Think How Good Steph Twell would have been in the NCAA System

I did add on 'unemployable' to the sentence!

At the graduate level, the U.S. is clearly the best in the world academically; I say this as an international student in a PhD program in the U.S. The undergrad level is a completely different story, though.

Cerebus wrote:

At the graduate level, the U.S. is clearly the best in the world academically; I say this as an international student in a PhD program in the U.S. The undergrad level is a completely different story, though.

I would fully agree.

A lot of undergraduate stuff in the US is barely A-level standard in the UK.

But once you get to post-grad, the US is way ahead.

Joel Silver wrote:

It's well known that the American university system is a peice of piss. The only Brits that go over there are too stupid to get into a British University or completely unemployable.

Anyone with half a brain would stay in the UK to run and Study or work.

right, that's why the brits have done so much better than those who went to American universities on the world stage

ladies wrote:

right, that's why the brits have done so much better than those who went to American universities on the world stage

If we're talking distance runners, which Brits have done anything on the world stage who went to school in the US. (besides Hannah England)?

Recently I mean, don't dredge up old school nonsense.

The American system throws money at average (at best) runners, some Universities more than others I dont want to name(but we all know which one/s). Throwing money at runners who arent even going to get to Nationals is to my mind a waste of money and brings about alot of inflated ego's who come back to the UK and get smashed by those who have stayed here! I agree with above poster really which Brits have come out of an American Univeristy recently and done anything (bar Hannah England). There has been exceptions to this statement but generally speaking it's true.

Cerebus wrote:

At the graduate level, the U.S. is clearly the best in the world academically; I say this as an international student in a PhD program in the U.S. The undergrad level is a c

ompletely different story, though.

I read that 27.8% of the US population has a college degree. I don't know if that encompasses junior college associate degree, or not, but still is a staggering high number.

Hell, a lot of American kids go to college "undecided"...there is usually an undecided course subject path at most colleges.

The Brits are well within their rights to LMAO.

silly old fossil wrote:

I read that 27.8% of the US population has a college degree. I don't know if that encompasses junior college associate degree, or not, but still is a staggering high number.

Well, Tony Blair and co decided to try and slap a degree on fully 50% of British youth. They didn't quite get there but you wouldn't believe how many people are applying for jobs now with complicated-sounding degrees in incomprehensible pseudo-subjects, who would be better off working on the tills in Asda (our subsidiary of WalMart).

hope you are right about the new generation of Brits staying home, dream come true

NCAA System wrote:

The new generation of Brits and Sons and daughters of Eire are truly missing out on great opportunities by skipping a trip to the NCAA XC champs. It helped out Kim Smith a great deal. I wish they would realize how important it would be for their development.

If they really wanted to be good they would go to college in East Africa at the open air High altitude Campus Running University.

I think once more people cotton on to the exploits of the 20 year old Robertson twins (Jake and Zane) we will find far fewer young distance athletes travelling from overseas, and more heading to Kenya to learn how to really run, as if your life depends on it.

Except that Twell is hugely overrated and chokes in big races.

bobby S wrote:

dj plus one wrote:

+1.

Just think how good all the 23 and under guys running Chicago could have been in the NCAA system.

Who wants to be the best amongst college athletes?; talented runners should skip college and run senior. Period.

learn to race, choke artist wrote:

Except that Twell is hugely overrated and chokes in big races.

Well, it's lucky for her that she wouldn't have to run any big races in the NCAA, just tinpot meets against a bunch of students.

trollism wrote:

learn to race, choke artist wrote:

Except that Twell is hugely overrated and chokes in big races.

Well, it's lucky for her that she wouldn't have to run any big races in the NCAA, just tinpot meets against a bunch of students.

It's the same thing that plagued Webb. Because he didn't learn how to race against those who were closer to his level of ability and experience, when he was thrown in over his head his learning curve was compromised and as a result had nothing in the toolchest when he got to the biggest races of his pro seasons.

Yes, like winning world juniors? That's choking? She is a second year senior, still learning to race. She also isn't very fast (58sec for 400m - her listed PR) so will get hammered by anyone with even decent leg-speed in a slow race. She did what she needed to do in the 1500m here, without having to lead the entire race, then came back strong the last 100m to get a medal.

Her 5000m still needs work - as seen by the meltdown (although big 14.54PR) in the Diamond league race against Huddle over the last few laps. Whether she can handle the work-load required down the road I don't know, but I see her moving to 5000m/10000m as did Radcliffe before her, and leaving the 1500m behind. Whether she can run with the African women may be another matter, and that will determine whether it is even worth it to move up, if she is going to get beaten anyway. But, if done right, I see her getting to Radcliffe's level for 5000m before she is done.