RE: Dirk playing with a 101 fever tonight, if Rupp had 101 fever, would he run?

here's something people don't understand about our sport...our sport is the olympics and world championships, literally zero other meets matter except for the olympics and world championships except in the context that they help athletes run better in the olympics or world championships

in basketball, football baseball, there is a completely different incentive structure allowing game 3 of the nba finals (and any playoff series) matters a lot more than the Prefontain classic...at which a good or bad performance has zero long term tangible effects

rupp made a decision that he felt would best enable him to comete well at the olympics or world championships, Dirk made the decision that he felt would best enable his team to win an nba championship

both made the right decision

if you don't like it, get on the USATF or IAAF boards and try to change the incentive structure of our sport, but regardless stop blaiming the athletes

If Dirk is at 75%, he is still a good player in the NBA. If Rupp is at 75% or even just 90-95%, he gets lapped. It's just a different sport.

Dirk is German.

He's just naturally tougher.

Daddy Alberto would bring him some CHICKEN soup and put him in the CRY o' sauna.

Dirk Played with 102F (and had a large effect on the result).

Kobe played with a sprained ankle (and wouldn't let an MD look at it so the team wouldn't make him sit)

Others have played with broken noses and such.

Tyson, after the badly strained hamstring from the OT 200, went out to compete anyway. As Michelle Perry said at the time, "Champions show up, no matter what."

Rupp simply is not a champion, and that was put on display at Pre. No heart, no toughness, no medals, not much of what drives Lagat. Basically, the poster child for why US distance runners don't win and nobody cares about them.

What I liked was the attitude of Solinsky. Planned to run the 2 mile. Suddenly, when Rupp decided to do the 10K, so did Solinsky (obviously to protect his AR). And when Rupp DNS, Solinsky just jogs through 3000 and walks off the track. That's a guy who I think is going somewhere.

I bash Rupp more than most, but there is a huge difference from racing a 10k to playing a basketball game. Dirk was able to get constant breaks, fluids, wet towels for his forehead, so that he could be more effective. Rupp wouldn't get this same treatment.

Would he try to race? I don't know, but he wouldn't do anything if he did.

An old friend of mine once ran a 10 mile race the day after breaking his ribs in his first snowboard attempt.

It has nothing to do with being a professional athlete. Some people are just made of stronger stock.

Some people live to compete on a day to day basis. Others are simply looking for that one good race. An example from cycling...Lance really only raced le Tour. That's it. While other cyclists did the classics and other races Lance really only did one race. In the NBA....Shaq was notorious for walking through the season so he do his real work in the post-season.

Different strokes for different folks.

Alan

Just to be clear: you chastize Rupp for doing what's in his best interest and you applaud Solinsky for doing what's in his best interest.

Damn, you're good.

Would Dirk play with a 101 fever in a meaningless mid-season game?

Solinsky would start the race and then quit, and then blame it on a ploy against him by his countryman. No lie, this actually happened.

Has Rupp ever quit a race?

Would he run?

Run What?

I guarantee you Dirk wouldn't play any old b-ball game with that temp.

One thing it seems everyone is forgetting is that running is completely unlike team sports in that you MUST be at or near 100% to compete at the highest level. Yeah I'm sure there are some exceptions people will bring up but how many runners in the world could be competitive at 95%? Definitely not Rupp or solinski in that race.

The reason you see basketball players like Novitski and Jordan performing well even when injured or sick is that, unlike in running, physical condition is only one of many important variables and they can make up for it in other areas. Also, the skill differential between the best player and worst player is much greater. The reason Jordan played with the flu was that even if he was at 70% effectiveness he was still better than most of the other players on the floor. So he was actually useful and able to contribute to winning even in a diminished state. This is simply not true in running.

But in sport like running when there are comparatively few variables, the benefit of 'gutting it out' and performing when you are not in peak form are much less than in other sports. the chance of a good/winning performance is almost nil and the risk can be quite high. why risk a setback that will derail you from bigger goals?

I was as disappointed as anyone else watching those guys drop out but I also don't pretend to know their medical situations and can understand their decisions a bit.

Maybe it's time we stop trying to compare athletes from two completely different sports?

Depends on the pollen count.

Wheating fanatic wrote: If Dirk is at 75%, he is still a good player in the NBA. If Rupp is at 75% or even just 90-95%, he gets lapped. It's just a different sport.

This is all that needs to be said on the subject. It's an apples to oranges comparison and people are looking for excuses to bash Rupp.

I wonder how many of the posters on this thread actually run.

Basketball is for wusses.

Isn't it refreshing to see a layup win the game instead of a monster dunk, hanging on the rim and screaming like they just raped a village of woman and children?

your post does not bring anything new to the discussion

Dirk-nba finals series-playing for a championship

Kobe-nba playoffs series-playing for survival

Tyson-did not compete until, wait for it, THE OLYMPICS

Rupp bailed on-the Prefontaine classic, with no effects on his eligibility for the main event (Olympics or world championships for the slow)

solinsky jumping in that race just to keep Rupp from breaking the record was retarded, if you are confident you are better than Rupp, then have the confidence you can take it back from him and run races that allow you to have the best season regardless of what others do...showed some insecurity to not want to allow someone to break it temporarily, then bitch about ruses

both runners are great, tough racers, who are "going somewhere"

wait until the trials or olympics/world championships, pretty confident Rupp will run regardless of the pollen count...that is THE ONLY MEANINGFUL COMPARISON

hah wrote:

he should have a couch who smacks him in the mouth when he whines

sounds like one uncomfortable sofa

I watched the last two minutes of the game last night...not much happening...typical NBA. Lots of standing around, pushing, shoving - not what I call basketball. Could Dirk run ONE lap at Rupp's 10k pace even when totally healthy?

Why compare grapes to gorillas?