Tim Layden article on Leo's lack of sponsorship

LetsRun.com wrote:

0z wrote:

That is simply an assumption. However lets us play on that assumption. It is almost a year later and you would think Leo or manager would have lowered the price by now that someone would want Leo. A silver medal is just the first loser.

Your quote is full of ignorance. So by your reasoning, Nike shouldn't sponsor any US distance runners?

Part of it also is Leo and his people probably have a good idea as to how much Centro, Wheating, etc are making. Well Ricky definitely knows what Centro makes as Ricky is his agent. You know their base, their incentives, etc and have a hard time not being insulted if your deal isn't somewhat comparable or even bumped to say what hit would have been bumped up to if you were still in the midst of your old contract.

No what I am saying is the silver medal is not as big a deal as most might think. Most people outside of the Letsrun geek world don't know who Leo is. If he had won the gold then yes things might be different. Based on your reasoning it is all ego holding back his management? Perhaps Nike feels that Centro, Wheating, etc are more marketable?

1. He won the silver medal racing in a team USA uniform. So you are wrong on that point.

2. Lots of inconsistent runners have run for years with lucrative sponsorship contracts. If his inconsistency was really at issue, Nike would have dropped him years ago. So you are wrong on point 2.

3. I can't believe I'm even acknowledging this one. Actually, you know what? I won't. Other than to say you couldn't be more wrong.

All that being said, I'm all ears in regard to any evidence you can provide to support that you provide any value here at all.

Or maybe those other guy's contracts wouldn't have been what they would get now.

no comprende wrote:

"

Manzano lives in Austin, Tex., with his girlfriend and their son"

that's not very good of him. he should be married if he has a kid.

I did a double take when I read that in the article. Him having a kid is news to me. Unless it is the girlfriends kid from another relationship. And wasn't he just dating Rowbury like last year??

I met Leo at Oxy meet and he was so freaking cool. He took pictures with all of us and was extremely patient. The Alberto boys didn't even look our way.

Diss a Flag wrote:

Manzano was given two flags. Tossing either one to the ground would have been significantly worse than simply carrying both. American are so upset about their own flag, and could care less about what people from other countries loyalty feel about their own.

American's would never get upset about an athlete carrying a U.S. school flag as well as an American flag at the end of a race.

Mazano did the politically correct thing, considering the feelings of two countries were involved, regardless of how upset American chose to let themselves become.

luv2run wrote:

IIRC, he carried both flags. So maybe more accurate to say "Maybe he should have just carried the US flag".

Completely agree. He'd be taking sh*t from his home country if he tossed away the Mexican flag. Instead, Americans are up in arms because he decided to keep both and pay respect to both countries. This isn't Highlander. There doesn't have to only be one.

oldie but goodie wrote:

And wasn't he just dating Rowbury like last year??

No. Rowbury's boyfriend is and was Pablo Solares, the Mexican miler. The connection is that Manzano and Rowbury both have Cook as a coach.

Nike paid him his 4-year deal from 2008 to 2012 and was fortunate to have some kind of return in the form of his silver medal.

What Manzano and Simms seem to misunderstand is that the money is paid with the expectation of future performance. It is NOT a payment for past accomplishments. It's a common misconception because of the high correlation between past accomplishments and expectation of future performance.

cnzmzmszm wrote:

oldie but goodie wrote:

And wasn't he just dating Rowbury like last year??

No. Rowbury's boyfriend is and was Pablo Solares, the Mexican miler. The connection is that Manzano and Rowbury both have Cook as a coach.

Thanks. I knew they shared the same coach. I guess what I read about them dating was just rumors and speculation.

oldie but goodie wrote:

He'd be taking sh*t from his home country if he tossed away the Mexican flag.

So you say his home country is Mexico? Well, that explains why he isn't marketable in the US.

Leo seems to be a nice guy. But fans will always demand that a hero is, or want to be, one of them.

LetsRun.com wrote:

Part of it also is Leo and his people probably have a good idea as to how much Centro, Wheating, etc are making. Well Ricky definitely knows what Centro makes as Ricky is his agent. You know their base, their incentives, etc and have a hard time not being insulted if your deal isn't somewhat comparable or even bumped to say what hit would have been bumped up to if you were still in the midst of your old contract.

That's the problem. Manzano's agent is guessing what he should be worth and Nike knows EXACTLY how much he's worth. They do market research with loyal and potential customers. They know how well Manzano is known. They know how well he got the Nike name and image out. They know how many times his picture (and the swoosh) were in newspapers and online. They know that almost every picture of Manzano is going to be of him and two flags instead of him and two Nike shoes. They definitely don't care about the flags but they know if their customers do or don't. And they know that because his hands were full he couldn't get his spikes off and show everyone that he just won a medal in a pair of Nikes.

Young guys sometimes get contracts beyond what they're worth. Known quantities like Manzano only get contracts for exactly what they're worth and nothing more.

Best post of the thread is by categorically.

All the truth.

There are other possible sponsors - I wouldn't lay this all at Nike's doorstep. As far as Leo's bargaining strategy goes, his value probably peaked several months ago, so he's made some mistakes.

US ftw wrote:

oldie but goodie wrote:

He'd be taking sh*t from his home country if he tossed away the Mexican flag.

So you say his home country is Mexico? Well, that explains why he isn't marketable in the US.

Sad but true commentary on the mindset of Americans.

Manzano is inconsistent in early season unimportant races. He's among the most consistent we've ever had in big races.

slave of required education wrote:

Let me get this straight. Nike still sponsors Alan Webb, but has dropped the Olympic silver medalist...

lol yeah, kinda funny isn't it?

oldie but goodie wrote:

US ftw wrote:

So you say his home country is Mexico? Well, that explains why he isn't marketable in the US.

Sad but true commentary on the mindset of Americans.

Right. Those pesky Americans.

A Mexican waving the American flag after winning an Olympic gold medal for Mexico would of course not get into this kind of trouble. He'd probably get a bullet in his head instead.

But I guess you prefer the Mexican mindset.

Maybe Leo needs a new agent? Apparently Simms isn't advocating very well for him.

No other company has made an offer. Why? No one wants him?

Drop the flag issue. It doesn't matter. Really.

US ftw wrote:

oldie but goodie wrote:

Sad but true commentary on the mindset of Americans.

Right. Those pesky Americans.

A Mexican waving the American flag after winning an Olympic gold medal for Mexico would of course not get into this kind of trouble. He'd probably get a bullet in his head instead.

But I guess you prefer the Mexican mindset.

I never said anyone was being "pesky." It's clear that you want to take sides and see things in black and white, one or the other. That's the problem. What's the problem with him representing America while acknowledging his home country? USA was acknowledged. Mexico was acknowledged. Why do you have such a problem with that?