Really? Dave Smith is ruining his runners at OSU? How do you explain the success of the rest of the team? Lowe, Vail, Girma, Farrell, John Kosgei, etc?
So one runner comes in as the most hyped high school track athlete in years, doesnt live up to the hype and the coach and the program are a bad deal?
2X XC Champs and second this year. Coach is doing something right. [QUOTE]
I can't believe I'm arguing this. I feel like you're a troll. I'll bite.
I suggest you take a look at OSU's roster the past 4 years, and tell me what happened to half those superstars. MOST have left. A small number have been successful and in comparison with other colleges, it's quite pathetic. I also would like to bring to attention, OSU uses ALL their money on distance. If The runners are only allowed 12 credits per semester, that's 15 full scholarships... EVERYONE IS ON FULL THERE (Almost). Therefore, allows to garner a much larger number of runners to their university. Again, I suggest you look at the roster the past 4 years and explain why so many great talents have left, and the one's that have stayed and are deemed great, typically haven't improved at all. Of course, there is an exception or two, not counting foreigners, you have Vail and Lowe as your argument. 2 runners. Also, Vail was there during Coach Weis' time as head coach, nice try. And now you have Colby Lowe, which, according to many, he trains himself. You lose. Research, sir.
Then again, people complain about not having many great American runners. Well, let me tell you folks, it's flawed systems' like OSU is why.