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>The number of Bolt threads will soon rival the
>number of Webb threads.
I don't think we
>should pile on the Bolt bandwagon just
>yet.
Time will tell if he is Michael Johnson
>or Obea Moore.
True. However, at least Bolt actually DESERVES his hype! Webb is WAAAYYY WAAYYY overrated by U.S. distance fans on this board, so desperately hoping for the next "great white hope" (meanwhile Krummenacker, who has actually DONE something world-class for U.S. middle distance, gets 1/10 the attention. But then, Krum isn't the "right" color). But what world junior record or world-class elite times has Webb done? When Webb actually does something valuable, let me know.
"Webb is WAAAYYY WAAYYY overrated by U.S. distance fans on this board"
SAY WHAT??!! All I see is people putting him down, saying he's all washed up, or like you, saying the hype is too much. I have seen far fewer people come to his defense and say - patience, friends, give him time.
While Lilly is certainly spot-on in that there's still a racial coefficient at play in all parts of U.S. society, I would posit that it has virtually nothing to do with the Webb situation. He broke a record in the most popular--by a wide margin--of events, he replaced an iconic figure, he broke a record that most had by then thought would last forever and he stomped all over what remains the single most recognizable "barrier" in the sport.
PR/publicity-wise it also didn't hurt that he did it in the city in America where track is most popular, in the meet which hosts the No. 1 international-class invitational, did it in a race in which the greatest miler ever was running, is a great interview and stayed around signing autographs for a couple of hours thereafter.
It's the kind of day where absolutely everything was perfectly set up to create a legend, even if he had looked like Yoda's little brother.
I guess when Webb broke Jim Ryuns 35 year high school mile record , We did get excited. Overrated runners dont break records like that.Give him some time , he is so so young.
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