German Fernandez seen walking around Nike Corp in Beaverton.

Germanation wrote:

Troll attempt 6/10

Let me get this straight... you are saying that Scott, Falcon, and Spivey have more talent than an 18 year old who has already run 3:55.02 (and indoors to boot)....Nice Try Mr. Troll.

" ...Runners with Webb, Lagat, Scott, Falcon, and Spivey's speed comes around every quarter century in the US. In this country's 233 year history only 10 have run at least a 3:50 mile... "

I don't know. 6/10 may be a bit harsh. Give the guy credit for humor. 233/10 is indeed around a quarter century. Of course, the first American 3:50 mile was when? 30 years ago? Anyway I love the math humor of the troll. I'd give him a 7.5/10.

prediction:

when German's career is all said and done 15 years from now

3:49 mile

12:51 5k

27:05 10k

2:05 marathon

When I read my local newspaper article (I live in modesto, ca which is next door to riverbank) about German running 4:22 as a HS freshman and 9:29, I made a prediction that he'd run 3:59 and 8:38 when he was a senior. no lie.

I'll even go as far to say that next summer, pro or college, he'll run 3:52 and 13:15.

Someone mark my words on this. Call me stupid and crazy right now if you may, but atleast remember this predicition.

I wonder if he will visit the Adidas compound as well?

Teacher's salary ....

Let's see: 1983, Oslo, 3:50.59 mile, 2nd behind Steve Scott's great race over the last 250m -

My yearly Nike Athletics West salary - $12,000/year

I turned down 2 other higher offers (ok, one was Converse, but they did have a spike in 1983), to be with the best running club in the US.

After the summer, and running 13:19 for 5k in Oslo and winning in Stockholm twice, Geoff Hollister called me and incraesed my yearly salary to $18k.

In December, Doug Brown, who was in charge of Athletics West at the time, called me and said, "let's see, you started at $12k, we bumped you to $18k, so how about $24k?"

I have to believe teachers in 1984 were making more. In defense, Nike had Seb Coe, Steve Ovett, Steve Cram and Steve Scott on contract, and I was 23 years old.

Looking back, this was the club to be with if you were a distance runner. Then after 1988, Nike had a downturn in business and they cut AWest. I ran 3:31.01 in August of 1988, and was offered $12k for 1989. Kim McDonald was my agent at this time, and I believe the best at what he did. As mentioned in a previous e-mail, distance runners peak at 24-28, and I was soon to be 29, and time to be put out to pasture.

FYI - 3:49.82 at age 31 in Olso. Where else. And have been with ASICS since the spring of 1989.

Great to be alive, running in ASICS shoes at Blackwell Forest preserve with my High School summer group from 5 different high schools, and my 2 sons running with us as well. It does not get any better, to be in the moment. Or maybe today, riding my bike with my 18 year old son and another soon to be senior in HS 24 miles at 3:10 per mile average. My 49 year old legs were screaming on the way back!

js

Thanks Jim for that. What are you suggesting for GF?

it means you get a runner like german gets a full ride to OSU, and that is subsidized by the gear handouts from companies like nike.

lets face it, college athletics is an international minor-league system for the iaaf. its not impossible to go straight to the pros (plenty of east africans do), but for countries once victim of european imperialism, the ncaa is your ticket to the big time. it doesnt matter what you do. get a degree in communications or psychology. just stay eligible for 5 years and if you're not a pro by then, who gives a f***.

jenny b is a very rare exception

Mmmm,

I think Jenny Barringer is a perfect example of why German should heavily consider staying in school. She has survived and thrived and will get way more than a measly 100k salary upon graduation.

OU (from the website) costs $25,890 for out of state. thats pricey, even for a state school, of OU's academic renown. but hey, someone has to pay for the football players. so put the free clothes from OU subsidized by nike, and you have an ncaa minor league that pays about 30 grand a year to college students while they prepare for a pro career. not a bad deal

dunno wrote:

Mmmm,

I think Jenny Barringer is a perfect example of why German should heavily consider staying in school. She has survived and thrived and will get way more than a measly 100k salary upon graduation.

He WILL be in school just not at Oklahoma. He will be running for Nike, and going to college. Savvy

dunno wrote:

She has survived and thrived and will get way more than a measly 100k salary upon graduation.

wow, gimme some of what you're smokin'...

UGG Ultra Short

UGG Ultra Tall

UGG Women's Amelie Suede

OSU, not OU.

grewuphom wrote:

I am willing to bet Fernandez will never run the mile faster than

The best runners are able to extend vision beyond sight.

If Spivey were running today he might be a millionaire.

Lets see Fernandez do something on the international stage before he gets a hugh contract.

J Spivey wrote:

Or maybe today, riding my bike with my 18 year old son and another soon to be senior in HS 24 miles at 3:10 per mile average. My 49 year old legs were screaming on the way back!

js

3:10 per mile average?!?!? Dude, you were FLYING!! hahaha

I'm guessing that's just a typo. 6:10 maybe?

Thanks for sharing J Spivey. I'll assume this is really you. That is a gem of a post right there! Actually getting Olympians posting on this forum is really something to look forward to.

DOH! I guess I should have read the BIKE part, huh? I guess that makes 3:10 much more realistic.

Either way. Thanks again J Spivey for sharing. It is very cool to see you passing along the love for running to so many high school kids.

Bike. I know, that's what I thought. Porn staches are cool, especially on porn chicks.

I was at Nike's Beaverton (Portland) campus the first weekend in December last year. I saw about 400-500 high school xc runners walking around. Hmmm, what could that mean?

J Spivey wrote:

"let's see, you started at $12k, we bumped you to $18k, so how about $24k?"

I have to believe teachers in 1984 were making more.

Actually, the average teacher salary in 1984-85 was $23,551. Teachers in 31 states averaged less than $24,000 in salary.