What's the point of this thread? Why do you need running to be mainstream to enjoy it?
Bovice wrote:
What's the point of this thread? Why do you need running to be mainstream to enjoy it?
Do you really want to debate this or is this some faux angst, anti-corporate drivel that you picked up reading a chapter or two of Foucault?
Short track.
I was impressed by Solinsky's performance, but I do not see it worthy of being mentioned on ESPN and SI. It's not that big of an achievement in the grand scheme of things - he's still almost a minute behind the currently-active world record holder.
first white man under 27 is as significant superlative as most likely to have a booger under their nose while wearing boots. when he sets a world record, THEN...MAYBE THEN...I would not find it weird for him to get a small amount of press about it.
Do not give us runners the reputation of being ill-perspectived and full-of-ourselves by complaining that this subpar performance get some sort of major recognition on major broadcast channels.
Complaint Links wrote:
Bovice wrote:What's the point of this thread? Why do you need running to be mainstream to enjoy it?
Do you really want to debate this or is this some faux angst, anti-corporate drivel that you picked up reading a chapter or two of Foucault?
Oh. Is this the part of the thread where you don't have an argument so you talk down to me? I've never heard of anyone doing that on a message board...oh wait.
And how did you have time to respond to this? Shouldn't you be writing a complaint e-mail?
I already wrote my complaints. And, I was asking you a serious question. Do you really want to debate this point or were you simply talking down to me with your original question?
what say you wrote:
I was impressed by Solinsky's performance, but I do not see it worthy of being mentioned on ESPN and SI. It's not that big of an achievement in the grand scheme of things - he's still almost a minute behind the currently-active world record holder.
first white man under 27 is as significant superlative as most likely to have a booger under their nose while wearing boots. when he sets a world record, THEN...MAYBE THEN...I would not find it weird for him to get a small amount of press about it.
Do not give us runners the reputation of being ill-perspectived and full-of-ourselves by complaining that this subpar performance get some sort of major recognition on major broadcast channels.
Are you kidding me?!?!?! ESPN should cover pointless baseball and football baseball shit when those sports aren't even IN SEASON but you don't think they should at least MENTION that a NATIONAL RECORD was set.
Give me a freaking break. No wonder our sport is underrated, because even the fans and participants like you don't think it matters.
No one cares about EPO filled freaks running 42 seconds slower than East Africans.
knowledge wrote:
Are you kidding me?!?!?! ESPN should cover pointless baseball and football baseball shit when those sports aren't even IN SEASON but you don't think they should at least MENTION that a NATIONAL RECORD was set.
Give me a freaking break. No wonder our sport is underrated, because even the fans and participants like you don't think it matters.
The difference between this AR and pointless baseball/football shit is that nobody really gives a f*** about track.
what say you wrote:
I was impressed by Solinsky's performance, but I do not see it worthy of being mentioned on ESPN and SI. It's not that big of an achievement in the grand scheme of things - he's still almost a minute behind the currently-active world record holder.
first white man under 27 is as significant superlative as most likely to have a booger under their nose while wearing boots. when he sets a world record, THEN...MAYBE THEN...I would not find it weird for him to get a small amount of press about it.
Do not give us runners the reputation of being ill-perspectived and full-of-ourselves by complaining that this subpar performance get some sort of major recognition on major broadcast channels.
Bovice wrote:What's the point of this thread? Why do you need running to be mainstream to enjoy it?.
I think the point of this is not that 26:59.60 is the fastest 10K time ever run, because it is not.
The point is that people are trying to get track and field more on the map on the United States sports scene. They want it to be more recognized. And a home-grown white kid achieving sub-27 for the first time may be a good place to start.
Does it take a world record to get mentioned in ESPN or SI? Go to ESPN.com and SI.com and tell me how many links on the front page are direct links to articles about world records being set yesterday. You'll probably find none. Yet, the stories on the front pages still got press. Just as this story deserves press.
It never ceases to amaze me how people on here can watch someone run amazing times, and still put them down.
Sub 27 is good. White, black, African, British, American....whatever. Sub 27 is good. And the first time definitely deserves press coverage.
De Tu Sueno wrote:
knowledge wrote:Are you kidding me?!?!?! ESPN should cover pointless baseball and football baseball shit when those sports aren't even IN SEASON but you don't think they should at least MENTION that a NATIONAL RECORD was set.
