Alexi Pappas profile today in the Times

Great article.

She picked the right parents. If you wanted to go to the olympics so bad, you should have crawled into a Greek woman's womb.

Cool young lady. I appreciate the article pointing out the way athletic and non-athletic endeavors enrich each other.

It's even better in the print version because she makes the front and back page of an entire section. I saw the NYT spread out on the break table at work, and although I usually ignore it, the picture of her caught the corner of my eye and I thought "that looks like Alexi Pappas" then realized it really was.

Didn't know the bit about her mother's suicide at age 4 though. That's very sad.

Good runner, world class self promoter.

She's good at self-promotion, national class maybe, but no Dean Karnazes. Imagine banking millions as a 2:56 marathoner whose only real message is "I eat pizza while running. I'm amazing." Alexi actually has talent, in multiple areas, and her communication is in the form of expression, not promotion.

Gen Eric Miler wrote:

She's good at self-promotion, national class maybe, but no Dean Karnazes. Imagine banking millions as a 2:56 marathoner whose only real message is "I eat pizza while running. I'm amazing." Alexi actually has talent, in multiple areas, and her communication is in the form of expression, not promotion.

Thanks for seeing this. She is very expressive and obviously creative. I wouldn't say she's a big self-promoter. Maybe thats a result of her following.

However, why the hate on Karnazes? I don't like the guy much but it isn't like he's devoid of talent. And who cares that he has never tried to run a fast marathon. He ran 2:56 after 49 other consecutive marathons if I recall correctly. That's not happening unless you can run under 2:30s all out.

I am actually neutral on Karnazes as far as his accomplishments are concerned. But there *IS* no doubt he is one of the most successful self-promoters of all-time in any sport, even if he were of 2:15 potential (which I doubt). He has otherwise legitimate documentaries hailing him as a "genetic freak", implying that even the Kenyan 2:03 guys can't touch him, since "he has no lactate threshhold, he can literally run forever". It's not all his fault, but he does nothing to qualify the hype.

reed wrote:

Gen Eric Miler wrote:

She's good at self-promotion, national class maybe, but no Dean Karnazes. Imagine banking millions as a 2:56 marathoner whose only real message is "I eat pizza while running. I'm amazing." Alexi actually has talent, in multiple areas, and her communication is in the form of expression, not promotion.

Thanks for seeing this. She is very expressive and obviously creative. I wouldn't say she's a big self-promoter. Maybe thats a result of her following.

However, why the hate on Karnazes? I don't like the guy much but it isn't like he's devoid of talent. And who cares that he has never tried to run a fast marathon. He ran 2:56 after 49 other consecutive marathons if I recall correctly. That's not happening unless you can run under 2:30s all out.

Good grief what a narcissist. My respect for the NYT goes down further every day.

"Greek Goddess" wrote:

Good grief what a narcissist. My respect for the NYT goes down further every day.

Sounds like someone wants his country back.

Another Frisco rich brat who bought her way into the Olys.

The "free-spirit" runner is a well worn cliche.

this chick is wacked

can't make a real nations olympic team go run for a 3rd rate track power

She's this Olympic cycle's hey there Delilah

Mhhfhgvbn wrote:

The "free-spirit" runner is a well worn cliche.

Agreed.

Nothing against Alexi - she seems like a talented person outside of running, and that's cool. But I don't see the need for a story here.

I think it speaks to just how vanilla track and field is that Pappas is considered "alternative" or "out there". Most track Olympians are college-educated genetic lottery winners, so I guess someone from that crowd who happens to write poetry is somehow ground breaking.

What would REALLY be interesting (and break the mold) is if a national class runner was the OPPOSITE of an Ivy League graduate -- crude, uneducated, and shameless. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to see some 26-year-old track stud who listens to Insane Clown Posse smoking ciggs before a big race? Ricardo Mayorga (top 10 welterweight boxer in the 2000s) comes to mind. How cool would it be to see a Mayorga type shake up track and field?

point taken, but we do have robby andrews.

but really..I think you miss how unusual she is. The bun thing is huger than you think. She has made two real movies. She has switched allegiances. She is out there man - it's not just the free spirit thing - she has hit the bell a number of ways.

Two "real" movies - so have thousands of unknown film studies graduates

Switched allegiances - to a country she has never been to, doesn't speak the language of, a completely self-serving move

"The bun thing" - give me a break

letsracer wrote:

She picked the right parents. If you wanted to go to the olympics so bad, you should have crawled into a Greek woman's womb.

Her mom committed suicide. Not sure she would 'pick' that again if she had to.

Track & Field needs all the promotion it can get.

Most people attracted to our sport are very reserved and some are even jerks about making interviews.

The NFL and NASCAR are the models for "self-promotion" as you say. They were doing this in the 1960s/70s when other sports were shutting out the media. Now other sports can not hope to catch up unless a miracle happens.

Does anyone actually like NASCAR more than Track & Field? I did tune in as a very young kid to see the crashes and that was it. I have always enjoyed Track much more.