Run-Down Forums

Dan · Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2002 8:27 pm Post subject:

Is it morning already in London or do you get up super early?

Good meet, indeed! We've been splitting sprint talk between this forum and the Fantasy T&F forum, in case you want to swing by there.

Dan

Justin · Varsity Joined: 08 Oct 2001 Posts: 312 Location: London

I'd actually been up all night playing Neverwinter Nights (role playing dungeons and dragons style computer game) and was at the very edge of consciousness - hence the rather clipped post!

News today - Ato Boldon has terminated his season, so he won't be defending the Commonwealth 100m title he won in 1998, and returned home to train following his dreadful form this year. He's apparently determined to return next year for the WC in Paris.

I always wonder about Boldon. I don't think there's a more talented sprinter in the world but he's never quite performed, despite a breathtaking series of fast times over the years in GP meets. Perhaps this will make him more focused and determined - he needs some of Mo's will to win.

Justin

Dan · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2002 9:18 am Post subject:

Ah, sorry I asked... Smile

Interesting about Boldon. He does seem to be as fast and talented as anyone else out there, but there's always something missing. He has to be one of the scariest guys to compete against, simply because you don't know if you'll get a 9.86/19.86 or a 10.30/20.50 from him...

I could be wrong, but it seems the breaking point for Ato was when Maurice actually broke the record which the two of them had been going on about breaking back and forth. Ato never seemed able to respond to that.

Dan

Conway · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2002 9:38 am Post subject:

I think MO geting the record affected him ... But more than that he doesn't seem to run well in traffic !!! By that I mean if you look at most of his great races he lead from start to finish ... when no one is around him he is able to relax better ... He doesn't relax near as well when othre bodies are around him ... And he is not a good come-from-behind runner ... His last fast race was the Oslo race last year ... Again he was leading until the last moment when MOntgomery went by him ... The race was ideal for both of them ... Boldon was able to run free for most of the race ... And Montgomery had someone to set the pace ... Sounds strange for a sprint, but that is how they both run ...

Justin · Varsity Joined: 08 Oct 2001 Posts: 312 Location: London

Interesting point about the WR race - Boldon equalled his 9.86 personal best that day (the 3rd of his 4 9.86s - he ran the 4th one two weeks after the WR race). To run your best and be a metre down...chastening.

Boldon has lost running 9.86, 9.88 and 9.90 - the only man to twice be beaten while running under 9.90.

Here's a minor trivia fact - the three fastest second place times ever (Surin 9.84, Montgomery 9.85 and Boldon 9.86) were all run coming second to Mo Greene.

Justin

Dan · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2002 5:57 pm Post subject:

That is an interesting little factoid, although not surprising considering that Greene owns most of the fastest times. It would thus follow that most of the second fastest times would be in his wake.

Mo is great at dragging people to fast times and Ato is great at being dragged to fast times. No wonder they're best friends! Smile

Dan

Paul · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2002 6:43 pm Post subject:

Dan's post begs a question for Dan, Conway, Justin: If a race is held where all the best sprinters are represented and Mo runs a superlative time (9.80 or better), who would most likely get pulled to 2nd place?? Montgomery, Bolden or someone else??

Paul

Dan · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2002 7:09 pm Post subject:

Two or three years ago, Boldon, Surin, or Fredericks. Currently, most likely Montgomery, with Bernard Williams and Dwain Chambers as possible upsetters.

Dan

Conway · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2002 9:23 pm Post subject:

That one is easy ... Montgomery ... Williams starts his close too late ... He has great top end speed (as good as Mo and Montgomery in my opinion) but his gears take too long to engage !!!

Montgomery will bust a gut tryin to stay with Mo but just can't get by him .. Dwain's race is too even paced to be in the hunt at that speed ...

Regarding Mo pulling people to PR's, I was aware of that factoid .. As a matter of fact Bailey's non Atlanta best was - in second behind Mo at '97 Worlds (9.91) .. Williams PR was behind Mo at '01 Worlds (9.94) ... Dwain Chambers ran his PR behind Mo in Seville (9.97) .. And Christian Malcolm ran his PR in Edmonton behind Mo (10.11) ... So most of today's current crop of top sprinters have ridden that Mo wave to their best times !!!!

Dan · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2002 9:41 pm Post subject:

You know what Spike Lee would say to that of course? The Mo' Better makes it Mo' Better. Smile

Dan

Conway · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2002 9:48 pm Post subject:

Ahh ... But Babs would simply call Mo - butter !!!!!!

Justin · Varsity Joined: 08 Oct 2001 Posts: 312 Location: London

Interesting...I guess that also shows that people don't just roll over and give up when racing Mo Greene but are able to lift their game just when it matters most - when they're racing the best.

It's a tribute to Greene that HE always manages to raise his game a touch more, in fact he is at his best when he is being pushed - just look the WC last year, just a couple hundredths off the WR, into a slight breeze and hobbling the last 10m!

Justin

Dan · Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2002 9:22 am Post subject:

Same thing when Surin had by far his best year, yet all he could do was narrowly lose to Greene...

I think that fits with what Conway said about it being very hard to last more than a few years at a high level in the sprints. We see a lot of 1 or 2-season wonders come and go, yet Maurice is able to fend them all off. Very impressive.

Dan

Conway · Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2002 10:36 am Post subject:

Yes, Mo has something that few have ever had ... And I don't even know what to call "IT" ... But he has IT ... Look at his championship races ..

'97 - 9.86
'99 - 9.80
'00 - 9.87
'01 - 9.82

When it counts he has been "on" like no one else in history ... I know that Bob Hayes has always been considered the best ever ... And I grew up with Bob as an idol ... But might be time to think about a new 100 King !!! I know Bob retired from the sport early and so didn't have the chance to repeat and such, but what Mo has done is simply fantastic ... Actually possibly the greatest sprinting career ever and I'm talking about in coparison to MJ, Carl and the whole lot !!!

Dan · Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2002 10:51 am Post subject:

5 years at the top warrants him strong consideration, let alone the fashion he's done it in. I would have a very hard time arguing against him as best ever at this point.

Dan

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