What do you think of Symmonds 3rd?

chubba wrote:

watch the olympic final again, reed stuffed that race up, he could've won it.

He is one of the best in the world!

He looked a little heavy in the semis, vs Osaka where he looked sharp. He was not as good as he would have hoped, but still performed. 4th would be a lifetime achievement for anybody, but disappointing for GR.

He is one of the best. Incredibly consistent, very focused, been running at world level since '03.

How can u not like a guy who has been quoted as saying, "...golly!...". I am always rooting for Gary.

Symmonds is a few years younger than him, so he needs to be patient and (by his own admission) lose weight. He still looks like he is running away from skipping out on a buffet dinner.

Nick Symmonds needs to move up to Victoria or wherever Reed is and train with him.

yeah right

there were 6-12 random Africans cabdrivers missing from this race

a canajian won!

they should do this for hall in NYC

big old "nonvintations" for Africa

if you don't pay them they won't come

Reed is in another class than Symmonds. Until Symmonds makes either an Olympic or WC final he is not in Reed's league.

fgfg wrote:

yeah right

there were 6-12 random Africans cabdrivers missing from this race

a canajian won!

they should do this for hall in NYC

big old "nonvintations" for Africa

if you don't pay them they won't come

London grand prix meet hasn't traditionally had the same quality fields as some other meets. Both 800 fields were pretty week: seriously, British women going 1,2,3 in the 800m: WTF? Looked like a set-up.

I guess they spent all the money on Bolt.

Crooked Still wrote:

Nick Symmonds is an exceptional runner. I compare his style of racing to my favorite Crooked Still song. Exstacy is the title. Check it out...search Crooked Still on YouTube.

I love Crooked Still too, but the song is titled Ecstasy.

its like i get telling people Nick Symmonds can not win outside of Eugene, thats why he stays there trains there and races his best races there. If he is to be compared to the spirit of Pre, it the same thing Big mouth moderate talent runner, who will continue to get destroyed by the europeans and africans.

Do us a favor and stop running now why your popularity is at an all time high IN EUGENE.

wearing clothes gives Nick a heavy feeling. That was not a good training idea.

um...the Kenyan trials are going on right now, yes? I don't think they were "uninvited", and it is a home meet, and an opportunity to showcase local talent.

I don't think there's any good reason to call foul.

Symmonds is very over-rated; the U.S. is very average (or below) in the 800 meters!!! When Nick gets to a championship (worlds or oly games) final, then we will start to discuss how good he is on the world scene.

jaslee wrote:

Symmonds is very over-rated; the U.S. is very average (or below) in the 800 meters!!! When Nick gets to a championship (worlds or oly games) final, then we will start to discuss how good he is on the world scene.

I know it's a little different than outdoors, but he did make a World Indoor Final, he was sixth.

I totally agree, I don't know he just does not seem to position himself in all the races he does and then he has terrible form. I say in Universalsports.com his race which aed the last 80 yards also from different angles and he looks terrible (form technique) I think he is overweight, looks like a truck in comparison with everyone else. I don't think he'll ever going to run under 145 consistenly and really reach top level. He is definetely not strong enough.

But of course I will be proven wrong in every single point.

Msifit wrote:

I think he is overweight, looks like a truck in comparison with everyone else. I don't think he'll ever going to run under 145 consistenly and really reach top level. He is definetely not strong enough.

Hey, he's cursed with the modern American burden of feeling you need a bloated upper body to be a real man (or be considered attractive to American women, who have higher testosterone levels than most of the world's men, judging by their behavior).

Pre wouldn't have been half the American media hero he is if he'd been built like Paul Tergat. That's why the lead actors in both movies about Pre's life look ridiculous to anyone who understands distance running. But Americans want their male heroes to look like a action movie figures, not El G or Haile G. Way too wimpy for American taste.

Bob Kennedy, by far the best American to date, was far too skinny ever to become a folk hero in this country.

The same curse has plagued Alan Webb, poor bastard. Seb Coe hit the weights hard too, but he never pumped himself up to the point that he looked like a body builder out of his element. Nor did Ryun.

Americans will need to change their notion of masculinity before they'll do anything in this sport again.

galen rupp

I've been stumping for Nick to run in Europe for a couple years now. While 3rd brings out the LR.com boo birds, it's good for him to be racing where the prime time racing occurs so he can have the chance to figure it out.

The kid aint stupid and the experience will do him good!

It would certainly would help if Nick lost a few lbs. The problem is that the guy isn't fat, and his weight training is rep pretty minimal. Where would the lbs. come from?

Yes, he's made the finals at World Indoors and that doesn't mean much if anything. Plus his body is better suited for the tight turns and ruff and tumble that it takes to run well on a 200m track.

IMHO, he's a 1500m guy who is simply too big to run fast for that distance. His training really looks much better suited to that event as well.

Reed is simply the best 800 meter runner in North America. Symmonds is competitive in North America, but on the international stage he is ok. Krummenacker was the last great US 800 meter runner.

I would give US 800 meter runners a B-.

US distance grades ("layman’s take")

800 - B-

1500 - B

Steeple - C+

5000 - B/B+

10000 - B+

Marathon - B/B+

I think I would give the Kenyans straight As, with an exception of an A- for their marathoners.

Mr.Truth wrote:

I think I would give the Kenyans straight As, with an exception of an A- for their marathoners.

Are you serious? Lel, Wanjiru, Kibet, etc. Did you just mean the crew they're sending to the World Championships?

Yes, they get straight As. The US gets a solid B for all distances. However, the US would get a solid B+ in the marathon.