if I were king, I would limit teams to racing only two foreigners per XC race. And three per soccer roster. It’s taking away so many opportunities for US athletes.
In Japan they do this. Only some many foreigners allowed per team and they even limit what legs they can run in the Ekiden's.
BYU is a good school. BYU guys take real majors, like earning masters degrees in economics. But the top American is Grant Fisher. He didn't do a mission. He attended Stanford. He majored in engineering. I guess you aren't too bright if you believe that skipping 2 years and taking am easy major makes guys faster.
Pulling in established East African runners seems like an ugly way to win. New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Arkansas are all teams that I have very little respect for. Especially 25 or 26 year olds competing.
Actually the reverse should be true, you should have more respect for East African runners filling out a winning team. Look at their standard of living and how long they have to put up with their lifestyle. You just do not get it. (All nations use drugs but if I could I would consider allowing the East Africans getting away with it!
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Washington State University (WSU) were very proficient at this back in the 1970's. That's how long this has been going on. It isn't anything new. Just different universities are now doing it.
It is cheating. Call it what it is. Putting aside the age cheating issue, at minimum these teams are bringing in older runners who are often 21 or older as freshmen.
It was said last year when OK St and Dave Smith brought in the all star Kenyan squad of 21 year old freshmen that things wouldn’t be the same. Now you’re starting to see the effects of that model. All other schools at all levels are following the East African model. It’s no longer about recruiting the best U.S. high school kids and developing them. It’s all about importing semi professionals from abroad with years of experience at the international level. The NCAA needs to step in and change son rules or US high school kids have no chance to make college rosters.
It is cheating. We need an NCAA hard age limit of 23. Do whatever missions, and redshirts and whatnot, as long as everyone is finished before they turn 24. Same with bringing in Kenyans and brits and Aussies. They are done at 24.
It is cheating. Call it what it is. Putting aside the age cheating issue, at minimum these teams are bringing in older runners who are often 21 or older as freshmen.
Thirty-nine is an age much favored by ladies of 50, people who believe that life begins at 40, and Jack Benny, but by and large an athlete does not expect it
Let’s just prevent anyone over 23 from going to college because their life experiences will make the other students feel inferior because they don’t have their stuff together like that.
Let’s just prevent anyone over 23 from going to college because their life experiences will make the other students feel inferior because they don’t have their stuff together like that.
Do you think that clinger feels inferior because people who graduated high school at the same time as he are now medical doctors, while he is still racing 17 year old freshmen?
At this point just prepare your kids to compete down a level. Coaches are not getting paid to develop as that’s not in their contracts at the power conference level. It sucks I get it, but complaining solves nothing. Be real with your kids and their parents and tell them they aren’t doing enough or competitive to compete at certain D1 programs. If that school in particular is so important to them they should just apply, join a club, and go on about their lives. Expecting a coach to sacrifice their livelihood on the HOPE that your 17-18 year old kid will mature and contribute to the team is selfish. Track at the top is no longer your Saturday run club of the past. There is serious money tied into these jobs at the top that wasn’t there 10-15 years ago, and they didn’t get those pay increases from coddling and telling their athletes “its ok last place isn’t so bad..winning isn’t everything.”
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