Mr. Obvious wrote:
abolish usatf wrote:Not only that (very well put by the way), but why do supposedly high integrity icons and USATF lynchpins like Coach Joe Vigil (and Deena by association) support someone as shady as Ms. Hightower?
They are supporting here because she is going to win. They do not want to oppose her because payback is a bitch.
Correct. This is a fear-based 'democracy.'
That has nothing to do with the location. Much of that is USATF mismanagement. It's on TV and we can all watch it but USATF should allow the video websites to film it also.
TV wrote:
That has nothing to do with the location. Much of that is USATF mismanagement. It's on TV and we can all watch it but USATF should allow the video websites to film it also.
Right, so if Tyson Gay breaks the 100m world record at US nationals next year, it should be ok for flocats, thefinalsprint and whoever else to post videos of it, thereby greatly diminishing the value of NBC's product, right?
As far as location, please list the cities in the country (or world) for which you could get 20,000 people to pack the stands for the 10,000..
Filling the stands with bodies is a secondary issue with technology. All you get are a few more sodas and hot dogs sold from them. The real vale is from TV which allow everyone to watch the OTs and USAs. Billions can watch it on TV. Now with the internet, USATF should unblock the volunteer websites to show it live furthering coverage to the far reaches of the globe. Technology has made this possible.
dk and mw wrote:
Wrong assumption.
Two isn't two
Deena Kastor should stood on stage behind Stephanie Hightower last night along with a galaxy of USA Olympic stars endorsing 'Hightower for President,' as Hightower spoke last night to the entire delegate group in a presentation afforded to each of the three Presidential candidates. Deena also wrote and recorded a message on behalf of Hightower. She is a very strong support of Hightower.
And Mary Wittenberg fully supports Hightower. She flew to Reno to support Hightower and was seen sporting he 'Hightower for President' pin.
My mistake, but it still seems like a strange "error" to name 2 people who weren't supporters. Does she know her supporters very well? How much do they know her? What did Kastor and Wittenberg have to say? I'm not against anyone, I'd just like a little more information.
Below is a list of Hightower’s supporters per a 10/14/08 Campaign Press Release published on T&FNews at
http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/display_article.php?id=26261
While this claims to be a partial list, it surely lists all of Hightower’s big name supporters as of 3 weeks ago. I really don’t see a “galaxy” of high profile elite athletes on this list.
It is also clear that Wittenberg and Kastor became supporters of Hightower before the informative “Dysfunction Run Amuck” series was published. I wonder if they would have supported Hightower if they had first read the “Dysfunction Runs Amuck” series.
PARTIAL LIST OF SUPPORTERS
(Individual affiliation is listed in parenthesis below for identification purposes only and does not represent or imply a broader or organizational endorsement.)
Glenn Latimer (Men’s LDR chair Illinois)
Jim Murphy (Law and Legislation chair Pacific Northwest)
Lionel Leach (Youth Athletics chair New Jersey)
Terry Crawford (Coaches Advisory Chair Colorado)
Alan Kolling (Men’s T&F Pacific)
Anne Timmons ( Montana IAAF Cross Country)
Arlena Dickerson (Youth Athletics New Mexico)
Bob Flint (Youth Athletics, Arizona)
Bonnie Cizek ( Nebraska Youth)
Carol Hardemon (Youth Athletics Florida)
Charlie Ruter (Officials Kentucky)
Cliff Wiley (Womens T&F Kansas)
Criss Somerlot (Men’s T&F Ohio)
Dan Browne (athlete 2004 Olympian and multiple USA National Champion)
Deena Kastor (athlete Olympic Bronze Medalist 2004)
Dexter McCloud (Master’s T&F athlete Georgia)
Diane Wholey (Women’s T&F West Texas)
Dorothy Dawson (Youth Athletics Illinois)
Doug Storey (Houston /Gulf Association, MLDR)
Dr. Dave Martin (Sports Medicine and MLDR Executive Committee Georgia)
Ed Gorman (Men’s T&F)
Harry Weaver (Youth Athletics Michigan)
Howard Nippert (MUT, Virginia)
Irene Obera (Masters T&F athlete Pacific)
Janet Smith (Ex VP Master’s Track and Field)
Jim Engel (Youth Athletics Ohio)
Jim Peterson (Inland NW, LDR)
Joe Gentry (Colorado Men’s T&F)
John Tope ( Colorado LDR)
Ken Ferguson (Youth Athletics Kansas)
Kimberly Kutsch (Youth Athletics Inland Northwest)
Linda Sarrett (Youth Athletics Kentucky)
Marc Cizek ( Nebraska Youth)
Mark Timmons ( Montana Coaches)
Mary Rosado (Master’s LDR Metropolitan)
Mary Wittenberg (President and CEO, New York Road Runners )
Patrice Wilson (Youth Athletics Indiana)
Rich Torrellas (Women’s T&F Connecticut)
Rita Somerlot (Women’s T&F Ohio)
Robin Beamon (Youth Athletics – Florida)
Rose Monday (Women’s T&F)
Rubin Carter (Youth Nebraska)
Ruth Anderson (Athletes Advisory Oregon)
Ryan Bourque ( Alabama LDR)
Sam Seemes (USTCCA)
Samuel Germany ( Nevada Youth Athletics)
Sharrieffa Barksdale-Blair (Women’s T&F Kentucky)
Sue Humphrey (Women’s Development, South Texas)
Tim Baker (Men’s T&F. L&L Secretary Patomac Valley)
Tonja Stevens (Youth Athletics Three Rivers)
Wendy Truvillion (Womens Track and Field Arizona)
Virginia Brophy Achman ( Minnesota, Vice Chair Women’s LDR and Vice President, Running USA, Executive Director, Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon
####
This 10 week old thread contains some information on Hightower.
http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=2673062&page=0
It included this interesting post:
“(Candidate) Dee Jensen has a pretty good shot because she'll get some pretty good support from the grassroots-oriented folks. Hightower has zero grassroots connections or experience. I doubt her home Association (Ohio) will even back her. Jensen has worked at both the elite and grassroots levels and was even the Dakotas Association President at some point.