Give me a freaking break. No wonder our sport is underrated, because even the fans and participants like you don't think it matters.
The difference between this AR and pointless baseball/football shit is that nobody really gives a f*** about track.
Well WE do don't we? And dont we wish more people cared about it? Nothing is going to change with your pessimistic attitude. We know how great the athletes in our sport are and we should be doing everything we can to let others know that a great running performance is much more exciting than some stupid baseball top ten that happens EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Don't put words in my mouth. I didnt say that I didn't think it mattered.
You may be right, I guess it might not be too weird for it to get mentioned. It's just not that good of a national record, surely you can see that?
Is our sport really under-rated? or is it just not entertaining or spectator friendly. I've never met anyone that denied how hard running is, but, even as a runner, I find many races to be dull. The shorter distances are much more easy to watch. But even those are somewhat dull in comparison to watching the spontaneous agility in football or basketball. It's hard to stay excited for 20+ minutes of..just running in circles. (on a side note, I really enjoy short relay races like the 4x4 and I think that most of the general public do too)
Get more good commentators and maybe that would do it. Add some legal contact or some obstacles, that would probably really do it. But not like the steeplechase, that's like watching a 3-legged race without any the falls.
Here is why it matters to me (and I think we probably agree on more than we disagree).
If there is no story on ESPN.com or SI.com, it means that there isn't likely a story on the Sports Wire. Most local papers cut and paste their sports pages straight from the Wire which means that Solinsky's record will likely appear in two papers: The Eugene Register and The Stevens Point Journal. This certainly doesn't help close the gap on the Africans whose races--records or not--are front page news.
Imagine the converse: Dad from Somewhere, USA just turned 45, lost 25 pounds, ran his first 10k and is planning to run a half-marathon in the fall. He picks up his morning paper and sees the headline "American Sets National 10k Record." He reads the story and discovers that a midwestern kid from Wisconsin took down a decade old record previously held by a guy with an unpronounceable name (I love Meb for what it's worth). He mentions it to his middle school aged boys who are starting to run with him a bit. For the first time in their lives, the kids know the name of American distance runner. Maybe on their next run they try to 27 minute pace only see how damn hard it is. For the first time, they are connected to the sport.
That is worth a letter to me.
They would only mention the US Record in the 10k if a non-white had done it. You are in denial and a PC tool - or completely brainwashed - if you believe anything else. Wake up.
just sent mine...
Great race!!
Why is that worthful to you?
Anyway-
My bad, I made a mistake assuming that you were talking about having coverage on something major like Sportscenter. Newspapers and RUNNERS WORLD magazine are certainly appropriate places for this. Something like winning a major marathon or a major race (like Peachtree) would seem appropriate to put on ESPN's tv top 10/highlights or some level of coverage. Setting a national/world record WHILE winning one of these major races in the midst of stiff competition would be very worthy of tv coverage.
Lastly, let me just make it clear that I AM very impressed and amazed by Solinksy's (and others' in that race) performance.
what say you wrote:
Why is that worthful to you?
Fair question. I suppose it matters because I was practically raised by grandfather during the summers and he came from an era where Track was King. As a young boy, I knew who Frank Shorter, Steve Prefontaine and Alberto Salazar were. I watched Decker fall in '84 and watched Joan Benoit win.
Even back then, he hated the direction that professional sports were headed (he was calling for salary caps on athletes back in early '80s). He understood that sports weren't changing. Instead, our values were changing. The sport he loved--the sport he taught me to love--began to decline, first in popularity and then in performances.
As quaint as it might sound, I really think track embodies a set of values that I want to see celebrated: patience, resilence, dedication, passion, humility. I also really believe that a lot of people share that desire.
That's why I think it's worthful.
I see.
So, track embodies those set of values. You don't think that ALL sports embody those same values? It's hard to be successful at any sport without those values, isn't it?
And what do salary caps have to do with it?
And what direction have sports been heading in?
I really am not being negatively confrontational. I'm only trying to understand.
Thanks for the links. I think I will complain.
When an American Record is set in swimming events it ALWAYS gets press. I don't think running is any more "boring" than watching swimming. If the press covered running like it used to a long time ago, there would be more fan interest.
My hunch is that when the weekly SI mag gets sent out, there will be at least some small mention and even a photo.