Tyrone ReXXXing wrote:
I agree 100% with you, and was gonna start a similar thread (started it in my head in fact. ;) ).
Saying Hunter is in 8:21 shape for 2-mile is an absurd statement, when you consider that out of all the HS greats that have run, only ONE has been under 8:30 (and barely), and only a few under 8:40. 8:21, what's that, 7:43 3k ?? C'mon.
And even if you really believe he could run that, yeah, what exactly is the point of announcing that to the world? None that I see.
Tinman clearly likes the attention he is getting. Maybe he deserves a little bit of it, but Hunter was a huge stud/talent/superstar before he ever met Tinman, and will be so in the future after he parts ways with Tinman (unless Hunter is a head-case like Webb was, and goes back to Tinman someday.)
And all this talk of Tinman's lofty/ambitious goals of saving the sport and making Americans great at distance running and competing equally with the Africans someday.......get over it. Just coach the kid(s) under you, do your best, and stop talking so much.
Tin Man needs to cool it wrote:Drew Hunter's coach actually stated prior to the Pre Classic that Drew could possibly be well under Webb's record. He also stated that he will likely easily break Rupp's 5000 record and Verzbicas's two mile record.
Regardless if that is true, that is a mother load of additional pressure to heap upon a kid that already has dealt with enough pressure to last a lifetime.
He needs to zip it up and let his kid run.
As smart as people say this guy is, he surely doesn't realize the difference between 3:53 and 3:57 is immense. Two completely different levels of athletes. One is a top NCAA athlete (3:57), the other is a top level pro and competing for an Olympic Trials 1500 meter final (3:53).
Webb ran 3:53 and we now know he went on to become the fastest miler in American history. Freak of nature talent. Just because Webb did it doesn't mean Hunter should automatically be able to do it.
If I were Hunter's parents I would advise this guy to let Drew's legs do ALL the talking from this point on.
Anyone who has followed tinman on his site for years know that he likes to talk big about his coaching ability. He also has this bad habit of accusing other coaches to have "stolen" training ideas from him (even Jack Daniels).
He also brags about his own running (and biking) credentials and his superior intellectual ability (math and philosophy genious etc).