Joe Sometimes wrote:
I think that when you talk about GOAT it comes down to American records, World records, Olympic medals, World Championship medals and Major Marathon medals.
Qualifying for Olympic teams simply doesn't cut it as relevant to the discussion of GOAT.
Shorter is still THE MAN.
Qualifying for teams doesn't cut it?
Good thing Meb has had an American record, Olympic medal and two major marathon wins.
You truly are a genius.
Billy the GOAT candidate wrote:
Giddy wrote:I don't know why people are putting Bill Mills in this discussion... his Olympic race was amazing... that's about it.
Because the discussion is about who is the GOAT. Not who has amassed most third and fourth places. In the GOAT discussion, non-wins are irrelevant. 1 gold beats 10 silver. Just stop this nonsense about lesser medals. Next time you're gonna say is that that 100 marathon-runner is the GOAT since he has 100 top-1000 placings.
Only gold matters.
And Boston or NYC is a more impressive WIN than the Olympic marathon.
I'll take a team of Boston/NYC winners vs a team of Olympic marathon winners any time.
Meb has Top-3 finishes at four major marathons and one Top-3 finish at the Olympics marathon.
trappist wrote:
Pat Porter or Craig Virgin because X-Country rules!
Virgin definitely belongs in the discussion. Two time World XC winner when that race was, by far, the most competitive on Earth. Like Rodgers, he was robbed of his best chance to medal in the Olympics by the boycott, so it's unfair to hold his lack of Olympic Gold against him. Still, I think Shorter had the better career and is the best US distance runner, but I'd put Virgin ahead of Meb, too.
Someone else who hasn't been mentioned here is Clarence DeMar. 7 time Boston winner and Olympic Medalist. He probably would have won Boston 12 or 14 times, but he didn't run at all during his prime years because of a doctor's mistaken diagnosis.
Another guy no one has mentioned is Bob Schul. Olympic gold medalist who was dominant on the world scene for several years (unlike Mills, Schul was the favorite in his race)
Going way back, Jim Lightbody was a triple gold medalist (More if you count the games of 06).
Meb isn't done yet, though. It's extremely unlikely, but if he managed to medal in Rio, we will have to re-assess.
LetsRun.com wrote:
We just came across this piece from last week by our friend Toni Reavis.
http://tonireavis.com/2016/02/15/meb-now-atop-all-time-u-s-distance-running-list/#more-14714Do you agree or disagree with this conclusion?
Reavis wrote:With Meb’s second-place finish behind Galen at the Trials last Saturday, earning his fourth Olympic berth, you have to say once and for all — though it’s a close call — that Meb has finally climbed to the very top of the U.S. distance running mountain as the best we have ever seen.
For years I felt that Frank Shorter held that lofty recognition with his Olympic gold in Munich `72 and Olympic silver (should’ve been gold) four years later in Montreal. And remember, as we talk about doubles, that Frank finished fifth in the Munich Olympic 10,000 m final five days before his marathon gold.
Plus, the Yale Eli got it done across the board: road, cross country and track, earning an NCAA 10,00m title in 1969 before adding five more U.S. 10,000m titles, another in the 5000m, four more national cross country crowns, two Olympic Trials victories in the 10,000m and the marathon, and three No. 1 rankings in the world in the marathon. Add on being father of the original Running Boom, co-founder of the Bolder Boulder 10K, a leading advocate for a drug-free sport, and one sees in Shorter a life’s worth of excellence and integrity in his sport.
But Frank’s athletic prime only stretched from 1969 to 1976 (if you can call that only), while Meb has been the sport’s Energizer bunny from 1997 to 2016
Yes I agree with Reavis. But the most important thing is Trump is the greatest American period. More Trump, less running.
Billy the GOAT candidate wrote:
Giddy wrote:I don't know why people are putting Bill Mills in this discussion... his Olympic race was amazing... that's about it.
Because the discussion is about who is the GOAT. Not who has amassed most third and fourth places. In the GOAT discussion, non-wins are irrelevant. 1 gold beats 10 silver. Just stop this nonsense about lesser medals. Next time you're gonna say is that that 100 marathon-runner is the GOAT since he has 100 top-1000 placings.
Only gold matters.
Is Billy Mills better than Ron Clarke... he beat him in a race one time, but I think it's easy to figure out who was the better runner.
Mills ran a great race, arguably one of the best races ever... a GOAT runner candidate... no f'n way. If that's the case, why isn't Bob Schul in the mix?
US Marine Billy Mills has an Olympic Gold Medal.
And Boston or NYC is a more impressive WIN than the Olympic marathon.
I'll take a team of Boston/NYC winners vs a team of Olympic marathon winners any time.[/quote]
Well for a start, those are point to point races, and not comparable to an Olympic out and back course.
Its usally why those courses are quicker. The olympic courseis often tougher, and doesn't get a tailwind the entire length, or downhill or uphill the entire way
RIP: D3 All-American Frank Csorba - who ran 13:56 in March - dead
RENATO can you talk about the preparation of Emile Cairess 2:06
Great interview with Steve Cram - says Jakob has no chance of WRs this year
Running for Bowerman Track Club used to be cool now its embarrassing
Hats off to my dad. He just ran a 1:42 Half Marathon and turns 75 in 2 months!
2024 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion