Ben Blankenship seemed grumpy about making the team

Honestly could have just been nervous after the race too. A flag was waved after the push early on and he and Manzano had some contact as well.

Hard to say but he may have already known that Manzano filed the protest by the time he hit the interview tent.

If I had known that a protest for my DQ was being filed right after I was third at the OT I wouldn't feel like doing interviews either.

PK FIYUR wrote:

Lets run interviewers are aspergers as f***.

This guy has aspergers:

His responses are good and right to the point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rGne0lqvu4

whatishouldcareabout wrote:

I can't believe no one has stated the real reason:

because he was scared as !$$% about getting DQ'd.

This is exactly what came to my mind.

Nothing like the looming threat of possible major disappointment to keep you humble and from being too celebratory.

MORON AleRt wrote:

Because it's stupid, just like you're post. 9 out of 10 posts on this site are stupid on all levels. As someone said, it's a bunch of shills posting to get hits for the site. Not really that hard to figure out.

yupyupyup wrote:

Why is this such a dumb post?

See, I can ask questions, too.

He is not post though.

Flags Waving wrote:

If I had known that a protest for my DQ was being filed right after I was third at the OT I wouldn't feel like doing interviews either.

We have a Bingo!

End thread!

njklvkd wrote:

Isn't Oregon Hipsterville? Hipsterville means tattoo parlors. There must be 15-20 ink shops begging BB to get his Olympic rings at their parlor. That's a lot of pressure. Once the ink is dry he'll lighten up.

+1

Why fake it, he won a playoff game, not the Super Bowl.

Dear Ben,

Stop drinking your dang water during your interviews.

I'd just like to take this opportunity to congratulate Ben and grinding through what looked like some painful rigor mortis. Not sure I've ever seen someone in that condition hold off challengers. Much less a sprinter like Leo.

He's not ready to compete for a medal, but if he's ever fit enough to win, he clearly has the will.

lol99 wrote:

Dear Ben,

Stop drinking your dang water during your interviews.

Yeah, that was some epic water sipping during that Q & A. Move over Marco Rubio, a new H2O king is in town.

(Ben is not only hungry for glory, he is parched for it to)

I think you just put your finger on his problem. He's a competitor, and he wants to be competitive on the highest international level, but he isn't, at least not this year. He knows he does not have much of a chance of getting to the final round in Rio, much less winning a medal. Though stranger things have happened.

I think the real answer is:Ben is still smarting over the time Tinman said he was no better than a HS runner. Making an Olympic team is great and all, but.........there are some slights you just don't forget.

LetsRun.com wrote:

We believe the OP is referring to our post-race interviews with Ben. Here is one with just him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=1rGne0lqvu4

I do love this exchange:

"you seem a little understated, are you um...happy that you made the team?"

(awesome question!)

Ben: (no smile, no laugh, no enthusiasm, very monotone)- oh yeah, i'm definitely happy, I'm glad I got in, I'm glad I did my job."

Just doin' his job, now THAT's blue collar baby!

It's crazy reading some of your opinions of someone you don't know. Instead of celebrating the guy's accomplishment, some of you are spewing negativity. Pathetic!

Portlandguy wrote:

Why was Ben so bummed looking about making the team?

Editor's note: We believe the OP is referring to our post-race interviews with Ben. Here is one with just him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=1rGne0lqvu4

Here is one from the post-race press conference where he a bunch of super short answers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0TwHbNmC8I

In our recap of the 1500, we referred to his responses as 'businesslike.'

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2016/07/matthew-centrowitz-delivers-ben-blankenship-gets-revenge-edging-leo-manzano-final-olympic-spot/

Pathetic wrote:

It's crazy reading some of your opinions of someone you don't know. Instead of celebrating the guy's accomplishment, some of you are spewing negativity.

Relax.

I think people are just having fun with it. The more I see him talk, the more I like him, because he IS different (I much prefer his reaction to the "THANK JESUS, PRAISE HIS NAME!!!" nonsense). But his reaction was definitely a little weird. How many Olympians in history have been asked upon making the team: "are you happy to make the team?" (and it was a fair question, based on his demeanor) He's probably the first.

Which brings up the next point: why should we "celebrate the guy's accomplishment" when HE is not celebrating his accomplishment?! That's the whole point/question of the thread.

He jumped a fence to avoid interviewers last year. The press don't respect him and he knows it, so he shuts up and pouts.

I know. wrote:

He jumped a fence to avoid interviewers last year. The press don't respect him and he knows it, so he shuts up and pouts.

Blankenship said everything he needed to say with his race.

Id stand there and look like that also if I was next to those two, loud mouth, overbearing, cocky, tools.

nickky wrote:

Id stand there and look like that also if I was next to those two, loud mouth, overbearing, cocky, tools.

No you wouldn't. You'd be trying to come up with a coherent sentence while hiding your pee stain after pissing your shorts from excitement.