Lagat 3'29.30 ! [ancient thread revived]

[darkside]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

You're right -- it is fundamentally an individual sport. What's fascinating is that you really do see the entire world represented on the starting line at major competitions -- people from Africa, Europe, Asia -- all of the world's diversity of background, color. You look at them standing on the line and think how incredible it is that they've all assembled in one place to compete.

I will always identify Lagat as Kenyan -- and Paula as British, and Ramzi as Morroccan, and Boris Becker as German, etc. I don't see that as a problem. That's the place in the world they come from, and maybe it's not going too far to say it's the culture they reflect to some degree. I like knowing where people are from, it adds to the richness of the experience.

[EPelle]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

And Mustafa Mohamed couldn:t be any more Swedish and loved by us all than he already is. Nor could Rizak Dirshe, our 800m NR-holder who was left waiting outside a shopping store for good when he was an early teen by his mother back in Somalia. He scraped by. Eventually got a fake passport and managed to get here. He is now legally here, and a Swede. Both these guys wear out colors proudly, and both make us very, very proud of their accomplishments - color or background notwithstanding.

[jeremyp]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

I agree that the Webb "mania" is for many people not a racial but a national issue. If my future fave Manzano starts racking up good times then the enthusiasm will build for him also. The 1500/Mile is just such a Marquee race, it's like Heavyweight Boxing, and us Yanks are starved for "one of ours" to do well. Lagat will help Webb and US runners get better.

The JW issue is a bit more complicated. I think many of us are just amazed to see a white guy kick butt in an event dominated by those of African lineage. Tiger Woods is a popular phenomenon not only because he is an awesome golfer but is kicking butt in an event dominated by those of European descent. And of course Armstrong is invading pesky European territory.
If

[TrakFan]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

Webb is good...at hijacking almost any thread related to distance running. Amazing and amusing.

Long live the Webb-heads

[15mph]

Re: Lagat and the US 1500 renaissance

I think all this proves is that the 1500/mile is the most important event in track and field. America must do well in the 1500/mile for Athletics to be taken seriously in the US.

Lagat, Webb, Myers, Lukezic, Rankin and Gruber are the best crop of US milers in 20 years. Watch out Spain the US may become the top non-African 1500 meter power.

It has been a great year for US 1500 meter running. Wow, two American's in the IAAF top ten, and 6 in the top fifty.

[MJD]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

>I think all this proves is that the 1500/mile is the most important event in
>track and field. America must do well in the 1500 for the sport to be taken
>seriously in the US.

You mean the mile.

[15mph]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

The IAAF ranks the mile and 1500 together.


The US completely dominated this past World Championships, yet people are still dissatisfied.
I guess it is human nature to complain and look at the negative side of things instead of the positive.
Instead of looking at the USA's world prominence in the sprints and field events we harp on the misfortunes of are distance runners. I guess US track fans will not be satisfied until team USA also dominates the distance events as well. I wonder if Kenyan track and field fans complain about their lack of success in the sprinting and field events.

[twittering debutante]

Re: Lagat and the US 1500 renaissance

>Watch out Spain the US may become the top non-African 1500 meter power.

Even if the USA catches Spain, I'm not so sure anyone will be dancing in the streets, except perhaps you, 15mph.

[15mph]

Re: Lagat and the US 1500 renaissance

Oh, I am sure the editors at the sporting news will be thrilled. I can see some fat cigar chewing journalist at the times saying, "screw the NFL the US is good at the mile again".

If you are a regular reader of the Sporting News you would get the impression that the only sports to watch are baseball and football. They have no perspective on anything going on outside the arena of American athletics. It is this kind of provincial thinking that gives Americans a bad name. Maybe it is this type of thinking that lead to naming our baseball championship the World Series.

"It would be nice if America invited the rest of the world to its World Series."

- John Cleese

[darkside]

Re: Lagat and the US 1500 renaissance

Where else is there a league of any caliber, except Japan? And no one would argue that they could compete against MLB. We do invite the world to the Little League World Series, however, where they regularly beat our butts.

[Dutra]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

>>"Remember neither Frank Shorter nor Alberto Salazar were born in
>America
>either. Citizenship is citizenship."

Shorter was born of US
>citizens who
>happened to be living abroad at the time...nothing "quasi"
>about his
>citizenship.

But he can't be President....>>>

I think he was a military child. That makes him eligible. Let's get a campaign going!

[patriarch (AKA dr ngo)]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

>>"Remember neither Frank Shorter nor Alberto Salazar were born in
>America
>either. Citizenship is citizenship."

Shorter was born of US
>citizens who
>happened to be living abroad at the time...nothing "quasi"
>about his
>citizenship.

But he can't be President....


I believe this may be incorrect. The language of the Constitution is ambiguous on this point (imagine my surprise! has any other clause of the Constitution ever been the subject of dispute or conflicting interpretation?). ;}

The question arose, inter alia, about 40? years ago when Gov. George Romney of Michigan was considering a run for the presidency. IIRC he was born overseas while his American parents were serving as Mormon missionaries, and was _not_ automatically disqualified. He dropped out not because of the citizenship question but because he appeared not to be of presidential caliber ("Deep down he's shallow"), back in the days when we still took that kind of question seriously.

[TrakFan]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

But he can't be President....>>>

I
>think he was a military child. That makes him eligible. Let's get a campaign
>going!

He could. A good reference on the topic...
http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_citi.html

[walkergold]

Re: Lagat and the US 1500 renaissance

Let's not get too excited. Even with the new "American" record holder for 1500, the 23 year old American mile record still stands. It is difficult to accept the fact that, even with Lagat, this current crew cannot approach what Scott, Spivey and Maree did in the 80's.

[MJD]

Re: Lagat 3'29.30 !

Great run for Lagat. He is showing he still has what it takes to be among the best and maybe the best in the world. Webb also had a great run. It looks like Sullivan is done.

Just set a NR record in the 3000 in 7:42.17-best time in or out for a Canuck. More superior than Lunn's Tyson mile and they are the same age and someone just touted him as a potential world champ.

Event 67 Men 3000 Meter Run Invitational
================================================== =============
Name Year School Finals
================================================== =============
Finals
1 Boaz Cheboiywo Kenya 7:35.65
2 Adam Goucher USA 7:41.59
3 Kevin Sullivan Canada 7:42.17
4 Nate Brannen Canada 7:47.90
5 Chris Lukezic USA 7:49.05
6 Daniel Lincoln USA 7:49.45
7 Luke Watson USA 7:57.14
8 Gareth Turnbull IRL 8:09.60
-- Alistair Cragg IRL DNF
-- Bolota Asmerom USA DNF
-- Mark Fountain Australia DNF