McMullen 3:44 @ EMU

toro wrote:

Last year when Mcmullen's name was brought as a contender for the Olympics I dismissed it. When he ran mid 14's for 5K recently I perked up and gave him a chance. Now I think he surely will qualify for the OT's and make the final. Maybe top 3 but not much time to get into 3:36 shape to actually go. But, stay tuned...

One fact to remember: EVERY time McMullen's made a USATF final, he has finished top 3.

Paul is looking strong, it was pretty windy as well. I bet right now he is in 3:40 shape in a competitive race ideal conditions. Also, word has it that he is starting to train with Sullivan, Brannen, Willis, and Broe a few days a week. I have no doubt if he stays healthy he will be in 3:35 shape in a few months. Don't forget he is the best tactical miler the US has seen in a long time.

fastdude wrote: Don't forget he is the best tactical miler the US has seen in a long time.

toro wrote:

Last year when Mcmullen's name was brought as a contender for the Olympics I dismissed it. When he ran mid 14's for 5K recently I perked up and gave him a chance. Now I think he surely will qualify for the OT's and make the final. Maybe top 3 but not much time to get into 3:36 shape to actually go. But, stay tuned...

I concur,but I beleive he does not need to qualify for the Olympic Trials under the exemption clause.

toro wrote:

Maybe top 3 but not much time to get into 3:36 shape to actually go. But, stay tuned...

Well, I think it's time for a short McMullen history lesson. 2001, Paul McMullen runs 3:47 in early May, and no one gives him a chance to qualify for USATF's. Then, by June he is down to low 3:42ish, narrowly missing qualifying for USATF's at Hanson's Midwest Distance Solution (a race rabbited by yours truly, sorry I couldn't go longer, Paul), and people say he might qualify but he'll shoot his wad in doing so and will be useless at USATF's. He then qualifies, and makes the final, and finishes top three. People say no way he will get a 3:36 qualifier for Worlds. Not only does he get it, but PR's at 3:33 and is the only American to make finals at Worlds.

Hey, dudes, it's April, and he's in 3:45 shape. He is ahead of the game from 2001. I'd say he wants a spot on the team and he will be a factor. My money is on McMullen. You guys may want to jump on the bandwagon later, but don't wait too long. The bandwagon may get crowded around June....

you're too late. I got on the bandwagon from the moment I saw him in the results at cross. Then he runs 8:33 in the 3k, next weekend 4:12, then 4:07. I'm telling you, he's an unstoppable force. All it takes is for him to put one foot in front of the other and it's like those little snowballs that roll down the hill and turn into giant mountains of snow. He's got the momentum, you can only hope to contain him now.

GO PAUL!!!!!

I will say that if McMullen making the team means we have to hear him spout off of his devoted serving of our country, than maybe we should be spared.

He's a Coast Guard RESERVE. His biggest contribution that I can tell is scoping Lake Michigan. A few weeks back, after his road race win during heavy rain, he states he was prepared because that's when his country needs him to serve, when the weather is bad. This isn't the first time he's uttered that his country needs him. Maybe he should try telling that to someone who had to live in Iraq for a year....or who's been shot and injured.

I respect anyone who sincerely serves the country, but I also won't put a spin on what he does either.

"ttc" you can find my other posts under USCG5k but your last comment well,i just thought i would leave me real name for this..... first let me say Paul needs no one to defend him....ok so yes McMullen is a RESERVE as you put it, as am I, BUT he was RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY OVER A YEAR ago....as was I , and my running accomplishments do not deserve to be on the same page as pauls, but I formerly competed for EMU and now pledge alleginace to Grand Valley State University.....I have been gone from college competition for over a year now and recently returned from OVERSEAS as a COAST GUARD RESERVIST ON ACTIVE DUTY after being pulled out of school in march of 2003...so "ttc" what service are you in? what do you do for our country? you think things do not go down on the great lakes? why dont you come ride with us sometime? why dont you come do some law enforecmenet some time with us? see if you can hack it- why dont you get underway with us sometime for some Search and Rescue and see what that takes on the great lakes when shit hits the fan and it is rough enough out to sink the Edmund Fitzgerald? here is my phone number- 616-706-3867 you give me a call and I will take you for a ride man....I will spare you the profanity, but why dont you leave your name and what you do before you go ripping one of the best milers this country has seen, because he is in the RESERVES(did i mention on active duty)? until you put on a uniform and carry a gun at work, please spare us all on your thinking of the reserves....who by the way make up more than 40% of all the soldiers serving in Iraq and other combat zones.....and If you dont think the U.S Coast Guard goes to these places, just call me man, I'll give you the facts.....

everyone else, please continue to support our fighting men and women, and Good luck to Paul McMullen this sumer....

Tim Nichols, the toughest action ttc will ever see is when Starbucks runs out of milk.

well said timmy!! ttc was the same chump that was all over boaz and gavin during 2002 cross season . he has nothing better to do than get on the internet and rip on good runners. the grand valley thing hurts though:) i will always think of you as an emu man.

The Coast Guard sent military to Iraq, marking the first time they've sent their own to a combat zone, since Vietnam.

