Is Meb not sponsored by Nike anymore?

Great mention of Latrell Spreewell. That guy when he was around 35 or so pulled the "I have to feed my family excuse" when he turned down what I remember to be a 2 or 3 year extension at $8 mil per year. He had been making around twice the $8 mil per year offered on his last contract and so he thought he should be able to make that much still.

As I remember it, once he turned down the short extension, no other team signed him. Then at some point he came back for a veteran minimum of $1 mil for the year, losing out on $7mil a year. He basically priced himself out and then came crawling back for nothing (in comparison)

Meb by all accounts is a great guy and has nothing in common with Spreewell other than maybe the contract dispute situation. I hope something similar to this doesn't happen to Meb. With his other sponsorships in place, it sounds like he's doing fine.

justsayin wrote:

So, is Nike getting the most out of their buck......

BINGO. Nice job. Somebody finally mentioned the fact that it is THEIR buck. No one should tell anyone else how to spend THEIR buck.

I am sure that if any of you that think Nike is not treating Meb fairly wants to give Meb a contract, you can.

If Meb is such a great buy then you buy him.

Otherwise, don't tell others how to spend THEIR money.

So, here's a test for the collective connectedness of Letsrun. Does anyone really know, for a fact, definitively, no word of a lie, that Meb is no longer sponsored by Nike? And I'm not asking you to say, "Look at the pic, douche!" or point to any other such speculative grounds for assuming something. I mean is there anyone on this board, reading this thread, who can name names and say they actually have a source who has confirmed that Meb is no longer running for Nike?

Er... wrote:

So, here's a test for the collective connectedness of Letsrun. Does anyone really know, for a fact, definitively, no word of a lie, that Meb is no longer sponsored by Nike? And I'm not asking you to say, "Look at the pic, douche!" or point to any other such speculative grounds for assuming something. I mean is there anyone on this board, reading this thread, who can name names and say they actually have a source who has confirmed that Meb is no longer running for Nike?

Yes. Rupp and Farah are both listed as running for 'Nike'. Meb did not have a team listed. A poster has already acknowledged this, maybe try reading the thread first?

alls I know is that come the marathon OT, I will be jumpin up and down rooting for Meb. Guy has an olympic medal and won the NYCM and is apparently being dissed right and left. WTH.

If he can turn the Nike and Boston thing into a motivator, he could have a serious fire in the belly next year.

(assuming he didn't make some ridiculous obnoxious demand of Boston and Nike)

Circumstantial at best. I guess I should have said that I was looking for someone who could state he or she actually had confirmation from a reputable source. Oh wait, I did. Maybe try reading the post properly?

thirty-two wrote:

Yes. Rupp and Farah are both listed as running for 'Nike'. Meb did not have a team listed. A poster has already acknowledged this, maybe try reading the thread first?

thirty-two wrote:

Yes. Rupp and Farah are both listed as running for 'Nike'. Meb did not have a team listed. A poster has already acknowledged this, maybe try reading the thread first?

CASE CLOSED.

Or, maybe he's in negotiations with Nike? None of us really knows what's going on. And hey, Kamais also doesn't have a team listed by his name. HE MUST'VE BEEN DROPPED TOO.

If you were dropped by Nike, wouldn't you either 1) stop wearing their shoes/gear, or 2) at least cover up the big fat swoosh on your shoes?

Rupp and Farah have been in the running news quite a bit recently. NR 5ks and then stepping up to try the half. only to make the race what it was. I never found myself wondering where Meb was. Hall yes, hell even Cragg and Forrest. These guys are still on the upswing and it is exciting to see them run well. Meb running subpar wasn't on my radar. Come marathon time i will be more interested but that's what twice a year? But as was stated, Meb is still much more recognizable to the mass media. Didn't he have a milk add too? BTW I wonder how much $ Meb is making on his book? Anyone read it?

Also, Rupp and Farah are company men. They are the guys Nike controls. Meb did his own thing. And it seems to me Nike is seeking to find these company guys lately. Plus contract money is only about POTENTIAL.

Do you cover the swoosh on your shoes? Is Champion paying you to wear all the jogging clothes you bought at target? He doesn't need to waste his time hiding his brand logos, he just isn't representing them... it's not like he is going to stop wearing the shoes he has been training/racing in for his entire professional career without the incentive of being paid by another company.

