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Conway · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 11:07 am Post subject:

There is a nice article on JJ Johnson on the IAAF web site .. You know the guy who suddenly ran 19.88 in Brussels .. Sort of ironic that as they were saying good bye to Michael another Johnson stole the show ..

Gives a little history, but says he has decicided to move to Gainesville and work with Dennis Mitchell .. Which I would think bodes well for the future of this young man .. Dennis can run everythign from the 100 thru 400 and with this guys build he too could be a multi event find .. Perhaps even becoming the next Johnson to double over 200 and 400 ..

Could he be the next star rising on the sprint horizon ???

Dan · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 11:50 am Post subject:

I'll have to see him run a few more times, considering I haven't even seen a full 200m from him yet, but he sure looks to have the ability to do some BIG things. I'm told he's got a great attitude, too.

Dan

Conway · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 12:06 pm Post subject:

Well being in Gainesville not ony puts him around Mitchell but the coaching squad at University of Florida .. And you know what they have put out over the years .. If this is the BEGINNING of this guy, imagine where he can go !!! If he has any kind of decent attitude I think he can progress far ... Sub 19.50 maybe ???

Dan · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 12:15 pm Post subject:

Considering how fast Bernard Williams and John Capel rose to the top, that certainly has promise. You owe it to yourself to find a copy of tape from the Brussels race... That may well have been a 19.6 with only an average first 50m. I don't think a case can be made that his last 150 was so strong because he didn't overdo it the first 50; the 200 is too short of a race for that extreme an example.

Dan

Conway · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 12:38 pm Post subject:

I agree with your judging of his potential 200 time .. I was always taught that what you give up in the beginning you can never get back - from 400 on down .. Even learned to run hard at the beginning of repeats as it made it easier to hit my marks .. He should have been 19.78 on reaction time alone .. Not even considering that he ran a slow first 50 energy wise ..

I hope he is the real deal .. Has been since 1997 that a new sprint find has emerged in the states .. That was the year that Mo AND Montgomery emerged on the scene .. I wasn't counting Capel and Williams as they "came up" through the system as you would hope they would .. Of course collegiately outside of those two there hasn't been a real hot group of young sprinters since the 80's ... Anyone remember the NCAA championships of 1988 ????

Dan · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 12:48 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't quite put the 400 in the category of the 100/200 in terms of not getting back what you don't use early, as there seem to be enough examples of people that do pretty well pacing it (Pettigrew and to a lesser degree MJ). It's very possible to burn out in the 200, and even occasionally seen in the 100. Fine line between not saving anything and using everything... Still, in all three events, anything you don't use in the first 10 steps or so isn't going to help you at all later on, so JJ certainly did not help his overall time by forgetting to set the alarm clock...

Dan

Conway · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 12:58 pm Post subject:

Hmmm .. I think Pettigrew actually supports my point .. Pettigrew has been at best a 44.5ish q-miler over the years .. His PR is 44.28 I believe but hsi best races have been in the 44.5 - 44.7 range .. Now, take a look at his relay legs .. Pushing the envelope from the start he has been one of the worlds best in the relay .. HE has run 43.2 and many sub 43.8 legs .. He has averaged in the 43.2 - 43.5 range in the relay .. As guys like REynolds, JOhnson, Lewis (Steve) Everett and Watts have proven, an individuals open and relay tiems should not be that much different .. I think Pettigrew has lost a lot that he hasn't been able to get back in his open races ..

Dan · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 1:13 pm Post subject:

Interesting observation. I definitely agree that Pettigrew does not seem to be maximizing his potential with such late-race flourishes, but I didn't realize the difference between his relay and open running was that dramatic.

Dan

Conway · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 3:29 pm Post subject:

Yes there is that big a difference in Pettigrews open and relay times .. A talent with no racing sense really .. And when you consider that he has trained with and coached Jerome Young it might explain why Jerome has gone backwards in his career as well .. Young (PR 44.09) was on the verge of challenging MJ a few years ago, but has been struggling to break 45.00 this season ..

Dan · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2001 10:48 pm Post subject:

Yeah, Young sure faded quickly. Of course, hard to blame him, considering the entire event did the same without warning...

Dan

Conway · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2001 9:03 am Post subject:

I think the event is in good shape on the top end .. Bad rash of injuries this year .. Washington was 44.2 before Nationals .. And Harrison debuted at 44.6 during National before injuring himself during the meet .. The Harrisons and Washington give the US a good solid base in the event ..

The problem is that there isn't much behind them .. If Hooker would decide to really put his eggs in this basket he could be at that same level as he has the speed to do so .. He just keeps dabbling in the short sprints - not that I can blame him .. LOL

After that it is hit or miss .. All the young guys that have come trough Baylor over the last several years just haven't had it .. Derrick Brew seems to have the tools but something is wrong there .. Pierce maybe from Ohio State ..

But we are lacking in the up and comikng department ....

Dan · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2001 9:57 am Post subject:

Yeah, the talent is still there, sans MJ at the very top. Aside from JJ's recent breakthrough, the 200 and 400 were embarassingly weak most of the year, which when looked at in combination with MJ's retirement, seems indicative of much more than just bad luck with injuries. Either people trained too hard trying to fill the void or they relaxed thinking it would be easier now.

Dan

Conway · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2001 11:04 am Post subject:

I'm not sure anyoneelse had the potential to be a threat outside of the Harrisons and Washington .. Lots of people who have dipped under 45 once or twice or so .. But it has almost been like MJ killed off the event a long time ago .. We went from having REynolds, Watts, Everett and Lewis - all under 44 .. To MJ and a somewhat weak supporting cast .. The event has been weak for quite some time .. Everyone has been so enamored with MJ that I think many have failed to notice ...

Dan · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2001 11:33 am Post subject:

That's largely why I wonder if the dropoff this year was more mental than physical. Had MJ run, would the margin of victory been on the order of a second and a half, or would the rest of the field have stepped up somewhat?

Dan

Conway · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2001 12:02 pm Post subject:

Given the same injuries and same people competing, I would say the second and a half margin of victory .. NOne of the others have proven to be able to step it up yet .. Pettigrew is Pettigrew .. And Young hasn't been right since MJ passed him coming off the turn in the WR race in Seville .. He's still in shock .. The others are all young and in awe .. Is almost like the event after the 68 Olympic race .. No one else believes tehy can do it .. Took 20 years for someone to believe again .. And the event took off .. Now the believers are all gone .. Save for the Harrisons and Washington .. They've been there .. They've learned .. The question is can they do what MJ could not ... Pass it on ...

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