Been following this thread for a great while with interest. As a former walkon in the mid-80's I have a little different perspective from Doug and some of the other former runners who have posted in this thread. I was a 4:18 high schooler, native Arkansan, and a lifelong Razorback fan. Some of my favorite memories as a child were of going to Hog football and basketball games with my parents. I dreamed of being a Razorback from the time I was old enough to walk. The opportunity that Coach McDonnell gave me to run was one I have always been thankful for. I never made a real contribution to the program - my biggest accomplishment was being the 6th man (out of 6) on the team at the SW Missouri Invitational in '87. Consiglio passed me late in the race (he was coming off of an injury I believe). Shortly thereafter I was injured again and that was all she wrote. There were lots of guys like me who were borderline talents who dreamed of following in the footsteps of guys like O'Mara, Donovan, etc. Most of them faired about the same as me....others stepped up and thrived (see Daniel Lincoln). Coach Mac was always willing to give a kid a shot. Looking back, the success Coach Mac achieved and the effect it has had on the state of Arkansas cannot be overstated.
On another note, anyone who thinks foreigners should not be recruited by American colleges needs to take a look at the impact some of the athletes Coach Mac recruited from other countries have had on our state: Frank O'Mara is the CEO of a telecommunications firm in Little Rock; Gary Taylor has a great running store in Little Rock, and both of them volunteer coach at Little Rock Catholic High School along with former Hog great Mark Andersen (I semijokingly called them the most overqualified coaching staff in U.S. high school history). Michael Power is coaching in Bentonville, while Godfrey Siamuyse coaches at Shiloh Christian in Springdale. David Swain is still in Fayetteville. I know I'm leaving some out...my point is these guys didn't just show up, run, then bolt. They have made a huge impact here in the state. Just like another immigrant runner did...John McDonnell.
I have told Coach Mac more than once that he had a much greater impact on me than I could have ever had on the program...he inspired me to go in to coaching. At a coaching clinic last week I saw him and mentioned this thread. He said he hadn't heard of Letsrun.com but seemed amused that there was so much interest in his training and the program in general. He then spent over an hour telling stories to several of us high school coaches who had gathered to listen out in the hotel atrium. He wasn't even a speaker at the clinic. Just a trully class act who is a treasure to the state of Arkansas and collegiate track and field. SteveO