He obviously took the time to take the swoosh off of his singlet, hat, gloves, and shorts. Why not the shoes?

swooshes are still on the gloves, hat is just inside out.. singlet isn't a Nike Singlet, its a plane white one

If you're income is based on running 2 races a year, then you're going to run the races you

1. get the best appearance fee

2.think you can win, as it affects reason 1.

Meb can only be competitive on a course where a 2:09 has a chance of winning... pretty much NYC.. otherwise, he's an expensive 2:09 top 10 finisher just to say you have a silver medalist and NYC champ.

Who is more marketable in a world championship and Olympic year... Meb or a group of young pro's entering their prime who are breaking American records every chance they get? You might not like all the technology, but saying Meb is having better performances than Rupp, Solinski, Farah, Teg, Flanagan, Ritz and Kara just isn't accurate.

Meb is a phenomenal athlete and man who's had a remarkable life. He's an inspiration to many and he's represented the US with pride... I'm a huge Meb fan, but in the end being a professional runner for a shoe company comes at the expense of being marketable...

Just b/c he was dropped by Nike doesn't mean he can't wear their gear. Only if he had signed right away to a competitor does he have to take all the swooshes off.

apdesabato wrote:

"The 'home team' would be defined as athletes Nike doesn't have to have wear a USA jersey at major marathons to so they wont blend into the other Africans."

People have a different view of Meb or other African-born Americans, but the reality is that they have been in America for a really long time, they have worked really hard to be considered part of this country, they love this country probably more than most people who were born here and they have represented our country incredibly well. To me, that is all that should matter-- they deserve to be considered and respected as AMERICAN, with no asterisk or modifying phrase attached to that title.

No, the Home Team is OTC you dimwit racist. Way to take a fair point and muddy it up with racial nonsense. Nike is investing in Schumacher and Salazar's groups. That is the home team.

Honestly, why does everything have to be racial with you bigots? Let it go!

asdgfh wrote:

adult onset wrote:

He is the only US male major marathon medalist racing today.

Wouldn't Hall being considered a US male major marathon medalist racing today? He got 3rd at Boston in 2009.

A medalist is someone who wins a medal in a major championships. Finishing in the top three in a regular road race does not make you a medalist, no matter how big or rich the road race is.

Doc Hollywood wrote:

road rashed wrote:

something tells me this stinks of his brother/agent thinking meb is worth more than the market does. first, he asked for an absurd appearance fee for boston and pissed the hancock folks off enough to not counter and now this with nike? it's a shame because meb has earned some legacy deals, but unfortunately, it doesn't look they are coming his way at the price he wants

ding ding ding

I agree as well. I wouldn't say greed, but just that Meb's probably asking for too much money right now.

What's up with the air in Mammoth these day? Guys' going cuckoo up there!

thirty-two wrote:

The 'home team' would be defined as athletes Nike doesn't have to have wear a USA jersey at major marathons to so they wont blend into the other Africans.

Ugh. I was afraid that was what you'd say. Pretty racist to exclude Meb from the "home team" since he's been living in the US as long as Rupp, no? And you included Farah in the "home" team, even more bizarrely.

thirty-two wrote:

Maybe you should stop supporting Meb before you stop wearing Nike products.

How do you not understand this? Let me spell it out to you:

Meb is a RUNNER. I support him for being the most successful active marathoner the US has, not for for his business decisions.

Nike is a COMPANY. I support them (or don't) for promoting (or failing to promote) the sport and it's biggest achievers.

Your analogy is ridiculous.

maloz wrote:

Too much entitlement when someone makes more money from turning up than winning.

Hilarious. The top 500 Americans in basketball, baseball, football, etc all make more money than Meb without ever achieving anything on the order of an Olympic medal. He is more than entitled to make a good living from his achievements.

maloz wrote:

I had a nice satisfactory little athletic career, and never relied on some stranger to pay my way.

I'm guessing you never lived entirely off of money from your "satisfactory little athletic career" for more than a year, did you?

Giddy wrote:

saying Meb is having better performances than Rupp, Solinski, Farah, Teg, Flanagan, Ritz and Kara just isn't accurate.

Actually, saying he is having better performances than Ritz in the marathon is entirely accurate.

Let's look at four months ago:

New York City Marathon, Nov 6 2011

6 Meb Keflezighi 02:11:38 CA United States USA

8 Dathan Ritzenhein 02:12:33 OR United States USA

EAT IT.