Breaking News: Cole Hocker ran through an injury according to Ray Flynn

Well they care because the Next Big Thing in US mid-d running just ran a shockingly poor race. How is the possibility that this performance anomaly is explained by an injury not of interest to you? It could drastically change how you see Hocker's career progressing in the next few years.

He looked visibly shaken; hope he bounces back and maybe takes the 2021 Kate Grace approach, and goes on a tear in DL.

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World Champs next year, dude!

No tv, but I had just finished a race, which didn't go well for me, I and others in the race had print journalists come up and asked a quick question and we gave quick answers...done...high schoolers.

That shush at the finish last year last year made him look douchey, he could of just put his finger in the air #1, dethroning the king and no one would remember it. He had no trouble giving his views on the covid vaccines. He could of said after the race, "I'm focusing on the 5, thanks" Now instead of two threads we have three times that, mostly meaningless arguments. Maybe Coles agent should work with his client on professional etiquette. Cole Hocker is a great runner and maybe has great future, though not so much of a good ambassador at the moment

Lol @ promoting your own lame flickr.

Ray Ray is just protecting his athlete. He will say whatever so as not to lose sponsorship or admit the coaching he had wasn't enough to get him advanced to the next round.

Agree that Fauble's comment was unnecessary.

Really bad look by Hocker to walk away from the media like that. Remember when Teare collapsed at NCAAs XC? At a minimum, he was expected to be top 10. He faced the music and gave a very good interview.

If he runs the 5 then the injury excuse doesn't work!

Why not? He doesn't have to run the 5 at sub-60 pace.

How come people come to this forum and constantly cry, whine and complain, "Boo hoo, why isn't track and field more popular? Why isn't running more popular?"

Then when an athlete walks away after a race and says nothing, they defend, defend, and make excuse after excuse!

You know what popular sports do? They REQUIRE their athletes to answer questions. They require media relations and media time. They require their athletes to recognize their money ultimately comes from their value as an entertainer and to give that to their fans.

You want to be popular? You want to be on TV, signing autographs, getting millions? Then you've got to give the "fans" what they need to stay interested.

That is, 1) Entertainment, 2) Entertainment and 3) Entertainment.

Not only when you have a good day, but even when you have a bad day.

The replies in Fauble’s tweet are great. People are ruthless.

Not crazy over the "he was hurt" from Ray.

Fauble looks terrible.

Hocker should have faced the music but he is young and will learn.

Could not believe it when Hocker turned his head to see the train coming his way.

Wild!

A good interview is not needed. Go ahead in talk in cliches. Take a few questions. No reason to irritate media. When C. Hocker races sub-3:31 1500m he will be willing to talk. When C. Hocker races sub-3:50 one mile he will be willing to talk. Writers, when C. Hocker breaks 3:31 & 3:50, 1500m & one mile can write two different type of articles: 1) C. Hocker is the next J. Ryun/S. Scott/J. Spivey. U.S. can be proud of C. Hocker and look forward to C. Hocker winning Olympic and W.C. medals ... . 2) C. Hocker breaking 3:31 1500m or C. Hocker breaking 3:50 one mile doesn't mean much. Many guys have done so on a cool European night yet failed to earn Olympic or W.C. medals.

Two star quarterbacks drafted 1st round in the same draft, Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning. Both men threw many interception their rookie season. One man behaved as a mannerable gentleman after each game and other acted like a lunatic. Media trashed Ryan Leaf from the start and not for simply R. Leaf's play on the field. Everything matters.

If he runs the 5k, the injury stuff is a pure excuse. He had a bad race at a bad time. It happens, he just needs to own it and move on. Long-term, it probably doesn't hurt him as there's global champs for the next two years. But I wonder if he's regretting skipping World Indoors now. He was in form and a genuine medal prospect.

I doubt him being injured is made up, as he kinda just fell apart rather than making a tactical blunder, considering he is the class of the field.

And there was a trackstaa interview from yesterday where Adam Fogg said he had heard something about Cole being injured

Yeah if Hocker is injured I would handcuff him before I would permit him to run the 5000m. He needs to scratch or else nobody can trust them.

Valentine? you're seriously giving pros sh!t for not flying cross country to run a meaningless indoor race? if you're gonna complain, it should be about him skipping world indoors not the freaking Valentine invitational that has 1 or 2 elite races that are basically time trials anyways.

Penn relays isnt exactly a major meet either, for anyone but collegiate relay teams

That take is understandable but it’s too quick. There are at least two ways the purported injury might be a factor here and I’m not sure we know which one is accurate.

(1) The injury is itself an ongoing issue right now (as with Brazier racing the Olympic Trials with a fracture last year).

If that’s what is going on, then I agree that he should not race a 5K on Sunday.

(2) The injury was an issue two weeks ago and limited his training but is no longer itself an active concern.

If this is the case, then racing a 5K would not present a serious threat to his physical health and might actually be a great opportunity to work on both his fitness and his racing experience in addition to him possibly having a chance to make the team if the race unfolds right for him. (Of course, if he goes out and lays another egg, it could do long-term damage to his confidence, so there’s that to consider…)

Why not? Taking the previous 12 days off from running affects performance, even if he was recovered enough to race. I recently took 14 days off from running due to injury, and it took more than a few days before I felt like a runner again. Hopefully he bounces back and has a good race in the 5000.