Driving with the Hansons - The Group is the reason

????.....say what? No, I wasn't in any arguement with you and I knew you gave up. I'm just using the same name, that's all.

Who's anonymous now. Man, it doesn't take much to rile you up does it? Humor goes a long way man, lighten up. Sarcasm, sarcasm, sarcasm. You just want to argue. I feel sorry for you. As you said, "you need real help dude." I have the utmost respect for cops, but man you're acting like the stereotype TV brand. It's not worth it.

And just because you google something it doesn't make it the truth.

We can agree to disagree. We are discussing 2 different issues. I agree with most of what you said. However, the goal of the Hansons program is something that only Keith and Kevin can state. Even the runners may have different goals than the Hansons but neither you or I can say that the goal should be to produce Olympians. Maybe the Hansons and many of their fans have different goals for the team. In order to judge whether or not the team is a success, you would have to know the goals.

I apologize, you did in fact prove one thing. It came across loud and clear that you will remain an anonymous coward who is not an insider.

Thank you for pointing out the sarcasm that lies within my pointless post. Anonymous poster complaining about anonymous posters? How ironic. I agree, not everyone can do anything for various reasons. I wasn't arguing that. In fact, the subject of your posting had nothing to do with what I was saying. And just because you google something it doesn't make it the truth. You left me so many questions to answer and so much time to think about how many people really care about what I said. Apparently you do.

Wow! A voice of reasoning has arisen! Thank You for responding and obviously understanding my post. I wasn't ripping Kevin, Keith, Don, or the program. They are really nice guys and I like them all, but facts are facts.

You'll never see a Ritz or Hall in the Hanson's Program, but only those with somewhat lesser ability. The main reason, but not the only reason, is simple. Money. Hansons can't pay what Nike can pay Dathan. If the Hanson's offered Dathan $500,000 per year and Nike offered him $100,00, who's program do you think he'd run for? Don't kid yourselves, money makes a difference.
Brian was the diamond in the rough of the program and I wouldn't count on that happening again anytime soon. Anyone ever wonder what Brian could have done if he had trained with faster runners or a different group? During hard, hard workouts, he was alone more often that not.
Even if Luke or Mike pulled out a 2:13 (doubtful, but possible for those 2) range marathon, they will still have a long way to go to get "down there" where it counts. Trent had the race of his life in 04' and just barely slipped under 2:13. I wish them well and hope someone comes into the program to take up where Brian left off. If not, it will be a bunch of 2:14-2:15 marathons for a long time. That will not get them a top 3 finish in the trials, which is the goal, so what's the point? They have to be in contention when the gun goes off and have times that truly compete with the top guys, not pr's that are 5 minutes behind over a 26 mile race. They can place 5-10th, but what does that do? I know, reality bites.
Again, even though you may not have been directly sticking up for me, THANKS!

By the way, picking a name out and claiming who you are and where you live doesn't mean it's true. Put your picture up, your pr's, your email address, and then IF you give answers to my facts, we'll talk names old man. You couldn't hang with me on your best day and I think I could debate you in my sleep, and win!

Off you go now!

I am from Cocoa Beach FL. I am not sure why that is important as I have already stated that I am a nobody. You on the other hand has claimed to be an "INSIDER".

Okay hot shot, I say that you are in fact no more an insider than anyone else. So spill it, who are you? I guarantee that you will remain anonymous and we all know why.
I never said that guys in Mammoth or OTC are not making more money than anyone in Hansons. That has nothing to do with a successful business model. When Nike pulled out of Athletics West what of financial value remained? Nothing When Reebok pulled out of The Enclave, what was left? Nothing. If Brooks pulled out of Hansons, would they have anything of financial worth remaining? YES. That is a better business model.
Your fact about superior athletes being in other camps helps in proving my point. Even with lesser athletes, the Hansons are creating worth. Thanks for proving my point.

Whoa! I wondered what Rick Moranis was doing these days. McKenzie Bros. rock!

They will be around for a long time, BUT so will groups like Deanna Kastor's (Mammoth), among others (Alberto's Nike Project). Their athletes are better and Nike among others are giving them "nice contracts", not just a place to stay and train with great runners. The question is, who will produce better athletes??? Rupp and Ritz versus Clint and Kyle. Who would you pick? Or how about Meb and Deana versus Chad and Melissa? I know the answer, do you?

