Well, what state are you from? Maybe we should just stick to that, if the goal is to 'buy local' and ignore the bigger market.
Well, what state are you from? Maybe we should just stick to that, if the goal is to 'buy local' and ignore the bigger market.
Well, not sure if what you are saying is correct, but yes I think buying local is a good idea. The big market is suspect and seems to take away good jobs or quality of goods...who knows....GO WEBB, GO RITZ, GO ROCKET, GO GO GO!
AND JENNYB, MAGGIE, LISAK, and ....can't wait for Mr Sac
The onslaught of Kenyans winning races in this country has contributed significantly to the demise of the professional aspects of the sport as far as fan support is concerned. Gasparilla is a perfect example. When the race first started, it was mostly elite Americans and Brits and a few Aussies running the race for the purse. Newspapers had great coverage as did TV. The race had great fan support and crowds. After the Kenyans started winning everything, fan and media support gradually dimished and then pretty much disappeared. Perthaps it was their agents fault but the Kenyans came in the night before, ran, collected their winnings and left. No one even knew who they were.
So now the race has eliminated most prize money for elites and is strictly a local thing - the greedy charities have managed to scoop up most of the money with little or almost no return to the local running community.
Too bad since this started out and was intended to be a world class event with world class runners as stated by the original sponsor, Poe and Assoc. If you remember back, world records were set here in the 15K. All that is history now.
This is not a racist rant. Just a factual review of what has happened to what used to be a premier road race in this country. Like it or not. That is the way it played out.
Hey Rukidding,
Just because you are an American or support Americans it doesn't mean most guys coming here have the same views!
I come here because of quality reporting and up to date Great running news from all corners of the world!
If Let's run start focusing on under par American runners just to please some few American fans, then this website will be watered down and won't serve the purpose of distributing up to date Great running News!
When you talk of Africans, you have to know Africa is not a country but a continent!
Guys from Kenya might not be happy with Kenenisa or Tadese's winning news here, but they have to stomach the fact when that happens!
I feel the reporting here has been very fair and focused on the best!
Cheers Wejo and Let's run, you are doing a really great job!
To Night runner,
That was poor planning on Gasparilla side!
The race can decide how many elites to take and can create the balance!
This is actually what happens all over the world when it comes to big races, for instance Catherine Ndereba was locked out of Boston Marathon last year, but it was to protect an American runner and to boost publicity!
However, they recalled Ndereba again this year!
The point was Ndereba's winning was becoming monotonous, so they had to change the pattern!
Good strategy!
Too bad since this started out and was intended to be a world class event with world class runners as stated by the original sponsor, Poe and Assoc.
They wanted a world-class race, but didn't like it when world-class runners turned up? What's up with that?
I really have no interest in reading about the African runners. In my mind, the are genetically more gifted than the rest of the world and combined with their training, are unbeatable.
Just reading from this website, there was virtually no interest from Europe or the U.S. about world CC. Many European countries did not field any runners or send any journalists to cover the event. Their interest level is on par with us.
If there is a story on let's run about Ritz or Kara, I'll read it. I'll bet not 1 in 50 readers of this website can name more 5 African runners. Other than Geb, Bekele, Defar and Dibaba, I could not recognize any of them on tv.
Good luck trying to create interest where there isn't any.
I tend to agree with the OP -- I was shocked at the complete lack of coverage of all the college dual meets and invitationals last weekend, considering the Brojos usual emphasis on team competitions in college track. the Oregon meet got a brief mention only about Hasay, nothing on the Big Meet at Cal, or the Michigan/Ohio State dual, or even Sun Angel at Arizona State or Sea Ray at Tennessee. I was pretty surprised that this was being overshadowed by African running news.
I agree that it's important to cover news from around the world, but I don't think it should be to the detriment of the usual attention LetsRun pays to the NCAA and US pro circuit.
Night Runner wrote:
The onslaught of Kenyans winning races in this country has contributed significantly to the demise of the professional aspects of the sport as far as fan support is concerned. Gasparilla is a perfect example. When the race first started, it was mostly elite Americans and Brits and a few Aussies running the race for the purse. Newspapers had great coverage as did TV. The race had great fan support and crowds. After the Kenyans started winning everything, fan and media support gradually dimished and then pretty much disappeared. Perthaps it was their agents fault but the Kenyans came in the night before, ran, collected their winnings and left. No one even knew who they were.
