Greatest American Miler?

i would put manzano ahead of webb. webb sucked. no brains

How is this even a question?

Centro is THE MAN.

AxC wrote:

IMHO

1. Centro:

Olympic Gold, World Indoors Gold, World Outdoors Silver and Bronze

I think he gets an American Record soon

2. Jim Ryun

Olympic Silver, Broke WR in mile, Legendary HS mile record

3. Lagat

4. Steve Scott

5. Alan Webb

Jim set two long standing world records and was #1 in the world for two years. Centro has never been #1 in the world, and he doesn't hold the American records in either event, let alone the world record. Jim has him beat.

Centro may very well be #1 in the world this year. And he is competing in a much tougher era then Ryun

1500 meter runner, not miler

Coach wrote:

1500 meter runner, not miler

This - 1500 Centro, Maree, tie between Ryun and Manzano

Mile - Ryun. Scott Webb

1500=mile

no one calls themselves a 1500er

No, he needs to run a great mile.

smile wrote:

AxC wrote:

IMHO

1. Centro:

Olympic Gold, World Indoors Gold, World Outdoors Silver and Bronze

I think he gets an American Record soon

2. Jim Ryun

Olympic Silver, Broke WR in mile, Legendary HS mile record

3. Lagat

4. Steve Scott

5. Alan Webb

Jim set two long standing world records and was #1 in the world for two years. Centro has never been #1 in the world, and he doesn't hold the American records in either event, let alone the world record. Jim has him beat.

Ryun was #1 in the world when competition was shallow and pitiful, and also had the world record when the competition was shallow and pitiful.

Seriously, what don't you guys understand about that? Track in the 1960s had a very tangible barrier of entry. Once you graduated highschool or college, athletics had to take back seat to finding a career to support yourself. Many promising athletes disappeared because they lacked the resources to support their athletic careers. Track in the 1960s had the depth of the modern triathlon.

Yes, before Centro got the gold medal, Ryun still had the better career. But now that he DOES have the gold medal, it shouldn't even be a point of contention, especially given his international record thus far.

Some people always come in blabbering about how Ryun didn't have the opportunity to race at the World Championships and such, and claim those accomplishments shouldn't count. But everyone seems to forget that Centro also doesn't have the opportunity to try and run faster than a piss-poor world record, and instead has to deal with a record set by a man who would MELT Ryun's lungs in a race.

1967 Ryun beats 2016 Centro.

And 2007 Webb.

Go cry about it.

I understand that I'm right and you're wrong.

Centro doesn't even have the AMERICAN record.

Ryun had the WORLD record.

You cannot be the greatest American without holding, at the very least, the American record in the event. Especially when someone else held the world record in that event, won an Olympic medal in it, and was ranked #1 in the world on multiple occasions.

Correct.

A 3:51.1 mile with no rabbits, a 53 last lap, and on a cinder track is a better performance than anything centro has done. On a synthetic track with rabbits and a more even pace, Ryun goes under Centro's mile PR. And under his 1500 PR on conversion. By a lot.

Again, go cry about it (I know you will).

Bzzzzzzt! Wrong.

Yea but centrowitz sat and kicked tho, not sure he was trying to do anything other than win a tactical race here.

Centro is THE MAN wrote:

How is this even a question?

Centro is THE MAN.

So you are including doped up arrogant jerks?

interrsing

Assuming we're saying 1500m runners are milers then Centro. Centro has Olympic Gold, Indoor WC gold, 2 WC medals, and numerous American titles. Ryun wasn't a racer get over it. Soft WR

Interesting that Ryun and Centro have almost identical mile and 800 PBs. If Ryun's world record wad soft why is Centro neglibly faster? Centro's times 50 years later don't jump out at us do they? I guess Centro is like Rupp, a great racer who gets the hardware.