So wejo, what do you have to say about the rupp interview?

J.R. wrote:

If my best friend in the world had just run her/his best race, I would be very happy for my friend, and would not have mentioned a word about anyone else. I would certainly not have said some competitor of hers/his had just smashed one of her/his times somewhere else.

This is very different. Galen Rupp is professional athlete who makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year because of this. I was the only running "journalist" at this meet. We are not supposed to be best friends. I feel I have a duty to ask him about Lagat getting his record.

I understand for sure that I could have phrased my comment about the record differently and will improve on that with the criticism but I don't buy at all that I'm not supposed to ask him about Lagat breaking his record.

Thinking about it now I realize I'm probably not going to get much of a response. "Usain Bolt great race, btw did you hear that X broke your world record today?"

"There's NO DOUBT he was stung, even hurt, by the immediate transition from his AR to "You know Lagat got your 5k record today...""

Practically speaking, that appears to be true--but so what?

Even if Wejo had specific knowledge that Rupp's feelings would be substantially hurt by the question, that has to be balanced against what Wejo sees as his mission, or his duty, to bring information to light, as he sees fit.

Wejo takes risk in doing this--remember, different people react very differently to "hurt feelings". Me, personally, and others I know, react with substantial aggression, maybe on the theory that the best defense is a good offense, IDK.

So how would you feel if in this situation the athlete who was asked the question instead responded aggressively toward Wejo? What if some big sprinter or thrower said "Hey, man, what the fcuk is that supposed to mean? You think I'm a chump? What the fcuk is your problem? Get a fcuking life you piece of shxt. Did you ever have even one national record, not to mention two? Of course not. What the FCUK do you know about records, you pencil-necked pu$$y? You trying to play me? You want to go?"

Exhibit A - Mike Tyson:

"Put your mother in a straitjacket you punk-a$$ white boy! Come here, tell me that, I'll fcuk you in your a$$ you punk white boy! You f@ggot. You can't touch me, you're not man enough. I'll eat your a$$hole alive, you bittch. Fcuk you, you ho. Come and say it to my face. I'll fcuk you in your a$$ in front of everybody. Bittch. Come on, you bittch! You scared coward, you're not man enough to fcuk with me. You can't last two minutes in my world, bittch. Look at you, scared now, you ho--scared like a little white pu$$y. Scared of the real man. I'll fcuk you 'til you love me, f@ggot."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQlY28K7HTo

Then what would everybody think? Likely, the average letsrunner would think that the athlete was a lunatic and responded out of all reasonable proportion to the situation.

The worth of Wejo's question should not be judged entirely in relation to the emotional reaction of the athlete. In fact, some athletes wouldn't respond emotionally at all, they would give a perfectly rational, balanced, calm answer.

Whether or not it is smart to ask the question depends on the situation--if a calm, unemotional athlete, then fine--if a conflict-avoider like Rupp, fine--if an aggressor, then ask only if you want to pay the price with broken equipment, hurt pride, or worse.

Exhibit B - David Schultz:

Stossel (demeaningly): "You think this is a good business?"

Schultz (hurt and defensive): "Yeah, it's a good business--I wouldn't be in it if it wasn't."

Stossel (questioning Schultz's self-worth): "Why is it a good business?"

Schultz (hurt and trying to preserve his self-worth): "Because only the tough survive. That's why you ain't in it, and this punk holdin' the camera, he ain't in it, these rednecks out here ain't in it, 'cause it's a tough business."

Stossel (disparagingly, sarcastically, and condescendingly): "That's terrific."

Schultz (even more hurt): "What is? Is that all you got?"

Stossel (condescendingly): "Well I asked you the standard question, you know..."

Schultz (defense turned to offense): "Standard question?"

Stossel (condescendingly): "I think this is fake."

Schultz (making Stossel feel his emotional pain): "You think it's fake? What's that, is that fake? Huh? What the hell's wrong with you? That was an open-hand slap, huh? You think it's fake?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrX9Ca7LSyQ

Schultz's feelings were hurt, inasmuch as the suggestion was made that what he did for a living was somehow unworthy for a grown man to do, and that by extension Schultz was unworthy as a man.

Do letsrunners think that Stossel's question was somehow "unfair"?

Rupp, by competing in televised events with a commercial sponsor, was at that meet in the entertainment business, every bit as much as Tyson or Schultz. Fair is fair. But, if you're going to question, or impliedly diminish someone's self-worth or self-construct, you have to accept that you might get a reaction you weren't looking for.

My 2 cents.

Here are my 5 thoughts.

