Phil Hersh of the Chicago Tribune has followed up his top 10 ranking of the greatest women marathoners of all time with his Top 12 men of all-time.
It's a fascinating list that can be found at:
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/sports_globetrotting/2008/10/marathon-men-th.html
Please read that article to see his reasoning behind his picks.
I'll list his top 12 with a few of my comments.
His top 6 is:
1. Abebe Bikila - very smart #1 pick.
2. Frank Shorter
3. Samuel Wanjiru - great to see him so high.
4. Mamo Wolde
5. Bill Rodgers
6. Haile Gebrselassie
Those six right there will certainly start a good discussion. The next 6 are just as interesting.
7. Clarence DeMar
8. Known drug cheat. I won't mention his name but I didn't like him appearing in the list or Hersh seemingly condoning his cheating by saying, "it is likely (Drug Cheat) was among the many beneficiaries of his country’s state-sponsored doping program. What is unknown is how many other marathoners worldwide also were doping in an era when it was ridiculously easy to beat testing."
9. Gezahegne Abera - remember this guy? The seemingly forgotten man. Too bad injuries robbed him of a long career.
10. Stefano Baldini-hmmmm. Ahead of Seko??? Not sure about that one.
11. Toshihiko Seko
12. Pheidippides - You might want to put him at #1 but I like his reasoning for Bikila.
Rank The Top 12 Men's Marathoners Of All Time -
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Lame. KK belongs ahead of all of those. I can't respect Hersh's opinions.
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Rodgers higher than Geb? Geb should be ahead of Shorter EASILY, at least #1 or #2.
And where is PAUL TERGAT? He is another GOAT, amazing runner!
This guy is on crack. -
How many marathons did Wolde race, to be ranked ahead of all but three men in history?
Where's Jim Peters?
A year ago it might've been fun to enjoy the outrage around here at his omission of Brian Sell... -
WHAT??? wrote:
Rodgers higher than Geb? Geb should be ahead of Shorter EASILY, at least #1 or #2.
And where is PAUL TERGAT? He is another GOAT, amazing runner!
This guy is on crack.
I was going to mention that, but I guess he's more known as a 10000m guy. Although he did have a world record in the marathon... the430miler must be rolling over in his grave. -
rojo wrote:
12. Pheidippides - You might want to put him at #1 but I like his reasoning for Bikila.
Why would you rank a fictitious character? -
#1 pick isn't bad, but the all time kick ass, bad ass,the beast, the monster, the fearless:
DEREK CLAYTON -
Geb
Tergat
Rodgers
DeMarr
Khannouchi
Ibrahim Hussein
Shorter
Seko
Walde
Bikila
N'Deti
Jones -
"the430miler must be rolling over in his grave."
if only we were so lucky. -
Hersh puts too much weight into the Olympics and WCs. Tergat, Cheruiyot and Lel should be on the list.
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Robert De Castella ???
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No kenyans, but how many Americans? Stefano Baldini won like one marathon his whole career. And what's with this "prestigious" Fukuoka marathon? Too bad Khannouchi was only winning those comparatively small races, Chicago and London(in world record fasion ahead of all time #6).
Hersch is an idiot, isn't he one of the guys who was blasting special K for not being a real american and skipping the olympics? -
No kenyans, but how many Americans? Stefano Baldini won like one marathon his whole career. And what's with this "prestigious" Fukuoka marathon? Too bad Khannouchi was only winning those comparatively small races, Chicago and London(in world record fasion ahead of all time #6).
Hersch is an idiot, isn't he one of the guys who was blasting special K for not being a real american and skipping the olympics? -
No kenyans, but how many Americans? Stefano Baldini won like one marathon his whole career. And what's with this "prestigious" Fukuoka marathon? Too bad Khannouchi was only winning those comparatively small races, Chicago and London(in world record fasion ahead of all time #6).
Hersch is an idiot, isn't he one of the guys who was blasting special K for not being a real american and skipping the olympics? -
No kenyans, but how many Americans? Stefano Baldini won like one marathon his whole career. And what's with this "prestigious" Fukuoka marathon? Too bad Khannouchi was only winning those comparatively small races, Chicago and London(in world record fasion ahead of all time #6).
Hersch is an idiot, isn't he one of the guys who was blasting special K for not being a real american and skipping the olympics? -
No kenyans, but how many Americans? Stefano Baldini won like one marathon his whole career. And what's with this "prestigious" Fukuoka marathon? Too bad Khannouchi was only winning those comparatively small races, Chicago and London(in world record fasion ahead of all time #6).
Hersch is an idiot, isn't he one of the guys who was blasting special K for not being a real american and skipping the olympics? -
No kenyans, but how many Americans? Stefano Baldini won like one marathon his whole career. And what's with this "prestigious" Fukuoka marathon? Too bad Khannouchi was only winning those comparatively small races, Chicago and London(in world record fasion ahead of all time #6).
Hersch is an idiot, isn't he one of the guys who was blasting special K for not being a real american and skipping the olympics? -
Umm...Sammy Wanjiru is a Kenyan
I'd probably have Martin Lel on the list. I'd also probably have Carlos Lopes. I don't understand why Mamo Wolde is ranked so high. -
Sammy Wanjiru is indeed a kenyan.
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Where would Geb Rank if say he runs 203:30 at Dubai in feb? Would he move up? 3 wr's, all in incredibly historic times in what many consider past his prime.
What if Wanjiru breaks the wr this upcoming year? What would thast do for his ranking, and would that sink Geb's accomplishments moving him rather far down the list?
