ED FRIEDMAN'S WEBSITE
Ted's One-liners (as told by those who knew him)
"A good coach tries to correct your form, a great one leaves you alone".
One time, in May of 1984, at the Stagg Relays, I finished last in my heat of the 800M in around 2:08. I went up to Ted and said, "I guess I got my a-- kicked today." He replied, "No, someone would have had to have been behind you to kick your a--- ".
After the varsity men's cross country team had been drubbed by other teams at a meet, we arrived at a fancy looking restaurant late at night, hungry and a bit depressed. I was standing with Ted at the end of the line at the buffet and asked him - "Isn't this restaurant kind of fancy?". Ted said, "Nothing is too good for my team". He paused and added "Except the competition".
Two days before a big cross country meet I told Ted that I had purchased new shoes and new running shorts in preparation for the meet. I asked him if there was anything else I needed. "Yes," he replied, "a new body".
"You may not be the greatest runner in the world, but run anyway, you will get through."
One spring afternoon, after an interval workout, I overheard a conversation between Ted and one of his non-olympic caliber varsity runners. This particular runner was a steeplechaser and Ted was politely explaining why he wasn't taking this particular athlete to the Conference meet. Ted said, "Andy, I'm sorry that I can't take you along to the Conference meet, but it's only a two day meet, and besides, the steeplechase is on the second day and I don't think you would finish before the meet was over".
When a runner remarked about Ted's neckwear, he said - "This way we're assured of at least a tie".
When a runner was putting some spikes into his shoes: "I suppose he's doing it in spike of himself!"
Ted's response to the Brandeis coach inquiring about what spike size UofC varsity would wear in 7" of snow at Nationals: "I figure it doesn't matter...my guys have a 50% chance of slipping forward".
After having run a couple of races in a row where I dropped out before the finish, I began to think maybe I needed some work on my strength. I asked Ted if perhaps he could recommend some sort of weight program that would enable me to do better. Ted thought for a moment, then said: "I recommend you wait another lap or two before dropping out".
We were on our way to N.Y. to run in the AAU(TAC) Nationals. When we got into Kennedy airport, we had a long wait for our luggage. Mike McFarland was the first person to receive his luggage. A long time passed before anyone else had gotten theirs. Mike became impatient and said to Ted "Come on Ted, I've got to run tomorrow". Ted looked at him and said, "You're going to have to wait for everyone else". Mike replied, "I have to run. What do you run?" Ted retorted, "I run the whole d--n show".
Ted to a runner with bad form and slow times: "I don't mind if you run like you've got a piano on your back - just don't stop and play it so often".
Mike Karluk was a student and javelin tosser for UofC and was running his first 880. He very nervously asked Ted what his race strategy should be. Ted's response was "Well, you should take the pace out HARD, hold that pace, and kick it in". Mike almost died. He not only did not hold the initial pace, he didn't kick it in either.
Ted to a good UCTC cross country runner when he got blasted in the final mile of a 5 mile run: "You had a tough time with the horses".
Once Ted gave me a new pair of spikes and told me "Be careful. These are faster than you are and you just might hurt yourself".
After a series of races from which I dropped out of, I asked Ted how I could run faster and he told me to "drop out eariler".
"Being a UCTC member is a state of mind."
Pete DiTeresa was living with the two Pauls, Ulrich and Ellenbogen. Ted asked Pete if it got confusing living with them. Pete said, "Sure, I just call them by their last names." Ted asked, "Are you putting up with them OK?" Pete said, "Sure". Ted replied, "I guess that makes you a pallbearer."
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