Lynna Irby pulls a Sammy Watson. Struggling (by her lofty standards) as a collegian, the solution is to .... go pro early

Jessen jeffla wrote:

This is a similar scenario to Alan Webb going pro after a year at Michigan. Sounds like he got the same deal he was being offered immediately out of hs. No one was questioning that decision

No one was questioning Webb's decision to go pro after a year at Michigan? Are you out of your mind?

Webb got a huge deal. She got almost nothing. Webb had a way better chance of making a final than her because she is a 52 second runner. Is Cain a 1:59 runner! Is Ryun a sub 4 miler? Can Jenner even win the women’s multi? $25k per year and she took that rather than flunk out of school and get nothing.

douglas burke wrote:

I have no idea what they make, but 49.80 for 400 is FAR SUPERIOR to Mary Cain when she EVER RAN 1:59.5 for 800, 4:04 for 1500, and 8:58 for 3000, or Hasay who ran 4:07 for 1500, 15:28 for 5000 and 31:39 for 10000 (Some of these times happened AFTER Cain and Hasay Turned PRO, Hasay' 2:20.57 is probably better, but not by much than 49.80, Heck 49.80 for 400 is likely better than anything Rupp ran BEFORE turning PRO, and 400 is a glamour event probably not as much as the 100 or Marathon, so I guess she got paid well (20-40k is a joke for that kind of talent).

Generally speaking distance runners are much more marketable to masses of hobby joggers. Especially pretty ones like Hasay.

Maybe I shouldn't have said no one. A majority of people thought he should've turned pro after hs. He had one of the greatest senior track seasons ever seen.

He ran well in xc at Michigan and then was hurt and struggled in track. Why not go back to what worked incredibly well?

This is the house Lyna Irby Just bought with some of the money from the Pro Contract. https://twitter.com/DreamHouseX/status/1116068438529708034

I think you mean she will be cleaning the pool to earn enough money to buy spikes.

Who?

She also bought a boat, https://twitter.com/Felix38491270/status/1114977324661968897

Crickets.

She has yet to sign and neither has Grant Holloway. Although, he will be $1M+...

Market is tight, budgets are tight. Tough for brands to want to sign uncertainties at this point, and I think Irby is an uncertainty. World class talent, but not showing the brilliance of past seasons. Maybe she felt she couldn't turn it around. I don't blame the coaches as Georgia is the top program in the country.

There's really no point to making statements like this. You can't back up this claim with any data beyond something like a majority of people whose comments you remember. I would argue that a survey of Letsrun regulars, or a survey of high school coaches, or a survey of college coaches, or a survey of USATF members, would all yield the same result: Webb should not turn pro right after high school. But since we didn't conduct those surveys, we can't say that either.

Jessen jeffla wrote:

.... A majority of people thought he should've turned pro after hs. He had one of the greatest senior track seasons ever seen.

He ran well in xc at Michigan and then was hurt and struggled in track. Why not go back to what worked incredibly well?