Hocker got so f-cking lucky that Jakob moved out with Kerr. If Jakob had stayed on the rail, Hocker would have had to go around and I don't think he would have won.
Jakob was so busy racing Kerr, he left the inside open. The number one thing you don’t do!
What a prat!
This is true . Hocker was not going to win this race until Jakob drifted over to the right and allowed Hocker to pass . Bad technical move by Jakob ??? It was going to be Kerr , gold , Nguse Silver and Jakob bronze until Jakob for unknown reasons moved over to the right .?? Why did he do this ??? I'm very happy for Hocker !!! but he owes Jakob part of that medal for moving over ! Would more of you posters with championship experience please weigh in on this . I want to hear your opinion
For those of you slagging Jakob for his tactics... what would you have had him do differently? He's not outkicking Hocker or Kerr off a slower pace.
There was a brief moment maybe 900m into the race, where it looked like he was starting to get separation. Maybe if he drops the hammer and goes for it there? Outside of that, he just wasn't winning this race.
He could have been patient to see if Tim or Brian took it out for 500....thats one thing
Hocker got so f-cking lucky that Jakob moved out with Kerr. If Jakob had stayed on the rail, Hocker would have had to go around and I don't think he would have won.
It’s how the race developed, it’s not luck. Hocker was easily the best runner in the race, he had to completely break his stride, loose momentum and still out kicked them all. Hocker took it to another level today, a level that Jacob and Kerr are not at.
Damn, if a pace like tonight’s doesn’t take the sting out of his kick, what will? If Hocker stays healthy, he’s going to be tough to beat these next 4-6 years.
All those years being a Hocker fanboy has finally paid off. I can remember when everyone called him "just a 3:35 guy who would never win an NCAA title, never make a team, never win a medal."
Very inspiring.
Glad to see him overcome injury setbacks and get his fitness in place. Cross country last fall didnt hurt him at all. Looked great indoors and really ready at.the Trials. Things take time and always a little luck to be in the right place at the right time. Hocker ran 3:48 mile for 6th and totally unnoticed at DL final last fall in Eugene because Nuguse and Ingebritsen deservedly got the attention the way they performed. That performance got my attention big time because he was coming off minimal training and racing. He showed up indoors looking fit and at the Trials completely ready and in control. Timing is everything. Great work by him and his coach/support team over the last couple years. He has made his mark in the history books. Nothing guaranteed. All you can do is put yourself in a position to have a chance. He knows this. Look at how he handles himself.
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For those of you slagging Jakob for his tactics... what would you have had him do differently? He's not outkicking Hocker or Kerr off a slower pace..
^ This. Yes, he pulled he Pre and went for the gold and lost the bronze. But would you have him run for silver? Not a chance in H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks was he going to do that under any circumstances. And he was not going to win the gold without a fast pace. He knew it, you knew it, every aficionado knew it. If another frontrunner had been there, like Cheruiyot at his best, Jakob most likely would have won the gold. But alas, it was on him and him alone to try to break that field. And of course he couldn't do it. I still expected him to get the silver, but the Americans really knocked it over the fence! Yes, the US is the best in the 15 right now. And aren't we all (except for Jakob and his fans, of course) glad that he made the race an epic fast one with so many left in the medal hunt in the last straight? For the fans, it doesn't ever get any better than this!
I feel disappointed in the journalists at lrc. Cole MF Hocker? You could have gone with COLE SHOCKER! or HOCKER SHOCKER! or even HOCKER CLOCKER SHOCKER! or HOCKER SHOCKER CLOCKER ROCKER! )
Cole looked great at the trials and looked even better today. Congrats and thank you Ben Thomas, you did a great job at Oregon. Cole now gets plaque just outside Hayward field !
Somebody on the recap show comments a couple of days ago (with Centro) actually picked it! They said Hocker would come over the top after the favorites spent the whole race trying to run away / hang on. It's not what I would have bet on, but it wasn't a crazy scenario either. Cole's finish is undeniably wicked, and he's only gaining more confidence in it with each race.