Hanson's turn down money

The USATF is a f***ing joke when it comes to creating these training groups and funding them. No offense, but why in the world is the USATF putting more dollars into athletes who are already on the top of thier game, and less into the guys who are trying to get there. It seems to me that its a conflict of how we are developing our runners.

Meb, Abdi, Hall, Ritz, Torres, Goucher...etc... all have fairly lucrative shoe deals that pay them a yearly salary that i'm sure allows them to live fairly easily without having a job. Their contracts have incentives based into them, they get appearance fees (for meb, I'm sure its up into 6 digits), and they all have coaches.

My point is, USATF talks all the game about how they are trying to develop our distance runners, but they don't put enough money into the true "developement" programs. Instead, they pump more money to the people who don't need it, and less to the people that do. Thats what I think the Hansons are talking about equity and equality with the money. The guys out there comming out of college need support in order to make it to the top, and in order to keep training to go past thier current abilities. Who do you think needs more developement money to support himslef to get better a Ryan Klimenhagen - who has no sponsor, runs for team usa min, and works at a shoe store, or a Meb, who probably made a million bucks in endorsements, appearance fees, and racing last year...

The true problem with american distance running is that our core group of post collegiates aren't given the funding and opportunities to progress. They are forced to work jobs to fund themselves and pay for insurance, they need to pay rent, they need coaches, they need racing opportunities, and they have to do it all themselves. Its too hard to train at that high of a level and earn enough to live and support yourself. So most of our potential "developement" post collegiates, never get a chance to chase the dream. The few that do make it on their own accord, get all the funding they want from the USATF after they are already on top... sounds reversed to me...

Ray Flynn ( a leading agent for runners) triggered the thought in my head last summer. We were sitting in Carson (CA) and I'd been talking to Terrence and he said 'we've got to get more money in.'

Follow the thought process.

Ray Flynn who makes his living off of athletes that are currently making 6 figure salaries is trying to get more money for his athletes. That is his job. The more money for them, the more for him.

Mary Wittenberg who is trying to lure Ray Flynn's athletes to the New York marathon wants to make Ray Flynn happy. She also would like to make USATF happy as they are in the process of selecting the Olympic Marathon Trials. This is a good move for her to establish some positioning with both of these groups.

Craig Masback wants to act as if USATF is doing something to raise funds for these Distance Centers and in the process interested in development. A very good PR move for Masback.

That is 100% what this bribe, donation has to do with and nothing to do with development. It is a great PR move/money maker for all involved and nothing to do with development.

I would venture a guess that the Hansons saw right through this and weren't willing to be a pawn in the system. Good for them.

Hansons Olympic Development Program? You mean "Brian Sell Development Program" kick ass!

Any update on this whole abortion. Insider trading. Folks on the take. It has making of a great law suit. I can't believe that USATF is in any position of defense. I think it is about time for someone with deep pockets to attack and take over the sport. I don't think that USATF could financially defend themselves in drawn out litigation.

ODPzzzzz wrote:

Hansons Olympic Development Program? You mean "Brian Sell Development Program" kick ass!

Yep, i still can't believe that they don't attract bigger talents for their program.From what i've read the Hanson-Runners make good money, Michigan is probably not the nicest place for distance running in the world but a solid financial back-up + good group to train with doesn't attract any good college graduates?

Let me say that I hate the Hansons because they only focus on the marathon. I wish they would show a little love for the steeple and the mile and the 800. I don't think that you can call yourself a distance center and just focus on one event. I however hate USATF more because they just want a photo opp and to act like they are doing something. They never have helped development and they never will. Even this situation is someone elses money. I will say that the Hansons are considerably smarter than the folks at USATF. I went to the hanson web page and noticed that over 7 thousand hits have taken place on this topic. People for some stupid reason care about the Hansons.

That is because they only want guys that run 180 miles a week. They run too much to ever get the top guns.

Not quite a solid financial back-up.

why does everyone here think about money all the time? when we can start talking about the hotties on the hansons team?

no wrote:

Not quite a solid financial back-up.

Are you kidding? Every year there are these type programs that start and then end because of lack of financing. Hansons and Zap are the only programs that have housing. I am talking OWNED housing. Not renting which could be gone tomorrow. Hansons is the ONLY program that has a shoe contract as every other program has athletes that have individual contracts. These are 2 major financial struggles for programs that the Hansons don't have to worry about. Why do you think that they turned down USATF's $$$? Because they can afford to. The financially struggling programs were forced to accept the $$$ because they could not afford to say no.

Who cares?