Lost all respect for BAIRU and SOLINSKY

I read through all of this thinking there might be something important being disputed, but no, it's all a tempest in a teapot being magnified by the Internet.

Just a question, do they sleep together( with Jerry) ??

That would explain why they are so over protective.... or maybe they have their period.

Bairu and Solinsky were immature to react in this manner but I understand. I ran for Jerry's predecessor and the minute I got there (at least in cross country) the team came before the individual. Many talented individuals transferred out. Some of them became better performers immediately. Those guys were not treated well, more like traitors actually.

Some may say its brainwashing. The philosophy was effective. You might not be happy with your individual racing at the time but that wasn't important in cross season. It was effective in building a team chemistry. That was what won at least one of our titles when I was there. We might have been a weak team on paper but we had a 33 second split from 1-5 that year. No way no how any one was going to let down the team. The hardest most painful race I ever run. Not running for me. It was for them.

That bond must still carry over. Sort of surprising for a sub 27:00 10k runner like Solinsky, but I like it.

A Badger will always be a Badger. Say what you will about criticism of coaching (and we all have at least once amongst our teammates), once you go out and do it like Craven did, you stepped out of the fold.

I don't agree or disagree, but that's how it is.

Nice observation by the way on how being too tense is bad. Martin had us on a knifes edge and realized after a huge bomb one year how to back off.

Jerry was another story. He had historically stacked teams for at least 3 years straight. Talk about pressure! How was he supposed to deflect that. Those guys were supposed to win every year from 2004-2006.

He kept them healthy and did the best job he could to win it all every year. Craven was there and as an eyewitness has an informed opinion.

Both ways can work. I've seen uptight high stressed coaches get the job done, and relaxed low stress guys do it. Jerry and Mick Byrne have their own styles and will run their own program.

Thanks Break it up. I have been following the program since I was a kid reading about the McClimon era, and enjoyed your insights.

Every sport has their little spats. However, one in track and field will only get coverage here and T&F news. I wager most of the population has no idea who either Bairu and Solinsky is.

I wish people would understand that it is the posts all over this message board (conveniently featured on the homepage to increase traffic) that are causing this issue to blow up out of proportion.

Thank you LetsRun for ensuring that everyone involved has now been completely taken out of context and demonized by the "court of public opinion".

Get back to work people! (I realize the hypocrisy of this statement... no need to point it out)

I didn't find anything wrong with the article even if it included the quote. It's just a commentary on two different people and their personalities and views. Really no big deal at all. I probably would not have included the quote, but it really shouldn't be a big deal. High status coaches and athletes are always going to be talked about and this article seemed very calculated to me, like Craven was trying very much so to not "bash" anyone. I thought it was fine, and there was an important lesson there: there's a time to focus and a time to relax. Getting all worked up days out (or even 12 hours out) from a race is disadvantageous, not only for the race but also one's enjoyment. Personally I appreciate coaches, teammates, and friends who know how to relax prior to a race. Once the pre-race warmup starts it's time to focus, not while driving to the airport to fly to the meet.

Yes. this is not a credible source given his HS and College career. Maybe he's trying to break into sports journalism. I think as a professional piece it was bad, but ok for a blog post.

Check out the picture wrote:

Is this the same Ryan Craven who lost the Illinois high school state xc meet by celebrating before the finish line?