That seems to be the dilemma - Gatlin for example seems to be a normal guy who is able to talk like a normal human being giving interviews. But maybe that will be the reason why the general public will never see a hero in him.
A guy on the other hand who jumps around on the track, his tongue out, yelling he’s the greatest like just escaped the mad house seems to impress the masses.
Don’t get me wrong - the 9.87 was a tremendous performance and somehow bronze is even a TRIUMPH over Crawford and Powell and we have to respect Mo for his achievements on track, no question.
And he deserves one title for sure: most sub 10 runs in history, YET.
Yes the American public, in particular, is notorious for promoting style over substance which we all know. And many are also well aware of the psychological reasons why boasting is often employed.
But, in the world of sport let’s not forget that superlative achievement/winning is often the critical prerequisite to heroic or charismatic stature. Lose for long enough, or even fall short of expectations (“Marion Jones:From class to classless”?)and see how quick the popular culture is to write you off or maybe even ignore you.
Athletes like Ali, Lewis, Sanders and now Greene were only able to remain relevant and through extraordinary track records of performance and unbelievable levels of skill. Besides, confidence is captivating.
And furthermore, what about the quiet and profound self assurance of one who has absolutely no doubt. Remember Ben stating that he would run 9.85 in '87. This is an individual who oozed confidence to a profound degree. For those who have access to the pre-race footage at the start of the 100m final at Seoul just take a look at his face. But how many, even the truly elite, have this kind of self-belief …and again, who cares if you come in 7th place?