Jefferson twins contract

slaps wrote:

Does anyone remember 83 and 84 when just about every national class runner had contracts (and nice ones) and that all was cut right away after L.A.?

Yeah, I do. I remember how great '82 and '83 were in terms of depth and times and then how '84 just wasn't quite there. there were a few great races leading up to the Trials and then the Trials, but the U.S. washed out of the Games and the running magazines made it all look like a huge surprise. It was made out that way because the U.S. had not been to a Games in 8 years and they had been made to look like world-beaters (as distance runners) in the interim by Shorter (27:45 10k), Rodgers (Boston and NY and others), Virgin (2 World XC titles), Salazar (WR and several 2:09's, 13:11/27:25) and several others.

It's too bad that all those guys were really either past their prime by '84 or had health problems.

I am trying to remember the teams for '84 ...

1500: Scott, Maree, Spivey?

Steeple: Marsh, Deimer, Gerber?

5000: Padilla, Lacy, Clary ?

10k: Cummings, Virgin, Porter ?

'thon: Pfitz, Salazar, Gordon?

Most of these guys were veterans that were not quite at their peak or new guys that had no chance.

Anyway, I do remember the mass exodus from the sport after Athletics West in particular stopped giving out money to everybody who was National Class.

It seemed really cool and fun to be a runner pre-1984 and then it seemed like a cold, cruel world after that.

2006 NCAA Steeplechase Champion Josh McAdams, and NCAA All-Americans Clara Horowitz and Richard Kiplagat, headline the list of new athletes to join Team New Balance. McAdams capped a his career at BYU by taking the NCAA title at the recent championships in Sacramento. Howoritz, the 2003 US junior cross country champion, finished her Duke career by taking 2nd over 10,000m at the NCAA Championships. She was also second indoors over 5000m. Kiplagat, a 3.57 miler, was 3rd at the recent NCAA Championships over 5000m., 2nd over 5000m indoors and 2nd at the 2005 NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Also joining Team New Balance are All-Americans Desiraye Osborn and Stephen Haas. Osborn was 4th at the NCAA Championships while running for Wichita State. Haas, an all-American at Indiana University, has run 7:51 for 3000m and 13:40 for 5000m.

Brilliant!

Maybe they can now afford to have one of their names changed.

"Sean" = "John" in Irish.

"This is my brother Darryl, and my other brother Darryl"

whatever potential is in there, Gags will bring it out.

you are missing the point of salary and being an employee... it's not about what nike can afford, they can afford anything they want... but you get paid based on what you produce... no doubt lebron endorsing nike makes nike nearly $90 million whereas what the jefferson's are endorsing probably makes nike absolutely nothingnike is not a socialistic company, they are not sitting there saying well we pay lebron this much money so we should at least give a few second tier runners 25k just because we can afford to... wrong, they are profit driven as corporations are designed to beso yes, i think they are very lucky to have gotten this contract even if 25K is compete chump change, which it is! I make nearly that in a month

sjc wrote:

everyone who says the jefferson twins are not worth 25k/year needs to wake up. please realize that 25k per year is absolutely pocket change for nike. nike probably makes 25k in a few days to pay their salary for the entire year. lebron james signed a 90 million dollar contract with nike. repeat that again 90 MILLION. now think how insignificant 25k is. instead of bashing nike be glad they gave two guys a chance. the more US guys and gals that get sponsored through nike/adidas/reebok/asics/etc the better. a bigger talent pool to draw from inevitably produces better results. US running needs things like this to happen more often even if it is a very low wage. you only have so much time to run fast and it is good to see the jeffersons taking their shot.

Cardinal beer. we were all drinking that stuff it had a high alcohol content. we had a lot of "coaches meetings" over that stuff.

slaps is not sapienza as he said. I have met both of them and slaps is a very loyal person who had a great career, a real team guy. I do think with hindsight he might do a few things differently if he could do it over again (most of us would). when he writes, take his words to heart. he loves the sport.

sapienza plateaued when he left dartmouth and vin.

steeple--the 3rd man was john gregorek, a great talent. his 2nd Olympic team

marathon--john tuttle. former high school rival of pfitzenger's from NY, went to college at auburn

all other team/event members you have right

The fact is if these guys weren't American, they would barely get a contract and certaintly not with a base salary and board. If they lived in Europe they would probably get a kit deal alright with bonuses maybe...If they were lucky, 3.40 guys are not big a deal over there.

ex machina wrote:

whatever potential is in there, Gags will bring it out.

maybe.

with all due respect, who has gags oached in the last 5 years that has done anything major on the u.s., let alone world scene?

perhaps this is true. i suppose what's a bigger error on chapman's part is the failure to get them in high profile situations--e.g. though he had two sub 4 milers and a 4:02 guy and a 4:04 guy in the same graduating class, they never put together a competitive Penn, Drake or Texas Relay team.

IU used the Jeffersons for scoring purposes. they redshirted one knowing the other could score them points at the conference meets. for their sophomore and junior years, IU sent them to crappy indoor meets and region-based outdoor meets on the cheap--and always against ohio state, kent state, etc--rather than set up meets with brannen, willis, wisconsin, ND on a regular basis.

if racing mental toughness was a jefferson weakness--see many major championship meets--it's in part the fault of the coaching staff. good coaches schedule and seek out tough competition.

i think they are very lucky to have gotten this contract even if 25K is compete chump change, which it is! I make nearly that in a month

I always find it hilarious when people like this come on to letsrun and claim to be making upwards of $200,000 a year, and diss people who are making chump change - $25,000.

I would imagine that if you are lucky enough to be making that much money you dont have the time to be on letsrun.com giving your two cents to every thread that takes your liking.

What did adding that comment about chump change really add to your post? Could you please tell me what you do for your $200,000 a year?

not sure what it matters - i am at an investment bank (m&a - i have my phd in finance)

finally wrote:

you are missing the point of salary and being an employee... it's not about what nike can afford, they can afford anything they want... but you get paid based on what you produce... no doubt lebron endorsing nike makes nike nearly $90 million whereas what the jefferson's are endorsing probably makes nike absolutely nothing

nike is not a socialistic company, they are not sitting there saying well we pay lebron this much money so we should at least give a few second tier runners 25k just because we can afford to... wrong, they are profit driven as corporations are designed to be

so yes, i think they are very lucky to have gotten this contract even if 25K is compete chump change, which it is! I make nearly that in a month

Well, actually Lebron is probably way underpaid relative to his worth to the company (as is Tiger). Nike certainly doesn't "owe" anybody anything, but long before the behemoth that they now are, they were nothing were it not for distance running. It seemed like they somewhat hypocritically abandoned the sport that launched them for a time, so it's nice to see them coming back.

I'm not sure distance running will ever really be "worth" anything to anyone. That's just not the way our society is set up anymore. People want constant excitement and instant gratification. Distance running will never, ever provide that.

What Chapman had them doing was not ground breaking work, read the daniels book. Very similar but added his own little twists.

is breathing its death rattle.

American Indoor Record:

800...........1:58.71.......Nicole Teter (Nike Farm Team).......New York, New York.........3/ 2/02

we still love you Willy

I dont recall who it was, but someone was mentioning that they both had outkicked Willis once so they had a better kick speed than Willis... I recall a certain Big Ten Indoor Championship at U of M when Nick ripped a 25.xx for his final lap and won by a good 4 seconds in the mile... oh wait look who took second, that guy or maybe his bro from IU