Suspicious Intellect wrote:
So it sounds like you're giving him a big thumbs down in terms of performance and overall success.
No, not a thumbs down. Of course he was brilliant. But the OP asked if he was the greatest M-distance runner ever. I don't think so as he didn't achieve as much as the others I listed. What his talent was and what he might have run in some parallel universe is irrelevant to the OPs statement.
Coe ~ 8 world records over 4 distances, 2 OL gold, 2 OL silvers, about 10 seasons at the top.
Snell ~ 4 world records over 3 distances, 3 OL gold, about 5 seasons at top.
Ovett ~ 5 world records over 3 distances (if you include 2 miles as m-distance), 1 OL gold, 1 OL bronze, about 8 seasons at top.
Ryun ~ 3 world records (plus = 800) at 3 distances, 1 OL silver, 3 seasons at top.