Don't think and drive! Yeah he said um, ah....it, but the man's driving. I guess you speak perfectly when you drive. Which brings me to my worthless rambling point:

Let us be thankful for internet anonymity and for our newly technological way of being isolated in our agro-commented worlds where what we say and do to people have no consequence to ourselves or accountability to others.
Please, please, please be responsible for US track and field and support these programs, not s*&t;on them. If you are so successful at critiquing running programs maybe you could try running one yourself...or better yet, ask to be part of Hanson Brooks Team and make it better so you don't have to impart your opinion on someone's attempts to make the running community in the US competitive. I've taken up too much space already.

People can do what they want three years is a long time people have dreams and just because you cannot do it does not mean you have to bash others hopes.

On Clint, here's a fact. He wasn't even remotely close to Greg Meyer's 2:13:07, not even 1/3 of the way into the race and the weather was absolutely perfect. I'll give him this much, he can talk a big talk.

http://www.examiner.com/x-1226-Detroit-Running-Examiner~y2008m10d16-Marathoner-Clint-Verran-Running-to-Win-at-Detroit

I don't know who has written them off as a fluke program, but William, you must admit that they are a little overrated. Just curious, who do you expect "continued improvement" from? Names please.

That's just the way he talks. He is sincere and passionate about running, as is Keith, and they are both really nice guys and always have been. I don't think it's a cop out, although I'm sure that both coaches would readily admit that they are happy they acquired Brian Sell, who gave the Project some real clout.

But...I agree that the 2:15 runners aren't really going to do anything. They are running in no man's land and won't do anything on the international scene.
Here's why: One runner actually said that his goal was to be on the pedestal (top 3 spots) for the 10,000 in 2012 (London). He has the right to say what he wants and to shoot for the stars, but knowing his current 5,000 and 10,000 pr's, that was not a realistic statement and pipe dream at best. He would have to drop at least 10 seconds per mile to even have an outside chance at making the US team. That's 2.5 seconds per lap for 25 laps. This runner is not currently even ranked in top 30, in America! If you went by current world rankings, he wouldn't even crack the top 100. Now, how can he realistically believe he's going to be on the pedestal 3 years from now? He can't. He's got as much of a chance as I do or you do, zero.
Kevin and Keith have great intentions and this is nothing personal, but what will become of the 10,000 meter runner that I speak of? He won't ever win a 10,000 at the Cardinal Invitation, let alone make the Olympic Team, so what will he accomplish when all is said and done? He'll definitely run faster with the Hanson's and set a pr, but that pr won't mean anything to anybody except that runner, just as our pr's mean something to us. To be at that level, you have to be "gifted" to a certain extent. If you're not, hard work will only take you so far.
Brian Sell is not just a hard worker, he's gifted. No, not the point that Geb is, but he's still gifted none the less. Clint never broke 2:14, but Brian broke 2:11, twice. Clint, regardless of his own personal comments, never had the ability to run that fast, and he never did. After 8 years of doing the same type of workouts as Brian, and even running with him, he would have broke 2:11 if he were capable. I would argue that even Kevin and Keith would agree with that statement. If you can't keep up with Brian in a workout, how can you do it in a race? You can't, and Clint couldn't.
I'm not picking on Clint, he's just an easy example. Someone will argue about his place in the 04' Olympic Trials Marathon. So what? Look at his times. They were weak fields with not a lot of depth. What did Clint do in the 08 trials, held in Central Park (Nov. 07)? See what I mean. 18th place and he was only 32 years old. He was 5th in 04', but over 2 minutes out of 4th......at that level, it's long way people. Clint's best chance was the marathon, and he couldn't even make the team.
Kevin and Keith need to somehow attract/recruit some top runners through contracts or whatever it takes. Without that happening, and Brian leaving soon, it's just a running club with a bunch of 2:15 marathoners that win local races or non-money races (ex. Disney Half), but nothing more. The Kyle O's and Chad J's of the group need to move on and let a younger crowd have their turn. They've had more than enough time to truly improve and get to the next level, but they haven't.
I'm sure Kevin and Keith are doing "fine" financially, but they've earned it and took a chance (although I don't believe they put a million dollars of their own money into it as I read somewhere...........where did they work to acquire a million dollars and just as important, why would they need a million dollars to start the team?). They can coach and run the team till they're old as the hills, but the runners will come and go and Hanson's will still be around.
That's my take, what's yours?