Why do I want Mary Cain to Lose to Alexa Efraimson so bad????

For heaven's sake, be real. I enjoy watching both Ms. Cain and Ms. Efraimson as well as all the up and comers among the

high school ranks. It's good for U.S. running and it's worth

rooting for all of them. Forget all the negativity. There's

no reason to actively root against someone. I don't root

against Mr. Salazar. He had a great career, and has stayed in the sport to mentor and coach younger runners. If ever there

was a runner that prevailed over a less than stellar stride,

it is Mr. Salazar. I'm looking forward to the U.S. Championships and all I ask is that everyone give their best efforts and I'll cheer for all of them.

I don't really care who I see win, but I understand why you want to see Mary Cain lose. This is the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao matchup of American women's distance running at the moment; the matchup everybody wants to see but never materializes for whatever reason. Now, we're on the eve of it happening and we just want to see how it plays out.

Many people, particularly on this forum, want to see Mary lose to Alexa mainly because of Mary's Nike connection, and the hatred of Alberto Salazar here, and the race-dodging we've seen before from the Salazar camp. Others just want to see Mary lose because she's the fabled favorite, the prep star that was too good for prep, and they want the fresh underdog of Alexa Efraimson put Mary Cain in her place on the biggest stage in America - the National Championship.

Good luck to both girls. All I'm hoping for is an exciting race, and I have a good feeling we'll get one.

you people are WEIRD. these are 17 and 18 year old high school girls. holy cow...get a life!

Bo Peep wrote:

I think it’s because of the link to Salazar and the skipping of NCAA racing that most on the board seem to have started pressing for Mary to perform poorly.

You're on the right track, but it's even simpler than that. I doubt anyone cares that she went pro when she did, as that simply made athletic and financial sense. It's *all* Salazar, who has made it almost obligatory for people to root for his runners' opponents -- and that was before his almost comically sinister behavior in Albuquerque this winter.

Rooting for a non-NOP athlete to beat a NOPer is one small but non-negligible step from hungering for NOP runners to fail outright, but, while I can't speak for others, I am not yet at the latter point. Rupp and some of his associates may be functionally or outright doped, but he and the others up there are still fun to watch in action.

I don't think anyone here actively dislikes Mary Cain. Even if she were mature enough to be fully accountable for her public persona, that persona is perfectly appealing. I think she's great. But because I can't watch Salazar himself mess up and lose races and almost die afterward, I have to transfer my ill will toward him to easy targets after processing it into something slightly less aggressive and prickly.

The upshot is that I'd love to see AE and MC go 1-2, which won't happen. But only in that order.

been there before wrote:

you people are WEIRD. these are 17 and 18 year old high school girls. holy cow...get a life!

+1

I hope these are not adults posting

Nope, this is just the standard, if annoying, human desire to appear smart and informed by liking things before they become accepted by mass culture.See also: "I liked them before they were cool."See also: "Who's your favorite runner?" "She pretty obscure, you've probably never heard of her."

Quickly! wrote:

They will race in a few days, I think its just an intrinsic human desire to see the powerful fall and the underdog rise to the top. Most people see themselves as underdogs in their own lives and can relate. Plus its inspiring to see people beat the odds.

oldguy1 wrote:

For heaven's sake, be real. I enjoy watching both Ms. Cain and Ms. Efraimson as well as all the up and comers among the

high school ranks. It's good for U.S. running and it's worth

rooting for all of them. Forget all the negativity. There's

no reason to actively root against someone. I don't root

against Mr. Salazar. He had a great career, and has stayed in the sport to mentor and coach younger runners. If ever there

was a runner that prevailed over a less than stellar stride,

it is Mr. Salazar. I'm looking forward to the U.S. Championships and all I ask is that everyone give their best efforts and I'll cheer for all of them.

+1

I do have to admit it bothers me that Cain is now declared for the 3000m at US Juniors [even though she didn't post a time during the qualifying window] but qualified without any status indicated for the 1500m. I find her declaration for the 3000m pointless - how does it make sense for her to run the 3000m at US Juniors? The 800m I could understand - she'd be competitive at Junior Worlds in that event - but in the 3000m she'd go from having no serious competition at the US meet to being a long shot to even make the podium at Worlds since there are 2 Ethiopians and 2 Kenyans who have posted times significantly better than Cain's 2M / 3k PR.

