DELAWARE XC

Mike DiGennaro (4:30) 14:30, sub 9 steeple, now 8:44 st, 8:10 3k, 23:25 road race in Philly recently

I love how people post about how these times may suck but probably can't even run the times themselves. Hell, these guys bust their ass, and the best thing you can do is say these times stink. Everyone who does not go to Nationals sucks? Hell I've been busting my ass the past 5 weeks running 90-108 miles a week in hopes of running much faster than my 14:41. Just give some respect to people who train hard and may not be as gifted as Dathan who can win a NCAA Cross title off of just a couple 80 mile weeks.

Travis Adams is probably a better example of an average runner coming out of high school and excelling at UD.

I love how people post about how these times may suck but probably can't even run the times themselves. Hell, these guys bust their ass, and the best thing you can do is say these times stink. Everyone who does not go to Nationals sucks? Hell I've been busting my ass the past 5 weeks running 90-108 miles a week in hopes of running much faster than my 14:41. Just give some respect to people who train hard and may not be as gifted as Dathan who can win a NCAA Cross title off of just a couple 80 mile weeks.

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Wow! UD is certainly preparing these young men to enter the real world, demanding respect for "trying hard." UD will never win anything with a team full of victims.

Like my dad told me years ago - "son, this is a results based world. You have to get the job done - don't look to anyone for a pat on the back if you fail. If you fail, try again, learn from your mistakes, and get it right."

I read from the beginning of this thread where someone called the coach at UD "great." I'm sure his runners are trying hard and running many more miles than they used to...but without wins on the board, UD cannot be considered a good team. Their coach certainly can't be consedered "great." Kid-no one means any disrespect to you, but the times/results posted in this thread are not "great" as someone mentioned.

I ran college in the north east about 10 years ago. I'm sure UD was at some of the XC meets where I ran - Paul Short, IC4As - I just never noticed. I'm sure thier "great" coach had them "demanding respect for trying hard" somewhere in the back of the pack.

Ok, CEO, lets see your PR's

3:40

7:56

13:37

x file wrote:

Frank Gagliano at Georgetown took 10:00 2 milers and turned them into sub 14 5k guys ALL OF THE TIME - because he could coach.

Name just one.

hmm well first of all none of the delaware people said the times were great. They were just illustrations of people improving. Im quite sure that i never heard that we should "demand respect for trying hard". I dont know why people are so worried- if someone thought Fisch was great and said so, then whats the problem? If your definition of "great coaching" is different than someone elses dont worry about it. Why dont you start a thread saying how great ur own team/coach is/was and then we can all be impressed and inspired. Also it would give some confirmation of those impressive times. Btw he has been conf coach of the year 3 times that i know of and we did win the conference indoor once and outdoor twice in the 4 years i was there- although im sure that it a very shitty accomplishment- yes i understand that its not the SEC or PAC 10 i got it.

I dont understand where all this victim stuff comes in? i mean people work fairly hard and run. thats it- im not saying im a victim. I remember a good quote from lockerroom in XC "I wish we had scholarships" "I dont then we wouldnt be here". It was a good time of training and racing lets just leave it at that.

Two other things- CEO were you on scholarship in college? and if Travis Adams was an average HS runner then i wish i would have gone to HS in Pennslyvania!

I won't say too much considering that I attend the University of Delaware and I run for Fisch. However, I am getting a little upset.

So, let's start with the straight facts. I am a freshman at the University, and my first xc season was cut short by compartments syndrome. And before people start babbling about injury, I've had this now for several years and was only diagnosed recently. It has nothing to do with the training. I am from NY and during my senior year I was able to place 4th in NYS Class C and 25th at the Federation Meet. I hold a PR of 9:37 in the 2mile. I would give the "woulda shoulda coulda" speach now, but we'll dispense with that and just say that what I thought was me choking last year, has turned into my compartment syndrome acting up.

I came to the University for various reasons, yet one of the largest was the amount of respect that I had for coach Fischer and that his current and former runners have for him. I was only to learn this year that that same respect steps into the Coaching ranks and the track and field/xc world.

Delaware does not get top-notch recruits, and it is because the University fails to give any sort of money to the program, because of their desire to fund the football team, not because of results.

I have been running for Coach Fischer now for a mere semester, and I can certainly say that he had me in better shape than I have been in my entire life this past xc season before the compartments syndrome started acting up. I was in better shape than my Senior HS xc season, when I think I ran fairly well. For anyone to say that he gets no results is completely ludicrious and has no backing. What are results? If we're looking at NCAA champions and Regional Champions, then perhaps you're right. But, if we're looking at improvement, then you are totally off base. Is a 17:00 5k runner ever going to win a national championship within 4 or 5 years? No. I doubt even Arthur Lydiard could pull that off. Yet, how many coaches could take 17:00 5k runners and make them conference contenders, regional contenders, or Olympic Trials contenders? Very few. Coach Fischer does a better job with what he gets than practically every coach in the country.

Great coach? Absolutely! He has more support from his athletes and fellow professionals than any other person, in any field, that I have ever met. He generates the desire in people, who are written off by most others, to work as hard as they possibly can, and run as fast as they are physically able to. Ask any one of his athletes, past and present, whether or not they completely trust his methods, and completely trust his decisions regarding their racing, and they will undoubtabley say "Yes, absolutely." To me, that is a great coach.

