1. Based upon comments that the "Thread" has gotten too long, Lickety's recapping comments on the "Real Week That Was" as a convenience to serious readers. Again, a warning....only read the "Real Week That Was" below if you want to know what the BROJO's are afraid to say about the USATF Nationals now that LETSRUN's gone mainstream...you know, afraid of Salazar, Nike, O, calling out athletes, etc.
* 800 meters. A clear "choke" by Christian Smith. Get a haircut & let's start racing like you want to win. Be KD!
* 1500 meters: Let's quit crying about the number of folks in the respective heats. The real issue is that American Milers don't want to run fast at the championships which will be in stark contrast to the World Championships. Instead of approaching the event as a "Heat", American milers should approach it as a "Race" which will be reality in Berlin. They'll need to PR in the heats in order to advance. For those that disagree that WCs or Olympic heats are pedestrian -- Show Me Some Homework...and that doesn't mean just one year.
Furthermore, w/so many in the field w/o even a "B" Standard why did we see a pedestrian pace in the first couple of laps. Not too mention any names...JMac...I'm sure you were "Just Happy to Be There" and good on ya....but why weren't you and many others not going for the standard/win?Did all of you "Non-Standard Milers" really think you could outkick Manzano and Lomong for the big win? The real hope is that they get boxed in or do a Vessey versus you all being able to get them at the lean.
Let's face it....many American Milers are "Weak Sisters" when it comes to laying it on the line.
* 1500m: Alan Webb & the rest of the Summer: I'd recommend that Webb move his focus to the Steeple and 5th Avenue Mile. Be like Anna Willard! Take some pressure off yourself and do something new which you'd probably be great at like Anna....additionally, the US Steeple is wideopen. Probably the weakest US field from a international perspective other than the racewalk. Have fun and run the steeple and then finish up strong at 5th Avenue in September. Then RESET and figure out if you need a change. I'd recommend John Cook since he's there in Northern Va or some kind of partnership between him and Razcko. Screw next years indoors....come back strong in IAAF Cross-Country, then make the call come Spring time on Middle Distance or the Steeple.
* 5K Tony "Suicide by Front-Runing" Fam. Let's not BS here....FAM did not want to make the team. He's got a mental barrier to hurdle for his career. What else would explain him running like an idiot into a strong headwind. You can just see him saying to himself....."I'll make this a race early so I can have an "out" at the end." Lickety don't play that ....FAM I'm "OUTING" you on this one. You CHOKED yourself. In fact I'll take it further, Now I know what he's peaking for -
http://www.letsrun.com/2009/peachtree0701.php
* 5K: German Fernandez: What a stud! He may have won the 1500m if he chose. Kudos to Coach Smith for bringing him along. More athletes should consider OSU....I'd say that bringing a talented athlete to the next level is more difficult/pressure than a underdeveloped athlete to prominence.
* The Mammoth Lakes Group. Aside from Anna Willard, the nationals represented poor decisionmaking & performance by Terrance Mahon's group. Why would he not have Kastor and Hall duke it out in the 10k w/the rest of the folks? I'm telling you...the further you keep our marathoners from coming back to the track & World Cross Country the farther behind they'll fall. Both Hall & Kastor ran best when still running track versus these road races and Mammoth tempo runs. They've only gotten worse or injured since joining his tea. It's also disappointing to see Mahon coach down the Slattery's....they're smart in leaving and I predict will come back hard.
I'm putting a shot across the bow at distance runners who become "One Trick Ponies." That's why they go stale....not too mention any names - Brian Sell, Ryan Hall. Kudos to Meb, Dathan, and Kara and other Spring Marathoners for coming back to the track and mixing it up Old School. All to say Terrrence, thumbs up for getting MEB back to a PR and on the track.
* Former John Cook Athletes: Based upon demonstrated performance, I'd say that Flanagan and Donahoe made bad calls. Shumacher's coached her down to a second place and more than a minute slower....Donahoe's stagnated. Lickety's not buying Flanagan's Rabbit Story nor training through...Begley spanked her.
* Flanagan & Goucher: They're both avoiding each other....what else explains Goucher "working on her marathon kick" by running the 5K versus 10K.
2. Comments on BROJO's published "Weak-Ass That Was" which just came out.
- Eugene Track Oversaturation: Fellas, enough of the handwringing and false analogies in comparing the Champs with a UO basketball game. The cold, hard facts....and this is coming from a non-OU/Nike/Salazar Mancrush Guy.....is that there is no other place in the United States where you could get 9,500 folks a day. So put the tougue back in the mouth because your "Told You So" perspective doesn't stand.
- The Bye's: BROJO's its not about YOU. We should be grateful for not only our returning World Champions, but an opportunity to put four in the respective event. What you should be talking about is moving the outdoor championships closer to the Worlds so it weeds out those that are healthy/hurt and catches everyone at their peak. Similar to what's been done in XC.
- BROJO Commentating: Don't get to proud of yourselves as reflected in your "We were proud of ourselves for asking if the Schumacher sweep of the 5k was possible with 1k to go." One of you kept righting off Fernandez during the 5K where he broke the American AJR. I'm sure that wouldn't have happened if he was from Portland or OU.
- Webb Analysis: Concur
- On Going Pro Early: I like your one-sided perspective with all the cherry-picked examples of those who've had a tough time. How about those that HAVE done well?
- I'm giving the "Week That Was" commentary on the National Championships a "Thumbs Down"
3. What the BROJO'S Should Be Talking About to their Silent Partner (Phil Knight)...I'm talking a "Open Letter to Mr. Knight"
* Track & Field SPINA BIFIDA. If I'm the USATF President -- aka Phil Knight, I'd have Flanagan, Willard, and Goucher's ass in my office on Monday. Flanagan counseled on this BS "You take a Lap, I take a Lap, I'm OK, your OK" approach toward the 10k; Goucher gets it for dodging Flanagan; and Willard gets it for settling on something other than victory against Barringer on my home track (aka Hayward) and in front of a national TV audience that my advertisements funded. You could have had another "Dan and Dave" commercial series going into Worlds. This time its "Hotty and Homely." I'd then have a conference call w/all my Coaches/Surrogates -- Salazar, Mahon, Shumacher, BROJOs, Wetmore, Micahel Johnson et al -- I'd be telling them that from now on Nike athletes at the Championships will be in the contracts just like Pre.
* Based upon your market dominance in the sport, when are you going to begin not only structuring athlete contracts based upon their performance at cross-country/track national/world championships ?
* When are you going to make it mandatory that they participate in X-C/T&F national championships unless hurt?
* When are you going to market/make-up rivalries....Willard & Barringer, Goucher & Flanagan, Fernandez & Derrick,
* When are you going to tell Jeremy Wariner that enough is enough....that based on demonstrated performance your 200M speed is capped, Lashawn's got your number, and now its time for the 800m or 400 hurdles?
4. Other Things the BROJO's Should Be Talking About
* Rating the Coaches -- how about some more accountability versus hype. Take a look at how their respective stables performed....Salazar, Shumacher, Mahon, Hudson, etc....and see where they came out nationally. For example, How JJ Clark's coached Sarah Bowman down from last years 4:07, an outstanding week at Penn this year and T&FN cover to becoming a 4:14-16 athlete? Does she need to switch to Coach Watts or will he even be there in the fall?
5. I'm not repeating my predictions....they served as a red herring to serious analysis about the state of our sport in one of its most important weeks. Go back and look if you like.