Unreal Sweet 16 American GOAT Matchups: Rupp vs Meb, Centro vs Ryun, Flanagan vs. Jennings and Coburn vs. Simpson

rabbit run wrote:

My opinion on Centro vs. Ryun is this...it is REALLY close.

Ryun was a trailblazer, running incredible times including world records. However, nostalgia blinds people to the fact that

A. There were almost no East Africans on the circuit at the time.

B. Ryun lacked longevity.

C. Ryun lacked championship prowess.

Incredible runner, but imperfect.

Centro is an incredible racer, with 2 gold's, a silver, and a bronze, along with 4th at the Olympics.

However, he lacks blazing times.

I give Centro the nod because he's been arguably America's best miler for at least 7 years.

And just to stir the pot I'd give Ryun the nod as the better miler over Webb.

You cannot really compare championship prowess.

There was not indoor worlds, or outdoor worlds in 1965 - 1970.

There was only the Olympics.

If you gave Ryun 3-5 more shots at a championship, he would have had at least one.

Also, regular people knew who Jim Ryun was. Only track fanboys know who Centro is.

This is one problem with this poll.

In addition to the times and medals, who actually had an impact on the culture and society at the time? None of the current runners. People still talk about Pre even today. Do you think that will happen with Centro or Lagat- No Way.

NotPC wrote:

george oscar bluth wrote:

Lol no way.

I think Rupp is one of the best US runners ever , top 4. And I don't get into if and buts, I do KNOW that Meb won Boston, I KNOW Meb won NYC, I KNOW he has a Silver medal.

But you also said that you think BR was better than Lagat so you don't really have much credibility.

Rupp over Meb because Rupp is undisputed US GOAT. Love Meb, but he got a tough matchup this round.

Ryun over Centro... silver is enough for me and Ryun blows him away everywhere else. Relative to his era, Ryun was on another level at times.

Lynn Jennings over Shalane, because it is reasonably close and Jennings was far more dominant in her era. I am biased because Jennings was a deity when I was in high school.

Simpson over Coburn because Simpson is a world GOAT candidate, not just a US GOAT candidate.

Why do people not mention that Ryun had 2 WORLD RECORDS....at age 19.

Centro basically runs the 1500. Ryun did the Mile and the 1/2 Mile

Rupp has range 3:50-2:06 and Olympic Medals. Legit

Centro over Ryun. Championship Racer. He controlled the Olympic final from the front and beat faster on paper guys. Ryun’s 3:55 as a high schooler is legendary stuff.

Question on this contest? Do you count ALL of Bernard Lagat's Results or only the ones he did as an American?

Either Way he Wins, Just Curious?

Thank you in advance.

douglas burke wrote:

Question on this contest? Do you count ALL of Bernard Lagat's Results or only the ones he did as an American?

Either Way he Wins, Just Curious?

Thank you in advance.

It’s just the IS results but he won’t win because simpletons can’t handle him not being born here.

*US

Jennings held the 10k road record for 10 years -- 31:06. Who finally broke it? Flanagan.

[quote]realty real wrote:

Ryan lacked what Centro excelled in, championship racing.

Olympic gold beats Olympic silver. Cento wins this one.

Ryan was recovering from mono and had to race the great Kenyan at one mile of altitude.

Healthy and at sea level Ryan likely would have beat Keino like he always did

Jennings and Benoit are the only two left who won the Jesse Owens award back when it was awarded to the top male or female track and field athlete. Benoit in 84 and Jennings in 90.

And to finish off the sweet 16...

Shorter over Gray, but omg... major trolling by the brojos to make Rupp a 2 seed.

Lagat over Rodgers obviously. World beater vs. road warrior.

Kastor over Huddle because Huddle has crap luck.

And finally, I take Samuelson over Wilson. But Ajee Wilson could still become GOAT if she keeps it up. She is so brutally underrated because of Semenya.

douglas burke wrote:

Question on this contest? Do you count ALL of Bernard Lagat's Results or only the ones he did as an American?

Either Way he Wins, Just Curious?

Thank you in advance.

Neither. They're excluding his results from before he became a U.S. citizen, but are also excluding his results as a U.S. citizen in 2004, when he ran on the Kenyan Olympic team. That doesn't really surprise me, but I would have liked to see a more substantial explanation for that decision.

sunset wrote:

Jennings and Benoit are the only two left who won the Jesse Owens award back when it was awarded to the top male or female track and field athlete. Benoit in 84 and Jennings in 90.

In this round, I didn't find myself terribly conflicted by any of the match-ups, and I agree with the voting so far with one big exception: I think Jennings deserves the nod over Flanagan. Her record at the World Cross-Country Championships, which back then was still widely regarded as the most competitive event in all of distance running, places Jennings among the world's greats.

Avocado's Number wrote:

douglas burke wrote:

Question on this contest? Do you count ALL of Bernard Lagat's Results or only the ones he did as an American?

Either Way he Wins, Just Curious?

Thank you in advance.

Neither. They're excluding his results from before he became a U.S. citizen, but are also excluding his results as a U.S. citizen in 2004, when he ran on the Kenyan Olympic team. That doesn't really surprise me, but I would have liked to see a more substantial explanation for that decision.

You think we should give him credit for his 2004 Olympic silver that he won in a Kenyan singlet in a bracket to determine the greatest American distance runner of all time? I think that's pretty silly, even if he was a US citizen at the time (though no one knew about it). Let's go one step further. What if Lagat earned US citizenship in 2004 but never stopped representing Kenya. Would you still want to see him in the bracket? He would still be an American, but I don't think that makes sense.

In running, you can only represent one country at a time, and Lagat was representing Kenya in 2004. I think it's disingenuous to give him credit for achievements under the flag of another nation. (Likewise, with Sydney Maree, he didn't actually get US citizenship until '84. But the IAAF said he could compete representing America in '81, so we said anything he accomplished from '81 on was fair game). It's a made-up bracket with made-up rules, but that's my justification.

edumacation rulez wrote:

Jonnnny... you are bad a this. You are a terrible track writer and you just watch races on tv and pretend you are there. The time is relevant.

If you don't think it is, the why is Rudisha's 800 gold so iconic. By your logic it would be the same if he ran a 1:45.

PS ho come dumb johhny gets to use Profanity.

I hope you nick yourself shaving your balls and bleed out.

Well, not really. But you do sound like bitter, jealous scum.

Tom Traubert wrote:

edumacation rulez wrote:

Jonnnny... you are bad a this. You are a terrible track writer and you just watch races on tv and pretend you are there. The time is relevant.

If you don't think it is, the why is Rudisha's 800 gold so iconic. By your logic it would be the same if he ran a 1:45.

PS ho come dumb johhny gets to use Profanity.

I hope you nick yourself shaving your balls and bleed out.

Well, not really. But you do sound like bitter, jealous scum.

Jonnny...you posting under a different name? I"m not jealous of a half-wit like Gault.

are you retarded? centro's 3:30 is 43rd all time. try again