Runner Triathlete News [ return ] From Message Webster 12/02/2003 14:02:14 Subject: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: Thought this was interesting. It was taken from Letsrun.com on Greg Lautenslager's new article in RTN on America's Most Overrated Runners of All-Time. I agree 100% with the below: --------------------------------------- The Most Overrated and Underrated American Distance Runners of All-Time, by Greg Lautenslager MEN Most Overrated GOLD: Alan Webb "How long will Webb stay in the spotlight before America realizes this kid is a flop?" SILVER: Bill Rodgers "Ironically, Rodgers won Boston and New York in the days before prize and appearance money and without the world's top marathoners." BRONZE: Alberto Salazar "And what about that world marathon record? The course was short." ----------------------------------------------------------- I will hold this article to Lautenslager. The man knows very little of the sport. I shouldn't even call him a man, perhaps a traitor (living in New Zealand). He goes ahead and gives Pete Pfitzinger the "Bronze" for Most Underrated, probably because they're living together. Alan Webb, the kid is not a flop. 3:53 is not a flop. Greg's just upset that Webb blew his doors off and that Laughingslaughter could never sub-4:00 if his life depended on it. Bill Rodgers. Are you kidding me? 9:00, 2-mile talent with 28 sub-2:15 marathon clockings! PLUS, a winning record over Frank Shorter (who Greg is upset that Bill is more visible) and 3 times ranked #1 in the World in the Marathon and ranked #2, #6, and #7 in off years. I think Greg is just pissed that he thinks he trained hard and still Bill ran faster than him over 10,000m and Laughingslaughter was a PURE TRACK guy. Oh, yeah, he won Fukuoka (crappy marathon runners). Greg couldn't even finish a marathon. World XC Championships bronze on top of that. Alberto Salazar. Holy cow. This is just laughable. Just take a look at the all-time US Marathon list and you will find Alberto Salazar 5 times before you see anyone else. World XC Bronze. 27:25 ring a bell? Laughingslaughter is a full 300m back. 13:11. 13:11. 13:11. In the 1980's. And Greg states how Pfitzy helps out so much with running by contributing to Runner's World. Buddy, look at what Salazar is trying to do in Oregon! Open your freaking windows in New Zealand and stay current with the sport. No wonder they fired you at UNT. Jeez! ----------------------------------------------------------- If you've ever read a Greg Lautenslager article, my vote for the MOST OVERRATED AMERICAN DISTANCE RUNNER EVER is GREG LAUTENSLAGER. (And the worst journalist, article contributor our sport has). I just cancelled my subscription to RunnerTriathleteNews. Steve   12/03/2003 08:27:19 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: Webster, I agree with the comments, I found the article most disturbing. I would add the following: o The article says Rodgers never won an Olympic medal, but makes no mention he was to lead the US marathon team in 1980 at Moscow at his peak which we of course boycotted. o While I greatly admire Pfitzinger's running accomplishments and writing, it's hard to imagine anybody who's done more to promote running more over the past 30 years than Billy Rodgers. o As you suggest, Salazar has been a great and highly influential coach working out of Oregon. Steve benoit fan 12/03/2003 09:46:05 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: ditto ditto, I agree that the article was most ridiculous. Duh, Bill Rodgers has to be the most recognized name in the WORLD DUDE! Pete who? And, about those ladies! Regina Jacobs is pretty darn great - have seen her name around a VERY LONG TIME and she keeps getting better with age! But I will always believe that Joan Benoit-Samuelson will be the greatest American woman runner to ever set foot on this earth. Although Deena Drossin is doing some great stuff, a world record in the marathon and a gold medal at the Olympics is just what makes Joanie so special. benoit fan, too 12/03/2003 11:22:48 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: I hope that the reason you've heard Jacobs' name for so long isn't because of THG. Kevin 12/03/2003 12:05:44 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: With the kind of column he writes, and with the type of publication he is writing for, Mr. Lautenslager certainly puts himself in the position to deservably receive criticism. That's because his column is his opinion. I think he makes some very good points in his column, but