If you want to underline the rescue missions they undergo, and the support they give the other forces, then that sounds accurate and noble. But again, spare me with the "My country needs me" talk from McMullen who sails a boat part time close to his own city of living. It's a helpful act and deserves credit, but I'm not going to put a spin on it, even if he will.

I completely respect the sacrifice that you had to take on....and if McMullen had to also, then I'd probably lighten up. But I've seen 3 articles now of his sailing close to home, which he's getting paid for, running for his physical testing and racing in the military games. I've also read of him overdramatizing what he does at least twice and think it should be saved for the military personnel who are in the line of fire, whether they be fellow Coast Guards or Marines.

As far as myself, no armed services here, but I have administered 1 life-saving technique and for 2.5 years, devoted immense charitable time to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Prevent Blindness America. Some have done more and some have done less, but I'm not going to put a spin on it, like others would.

I think McMullen would be better off stating what the Coast Guard does and how proud he is to be a part of it. Instead he spouts off to the newspapers how badly our country needs HIM.

joel david wrote:

well said timmy!! ttc was the same chump that was all over boaz and gavin during 2002 cross season . he has nothing better to do than get on the internet and rip on good runners. the grand valley thing hurts though:) i will always think of you as an emu man.

You're right about Boaz, but I have never said a bad thing about Gavin or any other EMU runner. In fact, I praised both him and Desilets for their tough-minded running this past indoor season and also stated that Boaz could've beat Geb on his off day in Boston.

"ttc" well thank you for expalining, but i still disagree with you needing to give McMullen a hard time...i know that the service is not for eveyone, but i have a short fuse when people rip any part of any service without explaining what they do......we need people at home contributing to Homeland Security as well....by the way the Coast Guard has a battle streamer from evey major conflict dating back to 1790....we all work as a team out there, no service being better then another(despite the fact that we give each other a hard time), all are needed.....

Joel David my man well thank you for that comment- you know that even though i do not wear green an gold anymore, I still have alot of great memorys, still support and cheer for you guys every time i see you , and follow how you guys are doing...but you know why I made my descision to leave, a hard one, but things are on the up an up at GVSU right now....if you an ACE are in town this summer we need to get togther and train man- well ill be back soon, drop me an email at

tim_nichols1@hotmail.com

if you get this otherwise i will get a hold of you all as soon as i get back...

Tough Guy wrote:

Tim Nichols, the toughest action ttc will ever see is when Starbucks runs out of milk.

This happened to me once in Pleasanton, CA. I watched my buddy crumple to the floor when he heard that he could not get a double non-fat latte. I remember asking: "Does that mean I can't get a cappucino?" I don't remember the answer; everything after that is a blur.

I still have flashbacks. I hit the bottle hard, my marriage fell apart, and I haven't been able to hold down a job since.

Hey, can you spare a quarter?

You don't know anything--you weren't there, man!

Brent wrote:

Tough Guy wrote:

Tim Nichols, the toughest action ttc will ever see is when Starbucks runs out of milk.

This happened to me once in Pleasanton, CA. I watched my buddy crumple to the floor when he heard that he could not get a double non-fat latte. I remember asking: "Does that mean I can't get a cappucino?" I don't remember the answer; everything after that is a blur.

I still have flashbacks. I hit the bottle hard, my marriage fell apart, and I haven't been able to hold down a job since.

Hey, can you spare a quarter?

Tim,

I apologize for putting down the Coast Guard, as that was out of line. I was too caught up in a reply and said something stupid and inaccurate. My respect for the servicemen is definitely genuine.

I appreciate McMullen's efforts in the Coast Guard, but he's been a reserve for roughly 1.5 years, is already on leave and served his most extended duty for a few months near his home city. Too many servicemen, Coast Guard or otherwise, go overseas to an unfriendly country for long periods, get shot at, are wounded and are far away from family for him to make those remarks. They're the ones deserving.

He can state what he wants, but voicing "my country needs me" is probably about the most egotistical thing a person can say.

Here's a perfect parallel. Looks like I'm not alone. This one's not as bad though. He's stating a professional basketball league and not our country:

"The NBA needs Ivan Chiriaev," -Ivan Chiriaev

Reactions to the quote:

"Good Lord! What a giant ego."

"...perhaps you were mired in the boring details of your inconsequential lives."

"...he is just too wonderful to play anywhere else."

"Chiriaev's comments have produced cackles from scouts..."

"His Personal Comment....opens the Floodgates of the Sports Media Writers."

"...may have shot himself in the mouth by using an unfortunate set of words..."

"But his unfortunate choice of words and the way he said them put him almost instantaneously into hot water."

"...he could do very well in improving his skills...in his choice of words the next time he faces the media."

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Basketball/NBA/2004/03/23/392718.html

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/feigen/2471539

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040329/news_lz1s29nba-2.html

http://www.usbasket.com/can/can.asp?NewsNo=10

[quote]ttc wrote:"The NBA needs Ivan Chiriaev," -Ivan Chiriaev[quote]

Wrong...IOWA STATE needs Ivan Chiriaev!!!