When I first heard the comments by Denard Robinson claiming he could beat Usain Bolt in the 40 I dismissed them as nonsensical garbage. Bolt was coming off a record setting performance at the summer Olympics and college football wasn't even on the radar. In the past few days I've re-visited the crazy notion and my opinion has changed dramatically. After talking with some track guys and watching film(yes I really did watch film on this) it's quite possible Denard has a valid point.
Here's the conversation I had with my track buddy(he was all state in the 200 and 400)
"If I raced Eugene in the 100 he smokes me. By the time we get to 200 I got him by a step or two. By the time we get to 400 I've dusted him."
Anyone who ever watched Carl Lewis run knows that he never really got to top speed until 60 meters or so then he turned on the jets and blew everyone out. Usain Bolt is similar only his strides are longer. By the time he gets to top speed he's obliterated the competition and can literally shut it down for the last 10 meters and still break world records. Amazing. That being said his starts are not always stellar and for the first 40 it's not a foregone conclusion he'll be ahead in the race.
Although Denard's comments were controversial he's not delusional. He freely admits that in the 100 he probably wouldn't be in the screen if you were watching at home. Speed is an interesting thing. How you use it and what kind of speed you have translates differently in respective sports. That's why guys who run a 4.6 at the combine can't be caught once they get past a DB and why guys that run a 4.3 sometimes can't get to the end zone and get caught from behind. Any ways it goes I would love to see this race.
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