So now the race has eliminated most prize money for elites and is strictly a local thing - the greedy charities have managed to scoop up most of the money with little or almost no return to the local running community.
Too bad since this started out and was intended to be a world class event with world class runners as stated by the original sponsor, Poe and Assoc. If you remember back, world records were set here in the 15K. All that is history now.
This is not a racist rant. Just a factual review of what has happened to what used to be a premier road race in this country. Like it or not. That is the way it played out.
While what you are saying IS true i.e. Americans are not often interested in Kenyan runners, is that a reason to change? In the 50's Americans weren't interested in black workers (except on the plantation). We did well enough to change that one. The situation now is that we need to educate people about WHY these men/women are the best in the world (and if you think it is all genetics then you have never been there). And, don't worry - racism is still rampant in the sport. Just try getting a sponsorship for a 2:10 marathoner from Kenya.
Ok. I'm so tired of this racist rant. "Racism" is the hatred of another race. If I cheer for the 1 white sprinter in an otherwise all black race does not make me a racist.
How many blacks cheered when O.J. was found innocent? Did we call them racists? All the blacks who became golf fans when Tiger Woods came on the scene? Did we call them racists? They are just rooting for one of their own.
Yet, when a white person does it, we're racists. You bleeding heart liberals with the white guilt should just let the rest of us live our lives without waving your fingers at us with the righteous indignation.
Fat Lady Not Singing wrote:
While what you are saying IS true i.e. Americans are not often interested in Kenyan runners, is that a reason to change? In the 50's Americans weren't interested in black workers (except on the plantation). We did well enough to change that one. The situation now is that we need to educate people about WHY these men/women are the best in the world (and if you think it is all genetics then you have never been there). And, don't worry - racism is still rampant in the sport. Just try getting a sponsorship for a 2:10 marathoner from Kenya.
this post reeks of ignorance
If you want to hear about Americans and collegiate athletes go to flotrack.
Fat Lady Not Singing wrote:
While what you are saying IS true i.e. Americans are not often interested in Kenyan runners, is that a reason to change? In the 50's Americans weren't interested in black workers (except on the plantation). We did well enough to change that one. The situation now is that we need to educate people about WHY these men/women are the best in the world (and if you think it is all genetics then you have never been there). And, don't worry - racism is still rampant in the sport. Just try getting a sponsorship for a 2:10 marathoner from Kenya.
The fact that a 2:10 marathoner isn't getting sponsored is not racism, it's because 2:10 Kenyans are simply not marketable more often than not (i.e. nobody cares.)
Sponsorship isn't charity, it's a two way thing. Sponsors want bang for their buck. A 2:10 American marathoner (or British over this side) is far more appealing to a sponsor.
Are Americans ever going to get excited about watching a marathon where the first 20 places are taking up by Africans that they know absolutely nothing about? Almost certainly not.
I'll bet not 1 in 50 readers of this website can name more 5 African runners. Other than Geb, Bekele, Defar and Dibaba, I could not recognize any of them on tv.
Good luck trying to create interest where there isn't any.[/quote]
i would gladly take that bet, i dont know how to prove it over the computer that i am not just looking up names, but i can name african runners all day.
i would bet that dave monti can name more than 5 african runners, i would bet tony reavis can name more than 5, so can alberto salazar, heck even ritz can name 5 more than african runners.
trollism wrote:
Fat Lady Not Singing wrote:While what you are saying IS true i.e. Americans are not often interested in Kenyan runners, is that a reason to change? In the 50's Americans weren't interested in black workers (except on the plantation). We did well enough to change that one. The situation now is that we need to educate people about WHY these men/women are the best in the world (and if you think it is all genetics then you have never been there). And, don't worry - racism is still rampant in the sport. Just try getting a sponsorship for a 2:10 marathoner from Kenya.
The fact that a 2:10 marathoner isn't getting sponsored is not racism, it's because 2:10 Kenyans are simply not marketable more often than not (i.e. nobody cares.)