1) Weldon didn't really ask a question. It would have been better if he had asked a question along the lines of, "Galen, Did you know Lagat got your 5k record. What do you think of that?"

But there was nothing awkward really about the statement and everyone knows what he was trying to do - just get Rupp's reaction to a development that needs to be asked about.

2) People are making a mountain of a molehill. Was it a little awkward? A tiny but who cares.

3) We are aware of the fact that there are some in the sport that don't like letsrun for two primary reasons. One, we don't act like fanboys for everyone and praise everyone for everything they do. Two, we allow people to post on the messageboard without registering and as a result a lot of stuff is brought up/discussed that a PR firm wouldn't want brought up.

Do I think that Ablerto/Galen like the fact that we don't censor the messageboard to stop people from talking about them? Of course not.

4) That being said, I think they probably understand that LRC is the only place really on the planet where there accomplishments and failures (so many other people are scared to point out that runners often fail) is treated as front page news and there is a huge community of people that truly care an incredible amount about their performances.

The fact of the matter is Weldon drove 14 hours to cover the meet in Arkansas for one main reason - to cover Rupp's run. If he doesn't go, one of the greatest indoor accomplishments in US distance history, is left to be totally ignored. Others might cover it but give it the same weight as some obscure collegian running on an oversized track in Washington.

5) Rupp/Nike/Oregon - they are the New York Yankees of traack and field and create emotional responses in people - normally strongly positive or strongly negative. Allowing that type of emotion in my mind is good for the sport.

As a Dallas Cowboy fan, it's unreal how many fellow big time fans absolutely hate our star player - Tony Romo. That's the nature of celebrity, but the fans who pay big $$ have fun with it. It drives me nuts as I am a huge Romo fan but what am I going to do?

The different is people in the NFL are used to criticism and being called out. People in running are used to being praised 100%.

"In fact, some athletes wouldn't respond emotionally at all, they would give a perfectly rational, balanced, calm answer."

...to the very question asked by Wejo, in exactly the manner in which it was asked.

Wejo,

You do realize that know matter what your response is, You cannot please everybody.

Your site has as may hypocritical haters as they do likers. First they hate Rupp, and if your interview does not suite your forum readers they hate you.

Their main objective is to catch you when they perceive you to trip up.

You are right, Rupp makes mucho dinaro, so whether he likes you or not, does not really matter. Because when it comes down to it, nobody cares about your ass except you and your wife.

Just do your job, and ask the questions, and who gives a rats ass what your so called loyal forum guests think.

The fact of the matter is Weldon drove 14 hours to cover the meet in Arkansas for one main reason - to cover Rupp's run. If he doesn't go, one of the greatest indoor accomplishments in US distance history, is left to be totally ignored. Others might cover it but give it the same weight as some obscure collegian running on an oversized track in Washington.

Your self-importance is staggering. If your brother hadn't filmed that pointless interview, nothing on this earth would be any different. People would still have discussed the race. Results were instantaneous. Rupp obviously had zero interest in talking to him. The race was shown on national television!

On the topic of the board, the problem isn't that posters discuss Galen, Alberto, et. al. The problem is the petty, hateful, and near-libelous content that flourishes here. It kills good discussion. Registration would drastically improve the quality of the board and you two both know it.

And you can drop the clueless football analogies already, good God.

I don't really have an opinion on whether the question should have been asked or not, worded differently, or any of that.

What I did notice was the visceral, palpable anger that Rupp displayed, and the way he looked at Wejo in that brief moment before he said, "Oh yeah? Good for him."

With respect, Dan, your own self-importance isn't bad, either.

Nothing would be any different had he not done the interview? Really? How do you know? Certainly there wouldn't be this discussion on letsrun, for starters...also, it could be significant developmentally for Wejo as a "journalist". And those are just for starters.

It is equally self-important of you to arrogate to decide for the rest of us what matters and why.

"Hypocritical" can now be added to the other types of perhaps unsavory content that you identified.

Take a good look in the mirror before you try to appropriate the moral high ground, Dan.

Douchebag parting comment by wejo, par for the course.

wejo drove down there? Would have thought he would have taken the LetsRun1 LearJet.

rojo wrote:

The fact of the matter is Weldon drove 14 hours to cover the meet in Arkansas for one main reason - to cover Rupp's run.

wejo wrote:

I was the only running "journalist" at this meet. We are not supposed to be best friends. I feel I have a duty to ask him about Lagat getting his record.

My point is to treat people well and not be adversarial like you don't care what happens to them.

