Smith talks about how he went from having "mixed opinions" to coaching Galen Rupp in part II of our exclusive with the NAU coach. It's a great read.
https://www.letsrun.com/news/2020/03/mike-smith-qa-part-ii-on-choosing-to-coach-galen-rupp-defending-the-process-rupps-human-side/
Mike Smith Part II: Smith explains why he agreed to work with Galen Rupp
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Rupp haters go home DEVASTATED.
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Hahah, Salazar at Trials HOAX!!! Love the losers that fell for that!
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Man, he didn't answer a single difficult question. Until he actually acknowledges the thryoid, testosterone, and cartnitine charges I just dont really buy it. I want to believe him, and I do think people can change. But this guy is either still in denial or hiding something
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Kudos to JGault for asking the tough questions. Smith's extreme equivocation was disappointing but telling. Like, get a load of this doozy of a response:
Mike Smith said
"While someone may accuse me of defending a person, I’m defending a process. I would defend anybody in this. Even people that hate Galen Rupp or Nike, I’d defend anybody. Even with virtuous intention, we’ve gotta care about a process. We can’t just trade in our own thinking on these subjects just getting swept in a movement because it actually threatens the real things that have to be addressed and attacked.
I’m certainly alarmed at jeez, lots of things in that report. But there’s also a process that looks deep into those athletes. I don’t know Jordan Hasay at all, but I remember Jordan Hasay had this quote that’s like hey, I’ve spent a lot of time with these people, and no one ever asked me to do something I was uncomfortable with or do something that violated my integrity. And instantly, [the general public’s reaction] is like, no, no, no that can’t be true. And that [reaction] bothers me.
Do I think that every stone [was] turned or edge explored and those things? Yeah. It’s probably easier for me to just say, I don’t know man, I’ve got nothing to do with that, that was in the past, but I think those reports, there’s a lot included in there that may be concerning but is…I don’t know.
I’m trying to really not dodge your question and answer it as directly as it can. I think we’ve gotta really care about our process of how we assign guilt. Someone that cheats, yeah, get them out. Let’s crush them. The world record holder in the steeplechase yesterday? Yeah, good riddance. But we’ve also gotta be really open to [thinking critically about] all these things that may challenge spirit of sport ethics that aren’t acceptable for me or you or someone else but that’s not the same as the world record holder having EPO in her urine. It’s not the same thing.
Is it just easier if it’s all the same thing? Yeah, it is. Is it harder to have it be convoluted and what’s okay with one person isn’t okay with someone else? Yup, that’s hard. But that’s the human condition in so many things. And only when we are really talking about that can we firm those things up for the future of our sport. And people in the spotlight have great responsibility for that — athletes, coaches, agents.
The questions you ask, like, yeah, of course that stuff’s alarming. But the second we abandon our critical thinking or our process with this stuff…I worry about that. And please, it’s important to know, I’m not defending any of that. I just think that (critical thinking and the process) is as important for the battles we have to fight in our sport as anything."
Okay, Mike, we get that you value critical thinking. You've made that (albeit nothing else) extraordinarily clear. Now can you use your critical thinking faculties to answer Gault's question about the reasonable inference that Galen abused testosterone under Salazar? -
dznuts wrote:
Man, he didn't answer a single difficult question. Until he actually acknowledges the thryoid, testosterone, and cartnitine charges I just dont really buy it. I want to believe him, and I do think people can change. But this guy is either still in denial or hiding something
“ I don’t know Jordan Hasay at all, but I remember Jordan Hasay had this quote that’s like hey, I’ve spent a lot of time with these people, and no one ever asked me to do something I was uncomfortable with or do something that violated my integrity. And instantly, [the general public’s reaction] is like, no, no, no that can’t be true. And that [reaction] bothers me.” -
I don't know what's dumber - the questions asked or the answers given. Piss poor journalism and Smith can't put together a coherent sentence.
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I'll admit--I was pumped to read this. But as many have stated.. his answers are so long and drawn out. Just answer the question already! I applaud LR for trying.. but I'm over the Mike Smith interviews.
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Txrunnergirl was dumb enough, and also running around shoving her phone in others' faces to see if they could confirm it was Salazar from 50 feet away from behind.
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I feel like this entire interview is a long, drawn out way for Mike Smith to say, "It's all just hard work!" Well, duh, Rupp works hard. But he also cheats. And just because you know someone, doesn't mean for a second that they are any cleaner.
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Real Lyfe Nobodee wrote:
I feel like this entire interview is a long, drawn out way for Mike Smith to say, "It's all just hard work!" Well, duh, Rupp works hard. But he also cheats. And just because you know someone, doesn't mean for a second that they are any cleaner.
