TEAM USA FOR WORLD XC here

wejo wrote:

for most guys that is a huge deal. This isn't some BS meet international meet, this is the world champs.

If USATF just figures too many guys turned it down it's not worth the money, I'm sure people at lestrun.com will fund the 9th guy.

The world champs are a big deal. Frankly, those who do not intend to compete at Worlds, shouldn't compete at Nationals, especially if they are not willing to risk their prestige at the world final level after a national championship--this is pure vanity and self-interest as opposed to the love of the sport [agreed, there is a place for self-interest, but hell don't run the 12K if you don't intend to bolster the sport at Worlds].

Also, I think the 9th guy's expenses should come out of Masback's salary. What a load of horsesh*y that he makes what he does and does such a piss poor job.

Alert, Masback, I'm gonna have your job, and move USATF to California.

I don't see a problem with Masback, Estes, et al, going to Mombasa.

It's better that what we have here in Thailand, who send a Winter Olympics team of ONE athlete, a 49 year old guy who can barely get through the 15km Cross Country Skiing event, and about TWENTY officials from the Ministry of Sports and Tourism .

The team might lack the star-power of Goucher, Ritz and Culpepper, but they should see this as their chance to really put forth an incredible effort, and I wish them all the very best.

jason

Don't forget about worlds in 03. Ed Torres was on that team.

I would think those guys wouldn't turn down a spot, but they're probably training for the season that matters most- outdoor track and field.

It's one thing if they're going to go over there and a) help the team medal or b) place well individually but they'd do neither. They'd probably rather train.

Especially Carney who is just getting fit after a long layoff due to injury.

USA sends 20 fat cats too. Some on the USATF dole, others on NYRR dole, eliteracing dole, includes many meet, marathon, and race directors given token jobs. It's the old fashioned patronage system. That's what your dues and entry fees buys, suckers ! That's the perks that I want to have, get paid, travel around, watch skinny little famished runners slog thru the mud.

The problem is the athletes' coaches: Hudson, Salazar,etc...

They are making the decisions for the athletes...I knew they would have been good for the individual athletes BUT bad for the US team.

They only care about $$ and re-living their running careers through their athletes. USATF HAS to mandate all athletes to come to training camps prior to major championships (sort of like Kenya and Ethiopia).

Folks, this is all about $$ and greed, NO NATIONAL PRIDE whatsoever.

letsrun.com. wrote:

USATF HAS to mandate all athletes to come to training camps prior to major championships (sort of like Kenya and Ethiopia).

Folks, this is all about $$ and greed, NO NATIONAL PRIDE whatsoever.

Did I miss a memo. When did the US go Socialist/Communist?

Just to spread the bashing out between the sexes, the top women aren't exactly lining up for this thing either, which is also dissapointing.

Obviously they doesn't mean the government, they're talking about Salazar, Hudson, etc who are just in this for the money instead of for national pride.

It's not like the World meet is going to screw up their entire track season. It's one freaking race, for god's sake. If Goucher, Ritz, etc decided to go and got smoked, I think the USA could forgive them for losing to all the best africans on their home turf - in the same race. Besides, XC at the world level isn't nearly as crucial as track, so I would think they wouldn't be too worried about it.

they don't******

letsrun.com. wrote:

USATF HAS to mandate all athletes to come to training camps prior to major championships (sort of like Kenya and Ethiopia).

Yeah cause that'll get the athletes that aren't competing already to sign up!

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

Maybe they shouldn't shoot for the Olympics either. We wouldn't want to make it "lame" either. The bottom line is that if they are the best the US has to offer, they should represent the team. It is lame to be afraid of competing...uh, I mean malaria. Gee, I wonder why American distance running has gone downhill. Best of luck to the guys who actually have the guts to try.

I think you totally missed my point. People are arguing that if you were planning on skipping World's, then you shouldn't have run National's. I disagree with this argument, because I don't think it's value added.

Maybe I didn't make the scenarios clear to you:

What happened: Some great ex-Buffs showed up, and there was a great event in Boulder this year for Nationals. It was awesome. Now, we're sending a crappy team to World's because most of those people that qualified chose not to go. (One good thing, one bad thing).

What would have happened if people planning on skipping World's had not run Nationals: The race in Boulder would have been lame. We would still be sending a crappy team to World's. (Two bad things).

So I don't understand why anyone thinks that if you're planning on skipping World's, you should skip Nationals too. Nationals is a championship in its own right and just because it doubles as a qualifier shouldn't put any additional pressure on the people that do well there. I understand the disappointment that some people feel, but I think the athletes have to do what they think is best for them. If they aren't motivated to run World's, why should they? Fvck, if they want to retire tomorrow, who are we to b!tch about their personal decisions. These runners don't owe you sh!t.

Four women score. They are taking two alternates.

Six men score. They are taking two alternates.

\"These runners don\'t owe you sh!t.\"

Yeah yeah yeah yeah...weve heard this five hundred times...and its just as lame as ever..

but this is why distance running will remain just behind street luge, as far how seriously people take our sport.

i dont see that changeing...how can you be a fan of american distance running...unless you think PR\'s are really cool...i just dont get it....

they RARELY do grand prix\'s, world championships, or even european XC races(come on how cool would that be?)

so about every four years i can watch american compete in the marathon...and im sorry the marathon sux to watch.

it would be like if Roddick, decided \"ah hell i cant federer anyway...screw the french open, lets find a match it texas\"...

Well Roddick has alot of fans...because he doesnt do that...

Ritz and Culp probably still have fans to but...only the kind of people who know what their VOdot is for every event from the 400m to the marathon.

anyway...as long as your cool with never seeing our sport escape the shadow of...hell spelling bees, poker games, Winter X Games, world strong man, and damn near everything else...this shouldnt be a problem for you.

people say money but....each of those runners who turned down the kenya trip get a stipen from USATF every year to paricpate for the US. thats what pisses me off USATF shouldnt be giving them a stipen if they are not competing for the USA

is this not a full team? wrote:

Can anyone clarify that the US is not sending a full men's team?

Some "lesser" events are having money pulled from their budgets in 07 due to a shortfall of revenues at USATF of $250,000. I believe the IAAF Half Marathon Champs were scrapped altogther. The option for filling out the teams was that the athletes who were outside the needed numbers to score could pay their own way if they wanted to race. Obviously, this assures they can't race, as they can barely afford a trip to Boulder, how can they get to Kenya on the same limited funds. Other disciplines are affected here too. I know (everyone's favorite event) race walking is under the same ruling for a race in Brazil and lost funding completely for a DOMESTIC race in August (its a NACAAC Championship).

Why did this happen? 2 answers. (1) USOC money is being held back for the Olympics. (2) There are 4 big trips this summer, with the World Youth, Pan Am Jrs, Pan Am Games & World Champs all going pretty much at the same time. The USOC makes us fund those trips completely, so something had to give and A LOT of emerging athletes are getting screwed as a result, but such is life.

As I see it, Estes is probably the only one from USATF going over there. Then they have team coaches. How bout eliminating one of the volunteers that are going to basically baby sit?

...that these volunteers that you're suggesting they eliminate pay their own way to Kenya? And the volunteers serve a role and do a great job on the trips, if anything, they should leave Estes at home.

Any coincidence that ALL of Hudson's athletes turned down their spot. That was a very selfish act by Hudson, in my opinion.

I'M GREEN WITH ENVY wrote:

The whole gravy train is going too, Masback, Roe, Estes, Finke, etc. plus chapperones, doctors, message therapists, media officer, photographer, flash quotes taker, team manager.

Message therapists? I don't care who you are or whether the comment is true, the part about message therapists is funny.