It's official Masback leaves USATF for Nike

While there's certainly plenty to criticize Masback for (the ongoing, unchecked drug scandal being one), he deserves credit for getting USATF out of the financial mess it was in before he took over. On the whole, his time as CEO had some hits and some misses. Not unlike lots of other non-profit CEOs.

trailrunner64 wrote:

Craig has been in a tough job, where it is very easy for people to take shots at him. Yes, he was reasonably well paid but not excessively so. He was honest and worked hard. Now he can enjoy life a bit more and probably make more money.

Good luck Craig. All the best.

BS! He was paid 1/8 of the total net assets!!!! Or in other words, in ten years he consumed 1/4 of the annual operating budget. That's outrageous. It's not like he was running the freakin' Red Cross!

After the Shay/Jones debacles, I glad Masback has been kicked out. Doping scandals are ruining Track and Field, our livelihood, and careers.

Compared to other sports' governing officials, baseball, foozeball, basketball, Craig's salary was more than fair. PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem is making $2million a year. $2million to watch golf tournaments and fly around in a corporate jet. Now he's overpaid.

Anyway, who cares. You mean to tell me you'd do Masback's job for a hundred grand? How about what you're making now, say $40,000? You pay peanuts you get monkeys.

And why not give the 2012 trials to Eugene. Who even cares if Nike bribed the USATF to get the trials. Really? Is there a better place in the country to actually host the trials? No, so stop griping.

Shee-aht, you Letsrunners are seriously on the rag. Rag, rag, rag, rag. Like a menopausal woman with no chocolate stuck in rush hour traffic. Stop raggin'.

After Shay/Jones wrote:

After the Shay/Jones debacles, I glad Masback has been kicked out. Doping scandals are ruining Track and Field, our livelihood, and careers.

Did Masback give the drugs to the athletes? Gimme a break.

No excuses for athletes.

No excuses for executives.

The Buck stops HERE.

I want the job. I have an MBA with a specialization is Sports Administration. I just graduated in May though.

I'll take Mary Wittenberg's job in NYC though if she takes this job.

AND you'll only have to pay me 60,000.

Who takes my deal?

go mary wrote:

Mary Wittenberg is the best candidate for CEO... NYRR is as strong, or even stronger than USATF right now... and probably has a larger revenue.... If Mary can swing this with a local club, think what she could do with the reigns of the National Governing body. I know Mary, and nobody loves the sport as much and is committed and capable of making the USATF a truly wholesome and successful organization.

Doubtful. Her husband works in NYC, 2 kids in school there, apt. etc. But bottom line is she feels, rightly so, that she can do more for the sport in her current position, by sponsoring OT Marathon, pro racing, etc.

Think about it. Right now she pretty much calls the shots and everyone at NYRR answers. USATF CEO has to listen to every freaking committee chair (LDR, T&F, Youth, etc) and every one of them has their own interests first and everyone else can stuff it. It's like being the surrogate parent of a bunch of whining, spoiled kids fighting over who gets to play the Wi next.

Craig took a ton of crap over 10 years and was, not unexpectedly, a complete gentleman and class act throughout. He was better than USATF deserved, and it was lucky to get 10 yrs. out of him. It will be a big hole to fill, trust me. You folks who don't remember the Ollan Cassell days have no idea how much better things are now.

Jim hits it right on the head. Mary would be very good, but the big question is whether or not she wants to deal with the Brooks Johnson, Stephanie Hightower & John Chaplins of the world, all of whom are on the board of USATF as committee chairs and who have some control of the monies from the USOC (believe it or not, the # of medals won in Beijing and at world championships is tied in to how much USOC money USATF gets).

My criteria for the next CEO: 1) someone who can wade through the politics of the organization and has a tough enough skin/ego to deal with and put in place some of the BS artists; 2) someone who is savvy with both Wall Street & Madison Avenue and can run a $20 million business; and 3) someone already respected within the Olympic movement and the IAAF circles...remember the CEO works for the board of USATF!

Some names come to mind besides Mary, like Steve Miller (ex Nike & Special Olympics exec & K-State track coach/athletic director); hell, I might have even gone with Herman Frazier, except for the fact that he screwed up at Hawaii with June Jones.

Maybe a high ranking exec at NASCAR or the NBA or NFL would work, except that the politics within USATF would make them think twice.

Or, you could go outside the sport and go for someone like an Anita DeFrantz or Bob Ctvrtlik, both of whom are on the IOC...someone suggested Chris Lear...not so much.

A one time USATF volunteer wrote:

This is borderline criminal. There was no normal bidding process for the 2012 Trials. We have not even had an opportunity to judge Eugene on how well they do this year. In a strange set of circumstances Nike and Eugene are awarded the bid. It almost appears that their was a Nike guy making the calls from Indy. Now we find out that the head honcho is quitting to go work for Nike. Kind of makes you go hmmmmmm.

Nothing borderline about it.

Try 470K!!

How about Brian Brase, Director of Events and Broadcasting; he's a great first year and hosted the best national meeting ever.

After Shay/Jones wrote:

After the Shay/Jones debacles, I glad Masback has been kicked out. Doping scandals are ruining Track and Field, our livelihood, and careers.

What do you mean Shay/Jones debacles. Are you talking about Ryan Shay? I haven't heard about him being connected to any drug scandal.

Brian will be back in high school where he belongs next year, not CEO of USATF. Nice guy, but in way over his head.

How do you figure he's way over his head? Doesn't his record this past year prove he's more than qualified?

To the best of my knowledge, every Olympic national governing body in this country has a separate president and CEO. I believe that is mandated by the USOC and/or the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 (but I could be wrong).

Jim G's comments were entirely on the mark, about Craig's record and the reasons why Mary W or anyone like her would be unlikely to take the USATF job. So...I have nothing more to say on the matter, except that they'll have a tough time getting anyone as good as Masback.

Chris Lear would be good on some fronts. He would stand up to and be ready to drop the hammer on the obvious cancers: Brooks Johnson, John Chaplin, Stephanie Hightower and the rest. He is also reasonably well-connected with contemporary athletes, media savvy, and self-reliant.

As for his business acumen--it's possible he might find himself in over his head but most would agree he's resourceful (and once again well-connected). Some might think he should pay his dues within USATF for a few years before moving up to CEO.

Question for y'all: Would Weldon or Rojo do it?

USOC is corrupt an not a model for any business.