Woody on Bowerman: "I think now it's not the only ticket in town."

The timing is the weirdest part of the departures, both because there's so little time to adapt to a new system before trials/olympics and because contract timing both means their options for 2024 are limited to nike and they could end up in a third training situation in three years in 2025 if they change sponsors

There will probably be at least two more people leaving, possibly a third.

Cooper may have to readapt to a system that worked for him. Not a big deal.

Grant and Elise don’t have to. They can mirror the system that worked well for them with minor tweaks. Not a big deal.

Doing this all the while in a better training/living environment with a personalized focus. I am sure these athletes have thought this out well and have the needed support system in place to succeed.

Not rocket science for any of them to perform better than they ever have based on the talent they have shown. In fact, leaving with a years training cycle in advance of the Olympics is not a big risk as some posters have indicated. To the contrary, staying in a situation that is not geared towards optimal benefit and therefore performance (Jerry’s lost focus on the pros which has been commented about) the athletes who don’t take charge of their own destiny put themselves at greater risk of not reaching their goals.

Clearly, several top athletes from BTC have made such a decision. Will others - who knows.

I give these athletes credit for leaving a situation that wasn’t right for them and wish them nothing but success.

After all, we are talking about well educated intelligent adults who are amazing athletes and who know better than anyone else as to why they have left BTC.

To the media jockeys out there- Go ask BTC or Nike why this massive exodus has taken place. That’s most likely where the real story is. Don’t try and pluck information or dirt from previous BTC athletes that are sponsored by Nike - same on you as that is not journalism.

Who? Did thay guy break 14:00 yet?

Yes, they are. Bowerman is going out of business after the 2024 Olympics.

Good interview - what I could understand. The microphone on Jonathan Gault's phone is so bad I could barely understand half of what Woody said. He should get a plug-in mic for his phone.

really like his interviews. ive become a fan over the past year.

So was BTC “the TITAN about to fall”?

Why does someone need to ask Nike? Isn't this obvious?

The exodus has taken place as Jerry has taken the Oregon job at Uncle Phil's request. The team found out about it after the fact, were mandated to move to Eugene as some combo of Uncle Phil/Nike/Jerry wanted them to elevate the UO team and now some of them have left as they don't like playing 2nd fiddle and / or having to live in Eugene.

Unlce Phil, Jerry and Oregon runners have all benefitted but the pros did not.

The thing is much of this could have been avoided.

Let's go back in time.

The pros should have been told BEFORE the announcement.

Jerry calls a BTC team meeting.the

"Hey guys and gals. I know we don't normally do formal team meetings but we've got an important visitor who wants to talk to the team today...... (Enter Phil Knight). This is Phil Knight - the founder of Nike and the reason why we have jobs. Mr Knight the floor is yours.

Mr. Knight: "Hello everyone. I know many of us have never met but I know almost all of you as I've been a big fan for years. Besides my family, I have three passions in life - Nike, the Univerisy of Oregon and track and field. And I'm please to say I think you guys are the best track and field team in the world and you represent Nike. However, I also wish my beloved Ducks were the best xc team in the NCAA but they are not. I've asked your coach - Jerry Schumacher - to take over the Oregon xc and track job to lead them back to glory while also still coachingthe BTC. Coach Schumacher is worried about how you guys would feel about change so that's why I'm here.

I wanted to let you all know that this is very important to me but I also want to be reasonable. So I'm here to say that if you agree to move to Eugene and be a part of the new BTC track club which moving forward will be based in Eugene, I'll bump up your pay by 15%. If you don't want to be part of the new BTC, Nike will still of course honor your contract and you can find whatever coaching arrangement you choose.

Best of luck to you whatever you decide."

Either do something like that or tell the pros that they can stay in Portland but one workout a week will be in Eugene (they drive down) and one in Eugene (Jerry drives down).

How disconnected from reality is this guy?

Or have Jerry move to Eugene by himself, and leave Bowerman in Portland and get a different coach. Surely Nike could have found another coach for Bowerman.

Yep. They are known as ‘recovery days’ to most of us.

It has nothing to do with Shelby. Gatlin got busted TWICE and Nike still sponsored him. Nike isn't afraid of a drug bust.

True Phil likely wants Oregon XC to succeed but I bet he hates the US Nike pros losing to ON & New Balance even more...