Former Mustangs Tracksters Tienert & Robertson

[MrMustang1965]

STANFORD — Track and field teammates just a year ago, Paul Tienert and Michael Robertson are just beginning to understand the rivalry that exists between Cal and Stanford, their new schools.

They should come away with a substantially better sense of things after Saturday's 111th Big Meet at Stanford.

Still, the experience promises to be a bit surreal for the two, who were teammates for two seasons at Southern Methodist University before the Dallas school shut down its men's track program after last season.

Tienert, who has twice broken Cal's record in the javelin this spring, remains close friends with Robertson, who twice has eclipsed Stanford's record in the discus.

"They've tried to stress to me how important this meet is, the history behind it," Tienert said. "I'm starting to catch the fever a little bit, but it's going to be hard for me to watch the discus and not be rooting for Mike."

"It's going to be the same thing here," Robertson said. "I want to see Paul go out and have a good throw, but I also want our guys to do well."

The bond between Tienert and Robertson was formed at SMU despite the fact the two came from disparate backgrounds. Tienert grew up 40 miles southeast of Dallas in the tiny town of Combine (pop. 1,500). Robertson lived in Florida until he was 14, then moved with his family to Brussels, Belgium, where he spent his high school years.

Tienert began his athletic career as a quarterback, then tried football and track when he arrived at SMU, eventually dropping the former.

Robertson was drawn in a more European direction, picking up the javelin in Belgium and even getting the chance to compete as a high schooler at the Brussels Grand Prix meet.

When finances forced SMU to eliminate the men's program last spring, both athletes were stunned. "We didn't have a warning at all," Tienert said. "We just felt like the rug was pulled out from under us."
They wound up just 40 miles apart at their new schools strictly by accident, but both felt immediately comfortable and both have thrived.

Tienert broke Cal's 19-year-old javelin record with a toss of 233 feet, 1 inch at an April 3 dual meet against Illinois, then eclipsed that by throwing 239-9 a week later at the Texas Relays — a mark that leads the Pac-10 by 18 feet and ranks fourth nationally among collegiate throwers. "That was a good feeling — back in my home state with my family watching," Tienert said.

Robertson has fared equally well after a slow start. He broke Stanford's three-year-old discus record with a toss of 199-10 last Friday at Pomona, and two days later erased that by throwing 202-5 at the Mt. SAC Relays. His throw is 11 feet farther than any in the Pac-10 rival ranks him fifth in the NCAA.

Still far off his personal best of 212-11, Robertson noted, "Things have started coming together, really for the first time this season."

On Saturday at Stanford, Tienert and Robertson will come together again — this time as rivals but still friends.

[davidsmu94]

Once a Mustang, always a Mustang. Good work guys!