Bill Rodgers and Tom Fleming comment on Rolling Stone cover controversy, by Jeff Benjamin, note by Larry Eder

Left – -Right – -Tom Fleming, Nike Flatiron Store Manager Margot Fleming Bill Rodgers, Jeff Benjamin

This is a piece from Jeff Benjamin, a frequent and long time contributor to RunBlogRun, and one of our early contributors to American Athletics. He spoke to Bill Rodgers and Tom Fleming about the controversy over the Rolling Stone magazine cover featuring the alleged Boston bomber.

Rodgers and Fleming, both whom spent much of their careers racing over the Boston course, have an appreciation for the race and the history of the Boston Marathon.

Tell us what you think!

Bill Rodgers and Tom Fleming comment on Rolling Stone cover controversy by Jeff Benjamin

Without a doubt, we live in a world where things get publicized to gauge a public reaction. Most people by now have heard about the controversy surrounding the cover of this past week’s Rolling Stone Magazine, displaying a photo of the surviving accused Boston Marathon bomber. Two runners with an integral link to the world’s oldest continuing marathon decided to chime in.

New Jersey’s Tom Fleming, whose two 2nd places finishes at Boston during the 1970s (including a 2:12 PR), was not happy at all:

“Money rules the word … Great business move for the Mag .. Sell more reader subscripts. This cover made me angry. He is a terrorist.. a killer .. Why do we showcase his terrible and sick behavior? Time Mag has done this for years as well … So I was not surprised by RS … But I personally would never buy the magazine with his face on the cover!”

One of Boston’s greatest Marathoners, 4-time Champion Bill Rodgers, echoed Fleming’s sentiments:

“I think it was kind of fraudulent. Lets deglamorize everyone who terrorizes the
American people”

Aside from their anger which, judging by the reaction throughout the country, has been agreed upon, their passion for Boston has not abated. Count on Fleming coming up next year, both as a Coach and a spectator, as he has in previous years. “Boston Billy” has already announced that he intends to run the Marathon next year in a sign of solidarity and a statement against terrorism.

All fans of running can’t wait to see them, along with the thousands of runners and champions past, present and future, return to the starting line at Hopkinton next Patriot’s Day to show the world that the race will continue to go on and not give in to terror!!

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Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 50-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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