by Larry Eder
2011 NXN, the madding crowd, photo by Larry Eder
It is early afternoon after the Nike NXN race. The morning was wonderful as
Futsum Zeinasellaissie won by 24 seconds in the boys race, in 15:03. Lincroft XC won with 91 points from Carroll (95) and Davis (157).
ON the women’s side, Sarah Baxter won by four seconds over Haley Pierce in 17:42 and Katie Knight in 17:45 (Katie won the Border clash less than two weeks ago). On the team side, Manlius won with 60, Kinetic with 82 and 180 for Wilmington.
For more information, please go to Runnerspace.com
In the meantime, I am going to crash and will write a piece from the airport tonight as I head to the ASBA conference (track builders) this evening. I wrote a few deep thoughts about a few topical pieces below, hope you enjoy it!
Will Vin get the CEO job after 2012 Olympic Trials?
http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=4344956
Pretty well thought out piece on Vin Lananna becoming the CEO of USA
Track & Field, AFTER the 2012 Olympic Trials. If it is true, this has been
one of the most poorly handled situations in the sport. Several strong candidates,
Vin could be very good. Sports looks like it is embroiled in intercene warefare (it
is), between haves, have nots and do not have a clues.
Board should have announced a graduated approach if Vin was the guy. The level of
cynicism grows each day about a) search b) board and big question is, c) Mike McNees
does not get into gossip world, seems to run organization, team got 25 medals without a CEO-and do we need a CEO who is a peacock.
Corporately, to other CEOs and non-endemic companies we look weak. Corporations will not negotiate with a board, the want a strong leader. A strong leader for USATF, should be in the know about the sport, have dealt with corporate politics and have one hell of a rolodex. Some CEOs, the creative ones, might see us as a diamond in the rough. I sure hope so.
The Logo Uniform issue
http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=954&Itemid=118
Logo on uniforms is case in point. Having more logos does not mean more sponsors, means
cheaper sponsors diluting money in sport. However, until athletes understand what they have to sell, who their friends are and who can negotiate for them, they will be lost. Non-endemic sponsors do not really know anything about track & field. Fighting between athletes, federation and current sponsors will keep non-endemic sponsors far, far away.
The athletes have a point, and a gripe, but not with sponsors. In the past, USATF has not, at times, made the best deals for both athletes and USATF. If it could save money, or keep a couple of bucks in the bucket, then it was a good deal. It was also a time when the federation was in virtual bankruptcy, both financially and morally.
Transparency is big deal, and Stephanie Hightower and Mike McNees should be congratulated for attempting such a novel concept. There are also perculiarities of dealing with major sponsors. Major sponsors do not like to look bad to their constituency. The AAC meetings, while well meaning, were not planned to prepare for the worst. One does not let major sponsor look poorly.
New Zealand wants to attrack young tracksters
http://www.iaaf.org//development/awp/news/newsid=63078.html
We have to learn from our competitors, we have to learn from our friends, life, dear readers, is about learning. The folks in New Zealand, who have given us Kim Smith, Nick Willis, and in the past, John Walker, Dick Quax and Rod Dixon among others, have a program in primary schools called GET SET GO!
Great idea, great program. We will keep track of how it develops.
