Have you all forgot that Webb can't race?

Johnie wrote:

Yes he ran a very great 3:35 and that's a huge breakthrough for him. Finally he's seeing the fruits of his labor. BUT this once again shows me that he can only run well with no pressure on. This race was purely a time trial to get a standard. He had no competition and there were no tactics involved, just go for it form the gun. Every time he gets in a race that counts, he blows it. He is a very poor racer. We shall see what happens come Olympic Trials time...

Johnie,

Dude, you MUST be kidding.

As if making the standard isn't pressure. As if he didn't do all the other things people here have brought up.

I'll add more:

1) He just freakin' SCHOOLED all the runners in that field including world class athlete Kevin Sullivan - absolutely schooled them all. Winning by almost 4 seconds? Are you kidding me?

2) Unfortuantely running is a "what have you done for me lately" kind of thing, but I swear, I don't know why everyone's been so down on him since his 3:53.43. It's not like he got fat and ran a 4:20 or something, and the dude has improved in all areas of his running - cross country perhaps being the biggest improvement.

3) 3:35 now - 3:29 in the near future, and then when he gets in the right race, perhaps even faster.

A. Webb is the real deal my brother.

i seem to remember hearing things about this american guy from the 70's who used to run out front all by himself and crush the competition, young guy too, and he used to run pretty ballsy in international competitions as well, heard he had some range to run fast at different distances too, i dont know though, might just be rumors and what not ...... dumbasses

Johnie:

Yes, you're a dickhead. Sure, you can state your opinion but you must understand that when you state an opinion that is not supported and runs contrary to other opinions, you open yourself up for criticism.

Here's my opinion: I think your opinion on Webb is valueless.

Here's another opinion: I think more track fans agree with my opinion than yours.

Maybe we should all try encouraging guys who are putting it on the line like Webb did in that race. Maybe, just maybe, if we were ALL a little positive, we may see some change in what we all decry as the sad state of distance running in the USA.

Hey, Johnie, here's another opinion: I think you should try a little positive thinking to perk up your life.

Anybody who works hard and never gives up are true champions. I have a high opinion of both Alan Webb and Hicham El Guerrouj, after tough times, they continued on, and tasted success again. Give them support

seems like many of you are reading too much into johnie's post.

webb appears to win many of his better races by following one person and then passing thenm toward the end tof the race, eg big 10 xc, usatf club xc, penn 5, penn mile and home depot 1500.

to date, he tends to do less well in races where there is a pack up front, which the OT 1500 tends to be.

fortunately, he has finally improved on his '01 performances, with his 3;35 being superior to his 3;53 mile.

perhaps he will also develop in running in tactical races.

On the world scene, it doesn't matter if one can run well tactically unless he can run below 3:30. Nevertheless, I watched yesterday's race and Webb's tactics looked good to me. He was up front, on the outside (I think, lane three), and before the curve he decisively accelerated away from a crowded pack and sat in behind the rabbit. What did Lunn, Stember, etc. do?? And goodness gracious, Webb made 3:35 look easy! Moreover, Webb is a young man. Webb, along with Ritz, can change the face of middle and long distance running in America. I remember very distinctly the influence that Ryun and Lindgren had. I think Webb and Ritz can still have that same influence.

^ wrote:

seems like many of you are reading too much into johnie's post.

webb appears to win many of his better races by following one person and then passing thenm toward the end tof the race, eg big 10 xc, usatf club xc, penn 5, penn mile and home depot 1500.

to date, he tends to do less well in races where there is a pack up front, which the OT 1500 tends to be.

fortunately, he has finally improved on his '01 performances, with his 3;35 being superior to his 3;53 mile.

perhaps he will also develop in running in tactical races.

I kid you not flagpole... I still stand by everything I said in my original post, regardless of what all these people say. He ran great but has yet to prove himself.

And you can bet that I'm going to hold you to your 3:29 or faster prediciton.

Johnie wrote:

I kid you not flagpole... I still stand by everything I said in my original post, regardless of what all these people say. He ran great but has yet to prove himself.

And you can bet that I'm going to hold you to your 3:29 or faster prediciton.

and we're going to hold you to the "webb can't race" comment.

[just for reference, this is not a reply to 'merman', but a general comment.]

in the LA article, alan said something about going over to Europe to race 1-2 races before the trials. right on! that's exactly what he needs to be doing! he's getting more international experience in big races: warming up in different places, eating different foods the week of races, adjusting to different time zones, etc. he's not done well in the past 2 years, but, like someone said before, it's not like he got fat and ran a 4:20! he'll be in the 3:30-31 range before we know it, and is currently the best chance that the US currently has in that event in the Olympics! instead of draggin him down, build him up!

Here's an idea...let's tie Johnie to the Flagpole naked.

Johnie, you are a horse's ass.

Alan has learned how to race and Home Depot is when it came together. But the fact is that he did show an unfortunate lack of any kind of feel for tactics ever since USATF Nationals 2001. But that all ended and he knew exactly when to blow that field apart on Sat. The lessons have been learned over 2 seasons of pain and hell and thats usually when good things happen in life. Everything has down cycles and Alan endured his. So its not suprising now.

summary: He was as a poor racer and now is hopefully off the schnide for good. Gorilla gone.

Webb can't race, huh? Guess someone forgot to tell Webb.

Johnie wrote:

I am long past my prime competition age, but back when I was competing in high school I won 2 state XC titles and 1 track title. That is absolutely irrelevant in this argument. Had I not won those titles and performed absolutely horribly on those particular days, does that automatically prove me wrong about Alan Webb? Had I not performed well in those important races, does my freedom of speech and right to my own opinion get taken away from me? The point you are trying to make doesn't make any sense at all. I'm sure almost everyone on this board has perfomed poorly in a big time situation, so shouldn't they not be allowed to comment on thissituation, as you are asserting now?

Of course you are allowed to have your own opinion. And we all have ours. You're an @ss. Tell me what Webb could have done to make you happy. I really would like to know.

I am sick and tired of hearing people call the USA distance runners pussy's and then when someone steps up ,they are still bashed. What's the deal? It seems really strange to me. Atleast Webb is trying to improve the sport here. What have you done for it lately? Nothing!!! So shut the hell up.

Next time you have an opinion you might wanna run it by your ass first cause your brain ain't doing shit for ya.

spiegle wilcox wrote:

But the fact is that he did show an unfortunate lack of any kind of feel for tactics ever since USATF Nationals 2001.

I never thought he was necessarily a poor racer, as much as he still had lessons to learn as a 1st year pro (growing pains are different from being a poor racer). In addition, physically he was not up to par. I still say he is growing with regards to tactics, but knowing you got it physically will make him a better racer.

Frank Slade wrote:

Here's an idea...let's tie Johnie to the Flagpole naked.

so, would that make him Flagpole Johnie willy?

He had one year go wrong because of injuries. He was bad the next no doubt due to problems connected with his appendix which decided to give up the ghost. He's had a good, consistent period of training, finally, and some decent 'workout' races to prep him for today's run. When he ran that 1:49 in a double a couple of weeks back, I remember he looked like he wasn't trying to win, just run a workout. Same with his 1500. He will be fine, and will be the next American to break 3:50 in the mile, and go sub 3:32 in the 1500. Not this season I would think. But he's only 21. Give him two, three, four years to develop. And a lot of jealous f***ers will still whine and complain.