Riley Masters was upset with McGregor

I'm sorry that happened.

"Always tried to bring a professional attitude to the track. Today I did not do that. Apologies to @pmagoobs. My actions were out of line."

I suppose that's better.

That is better indeed.

McGregor did nothing intentionally and he felt bad about what happened. You can tell all that from the interview. I wish him the best.

bigsky2 wrote:

McGregor did nothing intentionally and he felt bad about what happened. You can tell all that from the interview. I wish him the best.

McGregor did nothing wrong, unless trying to win or finish highly in a championship race is considered to be bad form these days.

What interview are you talking about???

bigsky2 wrote:

That is better indeed.

McGregor did nothing intentionally and he felt bad about what happened. You can tell all that from the interview. I wish him the best.

He also said he didn't do anything wrong, because he didn't. If anything, Masters should be angry at his teammate Casey for clipping on McGregor's heels.

its his own fault for letting the pace be so slow. Obviously when you go through 800 in over 2:20, people are going to be clipping each other. This is a championship race in Eugene, not Baton Rouge. These guys didn't need to jog 1100 meters and then kick. High school state meets are faster. They all might as well have just lined up for a 400. There is a reason the 400 is in lanes.

How in the HELL could you seriously blame that whole thing on McGregor in the 1500 today? Standing at the finish line like a pouting child waiting for him to finish, pointing fingers and cussing him out. Absolutely pathetic display of sportsmanship. ACCIDENTS HAPPEN, and track is sometimes a contact sport.

Finished at 3:18 and just stands there waiting for McGregor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl3-WLh3G3o

10k guyy wrote:

its his own fault for letting the pace be so slow. Obviously when you go through 800 in over 2:20, people are going to be clipping each other. This is a championship race in Eugene, not Baton Rouge. These guys didn't need to jog 1100 meters and then kick. High school state meets are faster. They all might as well have just lined up for a 400. There is a reason the 400 is in lanes.

Totally in agreement with you. These guys set up the perfect race for Fleet and obviously the likes of Masters/McG overestimated their ability to go with the big kickers. Why?? Because it's a championship race? And to be honest with you, I'm surprised there weren't more collisions (in the women's race as well), as these folks were very tightly bunched.

The only person Masters should be angry with is Masters.

For what it's worth, they went through 800 in 2:13. Still jogging, though.

I agree with the posters above who mention the pace as an issue. When the pace goes out the first 1000 meters in a pace I could comfortably run as a 9th grader, there will invariably twelve guys in the pack with a lap to go, with lots of jostling guaranteed. I know in my own experience I used to have second thoughts about leading early, but going out in 3:00/3:02 at the 1200 strung the field out and made the race much easier to break down tactically. It is difficult to win that way, however, unless one is clearly superior, but it is also difficult to win in 400 meter sprint too, especially since not getting knocked down or tripped becomes a realistic ancillary objective.

The race was disappointing from a spectators perspective. A great kickers race would have been had at 3:42/43. But 3:50? At some point a tactical race simply becomes slow and mediocre.

Some biased, maybe inaccurate, context...

I don't think McGregor is exactly respected in track circles. Being of similar age and ability, I've had a general knowledge of him and his behaviour since high school. Again - I can't stress enough that I've never talked to him, could be a really nice guy...but stories I've heard, races I've watched all point to someone who is somewhat self-centered and not level-headed. I don't think I'm the only one who has this opinion. So when he goes down in front of Masters I think his reaction is akin to Metta World Peace throwing an elbow, might be accidental but there is history there.

I've watched the race several times and I don't know how you could say you were running the race of your life. It went out in 2:12, half this site would have been "having the race of their life". With 100 to go McGregor was clearly tying up and fading - no way he finishes top 3 like he alludes to. When Masters fell he popped up and tried to finish. McGregor knew he was toast and came in 25 seconds behind the guy who fell after him....

Some biased, maybe inaccurate, context...

I don't think Masters is exactly respected in track circles. Being of similar age and ability, I've had a general knowledge of him and his behavior since high school. Again - I can't stress enough that I've never talked to him, could be a really nice guy...but stories I've heard, races I've watched all point to someone who is somewhat self-centered and not level-headed. I don't think I'm the only one who has this opinion. So when Master goes down over McGregor, I think his reaction is akin to Susie Favor Hamilton taking a dive, might be accidental but there is history there. Also consider Master's DQ for impeding Reed Connor in 2012 1500m semis.

I've watched the race several times and I don't know how you could say you were running the race of your life. It went out in 2:12, half this site would have been "having the race of their life". With 100 to go Masters was clearly at the back of the pack. No way he finishes top 3 like he dreamed of. To his credit, when Masters fell he popped up and tried to finish--no harm, no foul. McGregor took a much harder fall and was lucky not to've broken a bone.

Was no appeal fouled by Texas? McGregor appeared to've been contacted by Perkins, which caused the fall? I noticed Perkins bulling through a couple of runners in his semi-final heat as well. Some contact may be inevitable in a race like this, but there is the beginning of a pattern of aggressive, physical racing tactics with Perkins.

This race was most certainly a dissapointment from a spectators perspective! At Hayward field of all places. The very facilitly where the great Pre would always make it into "a pure guts race." It's a shame not one of those 12 guys had the guts to go hard from the firing of the gun. As the previous poster said you might as well have lined them up and ran a 400. It would have yielded about the same result. Those guys absolutely "sacrificed the gift." A total dishonor to the legend of Pre!

As far as the incident goes I saw it the same way after watching on youtube. Perkins bumped Pat while pushing his way through the pack, which is what appears to have caused Pat to go down. Going back to previous comments though, this would have never happened had somebody had the guts to go hard from the gun and make it an honest race. 12 runners and not one ounce of bravery from any them. Very sad indeed. As my college coach used to say, "you gotta have balls kid!"

The finishing time was pathetic.

The officials should have called it a 12 way tie for last

Perhaps he should blame himself for letting the race be run @ 4:30 pace for 1000 meters and allowing every single runner to be in the mix with 150 to go. Oh wait, that's what he and obviously everyone else in the field wanted. Why? Because every single guy in that race believed he had the best kick. One big problem - none of them can sprint with Mac Fleet.

I love sit and kick races!! Time trials are for stanford and mt. sac., championships are for all out sprint finishes!!