Everyone would like to know the answer to this question. So what gives?
Everyone would like to know the answer to this question. So what gives?
This is a situation that gets uglier on a daily basis. A little over 2 years ago USATF decided that the mens trials were going to be held in New York. This is a great choice but not everyone was on board with this so they spent the past year trying to "buy support". Once NYRR had convinced (bought) enough of the people that are in a position of importance to see things their way, the deal was done. Now USOC realizes that there has been a lot of "buying" going on and they want their share. In the mean time the athletes are left to wait and wait and wait. They are at a stalemate as USATF has already accepted so many favors from NYRR that they are forced into trying to make it happen in New York. Most athletes don't want it in New York because of the November date. Others just have a bias against New York buying their way into things. USOC is now holding the cards. If NYRR gives a little more $$$ to USOC it will be announced. Then USOC will get their cut, USATF will get their cut and all is well. Accept for the athletes. But since when do they have a voice.
This thread talks about many of the same things.
if i remember correctly the qualifying window closes 30 days before the trials, which would make next year's chicago ineligible (28 days before NY next year; 26 days before the proposed trials date, 2 days before NYC).
i wonder if USATF will relax the window to allo last-chance qualifiers at chicago?
sucks for meb and KK, who might otherwise have a shot at a decent payout from the world marathon majors but will now only get 3 marathons instead of four. and won't get to run the world champs marathon next summer either.
Hanson fanatic wrote:
This thread talks about many of the same things.
http://hansons.ararad.org/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=167
No, that thread doesn't talk about the 'same things' that hold up announcement of the Trials sites.
I agree in that your rant is partially correct and not very far off the mark. In addition, you have ill-informed incompetent people in charge. This is multiplied exponentially by the nimrods in the natonal office who see this as being at the bottom of their "to do" list. Gross mismanagement is the rule and nobody (including most of the athletes) really gives a shit.
Since we have many of those "powers" in charge reading posts on this site, can we have someone give us an idea? This is ridiculous. What am I paying USATF dues for if people aren't doing their job?
scotth wrote:
Hanson fanatic wrote:This thread talks about many of the same things.
http://hansons.ararad.org/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=167No, that thread doesn't talk about the 'same things' that hold up announcement of the Trials sites.
Sure it does. The entire thread talks about incompetence.
It doesn't surprise me that anonymous posters here regularly bash others minus the facts. What continually DOES surprise me is that these same posters won't attempt to get the facts before making claims. It's not that hard. In this case, the email addresses for the respective USATF officials can be found on the USATF website. Go there, find the addresses and write your questions...arm yourselves w/the facts.
There are no insiduous forces at work in the USATF LDR offices.
scotth wrote:
Go there, find the addresses and write your questions...arm yourselves w/the facts.
There are no insiduous forces at work in the USATF LDR offices.
My nomination as funniest post of the month.
The main fact everyone's bashing is the announcement supposed to be made weeks ago. This is a complete joke and it does impact people's planning.
Not weeks ago...... months ago. In fact our original time line had our decision being made in October, contracts signed in November, with the announcement being made at the annual meeting. The lack of leadership, foresight and genreral "incompetence" have brought us to where we are today. I apologize to all those concerned. I tried my best to see that this didn't happen, but I didn't have much support or backing.
I think you've watched way too many episodes of the Sopranos…no one is waiting for any type of payoff. This is business, not the soap opera that has been painted on Letsrun.com for months. The USOC, USATF and the potential Local Organizing Committee are trying to create a business partnership; the Trials are a complex event. They are owned by the USOC, managed by USATF and executed by the LOC. For the model to work correctly and in order to have a successful event for the athletes and future athletes, business decisions need to be agreed upon, now not later. Everyone seems to think that someone out there is walking away with fist full of money; all groups (USOC, USATF and the LOCs) involved are not-for-profits. Everyone forgets this point or thinks that means that it’s a create way to avoid taxes or something. All the organizations re-invest their money back to the athletes. The USOC supports 45 National Governing Bodies (from Archery to Wrestling); USATF (where do I begin, please step back and look at the big picture so you can appreciate what they do) has support mechanisms for all levels – look at T&F now compared to the ‘90’s; and the LOCs, they give back everyday. NYRR is getting beat up for it’s donation to the USA Distance Project, WHY? Every properly working not-for-profit looks for ways to support their mission. NYRR doesn’t confine itself to the five boroughs; they believe in supporting the sport of running at every level, locally and nationally.
Things might seem like they are slow with the Trials process, but if the Trials were going to be held in Smallville, they would have been announced by now. The Marathon Trials have reached a new level. For once the top markets and the best running organization WANT the Trials; this will benefit everyone in the long run. All parties involved in the process are passionate about making sure that the 2008 Trials are the best ever. You’ll see…
Brooklyn Dude wrote:
All parties involved in the process are passionate about making sure that the 2008 Trials are the best ever. You’ll see…
Best for who? Certainly not the athletes -- hard to train for a race when you don't know the date it will be held or the course it will be run on!
The fundamental problem here is that there is no competition: there is only one Olympic Trials and it's run by USATF/USOC. So people have no choice but to accept whatever the organizers do. Whereas with other marathons, there is competition for runners, which helps keep organizers on their toes and responsive to the needs of competitors (fast and slow).
Do college players get a say where they play during the NCAA basketball tournament? Does a professional football, baseball or basketball player pick when the playoffs take place? Every Olympic Sports faces the same issues. We're lucky that the "experts" agree that a Trials is the best way to pick our team. Thank goodness a committee isn't picking who gets to be on the starting line at the Olympics.
It's funny you would say that. The "experts" do not agree that a trials is the best way to select a team. The "experts" actually lost that battle.
Yes the NBA, NFL, etc. does have a voice, one more powerful than in our sport. It' called the players union.
Brooklyn Dude wrote:
Everyone seems to think that someone out there is walking away with fist full of money; all groups (USOC, USATF and the LOCs) involved are not-for-profits. Everyone forgets this point or thinks that means that it’s a create way to avoid taxes or something. .... All parties involved in the process are passionate about making sure that the 2008 Trials are the best ever. You’ll see…
Just because an Org is a nonprofit does not mean that they don't make a profit. Furthermore being a nonprofit with a nice cozy mission does not mean that they aren't looking at their bottom line. Regardless of the fact that they don't have to pay taxes on profits made from carrying out thier mission. People like to think non-profits are all warm and fuzzy but in reality they sit on a large portion of the profits and expect everything to be given to them for free because they have such a great mission. Remember NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB are all nonprofits as well so under your rational they don't make a profit either.
Fuzzy wrote:
Just because an Org is a nonprofit does not mean that they don't make a profit. Furthermore being a nonprofit with a nice cozy mission does not mean that they aren't looking at their bottom line.
IF New York gets the Men's Trials for November, 2007, they will be paying for it out of their own pocket. Have any of you actually read their Trials bid (a public document which was widely distributed)? The funding for their Trials bid comes from their regular operating funds, NOT from any sponsor or government agency. ING, the big money behind the NYCM, can't be a Trials sponsor because they are not an official Olympic Committee sponsor and because that category of sponsorship (financial services) is already occupied at the USOC.
If New York gets one of the Trials races, it will be one of the biggest money losers in track & field history. The bid lists the cost at around $700,000, not including the costs they would incur normally for putting on the NYCM, like their staffing costs. It would be a total financial loss for the NYRR, with no significant income to offset it.
Vanny
does any other sport have to deal with not knowing if a championship race will be held in November or April? That's what people object to - i don't care where it is held - just let me know when.