> I don't dispute any of his splendid accomplishments, but what is it about
> mentioning Pre that gets people so fired up? It's precisely that
> defensiveness of a cultural icon that is what leads some people to think
> he was over rated.
For both those who watched him (so I've heard) and those who read and hear
about him after the fact (like me), it is not simply Pre's performances that
are captivating. It was the way he vocally and publicly gave 100% every
time he raced. I'm not saying that other's didn't - just that Pre did it in
a much more obvious way. Many of us aspire to give that kind of effort when
we race or at least respect it more than quietly going about your business
as most distance runners do.
This is probably not fair, but we're talking about feelings that grab you in
your gut, which usually has nothing to do with fairness. Said Aouita
captivated me the same way in mid-1980's. He was arrogant and offensive,
but he was loud about giving it everything he had. He inspired me, even
though I probably would not have liked him personally.
- Ed Parrot
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
