So look, obviously I recieved some backlash over this last post. Understandable. As I was writing it I wasn't thrilled with it, it happens, not everyone is going to like everything I do. A couple people asked me to put up the post, I respond to requests, I did it. Was it the best decision I made? No probably not and I am sincerely sorry if anyone took serious offense to this. I never claimed to know the whole story, and everyone on this list can come back and feel free to run 4 flat in the mile and brag to me about it on here or whatever that's fine.
But the fact of the matter is I did this because this what I thought was wanted and this is my honest opinion. I won't back down or delete the post or anything like that. I said what I said and I'll deal with that. If you don't like what I have to say after reading this, it's fine, you don't have to check the blog, you can go back to penntrack and read all the hot forums there. I don't get paid for doing this anymore anyway.
The truth of the matter is this blog is and has been about more then just saying good job to everyone who runs well. I tell it like it is and I'm not going to be biased towards anything or anyone. There are different ways to do this and obviously this is not the best method for doing it, but the fact of the matter is this is just my opinion and people can prove it on the track. I hope people take this as motivation to prove me wrong. I've had plenty of people tell me that I ranked them too low and they used it as motivation. I've been proven wrong plenty of times. I stand by what I said at those times because it was my best guess at the time. If you want to hear good things about everyone and people talking themselves up and the basic straight facts then just go to penntrack like I did when I was in high school and I'm sure you will be satisfied.
My senior year of high school I got brutally attacked on penntrack for saying that Luke Lefebure didn't deserve as much credit as Mallon did for his 1:51 performance vs. Mallon's 1:49. Obviously my phrasing probably didn't work well in that post, but the moral was without Mallon Luke wouldn't have been where he was. He couldn't run races from the front, he was a sit and kick guy who got pulled to some fast times. It doesn't mean he's not good or anything like that.
I stood by what I said, I never backed down, and I believed everything. I don't care what people thought of what I said then and I don't care of what people think of me now. If I was worried about what people thought of me my posts wouldn't be anywhere near as good as they are now.
I'm not afraid to attach my name to anything I say, I don't need to hide behind calling anyone out anonymously, I have my name out there and anything I say here I wouldn't be afraid to say to anyone else face to face.
And who are the people who I won't say bad things about again?
Mike Palmisano: Great high school career on the track, underachieved in XC senior year and besides a few good races here and there has not lived up to his potential during college. Hasn't adjusted to the training, often injured, a 3:51 the only thing keeping him above water.
Tom Mallon: Underachieved in college so far
Hong Cho: Underachieved in college so far
Kyle Moran: Haven't seen anything from in college so far
Brad Miles: Underachieved in college so far
I call it like I see it regardless of who it is and how I am connected to them. If you don't like me for that and you don't think it's true, it's just one person's opinion don't let it get to you. Feel free to prove me wrong on the track. I love it when that happens. I 100% do not always know what I'm talking about. I'll be the first person to tell you that I have been wrong lots of times about a lot of people.
But one thing I pride myself on is telling my true opinion and being an unbiased observer about what I see in order to give my readers what they want.
I'm sorry for rambling and getting all worked up like this and I really am sorry if anyone has misinterpreted what I said and took offense to it because my goal was never and is never to hurt anyone's feelings. But I don't want to have my credibility tarnished and my image misrepresented. This is how I view myself and I strive hard to maintain this level on the blog.
If you think I'm full of crap and a big jerk, I encourage you to stop reading the blog, because I don't plan on changing my stripes.
I am for the readers and I am for the good of the sports of cross country and track and field in Pennsylvania. That will never change.
-Jarrett "etrain11" Felix
YOU TELL 'EM ETRAIN! I'm behind you 100%
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