Why do random people wear NOP gear?

LoneStarXC wrote:

I mean they sell them for a reason wrote:

Can’t someone just show support for a team/organization? Do we have to judge everyone we see running slower than us?

I guess the question I meant was more, “why do people wear NOP gear, when the NOP is doping?”

Because we don't know.

I've read the reports, and nothing on there really adds up. Just a bunch of petty kids who are mad that they weren't teacher's favorite. (A first for a lot of them).

I understand though, you're a girl, so you sympathize with Goucher.

LoneStarXC wrote:

Ok: responding to the two above posts

“D1 Hobbyracer”: I’m a girl, I so I don’t race 8k.

“Uhhhhh”: With so many anonymous users, I have no clue how many people actually remember me. Just providing some context.

Now that the “LoneStarXC Q&A” is out of the way, let’s get back to discusing NOP year. ?

Holy cow! You're D1? You might be the only one on this board.

Also being D1 in itself isn't very impressive considering how many D1 teams completely suck. This is especially true for girls because of Title IX and the general apathy of the female half of our population when it comes to competitive sports.

LoneStarXC wrote:

I mean they sell them for a reason wrote:

Can’t someone just show support for a team/organization? Do we have to judge everyone we see running slower than us?

I guess the question I meant was more, “why do people wear NOP gear, when the NOP is doping?”

Well the question you ACTUALLY asked wasn't that at all. But way to try and change it once you realized that no one agreed with you.

Every time I'm racing these days it seems I'm up against of an army of Nike fanboys in their brightly colored spring shoes, bouncing away at their pathetic PRs. Peoples just wanna emulate their heroes I guess.

Gaylord Ruppstains wrote:

Every time I'm racing these days it seems I'm up against of an army of Nike fanboys in their brightly colored spring shoes, bouncing away at their pathetic PRs. Peoples just wanna emulate their heroes I guess.

Given your antipathy toward fanbois I guess you suck at running and will never have any. Enjoy your current mediocrity and your future of aging into the collective forgetfulness.

Highly doubtful they even know what the Nike Oregon Project even is. It's blackout run wear with an admittedly cool logo on it that Nike commercializes so anyone can buy it. That's all people know or care about in most cases. They don't know Salazar, Rupp, or anything else that the NOP represents. Bet NOP gear outsells BTC gear even though the latter is considerably more likable in most respects.

It's like whenever a pro-team does a blackout uniform that people automatically gravitate towards. No further information needed beyond the aesthetic.

Uhhhhhhhhhh wrote:

You sure do mention the fact that you’re D1 a lot.............

No kidding. A lion never has to tell anyone that they're a lion.

LoneStarXC wrote:

I run D1, I’m not a “hobby racer”. ?

You run for your school... thats cute.

If you are not a pro, you are a hobby racer.

If you are more concerned about setting a PR vs winning a race, you are a hobby racer.

LoneStarXC wrote:

I saw this random guy slowly jogging today, and he was wearing an NOP t-shirt! I don’t get it, do hobbyjoggers think that it makes them look like a serious runner? Or do they just think the skull logo looks cool? Discus.

Some people like to associate with excellence, makes them feel good. Others like to be registered, serial posters on Letsrun, also makes them feel good.

You're no daisy wrote:

Uhhhhhhhhhh wrote:

You sure do mention the fact that you’re D1 a lot.............

No kidding. A lion never has to tell anyone that they're a lion.

Please read my previous reply. With so many anonymous users, like yourself, I have no idea how many people remember me.

LoneStarXC wrote:

I mean they sell them for a reason wrote:

Can’t someone just show support for a team/organization? Do we have to judge everyone we see running slower than us?

I guess the question I meant was more, “why do people wear NOP gear, when the NOP is doping?”

Do you remember Livestrong bands and gear? Some people never stopped wearing them.

Name another group that has produced as many US medals in the past couple Olympiads. To a lot of people, the headlines of their successes far outpace the scandal investigations. The former are touted in sports section headlines and SportsCenter highlights at the time of the competitions, the latter are buried inside sports sections at random times. Its really quite easy to see one and miss the other. It's mainly message board dorks who dig into the seedy underbelly, not the general public.

LoneStarXC wrote:

I run D1, I’m not a “hobby racer”. ?

That's nice. How did you finish at NCAA XC or XC South Central regional? This year or ever? You can just say top X or top Y% if you want to remain anonymous and evade further scrutiny.

Snowflake Elite wrote:

LoneStarXC wrote:

I run D1, I’m not a “hobby racer”. ?

That's nice. How did you finish at NCAA XC or XC South Central regional? This year or ever? You can just say top X or top Y% if you want to remain anonymous and evade further scrutiny.

I finished high enough at regionals that the letsrun creeps would be able to find me if I posted more exact numbers.

Now, let’s get back to the NOP gear. ?

LoneStarXC wrote:

I run D1, I’m not a “hobby racer”. ?

It just seems like a NOP t-shirt is a weird thing to wear, with all the shady stuff going on there. Or do hobbyjoggers not know about the doping?

I ran D1, too. Like most D1 runners, I sucked. Anyone who routinely announces himself/herself on Letsrun as a “D1 runner” to claim some sort of ethos definitely sucks.

Anyway, 95% of American track fans don’t know or even care if NOP is doping. It’s just not a big deal either way when the sport is so small and niche that it barely has enough money to support professionals in this country. NOP is easily the most recognizable and successful brand among US professional track clubs, so it justifiably has some success with merchandising. If NOP didn’t exist, the amount of “pro track team” apparel sold would be negligibly small.

LoneStarXC wrote:

Snowflake Elite wrote:

That's nice. How did you finish at NCAA XC or XC South Central regional? This year or ever? You can just say top X or top Y% if you want to remain anonymous and evade further scrutiny.

I finished high enough at regionals that the letsrun creeps would be able to find me if I posted more exact numbers.

Soooo... not a good enough individual or team to qualify for nationals. Hobby racer, case closed.

I have a NOP singlet and one tech shirt (plain black with a small logo). I wear them because I got a good deal on them at the Nike employee store, and I'm from Oregon, and I support many of the athletes of the NOP.

I'm not particularly fast myself (see the username), but I'd like to think I'm not the slowest hobby jogger out there either. Some relevant recent PRs are 1:28 and 3:12

Ehso wrote:

I ran D1, too. Like most D1 runners, I sucked. Anyone who routinely announces himself/herself on Letsrun as a “D1 runner” to claim some sort of ethos definitely sucks.

Ditto, and I also sucked. I don't feel a need to repeat either fact for the sake of discussion context, as if D1 runners (especially sucky ones) possess special insight in any particular subject area. Joe Vigil never coached D1, yet I can't think of any D1 coach I'd rather listen to than him. I appreciate success and excellence, and I know all too well that while D1 displays plenty of each those are also is lacking in a significant majority of programs. Especially in the south central region for cross country. So I also greatly admire Osako Suguru for his suceess and excellence, he is far braver and more accomplished than about all of the US runners who came out of college with comparable PRs. He is also likely not microdosing or at least hasn't been named in pieces on the investigation into NOP. I may not love Rupp or Hasay or find them relatable much, then again same for Goucher. I know few who don't admire Ritz despite any specter of doping investigation from his time in NOP and I won't paint everyone past or present in NOP with the same brush.

Beyond all this, people who are small enough to worry about what other people choose to wear for clothing still make me laugh. Dress code police, same as any weirdo, no life vice principal.

What is wrong with wearing whatever you like?