The
Rage
If you love
the super hero Obviousman® and comic characters, Bitchy
Bitch, Cynical
Man, Too
Much Coffee Man and Migraine Boy, you won't be able to resist
The Rage's spewing rants on 10k Truth and Running.
"Rage
cannot be hidden, it can only be dissembled. This dissembling
deludes the thoughtless, and strengthens rage and adds, to rage,
contempt." - James Baldwin
Area
51
It's
all about concealment, baby. The nation's best kept secrets
are in Area 51, and I'm now on the inside...and I can tell you
from my front row seat, there ain't no aliens here. No warp
drive. No botox. And there ain't no room for any wusses here,
baby. You know the drill. Take it out hard. Pretend it doesn't
hurt. And when that 20-something is still behind you sucking
up all the air in the finishers shoot, make sure you casually
take off your skull cap so they can a real good look at the
'ol dome...you know what I'm talkin' about...?
Rage
(10/19/07)
Hey
Rage & Co.,
I just
stumbled on this site, and I like that you are keeping it real.
I'm an Oregon/Idaho native but I'm kicking it in Europe for
a year or two. I have to say that your rant in the Q&A
archive about American distance running is right on the
money. I've spectated several of the pro Cross-Country circuit
races here and two months ago snuck in to watch the European
Indoor Track and Field Championships. Ridiculous.
American
middle and long-distance runners can barely touch our European
counterparts. I'm curious if you have an opinion on WHY...where
is the American running scene failing to turn out champs who
can hack it? There are a few notable exceptions, but why, in
general, are we just not as quality? What do you think we could
do to fix it? I mean, if Lance can come in and school the Euros
at their own game on a bike, can't runners step up somehow?
Just
curious as to your perspective. Keep spreading the good word.
You, and Europe, have opened my eyes to the Truth.
- S.
4/16/05
P.S.
I like your song about the
Palouse, even though I'm a Vandal, not a Coug.
Dear
S.,
The
short answer is that Americans can't handle The Truth. Gerry
Lindgren summed it up the best when he finally broke decades
of silence and published his autobiography and concluded...
"...we
are looking at the wrong reasons for running...."
In
case you're too young to remember, there must be someone left
on the WSU campus who might still remember that he won 11 NCAA
titles at Washington State and beat Steve Prefontaine, Billy
Mills and Jim Ryan.
Lindgren
said the goal shouldn't be to achieve personal glory. Nuf said.
That rules out kids coming up these days are overexposed to
whining, dining, and a lifestyle that will eventually lead to
an average of 9 years of watching television by the time they
are 65. Lindgren believes in running to improve the human condition.
He believes in push each other to excel and suggests broking
records are indicators that the human condition is improving.
Nice try, Ger, but Americans would never get on board with that.
Way too idealistic. Condition schmondition. Give me a break.
Losers!
Lindgren
might have got us on the right path, but deep down, my theory
is that the demise of American distance running was Jimmy Carter's
fault. He might have got a Nobel but couldn't even run faster
than the guys wearing the dark sunglasses and suits...carrying
fully automatic weapons and spare clips taped around their ankles,
for God's sake! I would correctly argue that he set American
distance running back forever when he did his best Regan
Eberhart imitation to a national audience. Bummer. (Sorry
Regan, but it's true. Some folks actually thought it was Jimmy
Carter at the JTB!)
It
is my firm belief that the only one that can save American distance
running is Karl Rove. If we can't get there legit, we need to
find a way to spin our way back to world prominence. You can't
tell me that hasn't worked. The trick is, you just can't give
a shit. You just need to convince people that some American
really was on the track and did win it even though they couldn't
really see him/her.
And
that's The Truth. The Rage (4/26/05)
Follow-up,
a Challenge...
Dear
Rage,
It
appears that you are using my name without permission and using
innuendo as well as obscure history to make a point. The only
natural and logical consequence to this behavior is that you
need to be schooled. My name and honor have been challenged.
I now must come out of retirement and school the Rage in my
area of expertise, the 50 mile ultra with a full pack. OK Rage,
the gauntlet is now thrown. I challenge you to a 50 mile trail
ultra, at elevation, with a full pack. Come and get it if you've
got the guts. If not then you best retract your impolite comments
towards my person.
Regan
Eberhart (5/13/05)
PS Come
and get it, trash talker.
