You’re dead on about Stones. He never came through in the biggest moments (the Bronze King of the HJ in the Olympics). He’s bellyached in the broadcast booth for decades and now trys to pour gasoline on the sport.
He complains about NBC producers, but he sure did take their money and defend their broadcasts forever. Whenever anyone criticized their crap coverage, Dwight would say “well, you were still watching weren’t you?” We were held hostage by this self-aggrandizing idiot who cares nothing for the sport and only for himself. He’d turn track and field into LIV golf if he got the chance.
He had his chance for YEARS to criticize the producers. But he didn’t want to rock the boat with his little personal cash cow while his sport was dying on the vine. Now that he is in (forced) retiree, he has things to say.
Well here is what I have to say: YOU WERE COMPLICIT, BOOMER.
This is squarely on the nose. Until reminded by this post, I'd forgotten Stones's habit of jumping to the defensive any time someone offered criticism of meet coverage by NBC. There was never even grudging acknowledgement, he tended to pompously regard any critics as naive peons who couldn't appreciate his/his broadcast team's pristine style. Except naive peons were consumers of his work, customers for his network's ad sales department, and indicative of whether said network could grow that consumer demographic. Yeah, never cared for Stones either and glad I'd mostly forgotten him until now.
Ok, I assume you both have had jobs before. Just how long would you have lasted criticizing your employer publicly? Idiots. Like his style or not, Stones brings an intelligent perspective to any Track or Field event. His knowledge is vast either thru personal experience or rubbing elbows with the world's best for decades. Any T&F broadcast would benefit from his presence. I think some of his ideas for change are interesting even though I am a bit of a purist. How interesting would it be if these had been adopted during the time of Jesse Owens? Stones's opinion on such matters should hold significant weight in my opinion.
A lot of this gets solved by ridding the sport if archaic sponsorship rules. Allow athletes to pursue sponsors outside of footwear companies and to display their sponsors more prominently. There is no good reason why an athlete shouldn’t be able to rep Whole Foods or Audi. Open up sponsorship opportunities and large logos on racing kit then watch the money flow.
I often see the phrase, “living wage”, but no one ever really defines what it actually is…
This response will get buried in the pages, but I think it would just be beneficial to get as many relevant people enough support such that they can support themselves by working at most part time at a basic job. It's hard to keep a 'real job' when you're traveling to national level track meets every weekend (need to leave for them on Wednesday evening or Thursday) or big road races across the country, or especially international races. But how much of this money will go to the people who already have fairly hefty contracts? I remember hearing about how people like Paul Chelimo was getting USATF grants while he had a Nike contract and was already an olympic medalist. He probably didn't need that USATF grant to live.
Story includes pessimistic view of sport's future by Dwight Stones, like Banks a former WR holder.
K. E. N
I know this will offend some people but the truly elite athletes already make a living wage. And for the rest it's basically a hobby anyways so I'm not that empathetic that some of them need to work normal jobs like the rest of us
This isn't completely true. MOST truly elite people already make a living wage, but there are plenty of examples of track athletes in less popular events who are borderline olympians and don't have a sponsor, and prize money on the track is very hard to come by outside of USATF championships. For example someone placing 5th in the USATF discus throw only wins a few thousand dollars in prize money and probably isn't getting a sponsor. But it's very reasonable that they can improve the next year or two and become top 3 making a US team. It would be a lot easier for them to improve if they can focus more on competing rather than juggling their two part time jobs on top of training and travel schedule. And for distance runners, everyone knows that you're not at your peak yet at age 23. There are a ton of distance runners coming out of college right now with 28:00-28:30/13:30-13:45 times who aren't going to get a single glance by sponsors. But it would be reasonable for someone in that range to continue to progress and become a 27:20's 10k runner in a couple years or move to the roads and run under 2:10 in a few years for the marathon. It would be a lot easier for them to do that if again, they didn't have to work crappy part time jobs.
I'll finish this by saying it is possible to work a 'normal' full time job and train, but you have to be a special disciplined person to get that done with great time management and determination.
Story includes pessimistic view of sport's future by Dwight Stones, like Banks a former WR holder.
K. E. N
I know this will offend some people but the truly elite athletes already make a living wage. And for the rest it's basically a hobby anyways so I'm not that empathetic that some of them need to work normal jobs like the rest of us
I agree with you...for track events. The sprinters and distance runners who can make a final on the track are already well compensated, for the most part. In the 100m/1500m/5000m there are a number of non world class Americans who make good money. Only in Japan could a guy who only has a 13:15 or 3:35 to their name, get a better deal (maybe). It's good to be an American track athlete.
Field events is a different story. I think it is pretty hit or miss for a lot of world class field eventers.
This is squarely on the nose. Until reminded by this post, I'd forgotten Stones's habit of jumping to the defensive any time someone offered criticism of meet coverage by NBC. There was never even grudging acknowledgement, he tended to pompously regard any critics as naive peons who couldn't appreciate his/his broadcast team's pristine style. Except naive peons were consumers of his work, customers for his network's ad sales department, and indicative of whether said network could grow that consumer demographic. Yeah, never cared for Stones either and glad I'd mostly forgotten him until now.
Ok, I assume you both have had jobs before. Just how long would you have lasted criticizing your employer publicly? Idiots. Like his style or not, Stones brings an intelligent perspective to any Track or Field event. His knowledge is vast either thru personal experience or rubbing elbows with the world's best for decades. Any T&F broadcast would benefit from his presence. I think some of his ideas for change are interesting even though I am a bit of a purist. How interesting would it be if these had been adopted during the time of Jesse Owens? Stones's opinion on such matters should hold significant weight in my opinion.
Okay, I'll assume you're ignorant because weren't around to see Dwight's arrogant push-back back in the day when he was NBC's good foot soldier. Was it on the t-and-f listserv? This isn't about him being uncritical of his employer, it's about his choice to pillory those who dared criticize. Candid Stones is simply a contemptuous crank, he lost credibility long ago. If you think otherwise then you're new to this, relatively speaking.
I don't like Dwight Stones that much as a broadcaster, but his comments are sadly right on the money. I don't like watching track much these days because of the pure contempt that broadcasters feel for those who find the sport entertaining, it really ruins the fun of watching track. Announcers do their best but they are constrained by limitations imposed upon them. There's no reason there should be a commercial break in the steeple, or why we can't see a few jumps or throws live on the broadcast as the announcers fill the needless dead time between track events
Okay, I'll assume you're ignorant because weren't around to see Dwight's arrogant push-back back in the day when he was NBC's good foot soldier. Was it on the t-and-f listserv? This isn't about him being uncritical of his employer, it's about his choice to pillory those who dared criticize. Candid Stones is simply a contemptuous crank, he lost credibility long ago. If you think otherwise then you're new to this, relatively speaking.
Wow! You mentioned t-and-f listserv, you must be as old as me!!
I always thought Dwight was a clown especially when he wore a mickey mouse shirt over his uniform in the '76 Montreal Olympics.
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