Doug Burt wrote:
Flagpole wrote:Better times = better runner. Period. Ritz is better. He's proven it.
Nice logic here Flagpole. Do better times really equal a better runner? Is Alberto Salazar a better runner than Paavo Nurmi? Is Deena Kastor a better runner than Joan Benoit? Hardware is the mark of a true champion. Meb has some. Ritz doesn't and most likely won't. This is further evidence that you are most likely a racist.
Even if your logic is true, which it's not, Meb has a faster PR in the 10K and marathon. So how is it that you can say that Ritz has proven that he is better than Meb? This sounds like another Flagpole fantasy to me. Sad, but true.
Faster times on equivalent courses shows the better runner, yes. So, yes, Alberto Salazar is a better runner than Paavo Nurmi, and so are tons of men you've never heard of. Nurmi was the best of his time. Time moves on, and the world gets bigger and bigger, and more parts of the world compete, and the pool to draw runners from gets bigger and bigger and bigger.
Meb has faster times in the marathon and 10k, yes, but as I've said for YEARS now, Dathan Ritzenhein is the most talented American-born distance runner we have ever seen (tied with Alan Webb). When his career is over (which will be after Meb's career is over), he WILL have faster times in all distances from 2 miles up than Meb does (unless Meb moves to the ultra marathon and Ritzenhein doesn't). When you bring up current times, you are mentioning accomplishments. Meb is currently more accomplished overall and in times in the 10k and marathon. Ritz though is more talented and WILL have faster times than Meb in the marathon and 10,000 meters.
VIPAM mentioned that Meb is still running and might continue to set PRs. Well, he won't in the 10,000, and in the marathon he likely will if he runs a fast course, but it won't be enough to beat what will be Ritzenhein's career marathon PR. Why? Ritzenhein is a better runner than Meb. No shame in that. Dathan Ritzenhein is a seriously talented runner.