Comments on: Flanagan, Cook, and the coach/athlete relationship http://www.flathillsroad.com/2009/02/flanagan-cook-and-the-coachathlete-relationship/ Parker Morse writes about running Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:21:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: admin http://www.flathillsroad.com/2009/02/flanagan-cook-and-the-coachathlete-relationship/comment-page-1/#comment-32 admin Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:35:58 +0000 http://www.flathillsroad.com/?p=94#comment-32 James - While Coach Cook may not be an angel, I think he deserves a bit more sympathy. I've never been in his shoes, and while I would like to think I wouldn't disparage a former associate to a reporter, I think we've established that Cook doesn't have a monopoly on being opinionated. James – While Coach Cook may not be an angel, I think he deserves a bit more sympathy. I’ve never been in his shoes, and while I would like to think I wouldn’t disparage a former associate to a reporter, I think we’ve established that Cook doesn’t have a monopoly on being opinionated.

]]> By: admin http://www.flathillsroad.com/2009/02/flanagan-cook-and-the-coachathlete-relationship/comment-page-1/#comment-31 admin Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:35:48 +0000 http://www.flathillsroad.com/?p=94#comment-31 Steve - Thanks for dropping by. Nobody has questioned your reporting of facts or suggested you distorted any quotes. I'm also hopeful that my readers can distinguish opinions, such as those I post here, from researched reporting. Steve – Thanks for dropping by. Nobody has questioned your reporting of facts or suggested you distorted any quotes. I’m also hopeful that my readers can distinguish opinions, such as those I post here, from researched reporting.

]]> By: AW http://www.flathillsroad.com/2009/02/flanagan-cook-and-the-coachathlete-relationship/comment-page-1/#comment-30 AW Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:51:51 +0000 http://www.flathillsroad.com/?p=94#comment-30 I took Nearman's article as being Cook's side of the story, since Flanagan's side (or at least a little bit of it) already appeared in USA Today and a couple of other places. I don't think the article reflects poorly on Nearman, but it doesn't paint a good picture of Cook. He tells it like he sees it, and I am sure some people will respect him for that, but it's also easy to see why he's gotten himself in trouble at times over the course of his career. I think that the more anyone involved in this situation talks (excluding Erin Donohue), the worse they look. Flanagan has a right to choose her coach, and if this is indeed over money, she has a right to spend her money how she likes. Almost everyone is worried about money these days, and a distance runner's career doesn't last forever. We get it, they had a falling out of some sort, but in these situations, I think it's almost always better to take the high road and keep jabs out of the press. I don't think the article says much about Nearman, because a certain portion of the running community is already painting this as a scandal...they don't need his assistance in doing so. I think his above comment reflects far worse upon him than his article does...and no one ever questioned whether or not he got his facts right. I took Nearman’s article as being Cook’s side of the story, since Flanagan’s side (or at least a little bit of it) already appeared in USA Today and a couple of other places. I don’t think the article reflects poorly on Nearman, but it doesn’t paint a good picture of Cook. He tells it like he sees it, and I am sure some people will respect him for that, but it’s also easy to see why he’s gotten himself in trouble at times over the course of his career.

I think that the more anyone involved in this situation talks (excluding Erin Donohue), the worse they look. Flanagan has a right to choose her coach, and if this is indeed over money, she has a right to spend her money how she likes. Almost everyone is worried about money these days, and a distance runner’s career doesn’t last forever. We get it, they had a falling out of some sort, but in these situations, I think it’s almost always better to take the high road and keep jabs out of the press.

I don’t think the article says much about Nearman, because a certain portion of the running community is already painting this as a scandal…they don’t need his assistance in doing so. I think his above comment reflects far worse upon him than his article does…and no one ever questioned whether or not he got his facts right.

]]> By: James Nannerson http://www.flathillsroad.com/2009/02/flanagan-cook-and-the-coachathlete-relationship/comment-page-1/#comment-28 James Nannerson Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:02:34 +0000 http://www.flathillsroad.com/?p=94#comment-28 Nearman, Your quotes may have been verbatim and many of your facts correct, but the only overall truth that your article revealed was that Coach John Cook is a vindictive ass. It's sad that this bitter man has to create excuses and conspiracy theories to make himself feel better. James Nannerson Nearman,

Your quotes may have been verbatim and many of your facts correct, but the only overall truth that your article revealed was that Coach John Cook is a vindictive ass. It’s sad that this bitter man has to create excuses and conspiracy theories to make himself feel better.

James Nannerson

]]> By: Steve Nearman http://www.flathillsroad.com/2009/02/flanagan-cook-and-the-coachathlete-relationship/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Steve Nearman Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:07:25 +0000 http://www.flathillsroad.com/?p=94#comment-27 Parker: You owe me and your readers an apology. Every quote in my Washington Times article was verbatim. I got my facts right and I stand behind every word in my article which was intensely researched, not some online diary where you rely on "impressions" and "guessing" over facts. And all the while I thought you were a serious journalist. This blog effort is disappointing and below your usual standards. Steve Nearman Running Writer The Washington Times Parker:

You owe me and your readers an apology. Every quote in my Washington Times article was verbatim. I got my facts right and I stand behind every word in my article which was intensely researched, not some online diary where you rely on “impressions” and “guessing” over facts. And all the while I thought you were a serious journalist. This blog effort is disappointing and below your usual standards.

Steve Nearman
Running Writer
The Washington Times

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