Men's World XC Embarrassment #2

ritz_fanGofortheTop75 wrote:

Nobody said that KA is a sound organization, strawman_82.

I said that in Kenya, as in most succesful running countries (NOT the US), if you qualify, you run. Not because you have to, but because you want to. With few exceptions.

Neither Kenya or Ethiopia would EVER have to scrape the barrel the way you did. Look at your fifth man!

LOLOLOLOLOL? Fine, if you find losing funny...

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Ritz Fan:

I know we're both carrying the same torch here with respect to World XC, but we do have a philosophical difference. I think the US is a successful running country...our top athletes simply refuse to subordinate themselves to be a member f a team for World XC. If our top guns went I'm confident we'd be in the top 5 at least.

MoneyMaker wrote:

There is no "if" to the truth in what I wrote. It is true. You have no idea what goes on in the elite realm because you are a pathetic loser. Speaking of the "Me Generation," you are such a hypocrite. Look at how you are trying to dominate this board. "Its all about me!" You little prick. You are an uneducated infantile mind and your really sound ridiculous.

I started the thread, thus I have the obligation to respond. I stand by my convictions.

The guy barely scratches a living from running and you call him selfish. Your threshold for selfish is a little low. No?

What is your excuse for not making the national team? Too busy critiquing others?

God Bless:

No your not an idiot & you bring out a great point in the fact that "the reason the US athletes don’t go 2 very often European races is because is not worth their time or money. It alot more comforting racing in the states, easier competition."

To be great at this sport you need to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Traveling in foreign countries, taking care of yourself in foreign countries by figuring out how/where/what to eat & how to get there...not to mention the frustration of not knowing a language. American distant runners would rather stay here where their comfortable...GUESS WHAT...WE'VE NEVER HAD A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HERE, WE'VE ONLY HAD 2 OLYMPICS HERE IN MY LIFETIME. Get out of your comfort zone so you can move to the next level. Travel with our international team as often as you can to get that experience that cannot be recreated in the States. Aside from that, take the opportunity to be a team player and represent your country.

Ace Programmer wrote:

The guy barely scratches a living from running and you call him selfish. Your threshold for selfish is a little low. No?

What is your excuse for not making the national team? Too busy critiquing others?

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Stupid, dogmatic argument by trying to turn the tables on me....the Truthteller. Broe dodged the Big Dogs and/or didn't want to be a team player. Likes the big fish in a small pond atmosphere...kind of like living in Peoria, going to school at Bama, or running a b.s. local yocal 5K in Jersey the same weekend 7 other guys are doing their best against the world's best.

Nah Ace, my threshold is fine.

Can't Broe just do his own thing or is he part of the public domain now?

Ace Programmer wrote:

Can't Broe just do his own thing or is he part of the public domain now?

Ace I think your on to something...just like many have said...this is reality & my view doesn't reflect that. I don't like a 13th place reality. I don't accept that for our great nation and the outrage at our performance should be deafening.

It must be to much to ask for our athletes to once a year come together as a TEAM and show the rest of the world where we stand & that we're not afraid to take you on. The same "reality checks" I've been getting on these same posts sound like scoffers in Lake Placid in 1980.

It must be to much to ask these days for an athlete to also be a leader....one who has the confidence to rally his fellow national competitors to form a team to take on the world versus depending on some federation. One who says, "Hey guys we need to do this World XC thing. We need to compete against the best. We all need to get a taste of reality - regardless how bitter the pill -- at the beginning of the year to understand what we're up against."

We need someone to say, "You know fellas, its the beginning of the season & we're all strong & healthy. Maybe we're not "peaked", but even our bad days are good compared to the alternative. Its a stupid 12K on a bitch of a course....no one care's about a PR, no one can show their cards...all there is to care about is racing -- beating that other countries 5th man. No one will be worse off for coming together just this once each year. This is our gift to our country and to our sport. This also makes us stronger individually because its tough...humbling tough. So what do you say....are you in for the greater good or just in it for yourself."

The U.S. provides almost no interest or support for cross country and track and field yet somehow a lone runner has some sort of responsibility to show up during national competition. We deserve 13th place and Broe et al have nothing to do with it. I am all for nobody showing up if they don't feel like it. Why do they owe anyone anything? If this country wants some results, then it can at least provide something better than shitty college coaches and a few places to run.

Go back and look at the old list, a few days ago you AGREED That you were wrong and now you are changing your mind??? And yes you did contradict yourself. In the points you considered legitimate you said it's ok for marathoners not to do cross since it is so close to the marathon. Then you lambast our spring marathoners for focusing on the marathon. And yes there were several points by me on the last thread that totally addressed the main point of this post and yet you disregard those. I'm sorry I didn't convince you. Maybe it was the fact I had more evidence than you, or more facts, or better analysis of past results that you continously use in a haphazard way. Maybe next time I will just say "I'm right, you're wrong" and then you will be convinced. Listen if you want to rant on, why don't you just email usatf with your brilliant suggestions? It is pretty clear by now that NO ONE who has responded in the 8 days this thread has been going supports your point. While most people would agree that US distance running can be improved, your spite and lack of tact is anything but constructive.

Old School wrote:

- Nothing you said about Khalid, Meb, Culpepper, Webb, changed my mind. They either deliberately chose not to run the trials or made the team and gaffed it. Khalid & Meb were both healthy when they deliberately chose not to run. Case closed from my perspective:They deliberately gaffed it.

