McAdams gives Eyestone reason to proudly cheer

Ed Eyestone, The full-time BYU assistant track coach and part-time TV color commentator for NBC, strives to maintain objectivity and professional detachment when he is on the air. But that was proving difficult at Saturday's U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

One of Eyestone's proteges, Josh McAdams, was running in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and making a big move late in the race, with Eyestone noting it excitedly for the TV audience. At one point, out of the camera's view, he pumped his fist.

Just then, two of his NBC colleagues, Lewis Johnson and Ato Bolden, scribbled a note and passed it to Eyestone while he was on the air, reminding him of a journalism maxim: "No cheering in the press box."

"They could see I was getting a little worked up," Eyestone said. "I think they thought I was going to start (screaming)."

Who could blame Eyestone for getting worked up about McAdams? The previous night he had recalled just how far McAdams had come. He was a walk-on at BYU a few years ago — and a fat one at that. He had gained 40 pounds on his 5-foot-9 frame while serving a two-year church mission, peaking at 190.

"He was a little gob of goo," says Eyestone. "I can remember giving him and the other walk-ons the standard speech — 'You've got your work cut out for you. You're going to have to show us your mettle. Do the best you can. I can't give you a locker yet, but try to prove yourself. The cream rises to the top."'

And so it has. As of Saturday evening, McAdams — whose stocky girth once caused teammates to call him "Hobbit" — is going to the Olympic Games.

With his coach trying to control his emotions as he called the race on national TV, McAdams finished third in the 3,000-meter run at the U.S. Olympic Trials. The top three will represent the United States in next month's Olympic Games.

"I'm an Olympian!" he told Eyestone as they embraced following a victory lap. "I'm going to Beijing."

"Welcome to the club," replied Eyestone, a former two-time Olympic distance runner himself.

The race was won by Anthony Famiglietti in 8:20.24, followed by William Nelson (8:21.47) and McAdams (8:21.99). That threesome finished some 13 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

The Olympic Trials are a cruel but fair all-or-nothing proposition — place in the top three and you're on the Olympic team; everyone else stays home.

As Eyestone and McAdams plotted their race strategy, that was foremost on their minds. McAdams runs best by staying off the pace and running from the back of the pack to set up his trademark blistering kick late in the race. Lacking that kind of speed, Famiglietti likes to push the pace to tire the kickers or to get out of range of their closing speed.

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