Sponsorship isn't charity, it's a two way thing. Sponsors want bang for their buck. A 2:10 American marathoner (or British over this side) is far more appealing to a sponsor.
Are Americans ever going to get excited about watching a marathon where the first 20 places are taking up by Africans that they know absolutely nothing about? Almost certainly not.
Mate, my point exactly. However, I would point out that there is a distinction between not being "marketed" and not being "marketable." I have worked with plenty of Kenyans who ARE very marketable when someone puts in the effort to market them. The problem arises when people "lump" them all together as "the Kenyans" or "the Ethiopians" instead of taking an interest in their individual personalities, characters, and stories. A lot of Americans (it's not as bad in the UK, as you know) forget that these athletes are actually.... human. The other poster (calling me ignorant) is a perfect case in point. I have run more miles in Kenya than he has probably run in his life. Nevertheless, I am the "ignorant" one because I have seen that their success is built upon more than genetics. A lot of sponsors are oblivious to the fact that a well-marketed Kenyan (i.e. a Kenyan in parts of the USA where there are not a lot of international athletes) can really generate a LOT of interest on a regional scale. That is what sells shoes more than just some random guy (even if he is American) winning Boston.
But don't the athletes themselves have some responsibility to make themselves marketable though?
Kenyan athletes in particular seem to have a lot of difficulty managing their running careers themselves, to the smallest detail. Maybe if some of the top guys took a bit more responsibility, instead of relying completely on a dodgy agent.
Fat Lady Not Singing wrote:
The problem arises when people "lump" them all together as "the Kenyans" or "the Ethiopians" instead of taking an interest in their individual personalities, characters, and stories. A lot of Americans (it's not as bad in the UK, as you know) forget that these athletes are actually.... human. The other poster (calling me ignorant) is a perfect case in point. I have run more miles in Kenya than he has probably run in his life. Nevertheless, I am the "ignorant" one because I have seen that their success is built upon more than genetics. A lot of sponsors are oblivious to the fact that a well-marketed Kenyan (i.e. a Kenyan in parts of the USA where there are not a lot of international athletes) can really generate a LOT of interest on a regional scale. That is what sells shoes more than just some random guy (even if he is American) winning Boston.
Good point. I see that as one of the best parts about how letsrun covers "africans". Thanks to their focus on individuals it's easier for ignorant Americans like myself to actually take interest in the chunk of African names at the top of all the results. That's gotta be good for the sport.
keep training stop being ignorant. you are busy ranting while some kenyans are busy training in the hills of rift valley how do you expect to beat them? we live in a globalize world goods and services have to be sold and marketed to the globe. the sport sorts the best from evry corner of the globe. wake up and train stop being ignorant
trollism wrote:
Are Americans ever going to get excited about watching a marathon where the first 20 places are taking up by Africans that they know absolutely nothing about? Almost certainly not.
Depends on the American, I guess. I myself would rather watch an A race dominated by the world's best (wherever they're from) than a B race dominated by the best Americans who turn up.
If you're different, I feel sorry for you.
Fat Lady Not Singing wrote:
Mate, my point exactly. However, I would point out that there is a distinction between not being "marketed" and not being "marketable." I have worked with plenty of Kenyans who ARE very marketable when someone puts in the effort to market them. The problem arises when people "lump" them all together as "the Kenyans" or "the Ethiopians" instead of taking an interest in their individual personalities, characters, and stories. A lot of Americans (it's not as bad in the UK, as you know) forget that these athletes are actually.... human. The other poster (calling me ignorant) is a perfect case in point. I have run more miles in Kenya than he has probably run in his life. Nevertheless, I am the "ignorant" one because I have seen that their success is built upon more than genetics. A lot of sponsors are oblivious to the fact that a well-marketed Kenyan (i.e. a Kenyan in parts of the USA where there are not a lot of international athletes) can really generate a LOT of interest on a regional scale. That is what sells shoes more than just some random guy (even if he is American) winning Boston.
You are the ignorant one because you accuse people you don't know of being racist.
There's nothing immoral for someone to root for the athletes of their home country. There's also nothing immoral for someone to crave news coverage of the people they root for.
Our generation is very quick to use the "you are racist" line when responding to something or someone they disagree with. You are a perfect example.