Why do you feel you had a duty to point out Lagat got his record? It was like saying, "Hey Galen, did you hear your car was stolen?", offensive and totally irrelevant. Why not ask him about breaking the record? How do you feel now that you broke the record? Were you still confident after going through at 4:06 for the mile? Did you have any doubts?

I don't buy at all that I'm not supposed to ask him about Lagat breaking his record.

What was your reason to point this out to him? Was it to insult him? To get a stunned response? To take away from his record? What, exactly?

Were you afraid someone else might forget and not tell him later on?

Dan Quinn wrote:

Registration would drastically improve the quality of the board

Agreed, and many other benefits.

It was a very STUPID question to ask at a time like that. Who gives a fu** if Lagat got his AR? I'm with JR, what was your point? It reminded me of those stupid reporters who ask football coaches stupid questions while they're going into the locker room at half time. I would have congratulated Rupp and not even thought about the Lagat issue, because I wouldn't have cared. Why did you care? I won't make any personal judgments, but you are not a reporter at all. You're horrible. This is EXACTLY why athletes hate reporters. And believe me, most coaches and athletes hate reporters.

J.R. wrote:

Why do you feel you had a duty to point out Lagat got his record? It was like saying, "Hey Galen, did you hear your car was stolen?", offensive and totally irrelevant.

Totally irrelevant? LOL. You're really bad at analogies and judgements.

It was a completely fair and good question . . . the problem was it being delivered in a awkward way and not in the form of a question.

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Generally speaking about fan perception of the "media" in track and field, I think some of this reaction and perception of bias by fans just shows how minor track and field is as a sport. Because track and field is so minor everything is supposed to be 100% positive and everyone is supposed to be buddy buddy. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys lose a game and everything is 100% negative.

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Wejo, I agree with this, but in order to pull off the non-buddy buddy approach and be impartial, or even be critical, as a journalist, you have to have the respect of your interviewee. If you're a respected journalist, then the person you are interviewing, will feel much more compelled to be cooperative. Maybe I am stating the obvious, but you seem to miss on this.

I think in your case, you don't have the respect. So, try a little more tact and buttering up next time. I think it is a disservice to this site to have such poor interviewing and rapport building skills.

well, then again wrote:

It was a very STUPID question to ask at a time like that. Who gives a fu** if Lagat got his AR? .

huh? Two of the three best American distance runners swap American records on the same day and you think reporters shouldn't ask for their reactions?

I think it is a great story - two really impressive runners with very different backgrounds and experience break each other's record? I do want to hear from them about it, yes.

agip wrote:

I think it is a great story - two really impressive runners with very different backgrounds and experience break each other's record [the same evening]? I do want to hear from them about it, yes.

Ditto. I mean, how often have two distance runners swapped ARs on the same evening? That is news, thus it is a journalist's job to try to get the reaction of the protagonists. If the protagonists don't like it, tough luck.

So kudos to Let's Run/Wejo for getting the interview under challenging circumstances, and for coming on here to explain things.

My beef is that, after Wejo drove those 14 hours and got Rupp's attention ... the actual interview was poorly conducted. Okay, maybe Galen isn't the easiest interview, and the circumstances were not ideal, but it's a pattern with many if not most Let's Run interviews - awkward phrasing of questions (or non-questions) that tends to throw off the interviewee.

Yes, I appreciate that LRC provides coverage that would otherwise not be there, but it is frustrating that their coverage is so often compromised by a "C- in Journalism 101" quality of execution.

So get Layden or some other pro journalist with knowledge of distance running to watch some of the interviews you've done and critique your approach. The previous poster who talked about how the FloTrack person dealt with Lagat in a similar circumstance had some useful specific points as well (and when you're getting journalism tips from FloTrack, that's maybe a sign you need quite a bit of help).

Again, most everyone sucks at running with practice and coaching, same holds true for journalism.

Meant to say that most everyone sucks at running withOUT practice and coaching, same holds true for journalism.

God lord Wejo... I know you're a neocon and all, but that was such a douche bag move. Talk about a Faux News wanna be.

Lagat > Rupp wrote:

Listservere wrote:

Where is the interview? Can someone link? I don't have access to the front page of LRC. It is blocked.

Thanks.

Rupp Interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2SNyZIzaeW4

Now let's all take a look at the Lagat interview where he talks about the same subject (Rupp breaking his record):

http://www.flotrack.org/speaker/137-Bernard-Lagat/video/602966-Bernard-Lagat-surrounded-after-American-5k-Record-at-Millrose-Games-2012

Handles it in a completely different way and that is why Lagat is Lagat and Rupp is a whinny bitch. Yes Wejo made the situation awkward, but had Lagat been in Rupp's place it would have gone down completely different.