Great Battles: Maurice Greene & Michael Johnson

It is no secret that trash talking and track go hand and hand. At the 2000 Olympic Trials former greats Michael Johnson and Maurice Greene made a career out of their beef.

Fast forward and the 2008-09 season has officially come to a close and with it a piece of track culture, trash talking is officially done.

It's over and may very well be the end of an era.

It's like when Jay Z announced that he wouldn't wear throwback jerseys anymore kids all over Brooklyn and the NYC quickly buried theirs deeply in their closets.

Where is the world-class trash talking in the sport today, chest pumping, and bravado?

I'm not sure who won the war of words in 2000 but here is what Michael said during the back and forth in the press.

"I can honestly say that since Carl Lewis left this sport, there's not an athlete that I get excited about running against," said Johnson. "I get excited about achieving my own goals.

Not to be out done, check out what Greene had to say.

"First, Michael Johnson is the world record-holder, but he hasn't run anything close to that time in four years," said Greene. "Second, he's not strong enough to finish with me in a sprint. He'll have to be three or four steps in front coming off the curve, or it's over.

Sure, neither one finished the race at the 2000 Olympic Trials but the country was riveted by this showdown.

Click here to watch the Maurice Greene vs. Michael Johnson build up to the track battle.

Jay Hicks for Prerace Jitters.