I don't care what your thoughts are about her coach and sponsor, I find it strange that folks could find a way to root against a wonderful young athlete such as Mary Cain, who has done noting but display incredible talent and class. Efraimson appears to be equally talented and classy, but is at least a year behind Cain in her development. Efraimson is racing for experience and to perhaps set a PR, while Cain expects to compete with Jenney and Brenda for the medals.

trackcoach wrote:

I don't care what your thoughts are about her coach and sponsor, I find it strange that folks could find a way to root against a wonderful young athlete such as Mary Cain, who has done noting but display incredible talent and class. Efraimson appears to be equally talented and classy, but is at least a year behind Cain in her development. Efraimson is racing for experience and to perhaps set a PR, while Cain expects to compete with Jenney and Brenda for the medals.

Well - not Brenda [unless Cain bandits the 800m]

trackcoach wrote:

Efraimson is racing for experience and to perhaps set a PR, while Cain expects to compete with Jenney and Brenda for the medals.

One unstated rule of using first names of athletes you don't know personally: Know how to spell their names. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen any Jennifer spell the shorter version of her name "Jenney." "Jenny," yes. "Jennie," sure.

But at least you're posting in a positive manner.

been there before wrote:

you people are WEIRD. these are 17 and 18 year old high school girls. holy cow...get a life!

Meaning what, exactly? That it's wrong to root for one over the other in the usual manner of sports fandom? And does this apply to 18-year-old male athletes too, or are you just a sexist moron?

Also, your statement is factually wrong. Mary Cain is no longer in high school.

Why are people here such unrestrained idiots?

The GIGO Gecko wrote:

Also, your statement is factually wrong. Mary Cain is no longer in high school.

Why are people here such unrestrained idiots?

I think it's because most people think it's a little ridiculous and petty to be pitting two young athletes together solely because they hate one of the coaches.

We should be above that.

I root for them both and will just enjoy the race. I'm American over everything else and these girls represent a real hope for "us" to beat the Africans in RIO.

newname wrote:

How is Efraimson an underdog? She is maybe the second greatest American female distance runner in history?

Since Cain is the first, I suppose that would, in fact, make Efraimson an underdog.

Misery loves company. Those of us who experienced loss in our career want others to experience the same.

No more Salad. wrote:

The Waterboy wrote:

I think most of us are just sick of Salazar so we feel like it will be getting back at him if Cain loses.

This for the most part. I think we are all tired of his antics. Sure I wouldn't mind seeing Cain win, but I would prefer others in the field.

I am not a big fan of Salazar I think roughly 99 out of 100 of the Salazar bashers on here would sign with him instantly if he asked them to.

You still haven't told us which one you think is looser?

How were you able to edit your Subject line?

100% agree. These young athletes are incredible role models for up and coming American track athletes and are drawing so much attention into the sport that maybe just maybe we’ll be able to watch races on regular tv one day, and this will only be done if the US continues getting better amongst all disciplines of track. American track interest has definitely grown over the last 20 years, but it’s still impossible to have a discussion with a non-runner about ‘last nights 1500,’ or for anyone outside of the sport to understand the excitement each time Courtney Okolo or Ashley Spencer step on the track.

I hope that both get participation ribbons!

lease wrote:

A lot of people resent Cain's talent and advantages in life. It's basically envy, I guess.

I think it's the same dynamic, at least for some, as their dislike of Rupp. I've never met him, but people who have tell me he's a decent guy. Maybe it's just human nature, at least for some, to resent their "superiors."

In a strange way, I guess I'm lucky: I haven't been able to run for 40+ years, so just about everyone on this board is my superior in that respect. I don't have the energy to resent them all! So I just wish everyone well, and try to focus on getting by.

You have a positive mindset, my friend. How come you haven't been able to run for all those years?

I'm very out of shape myself, but am slowly trying to get back into jogging.