We are basically on the same page then. Because I wasn't surprised at all that he did this. But I looked at it from the perspective of the NY Half and the USATF 10000. The NY Half proved he had the strength and endurance. The USATF proved he had the speed. He obviously had plenty of experience running the 5000 and 3000M. It was just a matter of using all those elements in one race.
What is funny about your post is that people have this obsession on this board in believing Rupp can't do something until he proves it. Its as if people read a weather report, see that its 95% chance of precipitation, subfreezing temperatures, but they won't accept that it will snow until its proven to them that it actually does.