him MORE incentive to beat you. Tell everyone about how you strained your hamstring and hope you can recover by Osaka--and then go to the track and train like a madman.

hmmss wrote:

i kinda like running wrote:

people talk about how arrogant he is and how he shouldn't be running his mouth?

Mottram-12:55

Bekele-12:37

Merritt-43.93i

Wariner- 43.50

Mottram is a little farther away that Merritt from being the best in the world, I don't know if that's why. But that's why I don't like it when he opens his mouth.

*Also, last year's WC, Wariner won in 43.93

Ya, but Mottram has beaten Bekele, and Merritt has never beaten Wariner.