AJ Acosta Unattached 3:36.41

50k is a lot of money for a second level distance star. He is a solid 3:35 type runner that is hardly an international sensation. Still, they pay millions to major league ball players batting .250 so I can see the argument for AJ getting more pay.

Parents help nearly all pro runners and AJ's folks are very well off.

stick with eharmony wrote:

Tell me why there's a thread about this huge douchebag

Because he's another mediocre middle distance runner from Oregon.

Its amazing despite all the hype around these U. of Oregon athletes on the distance and mid-distance side, they've only produced 1 medal in an OG and WC since 2000.

1 and arguably it was with a bit of luck.

3:36 put in perspective isn't even top 100 all time in the world. Its like the minors in baseball. You have to go back 50 years and on cinder no less to see when a time like that would have really mattered.

But the number of threads on the board about them, is incredible. More threads on them than Jenny Simpson winning gold. Seriously go take a look. Oh she didn't go to U. of Oregon I forgot, but maybe thats why she won a gold medal. Amazing how that works.

Isn't Jenny Simpson training as a member of the Oregon Track Club in Eugene? Maybe just being in Eugene and rubbing shoulders with all the great runners in OTC and from the University of Oregon has something to do with her accomplishments. Just maybe?

Oregon's all up in your grill aren't they?

You just can't take it. It's all so bad for you, somebody call the WHA-MBULANCE!

Dude, Oregon is the epicenter of USA Track and Field...because...though you can't face it, NIKE was born there and a ton of excellent runners have come out of that program over a 50+ year period.

As far as few of them winning medals recently, THAT can be said of any USA University since the emergence of the East Africans dominating mid and distance running.

Just get a grip and enjoy that someone is supporting this sport in the USA.

Sometimes it's shocking how static and short sighted many posters are. Acosta just ran a new PR in mid May. Everyone jumps up and down about him turning down a contract and only being a 3:36 guy. Two weeks from now he might be a 3:34 guy. It's frigin May. Maybe he'll never run any faster, but I wouldn't bet on it. Let's not be so in the moment and look past another early season race. And I don't know what the amount was, but I also find it hard to believe it was 50k that he rejected. People shouldn't pass judgement on a rumor.

I'm pretty sure that he was mocking him...

Someone disappointed in themselves because of mistakes during a race? This is not a bad attitude.

Bunchofjerks wrote:

Who wants a guy to represent their company with an attitude like this

http://youtu.be/jagR-MWDjjI

didn't he just open his season in 3:57 (mile) and then run 3:36, which is 3:53/4 mile pace, in his 2nd or third race?

AJ Acosta should move to Colorado Springs, Colorado to train with 2011 World Champion Jenny Barringer Simpson, 2011 World Junior Champion Lukas Verzbicas, and six time Olympic and World Champion Allen Johnson.

I agree that "RU Kidding Me?" needs to get a grip. Oregon should be commended for being the most successful supporter of our sport. Why does he have to try to knock a great program?

At Oxy AJ did well. Now that AJ is back home in San Diego he should train with the Mammoth Track Club, the greatest distance club in the United States. MTC trains at Chula and Mammoth.

Too bad he was not running a decade ago. He would probably be one of the top US milers.

Knower of everything wrote:

Word on the pro scene is AJ turned down significant money (50 k a year) from Nike cause he felt he deserved more.

Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if he has turned down numerous (or maybe a few) offers from shoe companies. He has some good credentials and you would think he would have a contract by now. In no way am I trying to trash on Jeff See, but I believe that he has never broken 3:40 for the 1500m until Oxy this year and he has had a Saucony contract for a little while now. So a contract is most likely available for AJ, but is he willing to take what they want to give him.

What I'm trying to say, to sum it all up, is that the sponsors are definitely out there and they have most likely offered him something that he has been refusing. At this rate he might have a ZZ Top beard by the time he actually accepts an offer, in my opinion.