Sounding off? I gave my opinion.
1) I identified what I believe to be the problem with them and offered my opinion on specific things that needed to be addressed. They included.
a) Lionel Williams runs like a maniac on the first lap. If I were coach I'd tell him that under no circumstances is he to take the lead until 200m to go.
b) Borchers. A crap shoot, a box of chocolates, and I didn't think there's anything outside of graduation that could be done to help. You either get 1:49 or 1:54 out of him.
c) Foster. Runs like a robot. Always fades and doesn't dig in deep at the end of races.
d) Loxsom. Another robot, but faster.
The result. Obviously they took the message to heart.
2a) It was clear that Williams was under strict orders NOT to take the lead. He didn't. After 400m the pace was so slow he was forced to take the lead, and it was the right decision. If he ran the same as he did last year instead of 1:50.7 you now have another 1:52 leadoff.
2b) Borchers. Runs out of his mind. You could tell he was struggle with the quickness of his competitors in the first lap, but rather than try to run with them he settled in behind. Ran like a pro. With 200m to go you could see that his eyes were forward towards the leader and not cncerned at all about the guys on his shoulder. With 100m to go, he supddenly changed to a ferocious lion went to the arms, and his turnover, and ate everyone alive. This was, BY FAR, the best race he has ever run. Even better than he ran in high school
2c) Foster. Didn't go out too hard like was his MO last year, and settled in. Said he wanted to take the lead with 250m to go in the SMR but quickly (and correctly) changed his mind and waited for the straight. Didn't move forward in the finish, but didn't lose ground lie he usually does. In the SMR he said the last 50m was "the hardest he'd ever run. I dug hard" I don't doubt him. In the 4x800 he was in a tougher position given the surprise lead by Borchers. Handled running in the DMZ well. Not too fast. Not too slow. When they came up on him he didn't tie up and fought for every inch given about a half meter lead.
2d) Loxsom. He still runs like a robot, but when you're a very fast robot you can get away with it. He aqueezed Andrews balls hard and for a moment it looked like he had it done. Then Andrews went to the arms and that turnover and knee lift thing. Loxsom continued to run like a machine and that was the difference.
It was the best result one could possibly expect.
As you might well know I could give a damn about running form, you run how you run. But when it gets down to the finishing kick, your body has to transform, and most important of all, your mind has to transform. It's got to be rehearsed. It's got to be automatic. Your arms better be driving hard and in a forward plane, and you'd better be concentrating on knee lift/butt kick and turnover.
I've addressed the problem. Offered the solutions, which by the way all seemed to get magically imbued in this team all at once, and in the same week that I said it. Pure coincidence. Your response is personal insults.
As far as Borchers being the biggest waste of talent in Penn State history -- there is no doubt about it. He ran 4:03.3/1:51.5 in high school. He should have been running 3:36s a year ago. In four years this is what he produced. (remember all of his real bombs will never show up on Tilastopaja's radar, and there have been many)
I've bolded all of his high school times.
That 1:47.5 relay leg is looking real good here
1:48.90 OT 1rD Husky Classic Seattle WA 14 Feb 2009
1:49.94 1r1 Team Inv Eugene OR 5 Apr 2008
1:50.00 2rB Spring Inv Fairfax VA 9 Apr 2011
1:51.54 1-HS OH HS Ch D3 Columbus OH 2 Jun 2007
1:51.61 1 MOC Jackson MI 9 Jun 2007
1:51.75 8 FloridaR Gainesville FL 2 Apr 2010
1:54.35 1-HS Mitchell Dayton OH 5 May 2007
3:45.06 5 Bloomington IN 16 May 2010
3:46.32 3-19 Indianapolis IN 24 Jun 2006
3:46.67 2rC Stanford CA 1 May 2010
3:47.21 1 State College PA 7 May 2010
3:47.32 3 Columbus OH 3 May 2008
3:47.94 3 Columbus OH 1 May 2009
3:48.44 h Bloomington IN 15 May 2010
3:48.91 7rB Tempe AZ 10 Apr 2010
3:49.26 8rE Walnut CA 15 Apr 2011
3:49.59 1 Lewisburg PA 19 Apr 2008
4:01.98i 4r3 State College PA 26 Jan 2008
4:03.33 1-HS Greensboro NC 16 Jun 2007
4:03.91 OTi 1rD Seattle WA 12 Feb 2011
4:04.44i 5 State College PA 1 Mar 2009
4:07.07i 2h2 State College PA 28 Feb 2009
4:07.94i 2h3 Champaign IL 26 Feb 2011
4:09.64i 7 Champaign IL 27 Feb 2011
4:11.12i 3h2 Madison WI 1 Mar 2008
4:13.98i 10r5 Fayetteville AR 15 Feb 2008
4:14.19i 1-HS Landover MD 10 Mar 2007
1:48.90 OT 1rD Husky Classic Seattle WA 14 Feb 2009
1:49.94 1r1 Team Inv Eugene OR 5 Apr 2008
1:50.00 2rB Spring Inv Fairfax VA 9 Apr 2011
1:51.54 1-HS OH HS Ch D3 Columbus OH 2 Jun 2007
1:51.61 1 MOC Jackson MI 9 Jun 2007
1:51.75 8 FloridaR Gainesville FL 2 Apr 2010
1:54.35 1-HS Mitchell Dayton OH 5 May 2007
No hopefully he gets it in his head that being a badass was kind of fun. A lot can happen in 6 weeks. It's been a cold spring at Happy Valley this year and as the weather warms up maybe his fitness will continue to improve. It's all a matter of desire at this point. Does he want to exploit his own massive talent or not? Imagine what it would feel like to improve that 1500 from 3:45 all the way down to 3:38, 3:37 or 3:36? I'd bet that Borchers would find that running 3:37 is even more exciting than 1:47, and he'd finally live up to his potential.