Categorically wrote:
People said Dorian Ulrey's race was the most overlooked 3:57 because the focus after the race was all about German. But how about Shane Knoll's 3:57 at the Meyo Invite? That race featured 5 sub 4 performances by collegians. A significant portion of the men at the starting line at NCAAs will come from that race alone. Yet it has gotten no recognition. The Brojos didn't even mention it in the week that was. It was a fine race by those guys.
I thought the same thing at first but there are a few reasons.
1) The fact that a freshman (GF) won his first ever indoor race and did it in 3:56 makes every thing else seem a little less exciting, naturally.
2) German and Dorian did this early, in fact Dorian had already flown out to Seattle and completed his second and 3rd race (a 3:54 1600 outkicking an olympian, yeah he was ill but the time speaks for itself) and then comes back to win the 3K in 7:50. And that was ever they had some serious travel problems. This was all done a week prior to the race your are talking about.
3) You now have Lagat and Willis making 3:57 look casual as they run 3:51 & 3:53 respectively on smaller tracks, and about 12 other marks landed on the same weekend between 3:54-3:59.
So really as impressive as these guys ran, and it was impressive, it was just overshadowed by too many other impressive events. High school 2K records. German smacking down great runners at US cross juniors. Lagat & Willis getting near 3:50. Flanagan's 5K record. Shoot, Rupp PR's by a long margin in the 3K splitting some world class Ethiopian and gets very little respect for it and is called a Bridesmaid.
So unforunately for your boys, their times were fast, but the timing of that race couldn't have been worse for getting recognition.
No doubt, it was worth mentioning in the week that was.