As far as the future of UD running goes, I will say one thing. I know myself, and the rest of the runners at the University, will do whatever is necessary to prove just how great of a coach Coach Fischer really is. I will say no more, for obviously you people saying that Coach gets no results are just plain naive.

Besides, if he's really that bad, why would a former Olympian choose him as her coach?

Good teams and good individuals do not go on message boards and plead their cases to individuals that do not matter. You won't gain respect or notoriety by defending your team or your coach on the internet, rather you'll just earn a reputation of being overly defensive and peddler of excuses. It seems that UDel needs to mature and grow up, spending more time looking for ways to improve instead of arguing with people on message boards.

The original question was is UDel a team that will get to Nationals. The truth of the matter is it won't anytime soon. Having all-conference individuals in the pathetic CAA means nothing on the national or even regional stage (except for WM); and all IC4A performers are a step up but only slighty with all the elite teams from the east being at nationals that weekend.

So don't worry about what people think, get the job done, and answer the man's question.

i can't believe that this topic is still in existence. i like coach fischer, he gets the job done and has to put up with an athletic department that gives him no chance of succeeding. it's a miracle that the team hasn't been cut yet so that title niners can have their way. he's a d1 coach at a no scholarship school that would rather have 70 football scholarships. he tries his best and is a great person and i'll say it, a great coach. but he's a great coach for me, and that might not make him a great coach for everyone. one mans opinion is just that, an opinion. i will continue to succeed under him and others will as well.

the guys that went to delaware or go to delaware are just sticking up for their program and i don't see anything wrong with that. i do agree that you show you are good, you don't tell someone that you are good.

and by the way, whoever said that the times posted by delaware guys suck, i was kind of offended because i worked hard and i don't think i suck. i may not be the best in the country, but i'm doing what i love to do and having fun, so that was a screwed up comment.

mike digennaro,

Sorry guys. I wasn't trying to say "I am awesome we are awesome" but felt like I should defend my coach from random people bantering about how he sucks. I'm done now, and I'll try to do my talking with my legs, once they get unwrapped and moving again. Peace.

Hey Pkane, quit your bitchin about your legs you f'ing wimp. You suck. And by the way, I turned down UD bwcause they also suck.

Mike Digewhoeveryouare -

I sure hope you are still in school. You lack the ability to communicate via written word. Please talk to your ad/drop department about getting into English 101.

I complain just to get you mad, just to get you mad. And I like it.

Thats funny, because I am doing it to get a rise out of you too. It clearly worked considering you said thatyou were not going to respond anymore, and you did! The only issue is that you are complaining still about you legs. BOO HOO, cry me a river.

Just one problem, regionals only started last year. So up until then, IC4A's was a preeminent meet. Coach Fischer is awesome. He hosts a fantastic hs meet every year and is one of the foremost advocates for XC in Delaware. And he's always putting in time at the championship meets, helping out, hosting two, the indoor and outdoor state championships at UD. Also, UD has a brand new track.

Basically, it comes down to this, if you want to work hard and learn how to run well from the inside out, this is the place to go. Everybody thinks that if they could just go to Standford or Colorado or Arkansas, that they would automatically become good. They're wrong, you have to find the right program, that fits your mentality, abilities, and personality. Coach Fischer is versatile, flexible, and disciplined. It's the perfect place to go for someone looking to develop their talents.

If you look at the last post I said nothing of my legs. Nothing is equal to zero. And, in addition, I must remark that I spoke nothing more concerning the matter of my initial post and my coach. Now, the latest post that I made, before this one obviously, was about your response to me. Now, you sit there saying "I am above this kid blah blah blah," but seriously, what kind of person goes "I'm doing it just to get you upset?" Obviously me, and obviously you. So in the long run, we are no better than each other, just two people of two different opinions on a single matter. So, in conclusion, I wish to ask that we just end hostilities and go about our business and our opinions without so much as an insult or a bit of mud-slinging and act like normal, decent, civilized people. My best to you on this fine Sunday afternoon.

To get back to the initial post. Delaware is a fine school, with a good tradition, and a strong academic, as well as athletic program. If you're looking for an engineering school, look no further. Dupont is the major factor behind this. The location is excellent, and the faculty are phenomenal on the whole. Granted there are parts that I must complain about, for example the pool hours and the diving team practice schedule, but the complaints are minimal outside of that. I can safely say that if you attend the University you will receive a good education, and you will improve athletically.

So now that I've made a complete fool of myself bantering back and forth like a child, I will ask all to have a pleasant day, as I go back to watching SNL. Take care all.

Fred,

Hey I am seriously thinking about running at UD next year as well. I visited the campus, but never got to meet with coach Fischer because they were gone for their regional meet. Have you visited UD or met with Fischer? If so, what did you think?? What type of PR's have you had in high school? and any other things you wanna let me know about it. Feel free to reply or email me at

ratcady@aol.com

, if you dont want all these fools rippin' on your PR's, with a subject line that i wont delete.

P.S. You started quite an argument here man, I've learned more about UD through this than anything else I have seen.

-Matt