Are ther any NFL guys that could go sub 10 in the 2 mile?

Funny thread. I fall on the side that I think the caliber of athletes who make the League (NFL or NBA) is unbelievable and usually represent some of the best track & field talent (and middle distance maybe) we never get to see.

More data points for what they are worth:

Johnny Dawkins (Duke guard in 80's, played in NBA for a bit, now Duke bball asst) once ran a 4.37 mile while at Duke during conditioning. He looks like a runner now, though.

Roy Tarpley (7 foot journey man center in NBA, who played at Michigan and Detroit Pershing) cranked a 4.32 mile in HS track. I read this somewhere.

I can't provide links to document but as a former HS hack in XC and bball, I remembered those stats when I came across them especially thinking about Tarpley's size.

Without any specific training, maybe a couple guys who have the build and do a lot of endurance stuff coul break 10. Punters and a couple QBs come to mind. With training, however, many many would break 10. These guys are dripping with talent, they are on a completely different level than us hacks can imagine. Give them 3 months of specific training to break 10 and provide an incentive (cash bonus, making the team, etc.) and you would see that many would be able to do it. F*** fast twitch/ slow twitch muscle fiber, sub 10 for two miles takes a modicum of athletic talent. If Mo Greene ever cared to, he could have trained to run under 10 for two miles. Losing some bulk and getting a month or two of 50-60 mile weeks in plus target workouts would result in a lot of guys being under or close to 10 for the two mile.

Without any specific training, maybe a couple guys who have the build and do a lot of endurance stuff coul break 10. Punters and a couple QBs come to mind. With training, however, many many would break 10. These guys are dripping with talent, they are on a completely different level than us hacks can imagine. Give them 3 months of specific training to break 10 and provide an incentive (cash bonus, making the team, etc.) and you would see that many would be able to do it. F*** fast twitch/ slow twitch muscle fiber, sub 10 for two miles takes a modicum of athletic talent. If Mo Greene ever cared to, he could have trained to run under 10 for two miles. Losing some bulk and getting a month or two of 50-60 mile weeks in plus target workouts would result in a lot of guys being under or close to 10 for the two mile.

Until you discuss the particularities of aerobic vs. anaerobic lifestyles, you bring ZERO credibility to this discussion.

When I was running at Notre Dame, the kicker at the time was Nick Setta. Nick was probably one of the best athletes I've seen. He was the nations top kicker in high school, was all sate in XC in Illinois, ran 1:51 for 800m and high jumped 6'10". The football coaches made it tough on him to run track (scheduling his heavy lifts during track practice, etc) but he did run some races and was solid at everything from the 400 to the 1km indoors. I remember during the fall, he'd go out after football practice and run 7m.

He's in the CFL now (I think), but could definitely run sub 10:00. Surely there has to be at least one other athlete that was that accomplished in the NFL.

That's different. You're talking about a guy who excelled at running who just happened to find himself also playing football, as a kicker no less, which almost doesn't even count.

I'll bet that even he would be hard-pressed to break 10:00 for two miles. How much does he weigh (now)? Weight would be what would largely keep most NFL players from breaking 10. Think about it: how many 200-lb. guys do you know that can break 10? Even out of runners, who train for running, there aren't many weighing that much who can break 10.

a ton of wide receivers and db's are under 195

A ton of NFL player could break 10 today tomarrow and the next day. Geuss what everyone of them under 300 pounds would break 54 in the 400 too.

If they had time to train every single one would. There competive nature would just allow them to train until they reached that goal if the chose to do so.

that has to be the largest collection of syntax, spelling and grammar errors in such a small collection of verbiage. Bravo!

spell this batman wrote:

that has to be the largest collection of syntax, spelling and grammar errors in such a small collection of verbiage. Bravo!

If I didn't know any better, I'd SWEAR an NFL player wrote that! Especially the way he was sticking up for them!

"Roy Tarpley (7 foot journey man center in NBA, who played at Michigan and Detroit Pershing) cranked a 4.32 mile in HS track."

A 7 footer even attempting a mile? That would be a sight to see.

Alan

sub 10 wrote:

If Mo Greene ever cared to, he could have trained to run under 10 for two miles. Losing some bulk and getting a month or two of 50-60 mile weeks in plus target workouts would result in a lot of guys being under or close to 10 for the two mile.

If I recall correctly, Flojo gave distance running a shot and barely broke 20 in a 5k. I'm not giving it up to Mo for 5 min pace for 2 miles just yet.....

Runningart2004 wrote:

"Roy Tarpley (7 foot journey man center in NBA, who played at Michigan and Detroit Pershing) cranked a 4.32 mile in HS track."

A 7 footer even attempting a mile? That would be a sight to see.

Alan

Because no one 6'10" has ever broken 14:20 for a 5k.

(sarcasm)

Mac wrote:

When I was running at Notre Dame, the kicker at the time was Nick Setta. Nick was probably one of the best athletes I've seen. He was the nations top kicker in high school, was all sate in XC in Illinois, ran 1:51 for 800m and high jumped 6'10".

How do you play football AND run cross country. Do some states allow multi-sport seasons?

Drew Eckmann wrote:

How do you play football AND run cross country. Do some states allow multi-sport seasons?

Apparently you can (or could) in Illinois. Also, I wouldn't say he was a runner that 'happenned' to play football. He did both successfully.

From his ND bio...

Parade prep All-American

USA Today first-team All-America

Rated number-one kicker in the country

Punted 39 times for 47.8-yard average

Hit the crossbar on 72-yard field goal attempt in Class 6A playoff

Kicked Illinois state record 59-yard field goal

Won four letters in both cross country and track and field

Finished sixth in Illinois state track and field meet in high jump as junior and also ranked as top hurdler

Had bests of 1:53.4 in 800 meters, 3:59 in 1500 meters, and 6-10 in high jump

Finished 11th in Illinois state cross country meet in '98, fifth in '96

Helped Lockport to Illinois state cross country crowns in '96 and '97

Gostkowski ran 9:57 in college and still says he can run under 10 even as an NFL pro. That is just another thing that makes the Pats so purrrrrfect.

There is no way! I don't even think Tyson Gay could go sub-10 without any distance training.

college kid wrote:

There is no way! I don't even think Tyson Gay could go sub-10 without any distance training.

I don't even think Tyson Gay could go sub-10 WITH any distance training.

200 posts amazing.