By the way, if this becomes a three or four way race with Bob Bowman or anyone else also joining it, USATF does require a runoff if nobody gets over 50% in the first round. So Hightower cannot win by the other candidates dividing up the vote.”
I just got word that it's now a runoff between Hightower and Jensen.
That’s good news. Now here is some bad news:
Chaplin just got re-elected as Track Chair per this tread.
http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=2791890
Are we really going to see any improvements to how USATF operates? USATF not only needs a new organizational structure, but also new board members with more integrity and competence. Lets hope Jensen gets elected.
How long before the next round of voting? Does anyone know the figures for the 1st round of voting? Was Hightower close to 50%?
I just read this on the
homepage:
The USA Track & Field Presidential Election is down to two … Stephanie Hightower and Dee Jensen.
According to the USATF bylaws, when no candidate receives over 50% of the vote, the top two vote getters move on to a one-on-one runoff. In this case, Bowman received the fewest number of votes - eliminating him from contention. Bowman has now thrown his support behind Jensen.
The runoff between Hightower and Jensen will take place between 3pm and 6pm PST. The results will be announced by 7pm PST so stay tuned … in just a few hours we will know who the next USATF President will be for 2008-2012.
Click here to listen to TheFinalSprint.com’s ElectionCast podcast interviews with Hightower and Jensen:
Stephanie Hightower
Dee Jensen
Wejo,
Why no election updated from you. This election is quite important to the future of T&F. Get on the phone with some at UASTF's annual meeting and give us the results of round 1 of this election. Are you going to allow TheFinalSprint to scoop this story?
Knowing the result of round 1, it could be fairly easy to predict the winner here.
I just listened to TheFinalSprint's pod cast with Hightower. Now I know why she behaves as she does. She got her footing and early experience in sports management by working for the AAU!
Technology wrote:
Filling the stands with bodies is a secondary issue with technology. All you get are a few more sodas and hot dogs sold from them. The real vale is from TV which allow everyone to watch the OTs and USAs. Billions can watch it on TV. Now with the internet, USATF should unblock the volunteer websites to show it live furthering coverage to the far reaches of the globe. Technology has made this possible.
Putting asses in the seats is your number one concern for a track meet. Good luck attracting sponsors who see video of your meet with all of seven people on the backstretch. Empty venues are death sentences to new sponsorships.
1st round votes:
Hightower 304
Jensen 263
Bowman 58
Need those bowman votes to go to Jensen.
VOTING CONCERNS wrote:
I really hope that today's vote for USATF President is done by secret written ballot, and not by the public voice voting that was used on Wednesday when voting on the proposed restructuring changes. With Hightower responsible for providing support to elite T&F women, how many elite women at the Reno annual meeting are going to publicly voice their vote for some other candidate?
Finally, does anyone know who chooses the members of the new Board nominating committee? Those that choose the members of this nominating committee indirectly control who gets elected to the new USATF board, and indirectly control USATF.
The Presidential election is done by ballot. There were 5 hours this morning in which delegates could cast votes, and there are 3 hours for the second round.
As for your second paragraph, I believe the Board Nominating Committee was chosen several weeks ago, but I am not sure who chose them.
but the problem is, it's not a secret ballot.
Bless Adam Jacobs for attempting this, but you can tell from almost any interview he does that he's a naive hack. We should applaud his eagerness, but he's really in way over his head with this.
Perplexed wrote:
I suspect Wittenberg and Kastor are supporting Hightower because they have dealt with Hightower extensively in the past and Hightower has been extremely accommodating to them. Perhaps the became friends. They likely agreed to support Hightower before the “Dysfunction Run Amuck” series was published and later felt they couldn’t withdraw their support. What would happen if they withdrew their support and Hightower still became USATF’s next president?
Wittenberg in particular would have likely stayed neutral if she was aware of the alleged conflicts of interest and unethical behavior described in the “Dysfunction Run Amuck” series. I don’t believe that someone of Wittenberg’s stature would not risk tarnishing her reputation by supporting a very controversial candidate for USATF President. Perhaps once Wittenberg agreed to offer her support she likely felt she couldn’t later withdraw it.
Mary’s and Deena’s support of Hightower is so at odds with what’s stated in the “Dysfunction Run Amuck” series. Someone really needs to interview Mary and Deena and ask them about this. Did they read the “Dysfunction Run Amuck” series before offering their support to Hightower? What they did they think of this series? Even a “no comment” reply will be telling.
The running public certainly has a right to know why these two high profile individuals in our sport ended up supporting such a controversial candidate for USATF President.
I sat in on several of the AAC meetings yesterday and today and the athletes who are here (and therefore the ones who get to vote) seem to be very strongly in support of Stephanie. She is definitely the candidate who has pledged the most to the elite athletes, and certainly given her background will back it up.
Most of the people voting against her are doing so either because they fear she will take too much away from their area of interest or because they don't like her.
I think the articles from The Final Sprint were good to have out there, but I doubt they changed many minds. Most of the people voting today have been involved with USATF for many years and were already familiar with many of the issues. I do think they were good for informing people who are not involved with USATF about the issues that have occurred.
First of all, stop posting about my nether regions. It's our little private family matter. Second, if you're going to criticize Adam do a better job than he did.
i bet she has a hairy belly (real mature name),
And your long list of accomplishments is...