People from Australia, let me know. I'm from the USA and have been told this so called Nic guy is really the puppet master behind every decision that is made
I mean Nic Bideau - what can you say, the guy is a legend.
This is track and field after all - a (now) mid to mid-minor global sport that has some money in it but not a lot, and somehow this guy is this behind the scenes Godfather-style figure that can pull strings to get what he wants when he wants it.
It's actually pretty comical - Nic isn't even a physically imposing figure, not does he have a compelling personality. He's this graying, frailish guy with rodent-like facial features that always has a bit of a scowl on his mug - maybe that's the "mafioso look formula" that makes people think he is more important than he really is. And this importance began how - by coaching Cathy Freeman? By marrying Sonia O'Sullivan? Managed and coached Mottram? Yeah, and?
Seriously - he doesn't hold the purse strings to the "financial underground" of Athletics Australia or anything - he is a coach that became an agent. Big. F---ing. Deal.
And that point it's why he is a legend. He basically acts like he is Don Corleone and Athletics Australia are basically like "well I guess he is right?". They could just tell him to f--k off like just any meet director on the planet also could and literally nothing would happen, but yet here he is in the year 2024 lobbying like a Tobacco or Oil tycoon for things to go his way and they do.
That's why it could be easy to despise him but I actually just laugh. Fair play to him - he just decided he makes the rules of the game to suit himself and a gaggle of limp-wristed strokers all across the athletics world (not just Athletics Australia) let him. Here's to you Nic!
People have to understand it started with Maurie Plant, the blatant drug cheat. It continued on with Nic Bideu, everyone knows the story about how he ended up with Cathy Freeman…
I mean Nic Bideau - what can you say, the guy is a legend.
This is track and field after all - a (now) mid to mid-minor global sport that has some money in it but not a lot, and somehow this guy is this behind the scenes Godfather-style figure that can pull strings to get what he wants when he wants it.
It's actually pretty comical - Nic isn't even a physically imposing figure, not does he have a compelling personality. He's this graying, frailish guy with rodent-like facial features that always has a bit of a scowl on his mug - maybe that's the "mafioso look formula" that makes people think he is more important than he really is. And this importance began how - by coaching Cathy Freeman? By marrying Sonia O'Sullivan? Managed and coached Mottram? Yeah, and?
Seriously - he doesn't hold the purse strings to the "financial underground" of Athletics Australia or anything - he is a coach that became an agent. Big. F---ing. Deal.
And that point it's why he is a legend. He basically acts like he is Don Corleone and Athletics Australia are basically like "well I guess he is right?". They could just tell him to f--k off like just any meet director on the planet also could and literally nothing would happen, but yet here he is in the year 2024 lobbying like a Tobacco or Oil tycoon for things to go his way and they do.
That's why it could be easy to despise him but I actually just laugh. Fair play to him - he just decided he makes the rules of the game to suit himself and a gaggle of limp-wristed strokers all across the athletics world (not just Athletics Australia) let him. Here's to you Nic!
People have to understand it started with Maurie Plant, the blatant drug cheat. It continued on with Nic Bideu, everyone knows the story about how he ended up with Cathy Freeman…
I know the Maurie plant drug story, but what’s the story of how Bideau ended up with freeman.
"The affidavit suggested many of the trusts were established without Ms Freeman's knowledge and many of her sponsorship deals were negotiated by Mr Bideau for "the benefit of Bideau" (as well as Freeman) through his interests in her trusts."
Worth looking up how old Cathy was when NB started coaching/managing/dating her...
Athletics in Australia has a history of being officiated by corrupted bullies with no interest in actual sport. When I was running you had to pretty much pay to do anything at all all thye time yet the guy who ran the state body drove around in a 'company' Mercedes. I remember running a 5k and there were a lot of good runners there. Way better than me; World Cross, Olympians, Comm Games, and the officials pulled the start up because he wanted us to tuck our singlets in.
Ah, those were the days of Clive Lee and Harold Ralph, neither no longer with us.
People have to understand it started with Maurie Plant, the blatant drug cheat. It continued on with Nic Bideu, everyone knows the story about how he ended up with Cathy Freeman…
I know the Maurie plant drug story, but what’s the story of how Bideau ended up with freeman.
The story is they met and had the hots for each other.
People have to understand it started with Maurie Plant, the blatant drug cheat. It continued on with Nic Bideu, everyone knows the story about how he ended up with Cathy Freeman…
And she isn't the only female athlete Nic has found himself "ended up with" over the years that wasn't Sonia.
You know I have no problem saying that about Nic - he's really not a good guy and we need to realize they do more collective damage to the sport than they do good. Honestly the athletics world would be better off without guys like him and trust me there are many of them. The world of athletic "agents" is seriously stuck in the archaic past - it's like a Freemasons society.
This post was edited 23 seconds after it was posted.
People have to understand it started with Maurie Plant, the blatant drug cheat. It continued on with Nic Bideu, everyone knows the story about how he ended up with Cathy Freeman…
And she isn't the only female athlete Nic has found himself "ended up with" over the years that wasn't Sonia.
You know I have no problem saying that about Nic - he's really not a good guy and we need to realize they do more collective damage to the sport than they do good. Honestly the athletics world would be better off without guys like him and trust me there are many of them. The world of athletic "agents" is seriously stuck in the archaic past - it's like a Freemasons society.
Absolutely spot on. Again - you’ve got a coach/agent with a long reputation of “ending up” with athletes, taking former athletes to court (including Mottram, Freeman), and generally exploiting those under his charge.
And he was selected to be the distance lead for the national federation.
for - your comment is like saying DST produced some good athletes, so no need to look further
LessismoreTrackClub06/05/2024 3:53am EDT1 year ago
People from Australia, let me know. I'm from the USA and have been told this so called Nic guy is really the puppet master behind every decision that is made
And she isn't the only female athlete Nic has found himself "ended up with" over the years that wasn't Sonia.
You know I have no problem saying that about Nic - he's really not a good guy and we need to realize they do more collective damage to the sport than they do good. Honestly the athletics world would be better off without guys like him and trust me there are many of them. The world of athletic "agents" is seriously stuck in the archaic past - it's like a Freemasons society.
Absolutely spot on. Again - you’ve got a coach/agent with a long reputation of “ending up” with athletes, taking former athletes to court (including Mottram, Freeman), and generally exploiting those under his charge.
And he was selected to be the distance lead for the national federation.
for - your comment is like saying DST produced some good athletes, so no need to look further
Sounds like the marathon discussion is rumbling on. Jess, Gen and Sinead now have a podcast. As per the comments on Instagram - it’s all very “Mean Girls” (while also showing a complete lack of understanding of the appeal and the reasoned decision).