And just because you don't know someone and have never, even for one second, spent time with them while they train, doesn't mean for a second that they are cheating. -
Real Lyfe Nobodee wrote:
I feel like this entire interview is a long, drawn out way for Mike Smith to say, "It's all just hard work!" Well, duh, Rupp works hard. But he also cheats. And just because you know someone, doesn't mean for a second that they are any cleaner.
This is the "mob mentality" he's referring to. The baseless accusations that are bad for the sport. -
not sure you can call it baseless when your coach gets a lifetime ban
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anacondarunner wrote:
Kudos to JGault for asking the tough questions. Smith's extreme equivocation was disappointing but telling. Like, get a load of this doozy of a response:
Mike Smith said
"While someone may accuse me of defending a person, I’m defending a process. I would defend anybody in this. Even people that hate Galen Rupp or Nike, I’d defend anybody. Even with virtuous intention, we’ve gotta care about a process. We can’t just trade in our own thinking on these subjects just getting swept in a movement because it actually threatens the real things that have to be addressed and attacked.
I’m certainly alarmed at jeez, lots of things in that report. But there’s also a process that looks deep into those athletes. I don’t know Jordan Hasay at all, but I remember Jordan Hasay had this quote that’s like hey, I’ve spent a lot of time with these people, and no one ever asked me to do something I was uncomfortable with or do something that violated my integrity. And instantly, [the general public’s reaction] is like, no, no, no that can’t be true. And that [reaction] bothers me.
Do I think that every stone [was] turned or edge explored and those things? Yeah. It’s probably easier for me to just say, I don’t know man, I’ve got nothing to do with that, that was in the past, but I think those reports, there’s a lot included in there that may be concerning but is…I don’t know.
I’m trying to really not dodge your question and answer it as directly as it can. I think we’ve gotta really care about our process of how we assign guilt. Someone that cheats, yeah, get them out. Let’s crush them. The world record holder in the steeplechase yesterday? Yeah, good riddance. But we’ve also gotta be really open to [thinking critically about] all these things that may challenge spirit of sport ethics that aren’t acceptable for me or you or someone else but that’s not the same as the world record holder having EPO in her urine. It’s not the same thing.
Is it just easier if it’s all the same thing? Yeah, it is. Is it harder to have it be convoluted and what’s okay with one person isn’t okay with someone else? Yup, that’s hard. But that’s the human condition in so many things. And only when we are really talking about that can we firm those things up for the future of our sport. And people in the spotlight have great responsibility for that — athletes, coaches, agents.
The questions you ask, like, yeah, of course that stuff’s alarming. But the second we abandon our critical thinking or our process with this stuff…I worry about that. And please, it’s important to know, I’m not defending any of that. I just think that (critical thinking and the process) is as important for the battles we have to fight in our sport as anything."
Okay, Mike, we get that you value critical thinking. You've made that (albeit nothing else) extraordinarily clear. Now can you use your critical thinking faculties to answer Gault's question about the reasonable inference that Galen abused testosterone under Salazar?
I don't know why people keep harping on this - nothing is going to change. Galen has testified on record that he has taken testoboost - a LEGAL supplement. Do you think he told Smith anything different? This is a case of he said-she said (although the Goucher she-said side gets more outlandish by the day). Believe what you want to believe - either you believe Galen or you don't, simple as that. -
tin can man wrote:
not sure you can call it baseless when your coach gets a lifetime ban
Did Salazar's ban get upgraded to "lifetime?" This must be breaking news....... -
he's talking about you too wrote:
tin can man wrote:
not sure you can call it baseless when your coach gets a lifetime ban
Did Salazar's ban get upgraded to "lifetime?" This must be breaking news.......
You are correct, a 4 year ban. But let's be honest, he is never going to coach again.
Do you, however, really want to be the guy defending the person who was given a 4 year ban? -
I'll be honest, reading Coach Smith dance around hard questions was painful to read. I was hoping for much more direct, sincere responses. I liked him a lot after Part 1, but less after Part 2.
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I’m impressed at how well-spoken Mike Smith is. A lot of concepts that seemed to go right over several commenters heads. This forum does not deserve his time. Casting pearls before swine.
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Why is it "reasonable inference that Galen abused testosterone under Salazar?" Doesn't the fact that the investigation proved him to be INNOCENT, he has been one of the most tested athletes on the planet for last 3 years, and he has never tested positive - suggest the exact opposite inference?
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His answers immediately go off-topic and become generalized, vague musings on the nature of sport. What's with the soliloquizing? JG is direct with his questions, and in his answers, Smith is anything but. It's unreadable.
