1 4 the short bus wrote:
How many 1500/miles did he run to get to 3:39? 30? 40? 50? more?
How many steeples did he run to get to 8:52? 3?
And 8:52 is no more an indication of his top end in a steeple than his 3:46 for the 1500 from his prelim.
Let me walk you through this slowly. You don't improve in the 1500 because of lack of experience, you improve as your body matures and your fitness levels increase. When you have a guy like Acosta who is a 3:39 1500 man who steps up to the steeplechase and runs 8:52, that shows a glaring lack of aptitude for the event.
I don't get where running the steeplechase in 8:52 two and a half hours after running 1500 heats means anything? When I was a 3:42 1500m runner I ran a 3:45/8:06 1500/3000 double with 20 minutes rest in an all-comers meet. 8:06 for a flat 3000m is about the equivalent of an 8:54 steeplechase. 20 minutes rest and neither me nor anyone else I know thought anything of it. Yet we are expected to believe that a 3:39 1500m man who runs 3:46/8:52 has put in a herculean effort? This is silly. If Acosta had any talent for the event he would have taken the lowest hanging fruit in the entire meet, 10 points in the steeplechase. That's what "team players" do. There's a good reason why he didn't. It's the same reason why Bethke isn't running the steeplechase.
The fact that he came back with the 5000 after one of his better 1500s should be applauded. No need to kneel down to the alter of the Oregon myth machine though. Reality is impressive enough. 8:52 is good for a 3:50 1500m man, it sucks for a 3:39 man.
All of this crap about Acosta is disrespectful to the three guys who finished 10 seconds ahead of him.
For added perspective:
AJ Acosta 2010 Pac 10
Saturday
2. 3:46.6 (heats) 2 hours 30 min rest
4. 8:52.6 (final)
Sunday
2. 3:41.8 (final) 2 hours 25 min rest
3. 13:46.8 (final)
Tommy Fulton 1973 NAIA (times converted from yards)
Wednesday
1. 3:50.0 (heats) 1 hour 30 min rest
1. 1:49.5 (heats) 45 minutes rest
1. 14:28.1 (heats)
Thursday
1. 1:49.5 (semi) 35 minutes rest
1. 14:02.4 (final)
Friday
1. 3:40.3 (final) 55 minutes rest
2. 1:48.8 (final) loses to Mike Boit, 25 minutes rest
2. 29:57.0 (final)
Now THAT's herculean. So is Henry Rono's 27:46/13:20 double at the 1978 Pac 8.