While I find it a bit strange I think a lot of it is because it is Rupp and it is in the media, and he's reportedly going for the AR. If it was a less scrutinized elite runner they may make these same kind of decisions but nobody would even no about it.
Lets be real about a few things here, Rupp is not running for Oregon or any other team or the peanut gallery. Rupp is running for Rupp now and he's following the same tried and true advisor that got him 3+ ncaa runner up spots, 6 ncaa titles, 2 world teams, 1 olympic team and a bucket full of jr. usa, ncaa and even american records.
When was the last time Rupp "flopped" at a major race? I can't even think of a single time. Who else can you say that about? So criticize their methods all you want but you might want to examine the hypocracy in that. Criticizing the methods of someone who ALWAYS shows up at the right time with the big performance, that just don't make sense when nearly every other runner flops in races every year.
Some of you would like to use German Fernandez or Scotty Bauhs or whoever else as guys who "just show up and run
' and aren't so fancy but if you really think about the results I think you can admit that hasn't exactly paid off.
And to the knucklehead who said just go win Cardinal, he did that 3 years ago as a much inferior runner. He doesn't need a win at Cardinal for anything unless they are bringing in 27:15 guys to beat.
Seems like the Oregon native and U of O grad wants to set an AR in Eugene in front of that crowd much more than Palo Alto, CA. That doesn't sound so weird.
Guys who approach running like Rupp in my mind are Geb, Lagat & Bekele. They don't race haphazard or just because they wanted to several weeks before. They race when it is right for the immediate and for the upcoming season.
Rupp and Salazars record of decison making is 100% against the peanut gallery thus far. My guess is the peanut gallery is just pissed off that his advantages are being shown again, the number 1 advantage that he has the talent and work ethic to be in a spot to make these decisions.