I don't agree with it all either. We have to remember that he is writing from a perspective that many of us(including myself)do not and never will know. He was a professional runner. Pass praise where praise is do. In the case of Alan Webb, I think he is right, the media is resting on his laurels from one race. In the meantime, there are others who deserve the spotlight who aren't seeing it. To say that Lautenslager was fired at UNT is kind of a low blow. I can't say for sure whether or not that is true. Although, I heard from a very reliable source that was not the case. I heard it was Greg who quit in search of a better job which would make for a better life for him and his family. From the salary that I heard that university was paying, I would of very much done the same thing. Also, isn't his wife from NEw Zealand? Maybe that would also help explain his move there. Wasn't he one of the coaches there when they won the Sun Belt confernce Track and Field Championship? AFter seeing some of their meets when he first became coach there, it looked like some of his women runners that he inherited should of been on the softball team and not the XC team. Giving what he had to work with, in my opinion, he did a commendable job. Olen 12/03/2003 14:27:09 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: I'll add my name to the mix. I was very disapointed while reading the article. I thought it was bad writing. I usually don't read this guys articles. I'd like to see the space used better in a magazine that I pay for. Webster 12/03/2003 20:05:13 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: Some more from letsrun.com. Bob Hodge, 2:10 US Marathoner from the 1980's thought it might be a joke: --------------------------------------- I wish it was the April Fool's edition. This is the crap that he feeds to the public in Texas and the surrounding states. I mean, people read this and then will comment on it like they know what they are talking about. Hodge, if you had to read this crap each month you'd understand. Here is the rest: MEN Most Underrated GOLD: Craig Virgin "People have forgotten one of Virgin's rare marathons, a 2nd place finish to Japanese great Toshihiko Seko at the 1981 Boston. The third place finisher: Bill Rodgers." -I agree that Virgin is underrated, but I thought Greg said that Boston didn't have the best runners! What the hell is this guy talking about? And then he states that the 1980 boycott ruined Virgin's best shot at an Olympic medal: uh, for Bill Rodgers too! SILVER: Bob Schul BRONZE: Pete Pfitzinger "Pfitzinger is doing more for the sport in the US than most former Olympic runners and he doesn't even live in the country." -Yeah, Pfitz is underrated, but as I said before, what he is doing pales in comparison to the task that Salazar has immersed himself in. Maybe Laughingslaughter should take his own words to heart. Oh yeah, so coaching New Zealanders instead of Americans is doing more for our sport here in the US? What does he think, that Ritzenhein or Jorge Torres will pick up a RunnersWorld and read the "Pfitzinger Lab Report" and become better runners? ----------------------------------------------------------- The man should just shut up already. Live in New Zealand and leave us alone and keep your thoughts to yourself for disprespecting some of America's best. I mean, didn't he compete against Rodgers and Salazar or were they different era's? Must've lost a lot against them. sam   12/08/2003 12:01:17 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: Too bad the biggest flop is now the National Cross Country Champion.. Andy   12/08/2003 19:36:51 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: I think Greg's article was stupid. Age 20 is too early to give up on a 3:53 miler. Charmaine   12/09/2003 08:45:51 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: We're all entitled to our own opinions but it says something of one's character when you resort to vicious remarks and low blows, which Lautenslager did - to the extent of becoming downright ugly. I too was disgusted and think that Runner Triathlete News slipped up seriously by publishing his article. Where do you draw the line? John   12/09/2003 13:11:43 RE: Greg Lautenslager's Article... IP: Logged Message: Its probably nearing the time when both coaches that contribute to ITR be directed or encouraged to concentrate on what they should know best (e. g., training related issues) and leave the non-training related issues to others who don't have myopic perspectives. P 1 Next Page>>