Just a comment that (all other things being equal) a single Kenyan standing on the start line with 5 Ethiopians on his right and 4 Kenyans and an American on his left faces the same odds of winning as the American in Burfoot's scenario.
So, the issue is who is best prepared and most fit? If Ryan Hall thinks he is well trained, has a record to back him up and can compete, I believe him and am behind him 100%
Let's not give up before the race actually starts!
Burfoot is building up the pessimism so that when Ryan Hall is set up to win, the win looks even better.
possibly the two most naive people
Oh Amby! Don't be so sensitive!
Traveller wrote:
Just a comment that (all other things being equal) a single Kenyan standing on the start line with 5 Ethiopians on his right and 4 Kenyans and an American on his left faces the same odds of winning as the American in Burfoot's scenario
Agreed.
Burfoot has always had a bad attitude about other ethnicities.
Amby Burfoot is the last guy in the world to have a "defeatist attitude" as the subject of this thread claims. I can also assure you that he does not have a bad attitude about other ethnicities - quite the contrary, Amby is one of the most egalitarian and kind individuals I have ever met. To claim that Amby has any kind of attitude at all is just way off the mark.
I think that the originator of this thread misses Amby's point, which I take to mean that American distance running has been overmatched for the past 30 or so years, and as past results have shown, the Kenyans on the left and the Ethiopians to the right of the hypothetical American runner on the line he refers to not only outnumber that individual, but have history on their side that says one of them will come out on top. And keep in mind the quote from Amby on the LetsRun home page is part of a larger story about Ryan Hall, which informs how he has elevated his training to prepare him for the rigors of racing against elite international competition. Maybe instead of looking to criticize guys like Amby, who to me are pointing out the obvious, more American distance runners should look in the mirror and decide to train like Ryan Hall - then that hyothetical American distance runner's odds of beating that elite filed will be a lot shorter.
Bullshit. Amby is one of those silly lib types that grovel and cower in front of anyone who isn't white. I remember fondly his "Why White Men Can't Run" article in '92. His prediction that most likely only black Africans would win running medals at the '92 Games due to the inferiority of whites, Asians and others. Then a Spaniard won the 1500, a German the 5k, a Moroccan the 10k, Asian guys went 1 - 2 in the marathon, and Amby did a lot of back-pedaling and rationalizing.
Amby is namby-pamby wrote:
Bullshit. Amby is one of those silly lib types that grovel and cower in front of anyone who isn't white. I remember fondly his "Why White Men Can't Run" article in '92. His prediction that most likely only black Africans would win running medals at the '92 Games due to the inferiority of whites, Asians and others. Then a Spaniard won the 1500, a German the 5k, a Moroccan the 10k, Asian guys went 1 - 2 in the marathon, and Amby did a lot of back-pedaling and rationalizing.
Yeah, I remember that. Amby is quite the punk, isn't he?
Plus, his name is Amby.
Look this over hotshot internet experts, I think Burfoot's attitude is based on reality.
Last year alone a daunting number of Eth, 6 sub or better 2:08:30; Ken, 29 sub or better 2:08:30!!!
Last year in the 10km, 10 Eth sub 27:30 clockings; 15 Ken sub 27:30 clockings.
5km last year the world list had 9 Eth sub 13:10; 15 Ken sub 13:10 marks!!!
Now, what would you like Mr Burfoot to say? He is speaking from his experience & he took off his rose color glasses at the door.
Traveller wrote:
Let's not give up before the race actually starts!
But that is what his employer is all about.
Remember, Amby writes for Runnersworld, the place where racing isn't as important as finishing without working too hard.
Marathon as a participation sport is why they exist, and he plays to that audience.
Burfoot does not "play to that audience" and he is one of the people (few though they may be) at RW who takes serious racing seriously and has for decades. You are a complete and total idiot.
Camoo wrote:
Burfoot does not "play to that audience" and he is one of the people (few though they may be) at RW who takes serious racing seriously and has for decades.
+1
I have not read or Jogger's World since. Cancelled my subscription. Crawl back under your racist rock, Amby. You are a punk.
My point is that if there are ten guys on the line that have run under 2:08, and 2:08 is good enough to win, then when the gun goes off, they all have 1/10 chance of winning. Sure, if 9/10 are Africans, and 1/10 is American, then odds are an African will win. But on an individual basis, the American has equally good odds. BTW, the foregoing has nothing to do with race, just simple probability.
The other thing to consider is that Kenya has about 30 men who can run under 2:08. Who knows how many Ethiopia has. We have one. Kenya and Ethiopia have
tremendous depth which means that its much tougher to be a star and compete internationally there than here. America still has a shot but its a long shot statistically.
Exactly! Thank you.
Disgusting cheapskate wrote:
The other thing to consider is that Kenya has about 30 men who can run under 2:08. Who knows how many Ethiopia has. We have one. Kenya and Ethiopia have
tremendous depth which means that its much tougher to be a star and compete internationally there than here. America still has a shot but its a long shot statistically.
Camoo wrote:
Burfoot does not "play to that audience" and he is one of the people (few though they may be) at RW who takes serious racing seriously and has for decades. You are a complete and total idiot.
You are a dolt. Amby writes what his masters tell him to write. If they tell him to write articles that worship certain people, he takes his 30 pieces of silver and does so.
Besides, as another poster pointed out, his name's Amby.
There's absolutely no truth to what you're saying, but hey, thanks for playing.
a jogging we will go wrote:
Remember, Amby writes for Runnersworld, the place where racing isn't as important as finishing without working too hard.
Marathon as a participation sport is why they exist, and he plays to that audience.
+1