So this rules out getting a masters at a Nike college (i.e. Stanford or Duke). Dumb life decision.
No it doesn't. He can always get a masters after his running career. I wouldn't be surprised if he's poised to make $500K+ per year. Clearly he's outgrown college competition, nothing to gain by sticking around.
2) Plenty of good competition in the NCAA (Samuels…) and schedule seems to work well for him
He’s going pro after outdoor. Come back and then get Graham Blanks in 20 degree Wisconsin weather next year at XC NCAA? I don’t think so.
Why not. Let's say he makes the Olympic team in the 5 or 10 to compete against the best in the world. Then returns to NAU knowing that he can beat anyone, including Graham Blanks and prove to himself once & for all that he's the best XC runner. He wants revenge. He wants that one last chance to get that title.
Anyone else surprised it took this long? I get in T&F we're not talking life changing money, so the motivation to take on a NIL deal isn't the same. But regardless, this seems like something that should have happened a year ago. I guess good for him for holding out though, if that's what he did. No doubt that made him more money in the end.
Do you know how much money he's getting?
If it keeps him from going pro it has to be substantial. If not, he should go pro.
He's already got the times to qualify for the olympics. And I don't think showing up for a medium effort race at regionals and then having a couple real races at NCAAs (wouldn't be shocked if he only runs one event) isn't going to hurt his chances for the summer. Everyone else will run a hard race at least once in some diamond league race or something else, so there's no need to 'go pro' if he's still making good money from NIL. There's not much prize money on the track, most money for track runners is their contract.
He’s going pro after outdoor. Come back and then get Graham Blanks in 20 degree Wisconsin weather next year at XC NCAA? I don’t think so.
Why not. Let's say he makes the Olympic team in the 5 or 10 to compete against the best in the world. Then returns to NAU knowing that he can beat anyone, including Graham Blanks and prove to himself once & for all that he's the best XC runner. He wants revenge. He wants that one last chance to get that title.
Nico is not coming back. He already said it. Theres nothing to gain really and I will still take Graham Blanks in Madison Wisconsin in November.
He’s going pro after outdoor. Come back and then get Graham Blanks in 20 degree Wisconsin weather next year at XC NCAA? I don’t think so.
Why not. Let's say he makes the Olympic team in the 5 or 10 to compete against the best in the world. Then returns to NAU knowing that he can beat anyone, including Graham Blanks and prove to himself once & for all that he's the best XC runner. He wants revenge. He wants that one last chance to get that title.
I'm Saadqua's "receptionist," aka his mother. I make mid six figures as a real estate agent and he lives in his childhood room playing video games. He will turn 31 in April.
Hahahaha it doesn't bode well that they announce this with a terrible photo-shoot of him looking uncomfortable and bizarrely standing around in the snow in shorts/t-shirt.
It's also worth mentioning that he's a genuinely attractive guy as well. I'm surprised no one has mentioned this. Almost every single girl on my high school team thinks he gorgeous and they follow his social media closely mostly because of that. He has an appeal that a lot of other runners don't. At NCAA XC this year, they all wanted to go the start line, not to see the start, but to try to get pictures of all of the Youngs.
calm down, the photos in the snow look pretty good (he's in Flagstaff after all) and I think the earrings actually work for him (plus there's plenty of very manly men out there with earrings lol)
If it keeps him from going pro it has to be substantial. If not, he should go pro.
Current situation: NAU pays for his tuition, coaching, trainers, athletics facilities, housing, food, health insurance, travel to meets, etc. Adidas gives him a bunch of money on top of that.
Situation if he went pro: Adidas pays him a little more... but then he has to use that to pay for all the other stuff he was getting from NAU.
I assume he wants to finish his degree, and Mike Smith is the most sought-after pro coach right now and Flagstaff the most popular training location, so he's not going anywhere else. And it's not like Smith is going to make him double up at the UNLV dual meet or something. He will have Nico run only the races that help him towards his goals of an outdoor NCAA title and making the Olympic team.
Crap but I was looking forward to that UNLV dual meet!
calm down, the photos in the snow look pretty good (he's in Flagstaff after all) and I think the earrings actually work for him (plus there's plenty of very manly men out there with earrings lol)
I'd personally be freezing if I were in snow (so let's say 20-25*) and wearing just shorts and a t shirt. So much so that I'd be shivering and could barely smile / hold a pose for the camera
Hahahaha it doesn't bode well that they announce this with a terrible photo-shoot of him looking uncomfortable and bizarrely standing around in the snow in shorts/t-shirt.
calm down, the photos in the snow look pretty good (he's in Flagstaff after all) and I think the earrings actually work for him (plus there's plenty of very manly men out there with earrings lol)
I'd personally be freezing if I were in snow (so let's say 20-25*) and wearing just shorts and a t shirt. So much so that I'd be shivering and could barely smile / hold a pose for the camera
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