Rupp's parents in the hole for 45 large! To turn pro?

They should fire Salazar. That would save the Rupps some money. Why should they pay him when the University of Oregon supposedly has a track coach? Or Salazar should defer his salary until Rupp becomes a professional runner, and Rupp can pay him back when and if he makes any money. I never understood how Salazar can be a personal coach for a college runner under scholarship anyway.

The offer might be good, but you said it was still on the table and that is not what the article said. Just pointing out your misstatement.

You note that he should have taken the $100K then since he would never make it up later. I disagree. Two years ago he is offered $100K. Now after two years of running he is offered a contract at $200K (article says he would command a contract in that neighborhood), so two years where he missed out on $200K, now he has a contract with double that and voila in two years ($200K x 2 = $400K) he is where he would have been in four years under the prior contract - which for arguments sake would have been four years. Didn't miss a penny. Good chance that because he passed on the contract after high school he will actually make more since he can now possible pick up even more money in incentives.

You made a choice to not put your parents in the position to go into debt. Your choice - got that. His parents and Rupp made a different decision. That's their decision.

Parents go into debt all the time to send their kids to the best school, give them their wants - computers, cell phones, iPods, ect...They do it because they love their children and want the best for them. Rupp's parents are no different. They are raising their son and perhaps the effort is measured in dollars - $45,000 according to the article, but that is because they want him to succeed and achieve his goals.

Frankly I can only imagine you are jealous of his achievements. You attack him for decisions made mutually by his parents and him. I'm sure at some point in your life your parents made a sacrifice or two for you - bought you running shoes when maybe you should have gotten a job so you could afford them. Yes $45,000 is a lot, but it's their choice and they are free to do what they want with it.

You really think they're making only $60-70K combined for the household? If that's really the case, then they're both underemployed. OOLR indeed.

Mr. Rupp makes $45-55K, Mrs. Rupp makes $65 assuming $35/hr for 36 hours per week. 4.3 weeks per month multiplied by 12.

So, $110K appx. for their household income. They've been in their house since the run up in prices in PDX so they have good equity and probably a nice mortgage payment so I'm guessing they are comfortable.

Mrs. Rupp makes more than Mr. Rupp. Never said I thought it was rich. No way in hell it's rich. But it sure ain't "impoverished'.

Because the whole show at UO/Eugene is nothing but a big farce. I'm just glad that Bowerman isn't around to see what's become of what he built. I wonder what Dellinger makes of it all.

realfan144 wrote:

They should fire Salazar. That would save the Rupps some money. Why should they pay him when the University of Oregon supposedly has a track coach? Or Salazar should defer his salary until Rupp becomes a professional runner, and Rupp can pay him back when and if he makes any money. I never understood how Salazar can be a personal coach for a college runner under scholarship anyway.

$100K+ seems well off to me. My folks never made that much and we were middle class suburbanites. It's got to be more than the median household income in the US and it's definitely rich on a global scale.

I'm sure Rupp's parents must be looking at this as an investment in his future. If he's as good as everyone expects him to be, he'll be able to pay off his parents loans in the first year he turns pro.

Serious? wrote:

1. Why is he waiting to go pro?

3. Why is he going to Europe if he is focused on competing for his school? I wasn't aware that Europe is part of the NCAA.

1. Fall, cross country when the Ducks have a shot at the win.

3. I can tell you that that Australia race in the winter is a UO tradition. See Bowerman & the Men of Oregon for more details.

6000 if you travel in Europe like the USATF suck asses do in Europe. But why doesn't Rupp travel like the rest of us in college, staying at 12E/nite hostels in Berlin. I paid 20 pounds/nite for a hostel London Earls Court, which was the highest as i recall. He can fly easyjet or ryanair, take the train (very cheap in Italy, but never on time), take the tram, take the subway. You can eat Doner Kabob at the Turkish fast food places for 3E-5E, it's chicken, lettuce in pita bread. He's travelling on maw and paw's money afterall.