- I'm not contradicting myself when I explain what I've learned...todays milers & marathoners not doing cross-country is a fact...I'm saying they're wrong & so are their priorities. I've made that clear in the past & I'll make it clear again.

- I'm not cutting people down. I'm accussing them based upon facts.

- Nothing constructive...I've laid out a game plan. Haven't seen to many other posts that offer a solution.

Ace does make a good point. IF you have never put in 140 mile weeks and pushed yourself to your limit... then you don't know what your potential is. If that is the situation then you are far more "guilty" than Broe. You have wasted your God given talent by being selfish and worrying about other "priorities". Far worse, you have spat in the face of this country that has given you the opportunities to devote time and energy to training.

That isn't the situation & I'm not wasting my time...I'm advancing the sport. A stupid argument that I'm not going to respond to anymore.

Numbers, Numbers, Numbers,

1. I did not contradict myself. I asked a question in the original post, "Why are our elites gaffing World XC? You & many others answered that it is to close to a spring marathon. It seemed credible, so I listed it on this post as something I've learned. NOT SOMETHING I AGREE WITH.

2. I will EMAIL USATF with my suggestions. In fact, I'm going to run for the LDR Chair...I will assist in transforming our priorities.

3. I am not afraid to stand-up against the majority for what I know is right....our fielding the best possible World XC or our treating it as a Club Development reward.

Tact....don't confuse it with the cold hard facts. This thread has legs because it addresses important, relevant issues. The elites are reading this & looking into the mirror asking.....guility or innoncent of Old School's charges.

"Broe: You are the most selfish and short-sighted one. Everyone in America knows about your kick, nobody on the international scene does because he doesn't have the strength to be in a position to use it. If Bekele does XC so should he. Shame on you for skipping the World XC after qualifying for the team! Shame on you for running a local yocal road race instead of mixing it up with the best in the world."

If you treat the LDR job like you treated these threads you won't last one month. You need to listen to other people's opinions. You're making world cross to be your major crusade, which is a nice, but you have to trust that the athletes know what they are doing. If you want club runners to go to world cross then you will field an even worse team.

Listen I am through "debating" this with you because it's not even a debate anymore. You just want to get on a soapbox and pretend you're the first one to discover that the US didn't do so hot in '05. Have fun with this thread, hopefully it will die...

No, the elites are reading this and thinking, "who the hell does this guy think he is?" If you think you play a part on their moral conscience, then you are much more conceded than I gave you credit for. Once again, you have no idea of what it take to make it as an elite in the US with such lack of support for the sport. You have no real answers, just irrational ramblings of criticism. Could you be anymore bitter and negetive?

I ran with Broe that Sunday after World XC's in Philadelphia. He stated that way before XC trials he had committed with Bob Kennedy and Todd Williams, to do a speaking engagement, run that 5k, and promote a new trail opening that weekend. He said that he will definitely run XC's next year in Japan but that he already had previous engagments the weekend of World XC's this year. The guys was trying to promote the sport to younger kids in the U.S. with Williams and Kennedy, and you are freaking ripping into him. He'll be ready when World Champs comes around this summer.

ritz_fanGofortheTop75 wrote:

No. Tougher. And I\'ve never had my ass kicked. If you met me in person you\'d know why, and you wouldn\'t talk shit to me, either. You\'d walk away with your tail between your legs, like you should have done ages ago.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL...

now i know your a total fukin tool.

lol...what kind of ego crazed maniac brags about how tough they how over the internet.

oh wait maybe the same one that thinks hes going to call out runners that could kick his ass OVER THE INTERNET.

ritz_fanGofortheTop75

and

Old School

if you two are older than 12 i feel very sorry for you

Backing Broe wrote:

I ran with Broe that Sunday after World XC's in Philadelphia. He stated that way before XC trials he had committed with Bob Kennedy and Todd Williams, to do a speaking engagement, run that 5k, and promote a new trail opening that weekend. He said that he will definitely run XC's next year in Japan but that he already had previous engagments the weekend of World XC's this year. The guys was trying to promote the sport to younger kids in the U.S. with Williams and Kennedy, and you are freaking ripping into him. He'll be ready when World Champs comes around this summer.

Old School should read this and apologize and realize he's a complete jackass for ripping on Broe. Buuuut he won't.

Old School wrote:

Broe: You are the most selfish and short-sighted one. Everyone in America knows about your kick, nobody on the international scene does because he doesn't have the strength to be in a position to use it. If Bekele does XC so should he. Shame on you for skipping the World XC after qualifying for the team! Shame on you for running a local yocal road race instead of mixing it up with the best in the world.

Abdi

Were you at the "local yokel" road race? Let's see? 5 runners under 15 minutes.75 runners under 18 minutes. I was there and had an off race. I ran 18:55 and was 104th! I am certain that outside of Carlsbad 5000 which is in a different league you would be hard pressed to find results like that in a "local yokel" road race. Also who are you to say that Tim is selfish? He went to an elementary school and participated in a school assembly. He went to a running clinic and spoke to runners. He also participated in a group run at 7:30 am in the rain the day after the race to promote a new running trail. Do you really think he just showed up for the 200 dollar prize money and to have his expenses covered? He showed up so that he could give something back to the running community. That doesn't sound very selfish to me. Why don’t you get your facts straight before you start making accusations?