Ryan Hall defeats KK in GOAT American runner contest

I thought it ridiculous too, but from my experiences on here, not surprising. Hall won’t advance far anyway.

Recency?

White Christian over a north African born Muslim?

I think I voted for Hall. I feel like KK never did much wearing a USA vest. Was it 1999 or 2001 in Canada where he complained that the pace was too slow so he got blisters or something?

freeidea wrote:

Recency?

White Christian over a north African born Muslim?

I think I voted for Hall. I feel like KK never did much wearing a USA vest. Was it 1999 or 2001 in Canada where he complained that the pace was too slow so he got blisters or something?

Well according to wiki he became a US citizen May 2, 2000, in time to win win Chicago twice, win London and set a world record. It's true that he never competed for the US in the Olympics, but I don't know if Hall gets points for his Olympic marathon performances.

I voted for Hall.

KK has strong rumors of doping and transferred to the US for the tail end of his career. I just do not view KK fully legitimately by his records and times here.

hallfan wrote:

KK has strong rumors of doping

BS

I think it's a generational thing, not many people around now who knew KK was or how good he was.

Also Ryan Hall is American born and KK is not.

The brojo clickbait has turned young letsrunners into mindless, time trial addicted zombies. KK broke world records, but he "only" ran 2:05:xx. Ryan Hall ran 2:03, so he must be better.

KK is an international running god. Ryan Hall is that blond American getting way too much press because he is that blond American. Comparing their careers is a joke. KK's only chance in a contest like this is to get jacked and start posting shirtless bro pics on instagram.

2:04 vs 2:05

‘Nuff said!

Paul Bunyan wrote:

Would someone who voted for Ryan Hall care to explain?

I mean, I love Hall as much as anyone, and probably watched his 2007 OTM victory about 10 times.

But...seriously?

Ryan Hall was the great white hope. People are too lame to understand how to compare athletes. Athletes need to be compared by how they performed in their eras not simply times. Pro earnings, WC and OG opportunities limited athletes from earlier eras put those athletes at a disadvantage.

Im pretty sure that KK is German. Also, she is a chick, so even if she was American, she would be in a different category than Ryan Hall.

Also, she has a long career ahead of her. Pretty sure she will turn out to have a better career than Hall. He was kind of a "almost, so close" kind of runner.

Iowa800 wrote:

Paul Bunyan wrote:

Would someone who voted for Ryan Hall care to explain?

I mean, I love Hall as much as anyone, and probably watched his 2007 OTM victory about 10 times.

But...seriously?

Ryan Hall was the great white hope. People are too lame to understand how to compare athletes. Athletes need to be compared by how they performed in their eras not simply times. Pro earnings, WC and OG opportunities limited athletes from earlier eras put those athletes at a disadvantage.

I agree. But no matter how you slice it, by wins or by times, KK comes out on top. Even if you limit it to the years where he was a US citizen. He ran under Hall's (legit) PR three times, in an era where no one else ran faster than 2:06. Several major marathon wins vs. 0 for Hall. Beats Geb and Tergat head to head, and runs a WR in the process.

I'm 30, and my earliest memory of professional running was watching KK turn the screws on his competition in Chicago. For a stretch of 4-5 years, he was the fvcking man on the world stage, in a way that few Americans have ever been. I know it was an earlier era, but people should know that.

This board is losing site of Webb, so you can pretty much see when the world began for the majority here.

One thing I can say about Hall is that I don't have any doubt he was clean.

Oh please. Hall had a faster 1/2 and faster 5k. And represented the USA at the Olympics.

Plus he was a great XC runner

Kk always seemed like a rental American

Ryan Hall was on thyroid hormone replacement from Dr. Brown in Houston. He admitted it and the realization that he was actually cheating led to his retirement.

KK with a marathon world record as an American easily surpasses anything Ryan hall accompanied.

hgjvkvbbbhhhbb wrote:

Oh please. Hall had a faster 1/2 and faster 5k. And represented the USA at the Olympics.

Plus he was a great XC runner

Kk always seemed like a rental American

KK actually won stuff.

Khalid Khannouchi was the world record holder and won majors, so he is far above Ryan Hall in actual performance for the U.S. He didn't transfer to the U.S. for the tail end of his career. Hall ran 2:04:58 on a heavily wind-aided day, but wasn't that far off Khannouchi's best of 2:05:42 with his 2:06:17 in London. However, you have to think that with the drug history of Morocco and the EPO era that those 2:05s are suspect.

I voted for Hall. I dont think being ‘American-born’ is the be all and end all, but there’s a big difference between guys like Ches who essentially spent their entire running career here, and guys like Khannouchi who were already established. To Hall’s credit, he ran faster, and was at the forefront of American distance running from high school onward.

KK was a one trick pony. Hall had success in HS, college and as a pro. Has US titles and faster pr at everything below marathon unless Boston is counted.