I don't blame him, he's getting paid. He got screwed being dropped by Nike after winning the Olympic silver. It may be just business, but not having a sponsor or income for more than a year in the very year that he should have been rewarded big time in any other sport or business shows what a lousy profession pro running is.
I hope he finds his form, but at 33, he's had a really long run and doesn't have much longer. Even runners like Cram and Coe had their last good seasons at age 31-33.
He is coming up on two years from missing an Olympic team by 0.5 sec.. Last year didn't make the final. With Leo it's all about the USATF meet. If he doesn't make the final this year, THAT would be the time to hang 'em up.
fartleks and bagels wrote:
He's only went down hill the last two years.
He went, or he HAS GONE, down hill.
He HAS GONE down hill would be proper English.
He is very marketable and has a good reach. Times are great, but as long as he is selling shoes and racing consistently, which he is, then everything is all good. Best of luck Leo!
give it up buddy wrote:
He had a great career, but it is time for him to hang up the spikes. 3:49 yesterday? D3 guys are running faster than that right now. Hate to watch someone in such serious decline holding on for too long.
He is one year older than Rupp, and two years young than Farah. When is the last time Rupp or Farah ran a 1500?
give it up buddy wrote:
He had a great career, but it is time for him to hang up the spikes. 3:49 yesterday? D3 guys are running faster than that right now. Hate to watch someone in such serious decline holding on for too long.
Why does he have to give up something he enjoys doing just because he's not in his prime. People like you are leeches of the sport, you don't see someone continuing to have fun in the sport he loves years past his prime. You just want him to go win ole USA a medal so you can feel better about living here.
0/10
codaayyee wrote:
He is very marketable and has a good reach. Times are great, but as long as he is selling shoes and racing consistently, which he is, then everything is all good. Best of luck Leo!
Haha dude you’re smoking crack! Racing consistently.... as in a consistent decline? What else could you mean by that statement? It’s not all good.
Let me be very very very clear here. If tomorrow Leo runs 3:35 I would be so happy for him and would root for more performances like that. But I’m not sure that will ever happen again.
give it up buddy wrote:
He had a great career, but it is time for him to hang up the spikes. 3:49 yesterday? D3 guys are running faster than that right now. Hate to watch someone in such serious decline holding on for too long.
Why do you feel the need to give other people unsolicited advice? I think Leo can make his own mind up. (Though one day he may no longer get the opportunty.)
I'm a big Leo fan and regard him as one of the greatest American middle distance runners of all-time. Unfortunately it looks as though he's holding on to a career that is clearly on the downside. Yes, he may be cashing a monthly Hoka check but I guarantee you that the pain and suffering he's going through on a daily basis while training is BRUTAL. The physical pain during training only gets worse as you get older and the mental anguish is twice as bad.
He needs to hang up the spikes and look for other ways to stay involved with the sport. Coaching?, Hoka rep?, etc.....
Great career Leo, don't taint it with subpar performances.
For some reason, the more people rag on Leo, the more I hope he hangs in there. He's got nothing to prove, but I suspect he's got some more good races ahead. If not, who cares. It won't ruin my birthday, and I doubt it will ruin his either.
Yes, his performances have been embarrassing, but why should he? Athletes in other sports who are near the end of their career don't. To use a MLB example, Jacoby Ellsbury has produced virtually nothing for the Yankees the last couple years but he refuses to retire. Why? Because he's signed to a big bucks multiyear contract. Dwayne Wade has looked like a reserve for years, but he hasn't retired. Peyton Manning was clearly washed up, yet he still suited up for Denver until his contract expired. Hoka I believe doesn't have reductions like Nike and he still is their highest profile track athlete. I don't believe they have another Olympic medal winner on their pro roster. If Leo retires who will Hoka choose to be their poster boy? Merber? He hasn't even made an Olympic/Worlds team.
Blue Collar. He didn t even run xc in college
Fingernails on chalk board `/ wrote:
fartleks and bagels wrote:
He's only went down hill the last two years.
He went, or he HAS GONE, down hill.
He HAS GONE down hill would be proper English.
WRONG, moran,
"He HAS ONLY GONE down hill the last two years."
HobbyThonJogster wrote:
He should go straight to the thon.
Agreed he should go straight to the Thong!!
Yep. Time to climb Mt. Everest the week before Mr. RunGum .
living the dream wrote:
As long as he's getting a paycheck to do what he loves, why would he?
Exactly. People got problems with other people doing what they like. He just mad he doesn't have the balls to do the same.
Nocontract101 wrote:
Now we see why nobody wanted to give him a solid contract after his medal. Major sponsors knew this would happen
Actually, it may have just possibly had something to do with him parading around with a Mexican flag at the Olympics.
Huevos wrote:
Nocontract101 wrote:
Now we see why nobody wanted to give him a solid contract after his medal. Major sponsors knew this would happen
Actually, it may have just possibly had something to do with him parading around with a Mexican flag at the Olympics.
It had nothing to do with that. If that was so, Nike would only sponsor Americans. They sponsor runners from many different countries.