Western Roller wrote:
Yes Cliff finally something most of us agree upon..."let's celebrate Galen's achievements". Also though, let's celebrate the fact that Galen has many more achievements ahead of him. He has not peaked.
Yes, Galen's achievements are worth celebrating, but the truth is that Galen is NOT performing at a level which is above what U.S. runners have done before. IF you look at Galen's finest effort, which is likely his 26:48 10,000m, a race in which Galen followed the pace the entire way, did NONE of the work, and undoubtedly ran spectacularly, it is NOT superior to Chris Solinsky's 26:59, which was run with a powerful last 800, 1:57 or faster, with Solinsky obviously finishing while full of running, and if anybody disagrees with this they simply need to watch the video.
Next, to look at what Galen has done at 5000m, it is obvious that Galen needs to take a backseat to Bernard Lagat, Bob Kennedy, Dathan Ritzenhein, Chris Solinsky and Matt Tegenkamp. Galen COULD NOT hold Chris Solinsky's jockstrap at 5000m, and this is a fact. Galen has been trying for several years now and has broken 13 minutes once, in a race in which he managed to play follow the leader while eking out a 12:58.9. Meanwhile, Solinsky has broken 12:57 3 times. Bob Kennedy was obviously superior to Galen at 5000m, as there is no explanation necessary even for the fanboys. Ritzenhein has run faster than Galen at 5000m, as has Tegenkamp, and Teg barely missed nabbing a medal at 5000m in the WC, a feat Galen will NEVER manage.
Galen has peaked, and this is what has gotten the Fruit of the Looms of the fanboys all bunched up. It is interesting how when one speaks the truth, and occasionally is not reticent concerning one's unavoidable manifestation of brilliance, that the unwashed masses appear to have their dull sensibilities offended as if it were the first time that somebody was audacious enough to speak the unvarnished truth without the need to mask it as if it were Galen's face.