100K a yr is just over 8k a month (before tax). they get anywhere from 60-70% of that. We'll give them 70%. 5600 after tax. Mortgage, utilities, school bills, gas, phone, groceries, etc. Let's say the mtg is 2k. Not much. 3600 left over. School for one son is (I believe someone said a private college so we'll use 30k as the avg cost per year. which comes out to roughly 2500 a month after tax out of pocket.) subtract 2500 from 3600. 1100. We still have the utilities, goceries, gas, and misc expenses. Let's assume thats about 800. Now we have 300 left over times 12 months which gives us 3600 bucks to pay property taxes. Not much left over for Galen.

I'm assuming many of you are still in college and have no idea how far a dollar goes in the real world. Never hammer somebody who is dealing with financial hardships. we don't know the story here. But, you shoudl know that 100k does not go very far with two college age kids, and a mortage these days. Back off a bit. I'm suprised how bitter and angry everybody is on this board all the time.

Why? Because he has no guts, he's a soft, sheltered little Nancyboy. He's running's equivalent of the John Heder character in "Blades of Glory".

Two college age kids that they willingly CHOSE to send to private schools. If they didn't have the foresight to see that spending so much on tuition would overextend them and put them in a financial jam then they're pretty stupid. I don't really believe that they're in any danger whatsoever, I think it's just something minor that's being played-up for dramatic effect.

Parents of elite gymnasts and figure skaters (and even club soccer players) spend at least as much for their kids. That's not to say that they couldn't have spent a lot less and have done no disservice to Galen or his running career, though.

this article is hilarious. i mean, i like rupp and all. i think his 10k was incredible. but get real - there are thousands of student athletes whose families struggle to pay the expenses for their kids. "impoverished"?? please!.. 200 a month to salazar? I'm pretty sure I pay more on gas and my phone bill.

i hope it's the moronic author of this article who's to blame for such a joke of a front page story. tell me there are bigger things going on at U of O than Rupp's family's finances.

realfan144 wrote:

They should fire Salazar. That would save the Rupps some money. Why should they pay him when the University of Oregon supposedly has a track coach? Or Salazar should defer his salary until Rupp becomes a professional runner, and Rupp can pay him back when and if he makes any money. I never understood how Salazar can be a personal coach for a college runner under scholarship anyway.

Salazar has been coaching Rupp for many years. I would guess that Salazar did this without pay for some of those years. To satisfy the NCAA, Rupp is probably forced to pay something so as not to receive a benefit that others are not entitled to. Two hundred months is such a small amount that it is inconsequential compared to the other costs incurred for his running and racing.

While "impoverished" was a poor choice of words to describe the families financial situation, I think the main point of the article was to show that all of Rupp's running expenses are being paid by his parents. Based on their decisions, it looks like they value education and feel the sacrifices they are making now will be worth it in the future. Remember, even if Rupp has a great career, it will probably end in less than 12-15 years. A couple hundred grand for that length of time is hardly the kind of money that will support you for the rest of your life.

Although my parents did not graduate from college and can not afford to pay for my college does make them irresponsible. It makes you a lot more likely to realize the value of a dollar when you have to pay for some of your own college. I know I was more likely to go to class when I was paying for part of it.

Just A Kid wrote:

Serious? wrote:

1. Why is he waiting to go pro?

3. Why is he going to Europe if he is focused on competing for his school? I wasn't aware that Europe is part of the NCAA.

1. Fall, cross country when the Ducks have a shot at the win.

3. I can tell you that that Australia race in the winter is a UO tradition. See Bowerman & the Men of Oregon for more details.

Disagree on the Oregon - Australia connection. oregon had a 4 X mile relay team compete against NZ in 1962. Name any others?

"Impoverished" is not the right word at all. Alberto should go to Kenya to see impoverished. If you're making $100k+ a year and think that is povery that is nuts.

Flying your kid to Europe, giving him an altitude tent, etc is not the signs of "poverty". These things are being done by choice.

My question:

1) Can't Rupp accept travel to races. Ie I don't think he paid $3000 to fly to Australia for that meet. I assume the meet paid it. Can anyone confirm if this is ok by NCAA rules?